Earthlink not helping.

[Tom Poe]

Mike McCarty wrote:

> Lokrin wrote:
>
> [snip]
>
>> 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.
>
>
> You say you can log in etc. I suppose that means that you can
> browse but you can't pull/send mail. IMO, that means that
> dns is working. You may have problems with three (at least)
> areas. You need the names or IP addresses for your POP
> server and SMP server. And you need your login password
> for them (which may not be the same as your IP connection
> password).
>
> I also have had problems with getting support. In fact, I've
> had the cust. serv. people argue with me about what OS
> I'm running. Recently, one I called asked me what version
> of Windows I was running. When I replied that I don't run
> Windows, he replied that I was probably running XP.
> We argued back and forth, and finally I told him I use
> Linux. This nearly ended our conversation. They only
> support Windows and Mac. This was not Earthlink, but
> another well-known ISP. So changing very likely won't
> help much. Their install of service ONLY runs on
> Windows or a Mac, and uses proprietary S/W on a CDROM.
> The ONLY way to set up service is to use their CDROM.
> I borrowed a friend's laptop with XP on it, and used it to
> set up. Backed up the laptop first, then ran the install, then
> reloaded the laptop.
>
> Not really a Fedora question, but I dunno where you can get
> help where it is on topic.
>
> There needs to be an ISP interference support group on the net.
>
> Mike
>
So, Monday night, my ISP takes down DSL for the second time.  Again, 
like the first time, since signing up, I was down for what looks like a 
four day stint, without explanation.  I suspect this nummox is doing a 
"routine" maintenance/upgrade thingy for Microsoft, or FBI, whatever, 
and gets into a mess and has to rebuild everything line by line.

Anyway, when I left on Wednesday morning, the internet "idiot" light was 
red.  When  I returned  this morning,  the  "idiot"  light was  green.  
That  tells me,  it's the  ISP  setting for  VCI/VPI that  they  need 
to  reset  at  their end.  What  happens,  is,  you  ask to confirm  
your  local  setting  with  theirs,  then  wait  a  few minutes and  
hope the  light  bulb comes on, and they then reset their settings, and 
you should be configured to get access.
hth
Tom