Multiple network cards

[Jeff Vian]

Rick Stevens wrote:

> Mike Harris wrote:
>
>> I have two network cards, on built-in to my motherboard, and a PCI 
>> one. For each I've compiled the drivers as modules. (e100 for the 
>> builin, and 8139too for the PCI). One is my internal network, and the 
>> other connects to the internet.
>
1.  Why did you need to compile these drivers?  AFAICT They are included 
in FC1.
2.  Maybe the fact you recompiled them and did not use the ones included 
with the distro is causing a problem. :-(

>> They both work, but the problem is I can't specify which one is eth0 
>> and eth1, and occasionally they'll switch. In /etc/modules.conf and 
>> /etc/modprobe.conf (I'm not sure of the difference of these files) I 
>> have the lines:
>> alias eth0 e100
>> alias eth1 8139too
>> This is what I'd like them set up to be. Any ideas why it's not 
>> listening to me?
>
/etc/modprobe.conf is used for the 2.6.X kernels and works a little 
differently
Booting into the 2.4 kernel the entry in modules.conf should work and 
they should never change.

>
> Rather depends on which card is available when.  You could try to
> add an "HWADDR=" line to /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-ethX
> to try to force it.

This happens *after* the device is already loaded and named .  An 
incorrect HWADDR line could break any connections if the card was not 
properly identified with that  interface name.  And AFAIK the drivers 
allow assigning a different hw address anyway.