Re: ftp server

[Dave Watkins <debianisp@snorks.dyndns.org>]

Robert Cates wrote:
> Hi,
>  
> I'm hoping someone on this list can help me with an FTP server issue.
>  
> I'm running a handful of Internet services on my ADSL line - DNS, Web, 
> e-Mail, and FTP servers.
> All seem to be running fine, very fast as well, but the FTP server is 
> very slow, e.g. first logging on is quite slow, and with every request 
> to change directories takes unusually long.
>  
> Also, the problem seems to occur only from the Internet, i.e. from 
> outside my firewall - a Linksys Gateway/Router with Firewall.
>  
> Is this an FTP server issue ( should I change my FTP server - 
> WU-FTPD )?  If not server specific, maybe in the configuration?  Or more 
> to do with my firewall settings?
> I suspect I may need to move the machine to the DMZ port, but before I 
> do I was hoping somebody may have a better solution ( I don't know for 
> sure if the DMZ will solve the problem, and I'd rather not use the DMZ ).
>  
> Thank you very much in advance for your help!
> Robert

It almost sounds like a reverse DNS issue although I would only expect 
that when the inital connection was made. Although in saying that FTP is 
an odd protocol at the best of times and it may be trying to get R-DNS 
info everytime a new command channel is opened. If your FTP server is 
using an internal DNS server make sure it is forwarding queries it can't 
 answer onto another server that can. If the transfers to and from the 
FTP server are slow as well then it is obviously something else. You 
could also try disabling R-DNS lookups on the FTP server to see if that 
improves things

Dave