nothing connects in U 7.04

The message on Ubuntu 7.04 is that "It is connected" even though that is not true.

Apparently it's a problem with the DSL Westell Model 2200 and bad handling of IPv6 + DNS requests. You can find more on this by googling.

How to actually verify and workaround?

One option is to avoid using the DNS proxy of the modem and use some other DNS servers.
There is a project called OpenDNS (www.opendns.com) that offers DNS services, and other nice features. You can configure your Linux box to use OpenDNS, at least for testing purposes.

The URL for the Ubuntu instructions are at
https://www.opendns.com/start?device=ubuntu

The other options include the disabling of the DNS proxy in your modem configuration. You will need to google for this.

Hope this helps.

Actually right now I am connected and am on the live CD. There has been nothing wrong with the Westell Modem since I have had it since I have had DLS and it costs $24.99/month for that. There has been no problem with IPV6 since changing it did nothing. I can go to Windows XP anytime without any problem.
Anyway, there is no connection with email and updates and internet including firefox and IE6 on the installed version of Ubuntu. Do you want me to go back to dialup?
I have dialup as an alternative but Ubuntu will not recognize my dial up modem.

I have OpenDNS in windowsXP. I have tried googling and found nothing. I looked at that dns site you gave and I am a newbie and don't know how to use all of those lines in the terminal.

Actually right now I am connected and there must be an answer. I have found no work around in google, and I have ask many "experts" in Ubuntu forums and have come up with nothing!!

Jim

I am a bit confused now on the nature of the problem. You mention IPv6 and I assumed you are aware of the DNS proxy issue of some modems and Linux (but not Windows XP).

The issue that you want to describe then, is that when you connect with ADSL with the specific modem, you sometimes (often?) get disconnected, or the connection fails after some use.

Right now I am answering you using Windows XP. I have been running Ubuntu CE 3.3 (I think) which is 7.04.
I know nothing about the DNS proxy issue. I know I don't use DNS proxy in Windows XP. I just saw the ipv6 as a solution to disconnection (in general) and tried it and nothing happened. I guess it has no relevance to this problem. I am a newbie and just follow some suggestion on the Ubuntu forum which none have worked.
The ethernet light is on when my connection is on. But Ubuntu indicates it is connected when it is not. The only way I have to connect is thru bellsouth and the modem that they provided. I have an old dialup modem but Ubuntu has never connected with or thru it. As in most or all DSL systems, the dialup modem is a backup and it works with Windows XP when needed. And of course that happens when the fast access system of bellsouth(or ATT now) is down.

I want to use my fast access(DSL) system because I am connected to it and my email address is connected to it and I don't want to change my email address.

By the way if the connection is on when I am using a certain install, it stays on, but then the next time it may not be on after boot. The issue is I cannot control the connection problem once Ubuntu 7.04 is running. It may be on or off depending on what happens after the bootup. If it is off I cannot turn it on when Ubuntu is running.

There are a few things missing in order to give you a direction to go.

The first thing is whether your DSL modem is in "router" mode or "bridge" mode.
In the first case you simply plug the computer to the modem and you are connected to the Internet.
In the second case, you need to run a program from your computer that will send the username/password through the DSL modem and bring up the Internet connection.
Can you verify please which of the above types of connection you have?

If your DSL modem is in router mode, then when you switch it on, it should get the DSL and Internet lights up within a minute or so. In router mode, the DSL modem can establish the Internet connection on its own without the need of the computer.

The issue of IPv6 is found in Linux only (Linux has IPv6 enabled by default). Thus, it might work with Windows but not with Linux. Above I provide some information to verify whether the problem is related to IPv6 or not. The IPv6 issue manifests itself when the modem is in router mode. In general it is better to put the modem in router mode.

Originally when I received the fast access system DSL a disk from bellsouth came with it and I needed to install it in Windows. But just turning it off or on it is connected usually without any kind of reinstall using the disk. If I turn off the modem and turn it on again it will connect within a few seconds automatically in Windows.

Originally when I received the fast access system DSL a disk from bellsouth came with it and I needed to install it in Windows. But just turning it off or on it is connected usually without any kind of reinstall using the disk. If I turn off the modem and turn it on again it will connect within a few seconds automatically in Windows.

Originally when I received the fast access system DSL a disk from bellsouth came with it and I needed to install it in Windows. But just turning it off or on it is connected usually without any kind of reinstall using the disk. If I turn off the modem and turn it on again it will connect within a few seconds automatically in Windows.

