The previously discussed prblem is back. I have posted about this problem before. I have tried to resovle it in a number of ways, removing and reinstalling the network through Gnome's Internet Connection Wizard. And editing the settings in "Network Device Control". I'm running Fedora Core 4 (2.6.11-1.1369_FC4). Sometimes changing settings causes Fedora to issue an error message at boot saying that the /etc/hosts file needs editing. When this happens, the hosts file is found to be missing the following line:

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost

My ISP, Los Angeles Free Net (knows as LAFN in the .conf files below), is a non-profit linux friendly provider. There is no call waiting or bad phone line service here. The home phone is the computer's line as well. The phone runs 24/7/365 for the last 15 years or so.

I have a Lucent controller based modem, shown as Linux compatable, in the HCL at LinuxQuestions.org. The windos side of this computer has no problem staying connected /online.

Sometimes the Gnome "Network Device Control" can re-initialize the modem, after it is up and running and other times it can't.

After the "Network Device Control" calls the "System-Network-Config", I sometimes receive the following:

Cannot activate network device LAFN

and

Failed to activate LAFN with error 8

both in: "System-Network-Config"

Is error 8 fixable? Where do I find info about it?

More often than not, the modem gets me on the 'net for an irregularly occuring length of time. Some sessions last a few minutes, othes last 20 to 30 minutes before automatically disconnecting me.

Here are the settings for the modem configuration as displayed in/on Gnome "Network Device Control" after clicking on the Configure... button:

TAB
Devices Status Device Nickname Type
Box is checked inactive ppp0 LAFN Modem

TAB
Hardware
Generic Modem /dev/ttyS14 Baud 115,200 Flow Control is Hardware

TAB
IPsec blank

TAB
Hosts blank

From the "Modem Dialup Configuration" (double click on "Network-Config-Devices")

TAB
General
Box checked: allow all users to enable this device
Circle selected Automatically obtain an IP address
Box checked: auto obtain the DNS

TAB
Provider
Phone #
Prefix Area Code Phone Number
blank blank 550-2021
Loginin Name : is correct
Password: is also correct

TAB
Advanced
Hangup 900
Dial Mode set to Manual
Box checked: PPP authenticates
Box checked: Restart
Box checked: Default Route
Modem Init: ATZ
Modem Port: Modem0

TAB
Route
blank

TAB
Compression
nothing checked

TAB
Options
blank

I could be _completely_ wrong, but I think error 8 specifies a general intilization error.

What you should do is look up modem init strings on the internet for your specific modem and pop them in the extra command / init string box of the network config panel.

Try disabling V92 if you have it or decreasing the speed. If you have any compression options enabled, disable them. [edit]Just noticed you said you didn't, so disregard that... just don't add them until you've got a stable connection![/edit] The problem seems to be stability. See if any of these brings you good fortunes.

Please briefly explain what "general" means or I won't know what to look for.

I can't disable a v.92, as this ActionTec PM560LKI modem (Venus chipset) is only v.90.

I have emailed ActionTec for their init strings. Weren't all AT commands based on the Hayes Modems? (I'm getting too old for this)

MEANWHILE: with all the fiddling around with the dial-up adapter, I receive only an Error 8, now. I can no longer get online in Linux. Nothing I repeat NOTHING else has been changed except the modem configuration and /etc/hosts/

Does anybody understand why the file hosts would lose the

127.0.0.1 localhost.localdomain localhost

line, every time the modem has a new phone number to dial, or the Nickname changes? This is more than a little puzzlling.

I issued Shutdown -aF now and on reboot the fsck took very long compared to other times when fsck ran.

Here are the Windos 98SE modem strings:

03-10-2006 23:01:40.44 - 56K V.90 PCI Modem in use.
03-10-2006 23:01:40.44 - Modem type: 56K V.90 PCI Modem
03-10-2006 23:01:40.44 - Modem inf path: ACTION~1.INF
03-10-2006 23:01:40.44 - Modem inf section: Modem_Venus1
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - 115200,N,8,1
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - 115200,N,8,1
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - Initializing modem.
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - Send: AT<cr>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - Recv: AT<cr>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - Interpreted response: Ok
03-10-2006 23:01:40.80 - Send: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0\V1<cr>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Recv: AT &F E0 &C1 &D2 V1 S0=0\V1<cr>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Interpreted response: Ok
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Send: ATS7=60S30=0L0M1\N3%C1&K3B1B16N1X4<cr>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Interpreted response: Ok
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Dialing.
03-10-2006 23:01:40.85 - Send: ATDT;<cr>
03-10-2006 23:01:43.79 - Recv: <cr><lf>OK<cr><lf>
03-10-2006 23:01:43.79 - Interpreted response: Ok

I sure wish I could get some more eyes on this.