[plug] Multiple ethernet cards, same driver

[Bernd Felsche]

On Tuesday 15 June 2004 21:54, Russell Steicke wrote:
> I think this has come up before, but I don't remember if there was a
> solution...

> If I have a machine with multiple ethernet interfaces, and each
> interface is the same type of PCI card (and therefore uses the same
> kernel module), is it guaranteed that the same cards will be eth0 and
> eth1 after each boot or power-on?  (Assuming x86 PC hardware)

> If not, how do I make it so?

> I'm interested specifically in the 8139too module.  It doesn't seem to
> take the io=0xAAA,0xBBB module parameter that would be used were these
> ISA cards, although I can't test that at the moment as they're in a live
> system.

In terms of operational reliability, especially with firewalls, etc,
you'll probably have to jump through some hoops to base your IP
addresses on the hardware address of each card. If the cards are
"identical", best to note the MAC on the outside; next to the cable
socket.

I've had different network "cards" come up in a different order and
I think the only solution as such is to base it on the MAC.

I've not sussed out how to get DHCP to do it automagically for me at
boot time. Not sure it can, but it probably ought to be able to do
it.

-- 
/"\ Bernd Felsche - Innovative Reckoning, Perth, Western Australia
\ /  ASCII ribbon campaign | I'm a .signature virus!
 X   against HTML mail     | Copy me into your ~/.signature
/ \  and postings          | to help me spread!