[kwlug-disc] what is the probable cause of mail downloading being painfully slow?

[unsolicited]

Robert P. J. Day wrote, On 12/27/2008 2:32 PM:
> On Sat, 27 Dec 2008, john at netdirect.ca wrote:
> 
>> -----kwlug-disc-bounces at kwlug.org wrote: -----
>>> <rpjday at crashcourse.ca> wrote:
>>>>  it *seems* to have been a DNS problem
>>> To try and troubleshoot the DNS link in the chain, can you add your
>>> provider's domain name
>>> to your "/etc/hosts" file or some such?
> 
>> There is a "no dns" option to fetchmail that may help you. You may
>> also need to specifiy the "localdomains" to make sure you get email.
> 
>   tried that, didn't make any difference, still a horrendous time
> lag between messages.

Does running ethereal or something reveal anything useful?

Are you going through yourself / proxy / local server for DNS 
resolution before you get out? Pointing your DNS elsewhere?