Error 734 PPP Link Control Protocol

Internet Service: DSL
OS: MS Windows XP Media Center Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 2
System: HP Pavilion
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3700+ at 984 MHz
Local Area Connection: Realtek RTL8139/810x Family Fast
Firewall: ZoneAlarm Basic

System purchased: 14 January 2006

Once I disconnect from DSL I cannot reconnect without restarting Windows. The Point-to-Point protocol (PPP) terminates. The error is 734: PPP Link Control Protocol was terminated ... . The only way I have found to restart the protocol is to restart Windows. It appears that for some reason if you do not connect to the internet for a period of time the protocol "dies." We never had this problem with the old system, and we always disconnected from the internet when we were finished.

I found information on this error in the MS database, and my network settings are as recommended, yet the problem persists.

Is there a way to restart the protocol without restarting Windows? Any ideas on what is causing this problem?

Thanks for any assitance.