"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:tYx6h.6369$l25.436@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been.  I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down.  I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router.  Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever.  I
> said no thanks.
>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right?  But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either.  They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection).  Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:tYx6h.6369$l25.436@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been.  I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down.  I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router.  Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever.  I
> said no thanks.
>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right?  But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either.  They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection).  Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:Xns987C848FFB289screenSPAMBLOCKfilmt@207.217.125.201...
>> You indicated that you could get on line directly with the computer by
>> passing the Router..
>
> Correct.
>
>> If they are using PPPOE and you do not use a Router you need to
>> authenticate with the PPPOE software application, do you have it
>> running? I.e. How you authenticate when connecting directly.
>
> When you say 'authenticate' do you mean login with name & password?  I'm
> using the networking stuff built into XP.  It looks pretty much like a
> dialup connnection except it's over the Ethernet cable to the DSL modem.
> You have to click to open it and click to connect.  You get the little
> linked computers icon down in the tray.
>
> Of course with the router the connection was always there as the router
> had
> the login & password and kept it online.  When you set the router to PPPoE
> there's a place to fill these things out.
>
> Here at my place of business I have SBC/Yahoo DSL and it's PPP.  I'm using
> the same router here but even without the router the connection was simply
> always on; nothing to click on.

"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:Xns987E7175B511BscreenSPAMBLOCKfilmt@207.217.125.201...
>> PPPoE = dynamic
>> Did you mean DHCP dynamic, versus PPPoE dynamic?
>
> Yeah probably.
>
> I'm at a loss how to proceed.  My pro networking friends are out of ideas.
> One suggested having Earthlink check the authentication logs for time
> where
> I know I am making several attempts with the router to connect but what
> are
> the odds that the fellows in India can even access these?  I'll gladly go
> out and buy a new router (I'm thinking LinkSys) but not sure why that
> should work if two MN-700's don't but who knows.  Barring that I guess I
> would have to cancel Earthlink and get someone else.  But if the someone
> else (including AT&T/SBC, owner of the line) is also just using the
> existing Covad stuff then maybe the problem will persist.

>> PPPoE = dynamic
>> Did you mean DHCP dynamic, versus PPPoE dynamic?
>
>Yeah probably.
>
>I'm at a loss how to proceed.  My pro networking friends are out of ideas. 
>One suggested having Earthlink check the authentication logs for time where
>I know I am making several attempts with the router to connect but what are
>the odds that the fellows in India can even access these?  I'll gladly go
>out and buy a new router (I'm thinking LinkSys) but not sure why that
>should work if two MN-700's don't but who knows.  Barring that I guess I
>would have to cancel Earthlink and get someone else.  But if the someone
>else (including AT&T/SBC, owner of the line) is also just using the
>existing Covad stuff then maybe the problem will persist.

> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been.  I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down.  I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router.  Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever.  I
> said no thanks.

>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right?  But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either.  They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection).  Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?

"Steve Kraus" <screen@SPAMBLOCKfilmteknik.com> wrote in message
news:tYx6h.6369$l25.436@newsread4.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've been on Earthlink DSL for years using a Microsoft MN-700 router.
> The actual connection is provided by COVAD and it's PPPoE or at least it
> as been.  I'm running Windows XP.
>
> This morning the connection was down.  I thought at first Earthlink was
> down as they were last week several times (though the DSL carrier
> remained on).
>
> But no, I could get online via a direct connection but no luck with the
> router.  Earthlink customer support (India) had me set up a new direct
> connection and in this one they had me set specific DNS but I can
> actually connect with that or my prior direct connect settings which got
> DNS from the network.
>
> But no luck with getting the router back online with either kind of DNS.
>
> I suspect that something in Earthlink's settings has changed but they say
> nothing has changed.
>
> They also said they can't support my router and offered to send me a
> "free" router which I would then pay $7 a month extra for, forever.  I
> said no thanks.
>
> One might reasonably suspect that my router is faulty, right?  But I
> pulled a brand new MN-700 out of the box, gave it the most recent
> Microsoft firmware update and I cannot connect with it either.  They
> can't both be bad.
>
> One odd little thing is that when I changed the router setting from PPPoe
> to Dynamic PPP it looked like an internet IP address came up on the WAN
> settings (tho it still said disconnected and indeed there was no
> connection).  Probably meaningless.
>
> Obviously there is something different between the settings for getting
> online directly and how my router is set up.
>
> Or is Earthlink pulling some sort of scam to prevent people from using
> other routers?