Mandrake 10.2 rc x86 and AOL

[Jay_Stealth]

Hi,

it's been a while since i've been here and i notice the linux section has dissapeared so i figured i'd post here.

Ok I recently installed Mandrake 10.2 rc on my box with no problems at all thanks to the sata error been fixed in the RC. I've also trawled the net for hours trying to figure this and i cant. It's AOL Broadband Via a DSL modem connected via ethernet.

It seems i have 4 options:

> Firstly there's a program called peng:

I've tried to install this both the graphical and text based version but to no avail maybe it just wont work since this is a lot newer release than the app is intended for + a different beast, apparantly it works on Red Hat 7.2

> VMWare

Under VMWare i have Win2k,XP SP2 and Fedora installed. The AOL software installs and connects in XP and when i set my eth0 connection up in Mandrake it says it's connected but for some reason i just cant get on the web so i'm guessing the LAN is fine. Would a router sort this?

> Change Linux to Suse or Redhat

I dont really want to do this as i'm quite new and figure that Mandrake is more Newbie friendly. Plus a lot of oter versions dont really support my setup with sata and 64 bit system

>Give UP

I really want to learn about linux and all that comes with it, this would be a last resort.

Anyone?

[DigeratiPrime]

I have looked up the 'peng' program you mentioned, it seems you are interested in using AOL on Linux.

I do not understand why you would want to use AOL at all. If you need to access you email have you tried using IMAP in a program like Thunderbird?

Tunderbird FAQ: Can I read and send AOL e-mail using Thunderbird?

Also I would really reccomend checking out Fedora and Ubuntu, they're both excellent, user friendly, plus they cost nothing.

[prathapml]

If you need to access you email have you tried using IMAP in a program like Thunderbird?

Do you understand yourself, what you are saying?

How can you connect thru IMAP when there's NO CONNECTION to facilitate that, in the first place?

Hello Jay,

Mandrake is a great distro, stay the course.

Its good to start with, provided it works (it has a weird problem with the boot-loader on many systems that I installed it on, and I don't like that unpredictable nature of it) - but if its working good for you, then fine.....

As for AOL, please find out what protocol it uses to connect.

From what you describe, it looks like its "PPPoE", but just to be sure...

I have DSL over ethernet (pppoe), and need to connect/authenticate over here - so looks like a similar connection. If that's the case, then no problem at all, its very simple, but I don't remember the needed app's name right now since I haven't used Mandrake in a long while. You need a specific package (mdk rpm) from CD2. You've already got it if you chose to do an "all packages" install (of all 4 CDs - this would have been a huge time-consumer with 5 GB and more). Please just check these two and post back:

1. What kind of a connection is it (I mean protocol used)

2. Is it a normal install or "all packages"

[DigeratiPrime]

Actually Im not so sure he doesnt have an 'existing' connection. I've met people who use AOL on top of there Cable or DSL ISP. So in some sense they pay for the same thing twice. Ive seen alot of business and home users do this.

AOL does advertise this service as an 'enhancement to you existing broadband connection'. Maybe I am missing something.

[Jay_Stealth]

hi prathapml!

i think it is a WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface although it does require authentification. I don't think i installed all packages either.

DigeratiPrime: i think that is a quote from the aol browser at a guess not the isp + if you read my post im running the latest fedora release using VMWare

[prathapml]

+ if you read my post im running the latest fedora release using VMWare

Uh, that's an important thing.... Why did I not see that before

Do you mean to say this?

1. You have WinXPSP2 running as your main OS on your REAL hardware.

2. VMware is installed on this windows.

3. Linux is installed as a GUEST OS inside VMware.

If that is the case, then don't worry about your actual AOL connection or peng, as Virtual Machines cannot see real hardware. By default, you would have a generic virtual Network Card in your VM.

To access the internet if the above 3 points are true, you could do this:

1. VMware >> Edit Virtual Machine settings >> Ethernet >> change to NAT.

2. Connect to AOL on windows.

3. Now boot-up your linux within VMware and all Internet apps shud work.

You mention Mandrake and then Fedora...... so now I dunno which you are using. But still, by default eth0 interface (i.e., your NIC) will be setup to be connected at startup, so if you haven't customised it, your linux shud be able to access the Internet fine.

Do post back on how it goes

[Jay_Stealth]

WinXPSP2 is installed on my actual hardware yes BUT so is linux. I have 2 copies one on the hardware one within VMWare within the hard copy of linux. Fedora is virtual aswell.

[prathapml]

ah, I see....

Anyways, accessing the Internet from copy within VMware should work now.

[Jay_Stealth]

Just had another look at it.

The net doesnt work though.

In the guest system of xp aol connects. I ran ipconfig /all and found that aol connects via the vmware virtual adapter (VMNet1) and produces a ppp (dsl) connection. Alongside that i have an ethernet hard.

VMWare also creates though VMnet8 a virtual switch for using NAT.

So..could i use internet connection sharing with the guest machine?

If i was to would i use VMNet1 or PPP for the net connection / VMNet8 or Eth0 for the network?