usb ethernet adapter interface not coming up

[charlieholimex]

Using the Debian image, when I plug in my USB Ethernet adapter, I get a new interface eth2.

Now, I want that interface have a static IP address when I plug in the adapter, so I added to /etc/network/interfaces:

auto eth2
allow-hotplug eth2
iface eth2 inet static
address 10.98.98.2

When I plug it the adapter, the interface appears, but has no address.

The only way to make the interface pick up its address is to restart /etc/init.d/networking

How can I set this up so that when I plug in the adapter, the interface comes up with the desired static address?

[MBR]

If you log in and do (as root) ifdown eth2 and ifup eth2 again, does the interface go up? And is the udev running?