We have an AIX 4.3 box in the field which has weird telnet behavior.
If we telnet from Windows directly to the IP we see a 5 second delay
before the login prompt displays. If we use a telnet component from a
program there is a 30 second delay.

I can't explain the discrepancy between the direct and component
method except that there's probably a difference in the initial telnet
protocol negotiation, though I've never seen that delay comms. The 5
second delay occurs regardless of which GUI telnet client is used.

I think there's DNS resolution going on, maybe reverse resolution,
because when the connection is finally made using telnet to the IP
address, it does echo "telnet (servername)". The client does not have
the server listed in etc\hosts.

Can anyone provide insight into what negotiations occur between client
and AIX in such a connection?

This is a remote connection. I'm checking to see if people on the
local side see the same delays and what kind of firewall is in place
between the server and remote client.

Thanks!
T

Hi Tony,

Is both connection uses IP address?
If yes, problem is in telnet negotiation, as You know.
If AIX sends negotiation that unknown for telnet component, You can
test this connection with BRIZ (BRIZ have telnet negotiation dump).
If telnet component sends telnet negotiation command that unknown in
AIX, You can start BRIZ in listen mode and dump incoming negatiation.
In any case AIX telnet should be reconfigured.

Excuse me, please, for my bad English.


Regards,

Grigory

"Tony Gravagno" <address.is.in.posts (AT) removethis (DOT) com.invalid> wrote in
message news:gmdrv25qrjqhunrv6ug6mbj5tefnh21v8d (AT) 4ax (DOT) com
Tony

I'm by no means an expert on AIX, but I've seen exactly the same thing on RH
boxes.

I can't give you an insight as to exactly what negotiations are going on
between AIX and the client, but I believe the Telnet daemon or the INET
daemon, (or something in those there parts), is looking for an identifier
for the incoming telnet client. The DNS service usually provides the
answer. No DNS service running (or a incorrectly configured one) and the
result is the pause at logon you're seeing.

The solution, (on RH boxes at least), is to either configure and start DNS
or to explicitly add the IP address in /etc/hosts.

Hope this is helpful.

With Kindest Regards

Mike Wooding

On Mar 19, 9:45 am, "Mike Wooding" <mikewood... (AT) email (DOT) com> wrote:

Hi Tony - I also have seen such problems and they have had varied
sources -
1. An invalid temrinal type being sent in the telnet handshaking.
2. it is important to know where the time lag is - i.e. if it is
during the Trying... prompt it is probably a routing issue, if it is
at the escape character display then it may be because of tcp wrapper
problems (a whole new ball game).
3. If the server can not provide a reverse name resolution with the
client IP address then aix will pause 75 seconds. To resolve this (ha
ha a pun) move the /etc/resolv.conf file to backup directory and try
the telnet again. If this fixes it then it is a nameserver problem
either routing or DNS
4. /etc/utmp can get corrupted and slow the telnet process.
5. an invalid motd file can cause problems as well.


HTH

Symeon.

I saw a problem like this a few years back, and the solution was to
disable IPv6 on aix.

Tony Gravagno wrote:

"Tony Gravagno" wrote
ip address is used also by another box on the lan. Sounds like not your
problem this time, though... The op idea about /etc/resolv.conf is a great one,
as a bad NAMESERVER entry there will snafu the system reverse dns lookup
that your system logs of 'who logged in to this box and when' need.

Grigory and others - you've all provided great comments which will be
forwarded directly to the client. I thank you kindly, and if we
resolve the issue I'll post the resolution here. (Yeah Symeon, gotta
love those puns)

T