I have tried to get a working ADSL connection with SimplyMepis 6.5.b6, no luck.
No problem with Ubuntu, Mandriva One 2007, SuSe 10 or Puppy, so why the difficulty with 'Simply' Mepis (anything but simple).
I have tried on 2 computers both have same result... it should just work with minimal or no configuration needed.
But it won't. There is a utility to config. a ppp oE connection, which I tried to no avail. But nothing for my ppp oA ADSL connection.
An OS with no internet connection is no use to me, even if it does look nice .... I can't be the only person with this problem, but I can't find any answers so far.
If anyone can help I'd really appreciate it, .... thanks.

Who is your provider?
Are you also running Windows (dual boot), and does it work there?
Are your running from the LiveCD or a hard drive install?
Does it show a valid network connection at the bottom of your screen (little network cards in the panel)?
Is your modem or router configured for DHCP?
Can you ping your router or modem?

provider is ihug (NZ)
Duel boot with XP
ADSL working with XP
running from live CD (not going to install without internet)
DHCP disabled .... I did manualy configure settings in Mepis
haven't tried to ping....
valid network connection sometimes shows
;-)

as I said, I have this same problem on 2 other PCs I have tried, so, I presume it's something they all have in common (router or Mepis ).
It hasn't been a problem manualy configuring the other distros I have had working on all 3 of these PCs (Ubuntu, Mandriva One 2007, SuSe 10 or Puppy), so why the difficulty with 'Simply' Mepis.
When I try the 'Shell-ADSL/pppoe Configurator' I get ....
Sorry,I scanned 1 interface but access Concentrator of your provider did not respond...... another reason could be another running pppoe process which controls modem.

.... but I have no problem with XP or other Linux distros !!!!!
the other distros were not useing KDE, could that be it??
mmmmm, any thoughts

One possibility is that you're using a beta version of Mepis. Betas can be relatively stable, but they can also contain bugs. Trying a non-beta/final version, or waiting for 6.5 to go final, could solve your problem. Or, you could try a newer version of the beta (6.5.b7_32) could solve your problem.

1) Not a very good idea to compare MEPIS
'betas' with 'released' versions of linux
2) MEPIS betas are for 'testers' not 'users'.
Whenever you test a 'beta' you should be more prepared for failures than to be expecting a beta to be as good as a released version.

If you want a stable version then use 6.0 with the ubuntu repos or 3.4.3 with the debian repos

Beta 6 has a bug so internet was not enabled when you install. All you need to do is go to kmenu/system/MEPIS/MEPIS Network Assistant. Go to the interfaces tab and check all of the boxes. Click apply, click ok and internet is back.

If you insist on using betas then you must report your troubles to dev@mepis.org with a brief description of what is happening along with a description of your CPU size and brand, ram, drives, etc.
If you really want to help then try and run the app that is giving you trouble in konsole. If it fails there may an output in konsole that you can copy and paste into your email to dev.
That is how the bugs get fixed. The developers aren't telepaths. At least I haven't heard that but who really knows?

And lastly if you do test a beta and would like it upgraded to beta seven and beyond then you have to take all of the upgrades that apt-notify tells you to take.
Apt-notify is a yellow box that lives on your main panel, that may have a zero or some number under it. A zero means nothing to update now and a number means there is. If there are some upgrades to take from apt-notify then just left click the apt-notify icon and it will open synaptic. When you get synaptic open just left click the 'Mark all upgrades' button, go through the upgrade process and you will get the upgrades that you need to keep building your beta up to the final. You have to take them all.

DON'T ever open synaptic, hit the re-load button, then hit the mark all upgrades button when you are testing a beta or you will break it for sure.

Another really good place to get help with MEPIS if you get stuck is mepislovers.org It's a good friendly site with a lot of knowledge. This site looks great. I like it.

thanks, but I did all of those suggested fixes before I posted for help. It does work with DHCP, BUT... I don't want that, it doesn't suit my network and ISP, (too long a story).
All I know is that this distribution is the only one I can't get a connection with a static IP address.(and that includes all the 'betas' I've tried)

Thanks for your help..... I really do appreciate the time spent by people on these forums, in thier effort to help.
Ive gone and tried Linux Mint now, it's great (Ubuntu with all codecs and tweaks done/ it just works straight out of the box)
I will try SimplyLinux again someday ....

thanks again .... this can be closed now