Earthlink not helping.

[jdow]

From: "Lokrin" <redhat at lokrin.net>

> Sorry if this isn't an appropriate topic but I'm at a loss.  Earthlink 
> refuses to help.
> 
> Ok, I've been running redhat/fedora on my home computer for about two 
> years now.  I've had service with Earthlink for over five years.  A 
> couple of months ago I went into the hospital for a partial foot 
> amputation.  I wasn't able to pay my ISP so they deactivated my account 
> but kept it on their servers. 
> 
> I was able to pay them a couple of weeks ago.  They reactivated the 
> service.  Now I can log into the ISP and it accepts the name/password 
> fine and I stay on line.  However, email and browser can't find any 
> servers.  Everything is the same as before.  In fact I am currently 
> using a Seanet account on the very same computer right now and have been 
> for three weeks.
> 
> Earthlink support on the phone refuses to even look into the problem 
> because I run Linux.  Everythingon my end is ok, I believe, but they 
> won't even bother to check their end.  On-line support is as bad.  I 
> need to click on operating system and once I click on Unix-Linux-Other I 
> get a pop-up saying that they can not give me help.
> 
> I'm hoping that someone here that uses Earthlink can go over the 
> settings with me.  I'm on dial up 56k on the only phone line I have.  
> I'm running FC2 and KDE and using Thunderbird and Firefox.  I've 
> everything set up using SYSTEM SETINGS > NETWORK.  The modem should be 
> configured ok, since it works with Seanet.  And everything in the 
> Earthlink section (ppp1 or ppp0.  I'm using ppp2 for Seanet) looks ok 
> But I'd like to double check.
> 
> Or does anyone else have some helpful info?  I don't really want to get 
> rid of Earthlink, but I'm not going to pay when I get no real access.
> 
> If this is a bad place for this, does anyone know of another list or 
> forum I can try?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Lokrin

After all the "nice' help you received.... <sigh>

One suggestion has some merit. If you do not run your own DNS then
try one or more of these in your /etc/resolv.conf file to get name
resolution:
nameserver 207.217.126.41
nameserver 207.69.188.185
nameserver 207.69.188.186

Another potential problem is that your connection itself is bad. What
does "ifconfig pppN" say comparing your working and non-working
connections? You might see something obvious. If it looks ok try a
traceroute (or if you have it "mtr" or even ping):
traceroute 207.69.188.185
or
mtr 207.69.188.185

If those provide routes towards things like "ns1.mindspring.com" (as
for 207.69.188.185) then you have connectivity. That leaves email.

Multiple email modes exist, mail.earthlink.net, smtp.earthlink.net,
pop3.earthlink.net, and the preferred access smtpauth.earthlink.net.
The last one requires simple password authentication. It is quite
useful when you are on the road.

It seems Earthlink support runs hot and cold on Linux. Sometimes you
get lucky and sometimes you don't. I sort of tend to fudge the issue.
I am typing this on my moneymaker machine, an XP crashmonster. So I can
perform certain levels of diagnosis with tools like OutlookExpress. But
I do most if it with the Linux firewall machine. Heck, on the road when
I need help the Linux experience teaches me you can play "disable" and
"reenable" tricks on network connections easier than changing settings
and rebooting. {^_-}

Anyway, I hope the above information is more helpful than the adolescent
ranting the prior messages reveled in. I'm on DSL so I am not sure of
your precise settings such as the ELN/ prefix on your account ID that
are in use these days. I'd have to fire up my laptop and check. Let us
know what step of the above investigation list gives problems or if you
have some success.

(And now I remember why I bailed out for Mandrake. I wish they'd not
turned to (perhaps temporary) drivalpated malconfigurations for their
paying customers.)

{^_^}   Joanne