Alright, I just installed BeOS, and I'm loving it so far, except for one major setback. I can't get the internet working. So I go to the network configuration. I make a new one, select my 3Com modem, and I type in the addresses I got from my ISP (was a pain to get tech support to tell me them). When I restart netowrking, I get the error "Error: Failed to initialize (interface1)" or something along those lines. What am I doing wrong? I'm sure I have the addresses right. Is the hardware not supported? Is there a driver somewhere I need to download? Any help is appreciated.

Well, there is a modemtip page at wiki.bebits.com. It has A LOT of stuff but not an easy fix. I suggest that you at least look at it or at some of the examples at the bottom. You will need a supported modem or one that can be supported. There is only one file extra that I know of to support most winmodems. 1. Is your modem exactly posted at frizbe.net or on www.tycomsystems.com? 2.This should be done in dial up. In Network pref panel you might have to put the dns numbers but you MUST have the other blanks filled in. Use anything for names. Let us know what you have found.

Ok, you're going to have to work with me here. In my device manager, what I'm thinking is the appropriate thing is "Intel 21143-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter (Generic)" I think that's what it is. Under the "Modems" thing, theres only my 56k card that's inside my PC. I have an external 3Com Robotics "HomeConnect" cable modem. I am connected through the internet and that modem fine (in windows), despite it not being listed under the modems thingy. I don't see it listed under frizbe.net or tycomsystems.com (couldnt even see the list on tycomsystems.com) Thanks for at least trying to help though. :D

OHHHH, cable modem. That's a horse of a different color. From you prior msg. "So I go to the network configuration. I make a new one, select my 3Com modem, " I assumed wrongly you meant a dialup modem. Now we are back to a hopefully simple lan connection. We have to know how you cable modem works. AND we have to have a working NIC card. Usually the cable modem is like a router. It connects and stays connected all the time after it has been configured. Usually you use a local IP address or let the modem assign one from it's pool of local IP's. Firstly you will need to get a working NIC and do a Ping to a known good IP. Some modems in the setup have a "Reply to ping" question. Or you will have to use a local computer to do a ping to test your nic. If you have a working NIC then you would have to set up your browser to use a proxy or gateway and that you will need to learn from your ISP. If they have a mac or linux howto then you will most likely be able to run beos. Start of the NIC, be aware that you might need to get a cheap realtek card.

Hehe, alrighty. "Usually the cable modem is like a router. It connects and stays connected all the time after it has been configured." Yeah, mine is like that. It's always on. "Usually you use a local IP address or let the modem assign one from it's pool of local IP's." My ISP has a DHCP auto-setup thing if that's what you mean. I can, however, get all the stats (IP, DNS, Gateway, etc) from doing ipconfig in windows. "Firstly you will need to get a working NIC and do a Ping to a known good IP." Alright, so how do I know when I have a working NIC, and how do I go about pinging an IP? (I mean, other than in a browser) If I do end up needing a Realtek card, about how much are they, and which one should I get? I have a Staples nearby, do they carry them? Thanks yet again for helping me on this. :D

First of all see Frizbe.net. Then see these places for ideas and apps and drivers. Betips.net Bebits.com Bedrivers.com Beunited.org --Is there any info about your NIC??? Use the Preferences--Network panel to see if you have a NIC that is working. Be sure to put something in all the blanks even if they are wrong or you just put something in the host blank. ---What does it say about your nic? Use Preference--Devices to find out your chipset and vendor of your ethernet adapter. See info tab. Now let's start with a "Ping" command. Go to the Beos (or max) in the corner. That is the Taskbar, just like windows' start. From there you should be able to pick "Applications" then the submenu for "Terminal". Terminal is a bash shell with many posix features and commands. Ping is a command. Use "Ping --help" for almost any command line help. In this case you will need a known good computer locally. Do you have another computer? I like to use the 192.168.x.x numbers and not allow any DHCP. I ALWAYS use static IP's (unless I have to do differently) Find out another computer that will give a reply to a ping command. "ping 192.168.x.x" where x.x is the local numbers that you know. On Windows dos command line that ping would work too. See a working Windows on the internet and use "ping www.google.com" and it should reply a number. Then try ping (that number). Not all sites allow a reply. Best if you have a local machine to test to. That ought to be plenty to start. Realtek's should be found for less that $5 or so. Not all makers tell what chip is on the card so you will have to use Frizbe.net for more info.