Re: Postgres IDENT auth problems...

Jens Porup <jens(at)cyber(dot)com(dot)au> writes:
> I can connect manually to the database, like so:

> root(at)request-tracker:~# psql -d template1 -U rtuser -W
> Password:
> Welcome to psql 7.4.2, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal.

> But it fails if I specify the host:

> root(at)request-tracker:~# psql -d template1 -U rtuser -h localhost -W
> Password:
> psql: could not connect to server: Connection refused
> Is the server running on host "localhost" and accepting
> TCP/IP connections on port 5432?

"Connection refused" means that you got a kernel-level rejection; the
postmaster never saw your request at all. AFAICS you did everything
right to ensure that the postmaster is listening on TCP port 5432
(though you may want to use netstat to reconfirm this). So that
leaves firewall-type problems. There is of course no separate firewall
box to blame, but there definitely can be kernel packet filters
getting in the way.

I know that recent Red Hat releases default to blocking port-5432
traffic (along with most other ports). I don't know Debian but I'd
bet it's the same story. You need to look to your ipchains or iptables
configuration.

regards, tom lane