Why Does It Take So Long To Connect via FTP?

I have a dedicated server running Red Hat 7.2 with WU-FTPd version 2.6 for FTP access. The server is only 500 MHz, 32 MBs of RAM, and has a 5 GB drive but it is pretty quick via HTTP, SSH, SSL, etc.

I can't figure out why it takes it so long to connect whenever I login or upload/download any files (even tiny scripts). It just says connecting for like 15 seconds each time then downloads the file right away.

I checked through the settings under FTP Server in Webmin but I couldn't find anything that pertained to how long it takes to accept a connection. Is there such a thing? Or is it just because my server doesn't have a lot of MHz or RAM? Unfortunately, I can't upgrade anything on it so I have to make do. It only receives about 50 visitors a day (at the most).

I know it's not my host's network because I also have several accounts with them on their shared servers that have A LOT more accounts and RAM, etc. Whenever I login or upload/download via FTP it does so within 2 seconds.

Any ideas?

Check your tcpwrapper configuration, those /etc/hosts.allow|deny file, and don't be so paranoid (in tcpwrapper term).

Hi Freebsd,

I checked the two files and the only thing that is in them is:

#
# hosts.allow This file describes the names of the hosts which are
# allowed to use the local INET services, as decided
# by the '/usr/sbin/tcpd' server.


and


#
# hosts.deny This file describes the names of the hosts which are
# *not* allowed to use the local INET services, as decided
# by the '/usr/sbin/tcpd' server.
#
# The portmap line is redundant, but it is left to remind you that
# the new secure portmap uses hosts.deny and hosts.allow. In particular
# you should know that NFS uses portmap!


What exactly should I be looking for or adding?


John

>> What exactly should I be looking for or adding?

Like I said, don't be paranoid. Go search google with the keywords: rfc 931 paranoid

Hi freebsd,

Thanks for your help (again). Do I just need to add the two lines below to the inetd.conf file then restart INETD so I can connect faster via FTP? I know the paths are correct, but I didn't notice any difference when logging in.

I also recompiled OpenSSH to include support for tcp wrappers and I have my isp's hostname in the hosts.allow file and ALL:ALL in the hosts.deny file.

ssh stream tcp nowait root /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/local/sbin/sshd -i
ftp stream tcp nowait mylogin /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/in.ftpd -i

When I connect via SSH it only takes about a second or two from the time I hit connect.

If anybody has any suggestions I would really appreciate it.


John