OpenSUSE Network :: Reconnect A Pppoe Internet Connection?

I have a ppoe internet connection. I was easier and faster to configure it in Yast than in Windows XP. When
The provider here sometimes goes through some problems and the connection may disappear and return at any unexpected moment. In Windows there is a icon on system tray that dysplays such information and I know when the connection is gone. It also allows me to try to reconnect manually. Where do I find these information on Opensuse here do I manage to reconnect. In Windows it was also possible to set the connection to re-dial automatically when it was out. It was very useful if it failed in the middle of a download, the system reconnected and the download manager retried until download resumed. Is there some way to adjust opensuse to reconnect automatically when connection fails or some software that does it? Furthermore, is there a good download manager that works in Opensuse that pause, accelerates downloads and retries when connection fails?