First, the specs: I am using Mandrake 9.0, a modem blaster 5620, and kppp as a dialer.
I started using this external modem as a replacement for my POS winmodem and it worked great until today. This morning when I booted to Linux, I dialed, and connected, but none of the apps would use the connectiopn. LICQ wont connect, all of my browsers display a 'resource not found error' when trying to access a site.
My ISP doesn't require anything but a phone #, usr name and password. No specific DNS #'s or anything like that. I tried deleting the account and setting it up again, same results. It is connecting using the external though. It almost seems like the apps may be trying to access the net through eth0 (the 2nd comp in the living room). The comp with the probs is the gateway to the net, and I haven't leaned how to set that up in Linux yet so the network is only active when I am using windows on both. The two are setup with a simple crossover cable.
Any help will be appreciated

Usualy, youd want to establish your internet connection before trying to create or share that connection with another machine. Just an idea.

Umm... Did you read my post? I had an internet connection established. It has been working for 7 days now. I still have an internet connection, but my apps are not utilizing it.
Seems to me, linux is having trouble communicating with the ISP, or is not using the com port to access the net. I have no idea why though. I didn't personally change any of the settings.

BTW, in case my first post was confusing; I am dialing, connecting, and trying to use the net from the gateway comp. The only reason I even mentioned the 2nd comp was because the ethernet adapter is in use, and I didn't know if that is contributing to my problem.

whut you should do is eliminate all other connections to any other machine and get it to route traffc correctly. Are you dialing up from that computer? in that case take the ethernet card out and get it to use the connection. then go back and install that. Thats all i was trying to say.

I see. But, I installed Mandy 9 with the ethernet card in the box. I had a good connection for a week, and now it's not working correctly, without manually changing anything. Like I said, it connects and maintains a connection to the net, but the browser and instant message programs act like there is no connection.