Keeping a DSL connection up in Windows XP

[shaltar]

I am the IT Manager for a chain of retail stores, all the stores are running Windows XP Pro and are connected to the internet via DSL. At the end of each day, the store manager runs an 'afterhours' process from the Point of Sale software and leaves.

At the end of this process, the system sends a large zip file to the head office via FTP.

Problem is, the software will not automatically establish a connection if there is not one already active... any ideas on how I can make sure the PC is always connected (without putting in a dsl router at each store).

Thanks!

[Low_Level_Owl]

I assume there's a setting that kills the connection after x amount of minutes idle.

Why not make that number high like say 1,000 minutes which is equivalent to 16 hours?

[Matridom]

What you need to do is make the connection independant of the user logon, and you can turn it "always" on. There is also a reg key that needs to be added. Unfortunatly, i don't have that info off hand. If it's not posted by this evening, I'll get all the steps posted.

[Matridom]

Users who enjoy flat rate Internet access may find it desirable to turn their connection into an "always on" connection that is established once when the machine boots (before any user logs in) and kept until the machine is shut down. To make your dial-up connection "always on", follow these steps:

If your service provider requires authentication, make sure you have saved the password by checking the Save Password checkbox in the Connect Connection Name window and connecting at least once.
If you are running Windows 2000, right-click the My Network Places icon on your desktop and select Properties to bring up the Network and Dial-up Connections window.
If you are running Windows XP/.NET, click the Start button, select Control Panel, then click Network and Internet Connections and then click the Network Connections control panel icon to bring up the Network Connections window.
Locate the Dial-Up connection you created for PPP over Ethernet, right-click it and select Properties.
Select the Options tab and clear all checkboxes under Dialing options.
Under Redialing options, set Idle time before hanging up: to never and check the Redial if line is dropped checkbox.
Click OK to save the changes.
Now click the Start button, select Settings then Control Panel to open the Control Panel window.
In the Control Panel window, double-click Scheduled Tasks.
In the Scheduled Tasks window, double-click Add Scheduled Task.
On the welcome screen of the Scheduled Task Wizard, click Next.
At the program selection step, click Browse... and browse to your WINNT\System32 directory (Windows 2000) or to your Windows\System32 directory (Windows XP/.NET).
Type RASPHONE.EXE (note the spelling!) in the File name: edit box or locate it in the directory and select it and click Open.
Make up a name for this task and under Perform this task: select When my computer starts. Click Next.
Enter your password. Note: The task must be run under the same account which the dial-up entry was created under.
At the final step, make sure that Open advanced properties for this task when I click finish is checked and click Finish.
In the advanced properties, edit the Run: edit box and append the command-line parameters " -d "Connection Name"".
Go to the Settings tab and clear all checkboxes on that page.
Click OK to close the task's properties.
Finally, you need to make a little registry change to prevent Windows from disconnecting when a user logs on and off again:
Run REGEDIT and navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Then right-click the right-hand pane, select New -> String Value, name the value KeepRasConnections and set it to 1.

Reboot. Windows will establish the connection automatically and keep it until you shut the machine down.

if you find that too hard to read, go here

http://www.raspppoe.com/README2K.HTM#Advanced6