preferred networks on boot

[grx]

Does anyone know of a slick way to get gentoo to DHCP my ethernet on bootup only if it's plugged in? I currently have it configured to get the IP address on bootup, but if I'm not connected, it takes forever to realize it can't do it. The only way around that I know would end up requiring me to get the address by hand after booting.

If possible, what I'd like to do is have it check to see if the ethernet is plugged in, and if so use that, and otherwise use the wireless card. It would be even better if it could check to see if any networks from a local list are available, and connect to one of those, and if nothing is available at all, to skip the DHCP completely to make the bootup fast.

Hmmm... I hope I described that clearly enough. Anyone have any ideas?

[Unther]

remove the net startup script from the default run-level, and run it from the prompt / terminal.
The command to start the network card is (for eth0)