A IIci running NetBSD 1.4.1 stops responding to network requests from
machines outside of my internal network after about two hours without
network activity.  When this happens if I ping it or something, from my
other machine, which sits right next to it on the network, the IIci will
begin respond to the outside requests as well.  (The other machine is also
responding happily to outside network requests all this while.)

The FAQ and mailing list archives seems silent on problems like this.  One
other person I know claims that they had similar problems on a CHRP
machine running Debian.  The solution they came up with was to setup a
cron job on another machine to ping it periodically, this does not sit
well with me.

I have a SDSL modem.  The modem is connected to the uplink port of the hub
which is then connected to the IIci and a powermac.  The powermac is
running System 8.5 and the IIci is running a standard install of
NetBSD.  (With the addition of Bind 8, Apache, and perl)  Both machines
have real static IPs.  (ie. No IP masq)  More detailed hardware specs are
provided at the bottom.

I am not sure what this is a problem with: NetBSD, the modem, hub, NIC, or
IIci all seem about equally suspect.  Poking around the IIci while it is
having trouble failed to reveal anything suspicious; The modem has worked
fine for every other machine; I have tried switching around the ports on
the hub along with changing all the wires;  Hardware wise nothing looks
burnt and the IIci and NIC are fully supported;  I have even tried doing a
completely clean install on the off chance that might help.  Nothing has
changed.  Not sure if there is anything else I could/should be doing.

If anyone might happen to have any clues as to why this might be happening
or even what I might need to look into, it would be much
appreciated.  Thank you.

Hardware Specs:

Mac IIci
 - Mac OS 7.5.3 / NetBSD 1.4.1
 - 32 megs ram
 - 800 meg Quantum Trailblazer
   * 32 megs swap
   * 750 megs /root+/usr
 - Mac IIci Cache Card
 - Asante MacCon-i NuBus Card
 
Network
 - Asante FriendlyNet 8-port Hub
 - Efficient Networks SpeedStream 5250 SDSL Modem
 - DSL Provider - Speakeasy

-prak
"And when the trial continued, they asked Prak a most unfortunate thing.
They asked him -- to tell the Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the
Truth.  Only don't you see?  They had given him too much of the drug!"