For a while I couldn't figure out what was going on until i pointed a browser at 192.168.2.1 then I found out. The thing was locked on an internal Belkin page and /etc/resolv.conf had search Belkin in it. I didn't put that there but somehow the system got reconfigured to hang out there and not connect. Before this fiasco, the modem got sent to the myhome.westell.com page though I'm rather sure it never made it out onto the actual internet then either. I know the Belkin page failed because whenever I tried to use a link the browser said it was going out to http://www.Belkin.com and had an error because it couldn't get there. We do have cybercrackers in this area who do go over to smartco and it's possible that group have been having fun at my expense. Some of the articles they were talking about last week while standing with me in earshot was an article showing how one of those cybercrackers managed to hack all kinds of belkin equipment too. I much doubt that was accidental.
