Ping timeout

[Ken Stevenson]

Gargi Bodke wrote:
> Hi
>   I am new to this list and new to freebsd also. I have  a Freebsd server
> set up with apache and qmail on it, with an ADSL connection to the
> internet.  Most of the time the server works fine but it is not available
> early mornings and weekends. The machine is physically at my workplace and
> has a static IP mapped to it by a Service provider. When I say not available
> I am unable to ping it from home and a tracert also fails. When it started
> happening I went to my work place to see if the server was down, But it has
> always been up and running.  Also even if the server is not rebooted the
> machine becomes accessible after some time. Thinking it to be a network
> problem I have complained to the ISP but they are unable to provide any
> solution.
> 
> Is it possible that a freebsd machine sleeps after being idle for some time?
> Early mornings and weekends is the time when no one is in office that's why
> am asking. Sorry if this sounds stupid but I ab unable to figure out the
> cause so though I  should give it a try on this list.
> 
> 
I bet that your initial diagnosis is correct: your Internet connection 
at work is going down periodically. You need to try to get to work 
early or on the weekend when the problem is happening, and ideally 
have somebody at home or wherever you're doing the tracert from.

It could also be a DNS problem. When you ping your server, are you 
pinging it by name or by IP address?

Also, do you manage the firewall that your server sits behind? It 
sounds like the firewall may be programmed to block traffic during 
non-work hours.

-- 
Ken Stevenson
Allen-Myland Inc.