[Pan-users] newbie: Why no stable "connection"?

[Haines Brown]

I'm not just a newbie to pan, but to news as well, so I beg your
indulgence. 

After configuring pan, it seems that I am automatically asked if I
want to doanload a list of all groups. It seems that the default
configuration asks automatically if no such list exists. Or I can go
to Servers, Get list of all groups.

The status button at lower left corner usually says "Offline," but
when I request a list of groups, it momentarily says "Connecting."
This I would expect, but instead of then beginning the download of the
full group list, it immediately switches back to "Offline." Does this
mean I've not really created a connection, or that pan is not really
trying to download the list?

If I look into Prefereces, I discover it says there that I'm "Online,"
even though the status button at lower left ways "Offline." Which is
right? How do I reconcile these two conflicting status reports?

I run a continuous DSL connection, which relies on pppoe. But I didn't
see anywhere to tell pan what to use to connect. Is anything special
required of a DSL service?

How can I verify I've a valid connection with the news server? I can't
ping it or telnet into it (just hangs), but dig returns what looks
like valid reply. I don't have tin on my RH7.2 distribution, but
wonder if it is worth adding as a prognostic tool.

Haines Brown