re: The LAN interface on my server stops being able to seethe LAN intermittantly.

[Sam Burney <sburney@sifnt.ath.cx>]

I am having a network issue with my Debian server which I've never seen 
with any other Distro I've tried to use as my server box.  I'd really 
like to get it fixed because Debian is by FAR the best for this application.

What happens is that the gateway Intermittantly (Randomly, but at least
once every hour or so) stops being able to send data to local machines
(the ones its sharing Internet to).

Basically the client machines can ping the server itself fine, but if 
they try to ping anything OUTSIDE the network (on the Internet) they get:

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   C:\> ping 192.231.203.132

   Pinging 192.231.203.132 with 32 bytes of data:

   Reply from 192.168.1.1 : Destination net unreachable.
   Reply from 192.168.1.1 : Destination net unreachable.
   Reply from 192.168.1.1 : Destination net unreachable.
   Reply from 192.168.1.1 : Destination net unreachable.
------------------------------------------------------------------------



Also during this time if I try to ping FROM the server to the clients it
just gets no response.

I've tried now with three different LAN cards (Different brands and
chipsets) and it happens with all of them. The problem happens every
couple of hours and isnt affecting the connection to the Internet (the
server can ping stuff on the Internet via its PPPoE connection with no
problems whatsoever).  I've also tried upgrading to the latest kernel
version and it seemed to fix it for 24hours, but on reboot its started
again.

I'll try to provide ANY other info possible if more is needed.

I really hope I can get this issue sorted soon

Thanks,

Sam.