> > If internet is down, and if I try to ssh to the server from within the

...

LAN the passwd prompt come late. What could be the reason for this.

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DNS. Or rather reverse lookup. Add a local (within LAN) DNS server with forward and reverse entries for your local machines and make sure this server is queried first. Your problem of "late prompt" will disappear.

----------------- I only have one Linux Server in the LAn with Sendmail + Squid running. Do I need to configure bind for DNS, or is there a simpler way. Thx, Vai.