In a message dated 1/28/2004 9:04:47 PM US Mountain Standard Time, 
bmike1@vei.net writes:
>The NIC card is listed in lspci too. Thus, it works too. It says that it is 
an 
>Intel 82557/8/9 [Ethernet Pro 100]. What do the numbers signify? So is there 
>anyway to see if it is working wwithout connecting it to another computer? 


Check the kernel messages.  I think mine used to say something about the 
network board being available.  My card was different (SiS735 integrated SiS900)

also try ifconfig-- it may report some data for eth0... but then it may not 
if there's no network present.  I don't know off-hand.  I only actually 
networked with a wireless PCMCIA card I tended to pop because it flooded the screen 
if left plugged in at boot.