spotty access to web server

[Shaw, Marco]

> I am having a problem with my web server that is difficult for me to 
> resolve. I have a web server at
> 
> http://aa.usno.navy.mil/
> 
> that most people can get to just fine. However, there are a 
> small number 
> of people that get a "connection refused" error. I have had a 
> difficult 
> time finding someone who:
> 
> 1) gets this error
> 2) is technically savvy
> 3) willing to help
> 
> I have finally found someone, but I still can't solve this problem.
> 
> My server is behind a firewall (which I don't control). This helpful 
> soul can get to other web servers behind the firewall, but 
> not to this 
> one. He did a traceroute, which was successful. I asked him to do a
> 
> telnet aa.usno.navy.mil 80
> 
> He got a "connection lost to host" error.
> 

You may not control the firewall, but are you able to get any support
for it.  You may want to confirm that the traffic is getting through.

Other than that, you're not getting any hits in the HTTP logs, but
you may still be able to run tcpdump (#tcpdump host IP_address) as a 
network sniffer on the RH box (assuming you only have 1 interface, 
otherwise man tcpdump).

Use Ethereal to view the network packets if it appears tcpdump catches
any traffic.

Marco