no response as regular user~ SU responds properly

This is like so weird. As my regular user it acts as if the modem is not
connected (can't read mail or WEBpages) but if I log in as super user
everything is fine. Any suggestions as to what is wrong? Could it be a
permissions problem? If that is so then which file? (One further thing- if I
merely switch user from a terminal and then start kmail or konqueror it will
not woork; I have to log in as super user.)
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:-)~Mike~(-: