arp strangeness?

Sat May 17 23:30:18 UTC 2014

As I mentioned in my immediately prior posting here, I have been
having spurious total (100%) connectivity dropouts, quite frequently,
for some several weeks now.  I have no idea what might be causing 
this, and thus I am exploring everything.

Long long ago (i.e. several years ago now), I was told by my ISP that
the gateway address I should be using for my DSL line (which has two
static IPs associated with it) was 69.62.255.254.  Thus, since that
time, the following line has been present in my /etc/rc.conf file:

defaultrouter="69.62.255.254"

At some time in the not very distant past... a time which may or
may not have coincided with the beginning of my recent connectivity
problems... I began to notice arp-related messages showing up in
my /var/log/messages file on a fairly routine basis.  I had never
seen these kinds of messages before, at least not en mass, as they
seem to be appearing now.  A sample of these is attached below.

As you can see, whatever machine is at 69.62.255.254... which belongs
to my ISP, not me... appears to be changing its physical MAC address
on a routine basis, almost exactly every 20 minutes, and then
immediately changing it back again.

Is this normal??

What would cause this type of behavior?

And more to the point, how might these frequent abrupt changes in the
MAC address of the gateway machine I use to reach the rest of the
Internet affect my connectivity, or lack thereof?

P.S.  Yes, the name of my machine is "segfault", which explains why
that word is present within the following example arp messages.

May 16 23:05:33 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 16 23:05:33 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 16 23:25:29 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 16 23:25:29 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 16 23:45:25 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 16 23:45:25 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 00:05:21 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 00:05:21 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 00:25:17 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 00:25:17 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 00:45:13 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 00:45:13 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 01:05:09 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 01:05:09 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 01:25:06 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 01:25:06 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 01:45:02 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 01:45:02 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 02:04:57 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 02:04:57 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 02:24:53 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 02:24:53 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 02:44:49 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 02:44:49 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 03:04:45 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 03:04:45 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 03:24:41 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 03:24:41 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 03:44:37 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 03:44:37 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 04:04:33 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 04:04:33 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 04:24:29 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 04:44:27 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 05:04:23 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 05:04:23 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 05:24:19 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 05:24:19 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 05:44:15 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 05:44:15 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 06:04:12 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 06:04:12 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 06:24:08 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 06:24:08 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 06:44:04 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 06:44:04 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 07:04:00 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 07:04:00 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 07:23:56 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 07:23:56 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 07:43:52 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 07:43:52 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 08:03:49 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 08:03:49 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 08:23:45 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 08:23:45 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 08:43:41 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 09:03:37 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 09:23:33 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 09:23:33 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 09:43:29 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 09:43:29 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 10:03:25 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 10:03:25 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 10:23:21 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 10:23:21 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 10:43:17 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 10:43:17 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 11:03:13 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 11:03:13 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 11:23:09 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 11:23:09 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 11:43:05 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 11:43:05 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 12:03:03 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 12:03:03 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 12:22:59 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 12:22:59 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 12:42:55 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 12:42:55 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 13:02:51 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 13:02:51 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 13:22:47 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 13:22:47 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 13:42:43 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 13:42:43 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 14:02:39 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 14:02:39 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 14:22:35 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 14:22:35 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0
May 17 14:42:32 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 to 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 on rl0
May 17 15:02:30 segfault kernel: arp: 69.62.255.254 moved from 00:00:0e:07:ac:00 to 00:1e:13:22:eb:51 on rl0