I am confused about the difference between bridge mode and router mode. I could not find a definition on the web.

All I know is that it sometimes automatically connects like it did with the live CD. Then again it will not connect and I cannot get it to connect after booting up the program.

For bridge/router, see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_bridge

At this stage I am not able to help out. I am not familiar with the Verizon service.
I would recommend if someone else can pick this up, please do so.
Otherwise, it would be good to contact Linux users that use the Verizon service, such as a discussion forum.
Another option would be to search in www.UbuntuForums.org for similar questions.

I hope this helps.

I assume you have your modem connected to your ethernet nic, not directly through usb.

Have you already tried to boot with pci=noacpi option? You add this to kernel line in grub. Let me know if you've already tried this or need more detailed instructions.

It would be good if you could provide some information from ubuntu not windows. For a starter try opening terminal (applications-->accessories-->terminal), copy following lines there and paste the output here:

ifconfig

ping www.google.com

When you posted the line below, I may have got a clue to your problem.
  "Originally when I received the fast access system DSL a disk from bellsouth came with it and I needed to install it in Windows."

The problem seems to be with the way "DSL Westel" is setup. Hopefully, I can help you setup your router.

Please, tell me if the ip address of your ethernet card is 192.168.1.*, when booted in Windows.
(please just say no and don't post you ip address if it is other then a 192.168.1.* address)

If at any point my questions or instructions are not clear, feel free to ask for more detail or help.

I've worked with BellSouth before (now the New ATT) and I'm quite familiar with Westell modems. I can assure everyone that this has nothing to do with the modem nor with IPv6.

jhmac77, here's what I need you to do.

1) boot back into Windows and verify that you can surf to at least 3 websites and send/receive emails. I need to make sure that you haven't misconfigured any settings on the modem.
 If you can't connect to the internet, push the reset button at the back of the modem using a pen or a paperclip. Hold it for 5 secs.
 Open Internet Explorer, then surf to http://192.168.1.254/ and then type in your username and password.
 If you still can't connect to the Internet or to the modem, call BellSouth first and have them connect you.

2) If you can now connect to the internet on Windows, boot back to Ubuntu
3) Open a terminal window and type: ping 192.168.1.254
 You should get replies from the modem. If not, type: sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart
 That should restart your connection, ping 192.168.1.254 again and see if you get replies
 If you still don't get replies, enable your eth0. I'm not sure how to do this on GNOME since I'm using Kubuntu. Someone here should be able to help you out regarding that.

4) type ifconfig and take note of your inet addr. Usually it's 192.168.1.97
 Type this: ping 127.0.0.1
 and type this: ping <your inet addr from ifconfig>
 you should get replies. If not, then eth0's not enabled or you have a firewall
 Disable then re-enable eth0. Again, I'm not familiar with GNOME so you should ask if you don't know where it is.

5) If you have a firewall, disable it.. Better yet, uninstall it. You don't need it, Ubuntu defaults to zero open ports. Here's a few firewalls you should disable/uninstall: Firestarter, GuardDog, Shorewall, etc. etc.

6) If you can ping the modem, try pinging Google: ping google.com
7) If you can't ping Google, try pinging its' IP Address: ping 64.233.167.99 or ping 72.14.207.99

8) If you can't ping google.com, but can ping it's IP Address, change your DNS settings to:
208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
BellSouth had DNS issues before, so that might be your problem.
After changing your DNS address, restart your network: sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

9) If you've changed your DNS addresses and still can't connect, ping it; ping 208.67.222.222 and ping 208.67.220.220
 Both should give you replies. If both timed out, change your DNS to: 219.127.89.34 and 63.226.12.96
 Restart connection: sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart
 If you still can't connect, ping it: ping 219.127.89.34 and ping 63.226.12.96
 You should get replies now.

10) ping google.com and verify if you can do this now. If you can, then this is just a simple DNS issue. If not, then you have a firewall disrupting your service. Disable or Uninstall your firewall.

You should be able to connect to the internet now. If you still can't, tell me what step gave you an error or what step you can't do.

Last resort, if nothing can get you connected, call BellSouth and ask to be escalated to Tier 3. If you can't get a Tier 3 agent, ask where you're calling from. If you're connected to a call center in Baguio, Philippines, ask the agent your talking to to hook you up with Elton Pascua. He's a Tier 3/COT agent. And he'll be able to help you out. He's very familiar with Ubuntu and I gave him a howto on how to get Ubuntu to connect using FastAccess equipment.

