Network problems with Fedora Core 10

Hi,

I recently started building my second general-purpose server, and installed Fedora Core 10. The installation process went fairly smoothly, and the first thing I set up was the network connection. And after a few hours of trying various options, I still can't get it to join the network properly.

My network doesn't use DHCP, so the only option is to give the server a static IP (which is most appropriate for a server anyway, of course) but even though I'm certain that I have set the network settings correctly (IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, and Primary DNS Server), I can't ping anything on the network.

I have tried making sure the firewall isn't blocking anything (by turning it off), made sure the network device is running, etc., but to no avail.


Also, what concerns me most is that everytime I set any setting on the device using the GUI system-config-network tool, it overrides the subnet mask with its own (incorrect) value and it won't change no matter how many times I overwrite it. I have to use the shell version of the network tool to successfully overwrite the subnet mask. I also find that my DNS server settings are blanked occasionally when I look, for no apparent reason.


Does anyone have any idea what the problem could be, and how I might fix it?


Thanks in advance, sorry for the long-winded explanation.

What do you mean by "can't join the network properly"?

I don't have problems like you describe with the network gui in Fedora 9. Maybe you're not properly saving the changes you make to your network settings, just editing a field doesn't make a permanent change to the underlying network settings.

Performing an ifconfig seems to indicate that it's taken to the correct IP address, and pinging the selected IP address produces a reply, but it can't see the rest of the network or the internet, and other computers on the network can't see it.



Well, all the other fields in the dialog update correctly, just the subnet mask changes to a completely different value, seemingly for no reason. And more importantly, after I've changed it to the correct value using the shell interface, it changes back to the value it keeps defaulting to once I make any permanent change on that edit dialog, even if I don't modify the subnet mask at all.

It appears that my main error was not downloading the distribution myself; I was given the CD by someone else and it appears I had the live CD rather than the actual installation of fedora. And given the problems I experienced with the network configuration tool changing my subnet mask, it seemed to be a glitchy version.

I'm downloading the correct version now and I'll repost once I've installed it if the problem persists with the new installation.

Thanks for the help so far.

Downloaded fedora core 10. Burned to DVD. Did a complete new installation.

All problems still present, completely identical to those previously described.

I would happily bury my server under a tonne of cement right now, so any help to avoid that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

There are lots of things you may be doing that is screwing up your networking.

There is a good Fedora support forum at http://fedoraforum.org/

Ironically, I already posted my question there yesterday. They seem to be able to give better advice there (no offence) so I'll just refer to those forums.

Thanks for the help Doug.