Re: [exim] incoming data timeouts

Ryan Cartwright wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Exim version 4.63 running on Debian Etch (2.6.17-2).
>
> I've been scouring the archives and FAQs and found some similar issues
> but not exactly matching this one and I am still a little confused so
> with apologies if I have missed a solution, here goes...
>
> We have inconsistent inbound data timeouts from a particular remote

*snip*

It would be helpful, especially as you seem to have a cooperative situation w/r
the far-end, to do some lower-layer testing:

Ex:

- ping & traceroute each other to see if there is a dodgy or erratic link. Could
be time-of-day sensitive.

- tcpdump the interface involved to a file during a connection session (check
the man pages to grab no more than what you need!).

- research the NIC and drivers. We chased our tail on MTU size et al from
large-attachment-size failure indicators in a tcpdump...

... only to find that a particular NIC chipset & driver were becoming notorious
for flaky behaviour. Swapped that out and all problems went away with it.


HTH,

Bill

PS: As to Cisco routers... that's what you get when a small, competant company
merges with a larger, less-competent one, (ages ago) then suceeds in trading
excellence for market-share.

Just another facet of 'the American Disease' set.