linuxgeek: [LINUX_Newbies] New to group with QUESTION

Hi,

My name is Fred. I am 68 and I live upstate NY.
I can only access the internet using dial-up.
I want to switch from using Windows XP to Ubuntu.
My ISP will not help me as they quote unquote: do not support that product.

MAJOR ISSUE - How do I access the internet using Ubuntu regardless of my ISP, while remaining on dial-up.

One of the members of the Yahoo Ubuntu group suggested this group with the hope you may be able to solve my problem.

BACKGROUND

1) Where I live, high speed internet is not available outside of satellite.

2) My desktop (2004 - XP) developed issues some of which I cleared up, some I have yet to clear up, some I do not trust on the machine.

3) Months ago, I installed Ubuntu 10.04.1 (dual boot) from a CD (DVD unit not working).

PROBLEM

I cannot dial out into the internet.
The CD I used came without a dial-up software so I cannot use Ubuntu to dial out.

WHAT WAS DONE

1) I installed the modem software.
2) I found the Terminal and configured a connection using - pppconfig.
3) Again, on the Terminal, I entered the command - sudo adduser YOURNAMEHERE dip - successfully.
4) When I tried to enter - sudo adduser YOURNAMEHERE dialout - it said I did not have to do it.
5) I tried to use - pon comcast - to access the internet and got nowhere.

So, I tried another route. I downloaded Gnome ppp to a thumb drive but could not install it because WV Dial was not in the machine. I found WV Dial, but there were four versions. Do I assume the ppp version is the correct one or do I need all four versions. To install any of the four requires about 10 programs which should be on the machine.

MY QUESTIONS

1) Is there a solution that works or should I abandon this process?
2) Is Mepis a better program to work with because it is US based and for that reason has a dial-up program already installed on it?

I appreciate all the help I can get.

Fred