I forgot to tell you, don't do Static IP.. Always do Dynamic. And your westell should be in DHCP mode. And you should receive 192.168.1.9x as your IP Address. The only IP address you should worry about with your modem is 192.168.1.254 and 192.168.1.9x

Yes it may be an issue with the realtek rtl8139 being left in a bad state by windows. That's why my pci=noacpi solution. There are some bug reports about that: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-network/+bug/35683
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/kernel-bugs/2005-April/001178.html

But lets give the author a chance to respond. :)

Dax Solomon Umaming gave in a nutshell, what I was going to have you do and more. He does know what he is talking about. Great step by step.

Thanks curtlee2002, that solved my question.

To Dax Solomon Umaming:

I am still having a problem with the connection. As long as the ethernet light is on I can connect usually. I have tried all you have told me to do and sometimes it works but most of the time it doesn't. I even called Bellsouth and spoke to several people and they said they were not trained on Linux. Also I was not able to get in touch with Elton Pascua in the Phillipines. If I happen to get the Phillipines I might be able to talk to him but he is also on the rotation to help people.

So I am back to zero. I keep trying all of what you told me including connecting to eth0 and other things I have found out thru this experience yet I have not found the problem(s).

One other thing I do notice is that sometimes when I go back into WinXP , I have to go to http://192.168.1.254/ and put in my username and password to get connected. I also noticed that Verizon DSL is having similar problems with connection and there was a recommendation to make some changes (reconfigure?) in the DSL Modem so that one would not have the problem again.

I appreciate all the information you have given me. It seems when I try the pings etc that it says that there is no connection even if the eth0 is configured properly.

Thanks,
Jim

I have been able to go into the expert mode of the modum and change some of the peramiters but now everything is the way it was.
I wonder what changes could be made so that Ubuntu can be connected. Please let me know if you are familiar with this or maybe someone else can handle it.

It is under WorkAround for Westell Expert Mode Failure in IE7 on the following website below:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,17554389?hilite=

I also notice that persons in Verizon had similiar problems withe Westall DSL modums.

Ok, here's what we're going to do:
- Disregard windows for the mean time, we'll work on Ubuntu exclusively
- Reset the modem and configure it's Always On Connection
- I'm going to assume you have Westell 6100
- You don't have a router between the modem and your PC

Connecting:
1) Boot into Ubuntu
2) Locate and Press the reset button at the back of the modem. Hold it down for 5 secs.
3) Make sure eth0's active. Again, I'm using Kubuntu and I really don't know what app you need to configure for this.
4) Open Firefox and surf to http://192.168.1.254/
5) You're now on the Easy Login Page, type in your username and password then hit the Connect button
6) Open a tab in Firefox and see if you can surf.
7) If you can't surf, try surfing to Google via its IP Address: http://64.233.167.99/
8) If you still can't surf, open a terminal window and type this: sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart
9) Try surfing to http://64.233.167.99/ again.
10) If you still can't surf, disable any and all firewalls you have
11) If you can surf to Google via it's IP address but not via http://google.com/ , then change your DNS Server Addresses to:
     208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220
12) Check if you can surf to http://google.com/ now. If you still can't, then a firewall is blocking your connection
13) If you can't connect, open a terminal window and type: ifconfig
     You should get 192.168.1.x as your inet addr, if not, then you may have a router

Hopefully you get connected. You said that you can connect sometimes in Ubuntu, but not always.
If you're now connected, we'll configure the Westell modem to make sure you're always connected to ATT

1) Get back to the Westell Modem tab on Firefox.
2) Locate and click on the Expert Mode button on the left pane.
3) Click the Configure button, a few more options/button would show up right below it
4) Click the Connection button
5) The only thing you need to change here is the Connection Type. Change it to Always On.
    The Connection Type drop-down menu is at the bottom-most part of that page. You may need to scroll down.
6) Click the Save and Restart Connection
7) Exit out of Firefox, then open another instance of Firefox.

Again, please reply what steps you can't do if you're still not connected.

How do you change DNS addresses?

Ok well after much "juggling" which went nowhere, I finally left the connection on "always on" and now it is working, but I will not hold my breath. By the way my modem is an older model Westell 2200.

Thanks for your help and maybe it will stay on.

God Bless,
Jim

Now I have to use sudo ifup eth0 to turn on eth0 so that the web and email will work. Always on seems to be working.