ZENPUNDIT PLAGUED BY ISP BASTARDS
Earthlink appears to be monkeying around with their connection configurations on a semi-regular basis to disrupt home networks so that subscribers, rather than setting up their own, must add a service they don't actually need. It also appears that this particular off-line interruption is resisting the usual trouble-shooting manuvers to reconnect ( hence my blogging from the inconevenient alternate location).
It may be time to go Comcast. Or wireless.