[CLUG] Internet conection with Linux

[Peter Flynn]

On Mon, 24 Apr 2000, Kevin Bartlett wrote:
> Question. What Is LYNX??

A character-mode browser. Lets you read text (only: no images) in a
standard 24-line x 80-character terminal window.

But the simplest way to test a connection is ping. Type (in a terminal
window)

   ping rtfm.mit.edu

(rtfm is a very stable, well-connected machine at MIT, so it's almost
never down.) This should get you some output like:

$ ping rtfm.mit.edu
PING PENGUIN-LUST.MIT.EDU (18.181.0.29): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 18.181.0.29: icmp_seq=0 ttl=239 time=339.0 ms
64 bytes from 18.181.0.29: icmp_seq=1 ttl=239 time=333.4 ms
64 bytes from 18.181.0.29: icmp_seq=2 ttl=239 time=410.1 ms

(Type a Ctrl-C here to kill it)

--- PENGUIN-LUST.MIT.EDU ping statistics ---
4 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 25% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max = 333.4/360.8/410.1 ms
$   

If it just sits there then you are not connected. If it says it cannot
find the host, then your DNS is hosed or not specified. 

Q. Have you set up the right DNS IP addresses? Without those you are
going nowhere. Get them from your ISP.
     
> The error message that I keep getting is as follows :-
> 
> First message box,
>     Netscape is unable to locate the server http://www.linux.ie 
>     Please check the server nameand try again.

That sounds like you have no DNS specified.

> Now the worst thing of it all is that I am My system administrator!!!

Then consult yourself :-)

///Peter