I just set up a linux server, it has smtp, ftp and ssh. I am trying to get ipop3 working, so I tryed to log in via my house to work on it. I couldn't connect, so I had someone locally reboot the system, then it connected, then it wouldn't. Now sometimes it will ping, then the packet fails, then ping, ping ping, fail fail fail. What can cause this? It's on a slow line (10kB/s uplink | 20 kB/s downlink) but I doubt it's a DDoS attack. Here are my remote ping results: E:\Documents and Settings\Gian Spi>ping 209.113.149.109 -t Pinging 209.113.149.109 with 32 bytes of data: Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=62ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=69ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Request timed out. 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Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Request timed out. Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=93ms TTL=236 Request timed out. Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=56ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=56ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=56ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=64ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=56ms TTL=236 Request timed out. Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=63ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=57ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=57ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=68ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=57ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=68ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=88ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=73ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=66ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=92ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=86ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=69ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=74ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=78ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=64ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=71ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=69ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=79ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=58ms TTL=236 Reply from 209.113.149.109: bytes=32 time=61ms TTL=236 Ping statistics for 209.113.149.109: Packets: Sent = 116, Received = 96, Lost = 20 (17% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 56ms, Maximum = 107ms, Average = 64ms Thank you for any help, -Gian Spi Warm Regards, Gian Spicuzza

What type of connection are you working with? in that range I'd assume that you were working with GRPS(cellphone) or a satellite connection, in either o these cases packets are expected to be dropped, and there isn't much you can do about an unreliable connection. If you are using a wired connection like DSL I would try swapping out(or replacing) your ethernet card (in yoru linux box), or any sort of Switch/router and cabling you may have, before going tot eh extreme of contacting your ISP with your troubbles. If you only expierience these problems in getting these two computers connecting, and your linux box can be sshed in locally without a problem AND the box itself can access the outside internet correctly you may be dealing with a bad router at your ISP (don't bother with this one, they won't find/fix it) one other possibility I can think of is simply your router configuration at your office: You should set up static port fowarding to a static ip (assign one in your office's subnet on the linux box and set ports to foward to the lin box) in your intranet if its not already set up that way. Josh Lange

Josh, Our connection is a wired DSL line connected straight into a statip ip port (Without any router on our end--it is a single server.) Right now (which is 12 hours later from the incident) it seems to be working fine. I have printed out your response, and if it occurs again, I will reference to it and follow some of your suggestions. Thank you for your response it has helped narrow many possibilities down! Warm Regards, Gian Spicuzza