Forcing static address in 12.04

[rikona]

Hello Karl,

Monday, June 8, 2015, 9:38:33 PM, Karl wrote:

>> > Can you take a screenshot showing your data with Save greyed out?
>> 
>> No. Since the blow up I have nothing relating to a network that I can
>> get up on the screen. That tool is among the missing.

> OK: Please make sure that the problem computer is physically networked
> to your router (possibly via a switch).

There is a cable via switch to the router.

> All of the following should be done on a text console on the problem
> computer or in a terminal window on the problem computer.

> First check whether the following file exists on the problem computer:

>    /etc/network/interfaces

It does, and was modified by me.

> Then check whether the following utilities are installed on the problem
> computer:

>    ifup
>    ifdown
>    ifconfig
>    ip
>    ping
>    ps
>    grep

I get a CLI response from all - I'm assuming they are there.

> If any of them are missing please tell us.

> Then tell us the address of your router. According to an earlier email
> it is 192.168.144.233, which odd (not impossible, just unusual).

That is correct, and unusual, agreed.

> You also had a broadcast address of 192.168.144.233 which was almost
> certainly wrong.

I had not come across this before - the last net example had it, in
which it matched another entry, so I put it in with a similar match.

> Then run "ps ax | grep NetworkManager" and tell us whether you see an
> entry similar to this one:

>    914 ?        Ssl    0:17 NetworkManager

2532 pts/0 S+ 0:00 grep --color=auto  NetworkManager

> Then edit /etc/network/interfaces and make it look like this (substitute
> your router's address for 1.2.3.4):

>    auto lo
>    iface lo inet loopback

>    auto eth0
>    iface eth0 inet static
>    address 192.168.144.8
>    netmask 255.255.255.0
>    gateway 1.2.3.4

> Save the changes, then do this

Did that.               with gateway 192.168.144.233

>    sudo ifup eth0

RTNETLINK ANSWERS: File exists
Failed to bring up eth0.

> If you get error messages, tell us what they are. Otherwise, try this
> (substitute your router's address for 1.2.3.4):

>    ping -c 4 192.168.144.8

got it

>    ping -c 4 1.2.3.4

with 192.168.144.233:

do you want to ping broadcast? Then -b

using ping -b 192.168.144.233, get no response

> If you see ping responses from the first, then at least your interface
> is plumbed. If you see ping responses to the second, then woohoo, your
> network is working.

Part OK....

> You can add nameserver addresses to /etc.networkinterfaces and
> everything should be cool.

I'm assuming it would be premature to add and try now, so didn't do
that.

> If that doesn't work though, tell us IN DETAIL what happened.

Please ask for what you need. I put in, trying to be brief, what
happened.

I'm prepping to upgrade to 14.04 if this is too difficult. Since no
net, it would be a new install instead of upgrade, then take stuff
from the most recent backup, and add back and set up around 70
additional pgms. If it sounds like this would be significantly easier,
I'll take that route and perhaps save all of us from a long involved
messy fix.

Thanks very much.

-- 

 rikona