Inability to remotely login via SSHD/Telnet

I am not a beginner but I do keep running into a problem which leaves me perplexed. I have several Linux/unix boxes and occasionally, I will attempt to login to one remotely via ssh (sshd is running on intended host) - and it will ask for my password, and even though I give it the correct one (with CAPS off) - it says password authentication failed and wont let me login. I check /etc/services and sshd is in there, and I check /etc/inetd.conf and a line for sshd and/or telnet is in there as well. Yet, when I logon with the same user ID(non-root user) from the console it lets me in no-problem. I have also checked the user profile in /etc/passwd and it does have a home entry and a shell assigned. Frequently, it seems this occurs after I have had to reboot the machine one or more times (for other reasons, moving it, hardware, etc). I cant seem to find a consistent cause for this recurring behavior, and Im sure it must be something simple that Im not aware of.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks

Sounds odd. I have never had a problem with ssh.
First, try to ps -ef | grep ssh to see if there is a line saying /usr/bin/sshd or similar. That way you will find out if the ssh daemon is actually running.
Second, if first is ok. reset the password with [ passwd user ]and make sure that you remember the password.
third, on the remote host type in [ ssh ip.ip.ip.ip -l user ](this forces a username on the machine u are trying to log in to) and see if that works.
If not, well I don't know. Reinstall ssh and try again. Let me know how it goes.

If you are logged in as John on the machine and just type in ssh remopte_machine it will default to that username on the remote machine unless you set the -l switch.

Good luck

I have verified that sshd is running. Also - I always login with the user specified (-l user).
When I add the (-v) verbose switch to the ssh login it comes back with PAM authentication errors. As if I entered the wrong password or if something is wrong with PAM. (Note - I have also reset the password a few times, and am very careful to make sure I am typing it correctly).
So, I am still perplexed, and will probably reboot the machine, and-or install some packages again to fix it.
Thanks,
Ken