Internet connection but host not found

[McLeod, Peter (Yuetsu)]

I just can't figure it out:

1.  kppp dials into the ISP, sais connected and starts counting the time on
the internet.
2.  Browsers give "Host not found" errors.
3.  Ping gives "Host not  found" for URL's and something like "Invalid
argument" if supplied with any IP address other than my own (during
connection).
4.  The /etc/resolv.conf exists with correct permissions (tried rw-rw-r and
rw-rw-rw).
5.  The /etc/host.conf file exists with correct permissions (tried rw-rw-r
and rw-rw-rw) and contains:  order bind, hosts
6.  The /etc/hosts file exists with correct permissions (tried rw-rw-r and
rw-rw-rw) and contains just my ip address.

The strange thing is it connected when I first installed YDL and then
stopped and then I did a complete re-install but it still wouldn't work?  I
can only imagine something changed on the ISP side but I've tried my own
dial in scripts but it is connecting and starting PPP (so that doesn't make
sense either).  I've also tried using RPM and re-installed the PPP package
and it's two dependants all to no avail.  Ideally I would have liked to
connect using the gnome internet configuration but when I enable the
connection device it tells me to be patient and please wait but never
returns.  I'm not that patient ;)

On another note when I run startx/xinit I see some messages on the screen
before the GUI begins, is there anyway to actually get at those and read
them.  It seems to be some kind of warning that might be important.