I have had the #slackware guys try gunning me down, saying I was at fault. I have been told it is user error. But it is not, and I have taken time to prove it.

Slackware 9.1 is the worse Linux distro for systems with multiple network cards.

This is a major bug I have found with Slackware 9.1. Heres some of the quirks...

After a clean install, you go to use the internet. Nothing. You do a "lsmod" and the modules are all loaded. The network card is "seen", it is configured, and it's module is properly loaded. But the network lights are not on. Trying to bring it up with ifconfig is useless.

Now take the second network card out. The first card (set up with DHCP) is now working.

So lets try another network card. Ok. It boots, but now, it is loading the module, and the lights for the network connection are even comming on - but it does now work. Won't get a DHCP lease, won't access the network.

Lets pull the second card out.

Now it works just fine. eth0 is loading with the right module and is getting a DHCP lease and connecting just fine.

Lets stick another network cand in their now.

Won't connect. Once again, the modules for both cards loads, but they do not do anyhitng.

This does not always happen on all boxes, but I have found this very common on many machines now.

Slackware 9 never had this problem. I have done a lot of the same machines with 9 and it works fine - so the problem IS Slackware 9.1. I have tried telling the Slackware guys this, but it seems useless.

Another weird quirk: You have only one network card. Sometimes it will not use the network car and get it's DHCP info. you do a "lsmod" and it shows that the card is loaded and configured. But you can not use it. Now try loading the module for it a SECOND TIME. The lights on the network card flash. Now if you run your networking setup script again manually, poof! It works! I had the slackware geeks argue with me for 20 minutes, telling me I was a liar - that you could not load a module twice - BUT I CAN!! At least on this slackware build I can.

A couple notes:
I HAVE tried the same stuff on THE SAME machines- the problem is not their with older Slack versions.
I HAVE downloaded 2 new copies of Slackware 9.1 since. They all do this. So it is NOT a bad download.
Other Linux distros do not have a problem with this either.

My reason for posting this is because I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem, and if so, please let me know. I would like to know as much about it as possible before I submitt a full bug report to the Slack devs. If you are also Slacker and want to bash me about this, please find another thread, otherwise I will just take this post elsewhere.

Thank you for your time.
Dean