[UUG/MLUG] ip masq, forwarding, port expiration (?)

["Routier, Daniel J." <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Hi, so I have a linux box at home which provides a nice little forwarding
gateway for my home network, which is really just the computers of my
roommates and myself.  Anyways, i'll connect to something with ssh, and if
the window stays inactive for a little bit (a few minutes?) it will
disconnect.  This is not done on the server end, if I dial in directly from
the computer on  my desktop (rather than using the ethernet and masq) it
never disconnects.

I am guessing this means there is an expiration on port usage for masq, as
in if you don't use it, you lose it =)
Can anyone verify this?  Know a solution?  I am planning to hit the docs
tonight for it, but just thought i'd toss it out there...

p.s. it seems to be true only of ssh, as far as I can tell, although the
only other protocol i'm constantly connected with is telnet.

Daniel J Routier
Programmer / Analyst
Student Financial Aid
University of Missouri