dhcpclient hangs on boot

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-21 18:28

In Lysistrata some users have found that there is a long delay when dhcpclient connects to the network, either using antiX as livecd or installed.

Here are some solutions.

1. For livecd and installed, use cheat code mean. This disables network connection on boot up and once at the desktop,
Either a)
open a terminal, su to root and type
dhclient
or
dhclient [name of your connection point ie eth0]

Or b)
Menu>Admin/tools>Mepis Admin>Network

and set up from there.

2. When you get to the dhcpclient part on boot, after it has clearly finished, press Ctrl c. This should continue the boot and network should work.

3. For an installed antiX, add cheat code mean to the /boot/grub/menu.lst so it looks something like this

title MEPIS at sda4, kernel 2.6.22-1-mepis-smp
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.22-1-mepis-smp root=/dev/sda4 mean nomce quiet splash vga=791
boot

and also add this line to the end of /etc/rc.local

dhclient &

This connects you to the net after login.

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-22 08:33

anticapitalista wrote:add 'dhclient &' to the end of /etc/rc.local

Since I'm not using DHCP, I'll have to guess - but would a cheatcode like 'mean dhcX' (similar to 'mean eth0'), resulting in the beforementioned edition getting done"automatically", be of avail?

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-22 12:27

We could give it a try UnicornRider.

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-22 14:37

anticapitalista wrote:give it a try

1st attempt (to be tested ...):
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://penguin.ch/plan_b/scripts/x_files/planb_rc-5.sh"
linktext was:"http://penguin.ch/plan_b/scripts/x_files/planb_rc-5.sh"
====================================
__{{emoticon}}__
boot code: [mean] dhcX (the latter to make sure we're not clashing with
========= SCRAPER REMOVED AN EMBEDDED LINK HERE ===========
url was:"http://www.mepis.org/docs/en/index.php/Cheatcodes"
linktext was:"these codes"
====================================
).

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-22 15:45

Tested using mean dhcX cheatcode and it does stop dhcp. But at desktop, I had to manually add the dhclient&
to /etc/rc.local

Once I had done this, rebooted and chose mean dhcX

at desktop opening iceweasel takes me to a page __{{emoticon}}__

However, even without the dhcX part of the cheatcode and rc.local with dhclient& added, works too. So the dhcX part isn't doing much extra, except it gives a nice message saying that dhclient is being delayed.

Now is it a good idea if by adding the mean dhcX cheatcode, it also adds dhclient& to /etc/rc.local ?

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-22 16:12

anticapitalista wrote:Now is it a good idea if by adding the mean dhcX cheatcode, it also adds dhclient& to /etc/rc.local ?

Without this, the whole addition would be pointless - mean already"kills" DHCP, and the dhcX addition is meant to change this into a"mere delay" ...

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-22 16:20

I meant should there be another script or section of the script that automates this when dhcX is selected?

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-22 16:29

anticapitalista wrote:should there be another script or section of the script that automates this

O.k., now I see ... the code you're looking for is to be found in line 54 et sqq. of the (updated) init script.

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-22 16:44

Success!

The present script does as it should and writes to /etc/rc.local the necessary line.
Brilliant!

Now the 'contra' is needed.

Thanks

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-22 16:52

anticapitalista wrote:Brilliant!

I'm not really convinced: what should happen on reboot with no cheat code but DHCP still meant to be used? Removing the entry from rc.local would be consistent with the rest of my code - but obviously stupid __{{emoticon}}__

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-22 17:17

UnicornRider wrote:
I'm not really convinced: what should happen on reboot with no cheat code but DHCP still meant to be used? Removing the entry from rc.local would be consistent with the rest of my code - but obviously stupid __{{emoticon}}__

Hmm, come to think of it, it does seem stupid to remove the entry from rc.local as this script is supposed to be a permanent solution for those having problems with dhcpclient at boot.
For those that just need internet connection from livecd, the changes to rc.local get lost anyway in a new session.

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-23 09:27

anticapitalista wrote:this script is supposed to be a permanent solution for those having problems with dhcpclient at boot

If (similar to the kbd=) people were willing to add mean dhcX to their list of boot codes (read: menu.lst) on a permanent base, I could figure out a working script (read: update to the given ones).

Does this sound like an acceptable compromise? (The actual code I would be able to write today if you want me to.)

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-23 14:38

I don't think it is necessary UnicornRider. The script works fine as it is and this dhcpclient issue doesn't effect everyone.

UnicornRider · posted: 2007-12-23 15:00

anticapitalista wrote:The script works fine as it is

Actually, it's half-done at best (which is why it's not included in my official code): no checks for double entries, no option to automatically remove the addition, etc.

anticapitalista · posted: 2007-12-23 15:10

You know best about the code. I'm hoping to upload antiX-M7.01.iso sometime after Xmas, but before the New Year with your code included.
If you think it needs refinement and you can do so for then, fantastic. Otherwise I 'll include what you have done so far, ans the new changes will be added for antiX-M7.5.