Michael Boyko wrote: > > Hiya, > > I have Debian Linux installed on my computer and an external modem. > When I attempt to download anything (like the 2.4.0 kernel for example) my > download constantly cuts out. By this I mean, a connection (ftp or http) > starts, gets a download rate of about 4kb/sec, downloads for about 8 > seconds, translating to around 30kb of data, and then it just stops > receiving. > This is very frustrating. > > Now, I have tried 2 external modems, and get the same results. Also, I can > download things over a Windoze partition on the same box without these > problems. > I am using an external US Robotics 56k Faxmodem. > > Changing ISPs is probably good advice, and *please* be sure to tell both the old and new one why you are changing (1) to help the old one get the clue, and (2) to ensure that the new one will be better (or at least have a chance to tell you their drop policy). That said, you might want to try a trick -- sending a single periodic ping to a known up site to keep your connection alive. My script for doing this is: #!/bin/bash nohup ping -i 300 www.earthlink.net &> /dev/null & I have it as a separate script because this is on my dial-up laptop account, and I want to control starting and stopping it. I run it in an xterm right after my dialer connects. Helps a lot. HTH, -- Lan Barnes lanbarnes at earthlink.net Icon Consulting, Inc 858-273-6677 Key fingerprint = 57D6 C219 140A A81E 26C6 8138 0E62 7F4A 2659 7389 I shall hear in heaven. - Beethoven (attributed last words)