I am a new ubuntu user and connect to the internet using wi-fi broadband on my notebook. But I need to setup a dial-up connection through my phone which can keep me online while I travel. I have tried connecting to dial-up using pppconfig, wvdial and gnome-ppp. I do not know whether they use the same files for connecting but I have only been able to connect using Gnome-ppp. But the connection is intermittent and disconnects every five seconds or so. The exit code is 16 which I checked in man and got to know that the modem hangs itself up. I am connecting my phone to ubuntu as a usb modem. And as I am new I might have skipped a step or two. Please suggest a solution or an alternative to this. I have put down the Gnome-ppp log. Thanks. --> WvDial: Internet dialer version 1.61 --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATM1L3DT*99***1# --> Waiting for carrier. ATM1L3DT*99***1# CONNECT --> Carrier detected. Waiting for prompt. ~[7f]}#@!}!}$} }=}!}$}%\}"}&} } } } }#}%B#}%}%}&}*urW}'}"}(}"mX~ --> PPP negotiation detected. --> Starting pppd at Sat Apr 28 21:55:55 2012 --> Warning: Could not modify /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: Permission denied --> --> CHAP (Challenge Handshake) may be flaky. --> Pid of pppd: 2459 --> Using interface ppp0 --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> Disconnecting at Sat Apr 28 21:56:01 2012 --> The PPP daemon has died: A modem hung up the phone (exit code = 16) --> man pppd explains pppd error codes in more detail. --> Try again and look into /var/log/messages and the wvdial and pppd man pages for more information. --> Auto Reconnect will be attempted in 5 seconds --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Modem initialized. --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATM1L3DT*99***1# --> Waiting for carrier. ATM1L3DT*99***1# CONNECT --> Carrier detected. Waiting for prompt. ~[7f]}#@!}!Q} }=}!}$}%\}"}&} } } } }#}%B#}%}%}&}*u69}'}"}(}"#W~ --> PPP negotiation detected. --> Starting pppd at Sat Apr 28 21:56:07 2012 --> Warning: Could not modify /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: Permission denied --> --> CHAP (Challenge Handshake) may be flaky. --> Pid of pppd: 2470 --> Using interface ppp0 --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> Disconnecting at Sat Apr 28 21:56:09 2012 --> The PPP daemon has died: A modem hung up the phone (exit code = 16) --> man pppd explains pppd error codes in more detail. --> Try again and look into /var/log/messages and the wvdial and pppd man pages for more information. --> Auto Reconnect will be attempted in 10 seconds --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Modem initialized. --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Modem initialized. --> Sending: ATM1L3DT*99***1# --> Waiting for carrier. ATM1L3DT*99***1# CONNECT --> Carrier detected. Waiting for prompt. ~[7f]}#@!}!@} }=}!}$}%\}"}&} } } } }#}%B#}%}%}&}*uvM}'}"}(}"p}$~ --> PPP negotiation detected. --> Starting pppd at Sat Apr 28 21:56:20 2012 --> Warning: Could not modify /etc/ppp/chap-secrets: Permission denied --> --> CHAP (Challenge Handshake) may be flaky. --> Pid of pppd: 2481 --> Using interface ppp0 --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> pppd: xu! --> Disconnecting at Sat Apr 28 21:56:25 2012 --> The PPP daemon has died: A modem hung up the phone (exit code = 16) --> man pppd explains pppd error codes in more detail. --> Try again and look into /var/log/messages and the wvdial and pppd man pages for more information. --> Auto Reconnect will be attempted in 20 seconds --> Cannot get information for serial port. --> Initializing modem. --> Sending: ATZ ATZ OK --> Modem initialized.