can't connect to internet or even ping nameserver [solved]

kaibutsu · n00b Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 8 Location: davis, ca

The problem is that I can't connect to the internet. It's very sudden; last thursday things just suddenly stopped working. I don't really know why, and I don't remember changing anything in the last couple days before the problem started.

The computer with the problem is named Biscuit, to avoid confusion below (since there's a second gentoo machine still working).

Details:
+ I am on a university network. Biscuit is connected to a router which picks up the Uni's wireless signal and splits it into four wired ethernet ports. Two other machines (a windows laptop and my other gentoo machine, on which I'm currently typing) also connect to the internet through this router. I've tried changing ports and resetting the router to no avail. Since the other machines are still running fine, I don't think it's a router problem.

+ So normally, to do anything on the internet more complicated than a ping, I need to bring up a web browser and log in through the uni's login page. This page isn't coming up, and the web browser just says "looking for $website...". I can usually still ping things without signing in, but no more: "ping: unknown host: google.com". Biscuit also can't ping either of the nameservers in resolv.conf. (the other gentoo machine can, though.) It CAN ping the Gateway listed by "route -n" and other computers in the university network, such as the two other computers in my dome, and another friend's computer that connects through the university wireless system.

+ After restarting my eth0 with "/etc/init.d/eth0 restart" I get at seemingly random intervals on my terminal messages to the effect of "ERROR: Name or Service not found." I've also seen a couple "Temporary failure in name resolution" messages.

+ I've tried a lot of things described in the forums. I've already tried rebuilding the kernel, and re-installing dhcpcd with 'vram' use flag enabled.

Any ideas? Thanks!

kaibutsu · n00b Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 8 Location: davis, ca

Here's some hard data:

kands · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject:

That is strange. If you're doing any bit torrentish type traffic the university may have blocked your mac address???

if you boot with a live cd are you able to access the internet using links or lynx?
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kaibutsu · n00b Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 8 Location: davis, ca

I'm not running any bittorrent or peer-to-peer stuff; just use the computer for internet things. I've emailed the university network people and asked if I've been blocked or anything like that, but haven't heard back. I'll try the livecd when I get home.

Is there a way to get a list of the networking software used by the machine? I might try going through things systematically and rebuilding, in case there's any bitrot occurring...

kands · Posted: Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject:

Gentoolkit has some useful utils.

http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoolkit.xml

Look at equery list -i to see what is installed on your system. add a parameter after the -i to narrow your search.
_________________
http://www.brokenspoke.ca
Have you broken your spoke today?

Hu · Watchman Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 6345

kaibutsu · n00b Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 8 Location: davis, ca

I agree; no nameservers is bad. But it seems like I also can't ping things by number, when I try to.

The traceroute from the working machine follows; Biscuit doesn't seem to have it installed.

kaibutsu · n00b Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 8 Location: davis, ca

Ok, seem to have fixed it by changing my (reported) MAC address with