second ethernet

[jdow]

From: "Jeffrey Ross" <jeff at bubble.org>

> I'm looking to add a second Ethernet interface to my FC3 system.  The 
> interface is going to be used strictly as a capture interface for 
> ethereal and as such has no need for an IP address..
> 
> The questions are:
> 
> 1) How do I force the existing Ethernet interface (built onto the 
> motherboard), which shows up as a via-rhine to remain as eth0 and the 
> new interface which will be an Intel card as eth1

If the new card is not Via Rhine it's very easy. This is what I have
in my /etc/modprobe.conf file as the first two lines. (The last is
coincidence not requirement.)

alias eth0 via-rhine
alias eth1 8139too

If both somehow end up as via-rhine you need to use some other means of
distinguishing the cards. "lspci" can give you some features you may
be able to use in modprobe.conf to distinguish the cards. Of course,
"man modprob.conf" is rather a good idea.

> 2) enable the card without any addressing (IP or otherwise) so the card 
> remains silent?

That, too is easy. Don't assign it an IP address. If you use dhclient
this may be a tad awkward. A good read on the dhcp client documentation
is a rather good idea.

> 3) will this process work for adding multiple additional interfaces, and 
> is there a limit to network interfaces besides physical space for cards?

So far as I know you can keep going as far as you want. The problem
becomes generating a distinguishing feature for the cards.

{^_^}