Thanks all, I eventually got it working by removing PCI cards that I don't use and swapping the order of the others around.
Now I've got a 100% stable and very fast ADSL connection ... once the bl**dy thing connects. Sometimes within 5 seconds of a reboot, sometimes more like 5 hours.
But it always retries again and again until it does connect, and once it does it's as solid as a rock.
Surely ADSL should be more scientific / less hit and miss than this
