name resolve problem

I installed from a CD, have a cable modem hooked up to a router. Managed 
to rsync and emerge and all, but after rebooting I'm getting

Failed to bring eth0 up

I can't ping a name. Pinging the first few entries in my 
/etc/resolv.conf file couldn't connect. I changed the name of 
resolv.conf and tried making a new one with dhcpcd and it didn't make 
one. When I dhcpcd eht0 and then ifconfig -a it says up and running.

What am I doing wrong?

Josh