[plug] Problem with RH 6.2 to 7.3 upgrade

[Bret Busby]

Here is the problem.

We use RH 6.2 for our dialup/gateway/mailserver computer.

We use ppd to dialup, a complicated ipchains-based firewall (because we 
are confident that it works, and we do not know enough about firewall 
creation and maintenace, to do otherwise), fetchmail to download emails, 
and postfix for internal email distribution.

For a number of reasons, including ease of updating, and consistency of 
OS version, we tried recently to upgrade the server, by replacing RH 6.2 
with RH 7.3. This was done by replacing the HDD's used, and installing 
RH7.3 on the replacement HDD. We then installed the configuration files 
used for the Internet connections, that we had been using on RH 6.2; the 
dialup script file and /etc/ppp/options, the firewall file, and the 
postfix configuration file.

We could connect to the ISP okay, and send ane receive emails okay, but 
could not then sustain the connections for more than an hour. I phoned 
the ISP, and the response was that it was our installation, as the 
previous connect times had averaged 16 hours.

We replaced the RH 7.3 installation with the RH 6.2 installation, and 
the problem disappeared.

Why would it be that the files would work okay with RH 6.2, but be 
unable to suatain connections for more than an hour, with RH 7.3? In 
which of the files, would the problem be likely to occur?

I had considered upgrading to RH 8.0 (with the help of a 
conference-discounted book), but was told that advice had been given 
that too much in RH 8.0 is broken, as I had also been advised had 
occurred with RH 7.0, 7.1, and 7.2.

Thanks in anticipation.

-- 
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
 you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
  Chapter 28 of 
  "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
  A Trilogy In Four Parts",
  written by Douglas Adams, 
  published by Pan Books, 1992 
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