Earthlink DSL failing to see Ubuntu

[Dan Martin]

> This is all Gibberish to me thus far although I do note that 
> there are only errors in the eth0 slot.  I assume those are 
> from the time when my dial-up modem wasn't in use.
> I wonder if I may start a nested X server and open GNOME 
> there to make my changes?  Hmmm, it doesn't appear so.
> 
> Here's another bit of strangeness:  I can still connect to my 
> email without the dial-up connected but web and newsgroups 
> are not responding unless dial-up connected.
> I am using Sylpheed-claws for both email and Usenet.

I suspect your DNS isn't being set properly for eth0.  When you connect your
dialup, you now resolve DNS names that way.  Hence, you can get to local ISP
stuff such as email.

Try "sudo dhclient eth0".  If that "fixes" you, you need to set your eth0
interface to use DHCP.  That can be done from the Networking application in
Gnome.  Tell us if it doesn't.