Slow initial connection to redhat server

[hd2]

Hi all.

I am having a problem with my Redhat 7.3 server.
I have it setup running an FTP server, and Apache, which is serving a few websites.

It's been running great for almost a year, but recently it's started having REALLY slow initial connection delays.

If you go to

http://www.jaggedpath.com

(for example, that's one of the hosted sites), the first time you go to the URL, it takes forever to start loading the page information. Once it loads the first time, other parts of the same site load ok.
FTP is the same. You'll try to FTP to any account (anonymous or otherwise), it will connect, then you will wait for a long time before being presented with the login / password prompts.
But once logged in, it's fast.

I've talked to my ISP about a possible reverse DNS problem, they swear up and down that their DNS is just fine.

The interesting thing is, if I was to put your IP into the /etc/hosts file, the initial connect is instant. No delay at all.

Any help GREATLY appreciated!
I'm going nuts here.

Take care

 

[Morsing]

Your ISP has deleted the reverse DNS record!!!

Cheers

Henrik Morsing
Certified AIX 4.3 Systems Administration
& p690 Technical Support

 

[hd2]

Thanks for the reply.
Is there a way to disable all reverse DNS lookups for every service?
I have apache set to hostnamelookups OFF but that dosn't seem to stop it (plus, it would have no effect on the other services, FTP, Telnet, etc..)

My ISP swears that the DNS is not the problem, but I just don't know at this point.