> Basically, as I understand it, if a Linux machine is configured as a DHCP > client, and the DHCP server is unavailable at boot time (for example, the > ethernet cable is not plugged in) then everything that loads up after that > point gets a broken network configuration (something to do with resolv.conf > I think). Plugging the cable back in has no effect, and there is no soft > way of getting it configured again automagically because some software > caches the broken configuration and won't flush it.
Not sure to what extend "other software" caches the network settings (my guess is not), but when additional network interfaces become available (or disappear) you would need to update resvolv.conf, the routing table, and reload all packet filter rules. The mechanism to do all this is included with Linux, as it works for pcmcia network cards. This hotplug stuff doesn't handle the fixed ethernet interfaces though, but perhaps that can be hacked. Rebooting is completely unnecessary, an rcnetwork restart (ie service restart) does all the necessary things. Volker -- Volker Kuhlmann is possibly list0570 with the domain in header http://volker.dnsalias.net/ Please do not CC list postings to me.
