The machine must have a supported network card. Normally, the network card is detected during the installation and a suitable driver is loaded. To see if your card has been integrated correctly with the appropriate driver, enter the command ifstatus eth0. The output should list all information about the network device eth0 or display an error message.

▪ s390;zseries
On IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms, other possible device names (apart from eth0) include hsi0, ctc0, and iuvc0. ▪

If the kernel support for the network card is implemented as a module, default for the SUSE kernel, the name of the module must be entered as an alias in /etc/modules.conf. This is done automatically when the driver support for the network card is loaded in linuxrc during the first installation. This task can also be done after installation with YaST.

If you are using a hotplug network card (e.g., PCMCIA or USB), the drivers are autodetected when the card is plugged in. No configuration is necessary.

	S/390, zSeries: Hotpluggable Network Cards
On IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms, hotpluggable network cards are supported, but not their automatic network integration via DHCP (as is the case on the PC). After detection, manually configure the interface.

After starting the module, YaST displays a general network configuration dialog. The upper part shows a list with all the network cards yet to be configured. Any card properly autodetected during the boot procedure is listed with its name. Devices that could not be detected are listed as ‘Other (not detected)’. In the lower part, the dialog displays a list of the devices configured so far, with their network type and address. You can now configure a new network card or change an existing configuration.

21.4.2.1. Manual Configuration of a Network Card

The configuration of a network card that was not autodetected includes the following items:

Device Type

Specify the type of network device and the device number.

Wireless Settings

If you are within reach of a wireless network and your network card is designed for this connection type, use ‘Wireless Settings’ to open a dialog in which to set the operating mode, the network name (ESSID), the network identifier (NWID), the encryption key, and a nickname. After setting these options, close the dialog with ‘OK’.

▪ s390;zseries
Wireless LAN devices are not supported on IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms. ▪

Kernel Module and Selection of Network Card

If your network card is a PCMCIA or USB device, enable the corresponding check boxes then leave the dialog by selecting ‘Next’. Otherwise, use ‘Select from List’ then specify your network card. YaST automatically loads the appropriate driver for the selected card. Leave this dialog by selecting ‘Next’.

Figure 21.3. Configuration of the Network Card

21.4.2.3. Cable Modem

	S/390, zSeries: Cable Modem
The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms.

In some countries (Austria, US), it is quite common to access the Internet through the TV cable network. The TV cable subscriber usually gets a modem that is connected to the TV cable outlet on one side and to a computer network card on the other (using a 10Base-TG twisted pair cable). The cable modem then provides a dedicated Internet connection with a fixed IP address.

Depending on the instructions provided by your ISP, when configuring the network card either select ‘Automatic Address Setup (via DHCP)’ or ‘Static Address Setup’. Most providers today use DHCP. A static IP address often comes as part of a special business account.

For further information about the configuration of cable modems, read the Support Database article on the topic, which is available online at http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/cmodem8.html.

	S/390, zSeries: Modem
The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms.

In the YaST Control Center, access the modem configuration under ‘Network Devices’. If your modem was not automatically detected, open the dialog for manual configuration. In the dialog that opens, enter the interface to which the modem is connected under ‘Modem Device’.

Figure 21.4. Modem Configuration

If you are behind a private branch exchange (PBX), you may need to enter a dial prefix. This is often a zero. Consult the instructions that came with the PBX to find out. Also select whether to use tone or pulse dialing, whether the speaker should be on, and whether the modem should wait until it detects a dial tone. The latter option should not be enabled if the modem is connected to an exchange.

Under ‘Details’, set the baud rate and the modem initialization strings. Only change these settings if your modem was not autodetected or if it requires special settings for data transmission to work. This is mainly the case with ISDN terminal adapters. Leave this dialog by selecting ‘OK’.

In the next dialog, select the ISP (Internet service provider). To choose from a predefined list of ISPs operating in your country, select ‘Countries’. Alternatively, click ‘New’ to open a dialog in which to provide the data for your own ISP. This includes a name for the dial-up connection and for the ISP and the login and the password as provided by your ISP. Enable ‘Always Ask for Password’, to be prompted for the password each time you connect.

