[ale] Why is SSH login slow?

[John Mills]

ALErs -

I've used OpenSSH and puTTY for a while now, and things seem to have
changed since upgrading both and limiting logins to SSH protocol 2.

When I login onto my home RH6.2 box from work, from behind a proxy
firewall, there is a delay of about 15 seconds between puTTY opening its
console window, and my receiving the 'login' prompt, but no appreciable
delay to request my password and authenticate the login. I do not recall
such a delay when I was working my older setup and using SSH protocol 1.

When I do a 'localhost' login on the same box, there are no appreciable
delays.

When I login to a RH7.2 box on my LAN at work (same domain as the MsWin
'puTTY' box), I get an immediate 'login:' prompt, then a confirmation of
the username sent, and _then_ a delay - 15 to 18 seconds - before I am
asked for the password.

I could blame the first case on delays through our firewall setup, but not
the second. Is there a configuration setting to slow SSH logins (perhaps
to impede a password-guessing attack) which may be invoked here?

It isn't just a question of convenience or impatience - I am setting up a
CVS server behind the firewall and I fear there might be troublesome
delays associated with extracting a large source tree.

Thanks for any comments.

 - John Mills


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