FTP gone Slow

[Bill Moran]

Gavin Kenny wrote:
>  --- Bill Moran <wmoran at potentialtech.com> wrote: >
> Gavin Kenny wrote:
> 
>>>Hi Guys,
>>>
>>>I have been running FBSD4.4 quite happily for a
>>
>>while
>>
>>>now and I have recently got this problem.
>>>
>>>When I FTP into my box it connects fine but then
>>
>>takes
>>
>>>ages before I get a login prompt.
>>>
>>>It never used to do this, the login prompt used to
>>
>>be
>>
>>>instantaneous.
>>>
>>>Any ideas what I have done to mess this up?
>>
>>Have you done any diagnostic testing at all?  I know
>>you didn't
>>do any searching, as this is discussed on this list
>>alone about
>>every two weeks and you would have found it if you'd
>>searched
>>google.
>>
>>My first guess would be that your reverse DNS broke
>>at some point.
>>Generally what happens, is that the FTP daemon is
>>waiting for an
>>RDNS request to return so it has a hostname to put
>>in the logs.  If
>>the RDNS is broken, it waits until timeout (30 sec
>>is the norm I
>>believe) before logging you in.
>>
>>Easy way to find out if this is the problem is the
>>host command.
>>host 55.55.55.55
>>(substitute your IP address for 55.55.55.55)
>>If you don't get a hostname, this is likely to be
>>the problem.
> 
> Apologies, I was being lazy, you are right I had
> better do some searching.
> 
> I am not running DNS (it is just a little network I
> use to develop on, and I ftp the IP address to move SW
> about) it is strange as the other machines work just
> fine. This one has a problem.

You really don't have much choice, as many programs use
DNS without even you knowing it.
Despite the size of your network, you're probably best
off to have a working local DNS server to prevent
problems before they occur.

-- 
Bill Moran
Potential Technologies
http://www.potentialtech.com