The last dialog allows specification of additional connection options:

Selecting ‘Next’ returns to the original dialog, which displays a summary of the modem configuration. Close this dialog with ‘Finish’.

	S/390, zSeries: DSL
The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms.

To configure your DSL device, select the ‘DSL’ module from the YaST ‘Network Devices’ section. This YaST module consists of several dialogs in which to set the parameters of DSL links based on one of the following protocols:

The configuration of a DSL connection based on PPPoE or PPTP requires that the corresponding network card has already been set up in the correct way. If you have not done so yet, first configure the card by selecting ‘Configure Network Cards’ (see Section 21.4.2. “Configuring the Network Card with YaST”). In the case of a DSL link, addresses may be assigned automatically but not via DHCP, which is why you should not enable the option ‘Automatic address setup (via DHCP)’. Instead, enter a static dummy address for the interface, such as 192.168.22.1. In ‘Subnet Mask’, enter 255.255.255.0. If you are configuring a stand-alone workstation, make sure to leave the ‘Default Gateway’ field empty.

	Tip
Values in the ‘IP Address’ and ‘Subnet Mask’ fields are only placeholders. They are only needed to initialize the network card and do not represent the DSL link as such.

Figure 21.5. DSL Configuration

To begin the DSL configuration (see Figure 21.5. “DSL Configuration”), first select the PPP mode and the ethernet card to which the DSL modem is connected (in most cases, this is eth0). Then use ‘Device Activation’ to specify whether the DSL link should be established during the boot process. The dialog also lets you select your country and allows you to choose from a number of ISPs operating in it. The details of any subsequent dialogs of the DSL configuration depend on the options set so far, which is why they are only briefly mentioned in the following paragraphs. For details on the available options, read the detailed help available from the dialogs.

To use ‘Dial on Demand’ on a stand-alone workstation, also specify the name server (DNS server). Most ISPs support dynamic DNS — the IP address of a name server is sent by the ISP each time you connect. For a single workstation, however, provide a placeholder address like 192.168.22.99. If your ISP does not support dynamic DNS, enter the name server IP address provided by your ISP.

‘Idle Time-out (seconds)’ defines a period of network inactivity after to terminate the connection automatically. A reasonable time-out value is between 60 and 300 seconds.

Dial on Demand

If you enable ‘Dial on Demand’ in addition to the option mentioned above, the connection will not be completely terminated after the time-out. Instead, the connection remains in a standby mode and is reestablished automatically as soon as a program requests some kind of data traffic. If ‘Dial on Demand’ is disabled, the connection is completely terminated and must by reestablished manually when needed. It may then be useful to set the time-out to zero to prevent automatic hang-up.

The configuration of T-DSL is very similar to the DSL setup. Just select ‘T-Online’ as your provider and YaST opens the T-DSL configuration dialog. In this dialog, provide some additional information required for T-DSL — the line ID, the T-Online number, the user code, and your password. All of these should be included in the information you received after subscribing to T-DSL.

Figure 21.6. T-DSL Configuration (Germany)

	S/390, zSeries: ISDN
The configuration of this type of hardware is not supported on IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms.

Use this module to configure one or several ISDN cards for your system. If YaST did not autodetect your ISDN card, manually select it. Multiple interfaces are possible, but several ISPs can be configured for one interface. In the subsequent dialogs, set the ISDN options necessary for the proper functioning of the card.

Figure 21.7. ISDN Configuration

In the next dialog, shown in Figure 21.7. “ISDN Configuration”, select the protocol to use. The default is ‘Euro-ISDN (EDSS1)’ (see points 1. and 2.a below), but for older or larger exchanges, select ‘1TR6’ (see point 2.b below). If you are in the US, select ‘NI1’. Select your country in the relevant field. The corresponding country code then appears in the field next to it. Finally, provide your ‘Area Code’ and the dial prefix (if necessary).

