This is kind of a strange issue that I have been having since I installed 10.2 way back when and I am unsure of how to diagnose or repair this issue.

Setup: my server has no keyboard, monitor, or mouse and sits in the closet along with the switch and wifi router. I disallow telnet and only allow web and ssh access to the server.

Issue: I will have an active ssh session going and all is well. I will step away and return to the active session and I will notice that I will have to double key into the session to enter my commands as such;

iiffccoonnffiigg

to get the command;

ifconfig

on the screen.

I had thought that this was an issue with my ssh client, but I am seeing this issue with either ssh client that I use; putty, & mac terminal.

I have upgraded to the latest patched bash, & openssh and have ruled that out by using other shells; tcsh, & ksh.

Have you tried restarting sshd? Sounds like a terminal emulation problem ...

Found the solution

Don't use dropline-gnome

I haven't found exactly where the issue is when it comes to dropline. I took the server out of service for maintenance and reinstall of Slack. Dropline was just a dirty way of getting gdm for remote X connections. It was decided not to allow X connections any longer and have the system as a LAMPS only server. Since the reinstall there have not been any complaints about the ssh service.

FYI: I can attest that this has nothing to do with Dropline GNOME, but whatever floats your boat. I've experienced this bug on multiple stock Slackware installs, particularly with the sata.i kernel, and have heard from others that have experienced it as well. I've not quite pinpointed the cause of it yet.

ok... I guess that it could have been a symptom brought on by other changes. Dropline creates major changes. To the Dropline-Gnome fans, I apologize and do not mean to disparage the project. Many people have in the past and continue to use it without any problems.

There is only one other major change that may have precipitated the issue. I am not going to implement it, but I may try it again in the future if the need arises.

I'm using Slackware 10.2 with Dropline Gnome 2.12.2 and do not experience the ssh problem you describe.

When all else fails blame Dropline, it MUST be the reason .

Later,
MMYoung