- Roundtable - muug.ca

Re: [RndTbl] network problem
by Dan Martin 17 Feb '08

17 Feb '08

Kevin McGregor wrote: > Well, no. By default, Shaw gives out one IP address per cable modem, > so if you change the connected device from the original router you > tried, to something else, it ignores the new device. Sometimes > powering down the cable modem (and waiting... hours? Days?) helps, but > the better solution is to call Shaw Internet tech support and tell > them you want your free second IP address activated. I only need one address. I just need the NIC to get it. I was trying to bypass the firewall to see if that's where the problem was. I am guessing the firewall is NOT the problem: 1) I can connect on another machine on the LAN that should be handled the same way by the firewall. 2) The second app used to work with the same firewall on the first machine. Could a NIC 'partly' fail so that it can't accept an address by DHCP and will fail with some connections but not others? > You may still have to power down and up the cable modem after they do > this. Shaw provides all Internet users with two IP addresses, but the > second one has to be activated on request. > > After that, you can try plugging in your computer or other device to > the cable modem to do tests - although I'd be loathe to do that with a > Windows 2000 machine. > > Kevin > > Dan Martin wrote: >> I have a home LAN that uses a iptables firewall running on FC 4 on my >> gateway machine. I run Win2K on an internal LAN machine that I use >> to run (among other things) 2 applications that contact remote >> servers. Using SNAT in iptables, everything seemed to run fine, >> since all communications with the servers were initiated on my end >> and return packets were appropriately translated back. >> ... >> >> I plugged my Win2K machine directly to the cable modem and configured >> it to connect by DHCP. I could not get an address for it. Shaw >> believes the modem is working and trying to assign an address. >> >> ... >> >> It is suspicious that the NIC would not configure when plugged to the >> cable modem - but everything else works. I can browse the web and >> get my mail. >> >> Is this consistent with a NIC failure? could it be something else? >> > > -- -Dan Dr. Dan Martin, MD, CCFP, BSc, BCSc (Hon), MSc GP Hospital Practitioner Computer Scientist ummar143(a)shaw.ca (204) 831-1746 answering machine always on

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ubuntu 7.10 and shaw cable
by schwartz 15 Feb '08

15 Feb '08

The problem was a defective nic. I'm so glad it was something cheap and easy to replace.

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Re: [RndTbl] network problem
by Dan Martin 14 Feb '08

14 Feb '08

Sean Walberg wrote: > Random thoughts: > > Win2k outside fw is not a conclusive test. Some people are only > allowed 1 ip from the modem. Unplug fw from modem, reboot modem, and > try again > I did power it down - though only for 30 sec. It appeared to go through the cycle of flashing lights, etc. > Does the win2k box pick up an addy on the inside (assuming you use dhcp)? > Using fixed private addresses on the inside. > Not sure why you're getting proxy errors, are you configured for a proxy? > No - other than the firewall acting as a proxy (which should be transparent to the app). > You could also try tcpdump or wireshark to see what's going on network wise. > I will have to play sometime - but at present it works on a different machine on the network, even though it should be handled exactly the same by the firewall. > Sean > > > On 2/14/08, Dan Martin <ummar143(a)shaw.ca> wrote: > >> I have a home LAN that uses a iptables firewall running on FC 4 on my >> gateway machine. I run Win2K on an internal LAN machine that I use to >> run (among other things) 2 applications that contact remote servers. >> Using SNAT in iptables, everything seemed to run fine, since all >> communications with the servers were initiated on my end and return >> packets were appropriately translated back. >> >> Recently I upgraded one of the apps that accesses a broker and real time >> quotes. It then failed to run, and their minimal tech support could not >> help me get it going. The failure was blamed on my firewall. I changed >> it to allow some new connections from the internet (DNAT) but to no >> avail. I assumed that I had implemented DNAT incorrectly or there were >> things they weren't telling me. >> >> Yesterday, I found I was unable to run an app that accessed a second >> server - even though I had run it many times previously. It gave the >> error "Cannot connect to the ... server. Proxy connection failed: the >> configured proxy server is not accepting connections." Changing my >> firewall back to the previous version did not solve the problem. >> >> I plugged my Win2K machine directly to the cable modem and configured it >> to connect by DHCP. I could not get an address for it. Shaw believes >> the modem is working and trying to assign an address. >> >> I finally installed this second app into another Windows machine on the >> internal LAN and it ran perfectly. >> >> It shouldn't be a firewall problem - the iptables should handle one >> internal machine exactly the same as the other - no rules specify a >> particular machine except the DNAT rules, which were removed. >> >> It is suspicious that the NIC would not configure when plugged to the >> cable modem - but everything else works. I can browse the web and get >> my mail. >> >> Is this consistent with a NIC failure? could it be something else? >> >> -- >> -Dan >> -- -Dan Dr. Dan Martin, MD, CCFP, BSc, BCSc (Hon), MSc GP Hospital Practitioner Computer Scientist ummar143(a)shaw.ca (204) 831-1746 answering machine always on

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Re: [RndTbl] network problem
by Dan Martin 14 Feb '08

14 Feb '08

Thanks for your quick reply Colin. I physically unplugged my Linux gateway from the cable modem, then plugged my Win2K machine to it using the same cable. Some time after that I rebooted the cable modem, so it should see the MAC address of the Win2K machine and have no memory of the Linux machine. Incidentally, under "properties" in windows, the MAC address shows as all zeroes. The NIC is an NVIDIA nForce MCP Networking Adapter. It appears to be a chip on the motherboard, not on a card. Colin Stanners wrote: >> I plugged my Win2K machine directly to the cable modem and configured it >> to connect by DHCP. I could not get an address for it. >> > > BTW, some newer modems only let you connect one MAC address on residential > accounts. Reboot the modem and try again with only that machine, it should work. > > -C > > > -- -Dan Dr. Dan Martin, MD, CCFP, BSc, BCSc (Hon), MSc GP Hospital Practitioner Computer Scientist ummar143(a)shaw.ca (204) 831-1746 answering machine always on

