Raspberry Pi 2, B, 1gb. Raspbian date 5.5.15. DHCP request for IP times out in init. Unable to access net

20 seconds is plenty. I would check the cable for kinks or bad connections. Make sure the cable clicks when inserted.

Clem

Hi Clem,

Twenty seconds would be plenty, if I could find where to add the command. As it is the DHCP request times out at about ten seconds. I've tried three other known good cables. I have another older PI on the same system running xastir for APRS with no problems. Noob here, so be kind. I found a reference about adding the command 'timeout = 20' in another discussion, the file was supposed to be in 'etc / netctl', but I can't find 'netctl'.

ifconfg lacks an IP address for eth0.

sudo apt-get update don't work, ping 8.8.8.8 yields 'network unavailable'

Joe

Please try to do this: http://www.suntimebox.com/raspberry-pi-tutorial-course/week-3/day-5/

You need to know what is the router IP and set that as the gateway address.

Netmask is almost always 255.255.255.0

Pick some IP that you KNOW is not used. Usually your raouter can show all used IP's

Clem

Thanks Clem, but, this Pi is going to a remote location at a repeater site. I do not have access to the building at all times. I can't use a static IP because other equipment comes and goes. I'm still looking for an answer to my original question, the location of the DHCP file 'Ethernet-DHCP' which was reported in etc / netctl, but no such folder (netctl) exists in the file folder of my PI. The goal is to add a command that would extend the DHCP resolve time for obtaining an IP from the router. (timeout = 20). The present setup may work fine with the router at the repeater location, but I will have limited time to install everything, and I want it to work the first time.

Joe

There no such folder (/etc/netctl) nor file (Ethernet-DHCP) any where under the root ( / ) file system in the latest Raspbian based on Wheezy 7.8.

Could you share your /etc/network/interface file contents?

Also, share the output of `grep eth0 /var/log/syslog*`.  Ditto for /var/log/dmesg.

Have you tried switching Ethernet cables with the Pi (or other computer) that is working okay?  Does the issue switch?  If so,it would be a hardware cable problem.

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Found a reference with the DHCP client parameters here: http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi/OpenBSD-current/man5/dhclient.conf.5?query=dhclient.conf&sec=5

This applies to file /etc/dhcpcd.conf.

Experiment with that file, assuming that you are using a good cable.

By the way, I found the dhcpcd.conf parameter documentation by googling dhcp client parameters.

And do not forget to restart the dhcp client daemon after editing that configuration file before re-testing:

sudo service dhcpcd restart

Joe,

You seem to think that adding the longer timeout is going to solve all your problems. It is not.

Ten seconds is PLENTY time for a router to respond to DHCP requests. ten seconds is PLENTY for everybody else.

So when clem suggests that you try a static IP address that is to help you diagnose the real problem. We're hoping that using a static IP address works-or-not.

If it works, that means that the hardware is working fine. So we can concentrate on helping you find why your router is not giving your pi an IP address.

If it doesn't work, that is a valid result too. It means we can concentrate on hardware problems that prevent your pi from reaching your router.

A "hypothesis" of mine that is compatible with the observed facts is that both your pi and the router do not offer auto-crossover-cable-detection. (Most modern routers/hubs do, I don't know if the 'pi does. ) And then you've used a crossover cable where you shouldn't have. (or the other way around). Whereas, the other devices you used to test that cable DID do automatic crossover-compensation...... It's an unlikely scenario, but possible. It's worth considering after you've tested you're unable to communicate after setting the IP address manually.