Template:FAQ/Questions/on initial startup can

On initial startup, can a gumstix connex be accessed the first time with a serial connection or can connection be done with DHCP or ssh?
The ethernet device is not started by default, so connect using a serial console, bluetooth, or USBnet in order to modify /etc/network/interfaces to bring up eth0 — if you're getting a bluetooth gumstix, then you don't need a serial board like a tweener, since bluetooth is started by default with a getty on an rfcomm serial port, so you can log in over a serial-over-bluetooth connection.

It might be a good idea to get the serial board anyways though if you're going to be doing any substantial development work, since it's the only way to get access to the bootloader and the linux console.

When an etherstix expansion board is plugged in to the connex and the boards are powered, the eth0 interface is not brought up on boot by default. One of the following two steps is needed:

ifup eth0

after boot, or else modify /etc/network/interfaces by adding the line

auto eth0

just above the definition of the eth0 interface.