No worky with linux + nvidia nic?

OK...i have tried and tried and it just isn't (apparently) going to happen on my linux system (SL version after SL version).

I am running Mandriva 2007 on two systems, a VAIO laptop with an intel nic built-in and on a desktop containing an NVidia mainboard, Nvidia 7800GT graphics, Dual-core Athlon 64 (running 32-bit linux), and (this seems the be key) an Nvidia nic built-in. SL for linux has run fine on my VAIO laptop (though rather slowly as the graphics card is taxed) and it runs fine on my desktop under windows Vista. Trying to run SL of any version on the desktop under linux, however, invariably fails immediately upon trying to log on. I get IP address resolution for the URL but after that it fails to communicate and login fails:

2007-05-17T22:53:33Z INFO: idle_startup: Resolving Agni userserver domain name userserver.agni.lindenlab.com
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: on_userserver_name_resolved: ...Userserver resolved to 66.150.244.151:12036
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: LLCircuit::addCircuitData for 66.150.244.151:12036
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: idle_startup: Verifying message template...
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: idle_startup: Message template is current!
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: LLMessageSystem::disableCircuit for 66.150.244.151:12036
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: LLCircuit::removeCircuitData for 66.150.244.151:12036
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: authenticate: Authenticating: Tempus Tesio,
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: authenticate: Options: inventory-root, inventory-skeleton, inventory-lib-root, inventory-lib-owner, inventory-skel-lib, initial-outfit, gestures, event_categories, event_notifications, classified_categories, buddy-list, ui-config, login-flags, global-textures, END
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: LLUserAuth::authenticate: uri=https://login.agni.lindenlab.com/cgi-bin/login.cgi
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z WARNING: checkMessages: Packet from invalid circuit 66.150.244.151:12036
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z WARNING: process: LLXMLRPCTransaction CURL error 7: couldn't connect to host
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z WARNING: process: LLXMLRPCTransaction request URI: https://login.agni.lindenlab.com/cgi-bin/login.cgi
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z INFO: authResponse: Processed response: 7
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z WARNING: createXml: Alert: [ErrorMessage]
2007-05-17T22:53:34Z WARNING: createDialog: Alert: Unable to connect to Second Life.
Despite our best efforts, something unexpected has gone wrong.

I must conclude at this point that SL under linux simply doesn't like my Nvidia nic. It isn't my firewall (or it wouldn't allow SL under windows to communicate either). Same exact hardware, just different op systems. Plus my laptop also passes through the same firewall and has no problems under linux, as i've indicated.

The nic module is forcedeth.

Is anyone using an Nvidia nic in linux and having no problems?

Yes, mine identifies as "nVidia Corporation MCP51 Ethernet Controller (rev a3)". No problems under Debian Etch (32-bit), also using forcedeth as the driver.

No problems here.

GIGABYTE GA-K8NF-9 nForce4 motherboard, Athlon 64, 64-bit Gentoo 2.6.19.
0000:00:0a.0 Bridge: nVidia Corporation CK804 Ethernet Controller (rev a2)

That's the built-in gigabit Ethernet controller on the motherboard, which may not be the same as yours, but I use the same driver module, forcedeth. I've never had the slightest hiccup with any release of the Linux client on this box, from day 1, other than the known limitations of early clients.

The graphics card is an nVidia 6600GT, in case that's relevant (probably not).

I have three different systems, all running onboard NVidia NIC's and they work fine. However, because of the plethora of other issues I had under Mandriva 2007, I've since switched to either OpenSuSE 10.2 or Fedora Core 6 on my systems.

One thing that I learned many years ago - all Linux distros are NOT created equal. If you don't want to move off of Mandriva as your desktop, try installing a new, default kernel from www.kernel.org. It could be a simple as some "patch" that the Mandriva team has added to the kernel that they ship.

If you need guidance to adding a new kernel to your system, there are lots of HOWTOs out there, but the most straightforward that I've found is at http://linuxtapecert.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=39 Note that they list some older kernels, but the instructions work with the latest kernels as well (I've switched to 2.6.21 on my boxes).