[newbie] 3com 3c590 failed to initiate?

[Chris Hall]

I just did a fresh install of mandrake 10.  During the installation it 
recognized my network card as a 3c590 10baseT (Vortex) etherlink III, 
which is correct, when I chose to configure the card during the first 
choice it warned that this card was already set up for a network 
connection from a previous OS and if I wished to keep this configuration 
or change it.  I chose to modify, maybe I should have left it, but then 
again i need to understand how to set a network up in linux. I chose 
these options for my 3c590 network card in the configuration tool:

Connection to configure: Lan con.
Net Device: eth0: 3com corporation|3c590 10baseT [vortex]
Protocols: Automatic IP (boot/dhcp)
Assign host name from dhcp address: Checked
Network hoplugging: Checked (I don't know what this means btw)
Start at boot: Checked
Enter Host Name: I left it blank since I chose earlier to assign host 
name from dhcp
Zeroconf host name: Aname ( I don't know what this is either? I'm 
assuming it is sent to other machines on the network as the name for my 
computer for sharing files printers etc)

I get a prompt to restart, I do, but still I see the exclamation mark 
for my network connection (Network down)

This same system has been verified working under another os.  and my 
router/hub is getting a signal from the nic card.

My network setup is a broadband dsl modem, linked to a usr dsl router/4 
port hub

In control center under hardware linux reports i'm using the 3c59x module
What am I doing wrong?  and how can I configure this nic to work with my 
network/dsl router.   I  hope to set up this machine to share files and 
to act as a print server for my other machines using win98se.  I also 
want it to connected to the internet via the router.  eventuallly i'd 
like to migrate everything to linux wants I understand how to install 
programs, modules, etc etc

Thanks,
     -J[]sie

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