Well, here are some more facts....and a tad bit of conspiracy thrown in for spice.

1) The GOV't does NOT pay for anything we install here to run my husband's job. NO fax, no phone, line, no postage, no deduction for space power, heat.
They assume that no longer commuting pays for the added expenses. How do you like that? They do provide the computer and a keyboard and bag. The printers however are a future event--but it may be a year considering how fast the Govt moves. So we cannibalized my cable from upstairs for now to print on his unit.

2) Today I was on the phone with my son for a while. This is what we came up with.
a) My husband's Gov't issue may be a VPN connection, and conflicting with the DSL which may not like it...DSL is only for home use. MaaaBEEEEE.

b) Then I did what curious suggested earlier. I looked up the PSAPI.DLL files in my computer. There are SEVERAL. Including the one my son fixed in 06 called
PSAPold.dll

c) this gave my son an idea. SBC DSL runs on a software program that enables them to back door into your computer. HMMMMM. They did it while I was on the phone with them. So my son looked up something on the net...over the phone, I couldn't see what. Then he piped up:
go to msconfig.... hit startup and uncheck MotiveSB. That disables them so they cannot look in. All the esapi.dll files are in that directory. WHAT if.... what if they are pinging me? Gathering usage data? Is that why it is only at certain times? I had my 10:30-11 am down, and my 1:30 to 2:30 down, and NOTHING since. Husband has not been signed on all day.

d) and for good measure I removed QuickTime. I don't use .mov files, don't share or download videos/movies. I can always reload it. We are so conservative on the net... I won't miss it.

Basically now I am spent. Tired, frustrated. Now I am thinking, that DSL may have CAUSED this, and now wants $99 to fix it! How awful would that be?
How easy to screw people out of their money for a quick fix. The techie said if I give her my credit card, now, the agent will go into by computer using the XP remote function and fix it. What if THEY created it all to begin with? They determined that the "ethernet" light is what goes out...hence it is coming FROM my computer to create the problem. What if they planted that problem themselves?
Needless to say I did not jump at the $99. When I expressed my displeasure, she put me on hold and then offered $69. Somehow that was just toooooo convenient!
Think about THAT?