‘Start Mode’ defines how the ISDN interface should be started. ‘OnBoot’ causes the ISDN driver to be initialized each time during the boot process. ‘Manual’ requires you to load the ISDN driver as root with the command rcisdn start. ‘Hotplug’, used for PCMCIA or USB devices, loads the driver after the device is plugged in. When finished with all these settings, select ‘OK’.

In the next dialog, specify the interface type for your ISDN card and add ISPs to an existing interface. Interfaces may be either the SyncPPP or the RawIP type, but most ISP operate in the SyncPPP mode, which is described below.

Figure 21.8. ISDN Interface Configuration

The number to enter for ‘My Phone Number’ varies depending on your particular setup:

For the connection to be terminated just before the next charge unit is due, enable ‘ChargeHUP’. However, remember that may not work with every ISP. You can also enable channel bundling (multilink PPP) by selecting the corresponding check box. Finally, you can enable SuSEfirewall2 for your link by selecting ‘Activate Firewall’.

‘Details...’ opens a dialog in which to implement more complex connection schemes. Leave this dialog by selecting ‘Next’.

In the next dialog, make IP address settings. If you have not been given a static IP by your provider, select ‘Dynamic IP address’. Otherwise, use the fields provided to enter your host's local IP address and the remote IP address according to the specifications of your ISP. If the interface should be the default route to the Internet, select ‘Default Route’. Each host can only have one interface configured as the default route. Leave this dialog by selecting ‘Next’.

The following dialog allows you to set your country and to select an ISP. The IPSs included in the list are call-by-call providers only. If your ISP is not in the list, select ‘New’. This opens the ‘Provider Parameters’ dialog in which to enter all the details for your ISP. When entering the phone number, make sure you do not include any blanks or commas among the digits. Finally, enter your login and the password as provided by the ISP. When finished, select ‘Next’.

To use ‘Dial on Demand’ on a stand-alone workstation, also specify the name server (DNS server). Most ISPs support dynamic DNS, which means the IP address of a name server is sent by the ISP each time you connect. For a single workstation, however, you still need to provide a placeholder address like 192.168.22.99. If your ISP does not support dynamic DNS, specify the name server IP addresses of the ISP. If desired, specify a time-out for the connection — the period of network inactivity (in seconds) after which the connection should be automatically terminated. Confirm your settings with ‘Next’. YaST displays a summary of the configured interfaces. To make all these settings active, select ‘Finish’.

	S/390, zSeries: Hotplug Support
On IBM S/390 and zSeries platforms, all network cards are detected and initialized by the hotplug subsystem.

Hotplug network cards, like PCMCIA or USB devices, are managed in a somewhat special way. Normal network cards are fixed components assigned a permanent device name, such as eth0. By contrast, PCMCIA cards are assigned a free device name dynamically on an as-needed basis. To avoid conflicts with fixed network cards, hotplug and PCMCIA services are loaded after the network has been started.

PCMCIA-related configuration and start scripts are located in the directory /etc/sysconfig/pcmcia. The scripts are executed as soon as cardmgr, the PCMCIA device manager, detects a newly inserted PCMCIA card, which is why PCMCIA services do not need to be started before the network during boot.

	S/390, zSeries: IPv6 Support
IPv6 is not supported by CTC and IUCV network interfaces.

To configure IPv6, you will not normally need to make any changes on the individual workstations. However, IPv6 support must be loaded. To do this, enter modprobe ipv6 as root.

Because of the autoconfiguration concept of IPv6, the network card is assigned an address in the link-local network. Normally, no routing table management takes place on a workstation. The network routers can be queried by the workstation, using the router advertisement protocol, for what prefix and gateways should be implemented. The radvd program can be used to set up an IPv6 router. This program informs the workstations which prefix to use for the IPv6 addresses and which routers. Alternatively, use zebra for automatic configuration of both addresses and routing.

Consult the manual page of ifup (man ifup) to get information about how to set up various types of tunnels using the /etc/sysconfig/network files.