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shaw broadcast traffic down?
by Theodore Baschak 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

I just noticed that the cpu usage on my cisco router at home dropped from an average of 4% down to 1%.. Was a little bit curious so I looked at the graphs for that switch port (and did a few sh int's to confirm it) and from about half an hour ago on, theres like maybe 1 or 2 broadcasts every 5 seconds, instead of 80-120 a second. Anyone else notice this? Wonder if its system-wide change, or something maybe broke on my subnet/node thats fixed this for me! Theo

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February PLUG meeting
by Mark Jenkins 13 Feb '08

13 Feb '08

As mentioned last night, the Prairie Linux User Group's (http://plug.ca) February meeting will feature the OLPC XO (little green laptop) and the Asus EEE-PC (little black laptop). Our meetings are fairly informal, and the attendance pretty small, so there will be ample opportunity to just play. MUUG members interested in planning a MUUG presentation on this topic may find this PLUG meeting a good opportunity to explore what aspects local geeks are interested in. I'm going to attempt ahead of the meeting to build the OPLC software in /opt/olpc, and run it on my regular clunky laptop. This will allow us to make use of a projector. If I manage to build all of the obscure dependencies into there as well - I can copy /opt/olpc over to other people with x86 laptops running GNU/Linux. (I should also just see if someone has made a live CD and save myself the hassle!) The meeting will be in room 3M58 at the University of Winnipeg, at 7:30pm, on February 21, 2008. Mark

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ubuntu 7.10 and shaw cable
by schwartz 12 Feb '08

12 Feb '08

I replaced the offending computer with another machine. The replacement had no trouble with shaw, but I was still suspicious, so I ran it all day yesterday doing a download and there was no problem. This morning I turned it on, ( it runs Ubuntu 7.10 ) and still had no trouble with shaw internet. So I suspect something is wrong on the original computer. Maybe the nic is going, or the hard drive or perhaps a virus? I didn't think Linux got viruses. Anyway, I'm going to be busy hunting down what might be wrong with the offending computer. This could take some time. I'm sort of disappointed that I can't blame shaw for this problem.

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Modem rebooting
by Kevin Scott 11 Feb '08

11 Feb '08

I know the last few days, Shaw was/is having issues with provisioning modems, Which modem are you using? Docsis? Do you ever get the 4 solid green lights, or does online blink forever, and then reboot? But I haven't heard of a device causing the modem to reboot like that, if you can track it down to something your computer is doing, I'd definitely be interested in finding out what, I know there was a firmware upgrade to enable the PowerBoost feature. Not that I think it caused this to happen, but I don't really know for sure. Kevin

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Request for articles
by Mike Pfaiffer 11 Feb '08

11 Feb '08

I e-mailed Gilbert about this and so far this seems to fall within the bounds of the area the group is involved in. I'll try to keep it in good taste. As most members of the group are aware I am involved with a magazine called Call-A.P.P.L.E.. It used to be part of the Pudget Sound Apple// group. It has since separated and evolved into a *NIX/Mac/Apple// magazine. The *NIX part is what ties it to the group here. The other person active with the magazine is in Japan. For various reasons I'm in charge of the magazine again this year. He's developed his own group of writers. Unfortunately they are in Japan and don't know me from a hole in the ground. That's my problem. As the subject states, I am asking if anybody would care to write an article. Anything related to *NIX, Mac, or the Apple// is fine. It doesn't have to be a direct connection. Gilberts 3D photography or music on a computer are good examples. Secondarily (this is the part where it may fall outside the bounds of good taste), it is a commercial operation. The magazine itself is free (a free sign-up is necessary for the current issue). We make just enough in advertising to pay for the hosting service (and maybe a small fries at McCardboard). I'd like to get enough advertising to be able to pay our contributors and eventually ourselves. Even if it's a token amount it would be a good thing. If anybody knows of a group who'd be willing to advertise with us, please let me know. A bit of interesting news... Bill (the guy in Japan), said we broke the million reader mark last year. I'm not sure of his figures, but every time we switch, the number of readers climbs. The last time I was in charge I was apparently pulling in somewhere between 750,000 and 800,000 readers on my last issue. WOW! Barring another death in the family I should be at Tuesdays meeting if anybody wants to talk. I'm the tall, balding guy with a beard and glasses. ;-) Later Mike

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ubuntu 7.10 and shaw cable
by schwartz 10 Feb '08

10 Feb '08

I was wondering if anyone has had trouble with Shaw cable internet service while running Ubuntu 7.10 ? My cable modem keeps rebooting itself, according to Shaw's support person. He thought it was a power issue or maybe a loose connection within my house, but its not. When I ran Knoppix 5.0.1 Live CD I had no trouble using the Internet at all. So, I assumed something was corruped with Ubuntu 7.10, and I re-installed it. The problem continues, but only with Ubuntu 7.10. I have both XP and Slackware 11 also installed on the same hard drive, and neither one of them has any Internet trouble. I have used Ubuntu 7.10 for a couple of months with no trouble, then, the next morning, the Shaw cable modem keeps rebooting and my Internet connection is useless. Has anyone any idea why? Is there a solution ?

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