I'd like a shell script for bash that would let me connect to the net via terminal. I run a dial-up net (don't go on about upgrading. anything else around here cost an butt load. Cable it $70.00 a month, no joke), which is also run through a US robotics 56k modem which will soon be replaced because it sucks and kicks me off every so often. I'd also like a reconnect part to the script to try and keep the disconnect from cause too much trouble. I've looked through a book or two (all I have atm), and the script the suggest doesn't work. Wvdial doesn't seem to work, as it says modem doesn't respond.

Need any more info, ask and I'll provide it as needed if I can.

Also, if you don't mind, just so I could learn something, explain the script as well so that maybe I won't have to ask for this again if something happens?

Can't give a specfic script but you can setup wvdial and use that to connect with. Been a while since I setup this type of dial-up so can't remember exactly. Check the link on it.
http://support.real-time.com/linux/dialup/wvdial.html

You can also search here for wvdial and will see many examples of the /etc/wvdial.conf file.

Brian1