Gentoo installation - LAN not working

[JaTeR]

Allrighty, I'm running an intel processor at about 600mhz, and I have an 10g hd that I want to reformat for use with Gentoo. I have the Gentoo LiveCD because I want to compile the entire system from the ground up. (I know it will take a while, but thats ok.)
Now, heres my problem. I boot the system with the LiveCD and it boots up all right, and it says eth0 detected DHCP broadcasting. (while starting up). But when I try to use Links or ping, it gives me a "network unavailable" error.
So, i look at the Gentoo Linux Documentation (on gentoo.org) and it tells me to try "/sbin/ifconfig" to see what it says. now, when i do that it hangs. i can type whatever. Ctrl-C does NOT quit it. I can switch consoles (alt-f2, alt-f3, etc) and i can restart (ctrl-alt-del) but i have lost all responses from that console. i've let it sit for an hour, and it still does not work (isn't it supposed to time out after 60 seconds??). This also happens when i try anything else that has to do with my network card. so, a friend that has gentoo tells me to try "modprobe *network card driver*" but this does not work as i haven't got the driver.
I have a Realtek RTL8029(AS) PCI Ethernet Adapter (according to windows XP).
I have the driver disk (and cd) that came with the card, but does it have a linux driver on it? i do not know.
Also, i have tried all 2 (yes, two) network drivers that come with gentoo 1.4 and they have not helped any.

Anyone have any suggestions?
if so, i will love you forever. :)

JaTeR

[dkeav]

that card should be covered by the tulip module, dont know why it isnt working properly, try configuring manually with ifconfig

[hard candy]

Do you have "ne2k-pci" listed as a driver? Try that one. "modprobe ne2k-pci".

[JaTeR]

dkeav: as i said: ...now, when i do that [ifconfig] it hangs. i can type whatever. Ctrl-C does NOT quit it. I can switch consoles (alt-f2, alt-f3, etc) and i can restart (ctrl-alt-del) but i have lost all responses from that console. i've let it sit for an hour, and it still does not work (isn't it supposed to time out after 60 seconds??)... so, that does not work.

hard candy: When i typed in that, it did not give me an error message, but i forget how to check to see which modules are loaded. I'm assuming it worked. however, links and ping do not work, and ifconfig still hangs on me.

thanks a lot for answering!
any other ideas?

JaTeR

[hard candy]

"modprobe -ls" will show modules available.
I think "insmod -ls" shows modules loaded.
I would also try rebooting and loading this module. It may be there is another module already loaded and causing a conflict.

[JaTeR]

insmod -ls does not tell me which modules are loaded.. apparently it is some type of modprobe..
actually, i just typed in lsmod for no reason, and that worked... and... i already have ne2k-pci loaded.
hm.
well, that is odd.
i wonder if i can unload that... and load it again.

edit:
ahEM.. /me looks a little embarressed..
would it make.. um... a small difference if.. i had .. like, one of those ... router thingers? i mean:
I have a router with a builtin firewall. should i try plugging my cable modem directly into my comp instead of going through my router?

edit2:
okey, after being frustrated with gentoo quite a bit, i have decided to switch to debian. maybe i'll come back to gentoo after i have a little more experience, but not all that soon.
goodbye one and all, i shall miss you.
by the way, any clue why debian (for truth: libranet, not debian. but the base is the same.) works with my network card and gentoo doesn't? ahh well. something to think on.

JaTeR