In message <200106100015.f5A0Fjo06766@ricochet.net>, "David W. Talmage" writes:
>I get my net connection from Metricom using their "always on" ricochet.net 
>service.  From time to time, my ppp network connection disappears.  ifconfig 
>says that the interface is up and pppd remains running but no packets come in 
>and none go out.
>
>I found a way to keep the ppp connection alive.  I wonder if there is a better
> 
>way.
>
>#!/bin/sh
>...
>if [ `/sbin/ping -c 1 -q $ISP_NAME_SERVER` -ne 0 ] ; then
>  $RESTART_THE_NETWORK
>fi
>
>
>
>
I wonder if it's a Metricom problem, in which case there's nothing you 
can do about it.

That said, I think that the "right" way to do it is to use 
lcp-echo-interval and lcp-echo-failure, together with the "persist" 
option.  (Caveat:  I haven't tried it.)

		--Steve Bellovin, http://www.research.att.com/~smb