I have configured the following files: /etc/wvdial.conf, /etc/host.conf, /etc/resolv.conf to what I think are the correct settings. Wvdial connects (I can hear the noise on the phone) but when I open a browser eg Mozilla or Konquerer and type a URL nothing loads and "resolving host" is forever present.

I have seen this same problem discussed here and have read all advice given but I am still in need of help.

External Modem running on a Debian 3.0 system if it is any help but I am convinced that this is a software problem as the external modem works under RH.

Do you have nameserver defined within /etc/resolv.conf ? and in host.conf what do you have? Are you using hosts or bind?

Yeah I've had all sorts of wierd problems when I was a newbie and still using dial up. I never actually got wvdial to work for me. I used the pppconfig set up script and then connected with pon.

When I was a new new newbie (now newbie), incorrect/absent resolv.conf will result in Mozilla immediately telling you that this www.xxx.com is not there. In your case, I think your nameserver number is the problem. Well to setup wvdial you don't need to change anything in your host.conf. When I setup the wvdial.conf, I always use 'wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf' command, then edit the wvdial.conf manually.

/etc/resolv.conf looks like this:

202.27.184.3
202.27.184.5

I have also used pppconfig and connected with pon but had the same problem.

It should look like:

I always run wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf . Then edit /etc/wvdial.conf put in the phonenumber ,login and passward. Then run wvdial then disconnect and go to /etc/ppp dir there you will find your resolv.conf file with your ISP DNS numbers . Just copy it to /etc.

Mine looks like this though: