[gentoo-user] Machine running before modem turned on - Network weirdness

[Andrew Lowe]

Hi all,
	I can remember in the distant past that I had to have my modem turned 
on before the computer otherwise, I wouldn't get an IP address. Then 
something changed. One day I forgot to turn on the modem first. I turned 
the machine on then realised the modem wasn't on, I turned it, the 
modem, on and prepared to reboot the machine only to see an IP address 
appear.

	It appeared that dhcp was now periodically attempting to get an address 
whereas in the past, if on boot it didn't find one, that was it, it just 
gave up. It appears that my machine has now, for some reason reverted to 
"the olden days" of IP address allocation. No modem at boot, no IP 
address. Reboot the machine, with the modem continuing to run, and I get 
an IP address. When I have no IP address, I can run "dhcpcd restart" and 
I'll get one.

	Anyone got any idea as to what has changed? What should I be looking 
for to fiddle to get my preferred behaviour, modem/machine startup in 
any order and I'll get an IP address. Is there a dchp "polling time" or 
something similar that I need to set to get this running nicely again?

	Thoughts greatly appreciated,
		Andrew