Help with a wacky problem..

[bad bob <sfmc68@bellatlantic.net>]

SOrry to bother everyone with another one but:
Debian 2.2, potato, installed and running sweet.
Attempts to telnet or ftp to the box fial - host rejects it with 
a closure of the the connection.
I have varified that I have the telnet listener up and available.
Verified I do not have ipchains or wrappers running.
I can telnet or ftp originating from the box.
I have tried editing the deny/allow files to include local host,
local lan.
I have tried deleting the hosts.allow and hosts.deny files.
I an now stumped.
Help
TIA
bob