To explain further: I found that in windoze, when I was able to get to 5 hours of connect time, it was then that my ISP disconnected me. That happened -each- time I tested in windoze, and -always- at 5 hours, whether I was actively downloading or idle. In linux, I will get the (SIGHUP) to pppd as quick as 30 seconds, and NEVER longer than 59.4 minutes. I don't think it's my ISP, unless they have a dig against linux and not windoze. With this in mind, Daniel, would your suggestion still work? Bruce, do you know of a "free" ISP, with local numbers, that I could test with. I'm "poor", hence dialup, and testing long distance would be pricey, as well as set up fees for the ISP. I also have tested on 3 different telephone networks (ATT, QWest...) with my ISP, and have the same results (5 hours in windoze before the ISP drops me, and 30 seconds to no more than 59.4 minutes before getting a (SIGHUP) to pppd in SuSE). Thanks very much for the response!!! MTIA Bernd -- "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." Antoine de St. Exupery