diff -ru linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/include/linux/sysctl.h linux-2.2.17c/include/linux/sysctl.h
--- linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/include/linux/sysctl.h	Sat Jul 22 05:31:27 2000
+++ linux-2.2.17c/include/linux/sysctl.h	Fri Sep 22 15:29:18 2000
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@
 	NET_IPV4_ICMP_IGNORE_BOGUS_ERROR_RESPONSES=64,
 	NET_IPV4_IGMP_MAX_MEMBERSHIPS=65,
 	NET_IPV4_ALWAYS_DEFRAG=67,
-	NET_IPV4_IP_MASQ_UDP_DLOOSE=68
+	NET_IPV4_IP_MASQ_UDP_DLOOSE=68,
+	NET_TCP_RTO_MAX=69,
 };
 
 enum {
diff -ru linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/include/net/tcp.h linux-2.2.17c/include/net/tcp.h
--- linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/include/net/tcp.h	Fri May  5 22:25:17 2000
+++ linux-2.2.17c/include/net/tcp.h	Fri Sep 22 16:08:55 2000
@@ -558,6 +558,10 @@
 extern __u32 cookie_v4_init_sequence(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, 
 				     __u16 *mss);
 
+/* tcp_input.c */
+
+extern int sysctl_tcp_rto_max;
+
 /* tcp_output.c */
 
 extern void tcp_read_wakeup(struct sock *);
diff -ru linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/sysctl_net_ipv4.c linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/sysctl_net_ipv4.c
--- linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/sysctl_net_ipv4.c	Sat Jul 22 05:31:27 2000
+++ linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/sysctl_net_ipv4.c	Fri Sep 22 15:33:55 2000
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@
 	{NET_IPV4_IGMP_MAX_MEMBERSHIPS, "igmp_max_memberships",
 	 &sysctl_igmp_max_memberships, sizeof(int), 0644, NULL, &proc_dointvec},
 #endif
+	{NET_TCP_RTO_MAX, "tcp_rto_max",
+	 &sysctl_tcp_rto_max, sizeof(int), 0644, NULL, &proc_dointvec},
 	{0}
 };
 
diff -ru linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c
--- linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c	Fri Sep 22 15:44:20 2000
+++ linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c	Fri Sep 22 15:42:44 2000
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@
 int sysctl_tcp_stdurg;
 int sysctl_tcp_rfc1337;
 
+int sysctl_tcp_rto_max = 120*HZ;
+
 static int prune_queue(struct sock *sk);
 
 /* There is something which you must keep in mind when you analyze the
@@ -204,8 +206,8 @@
  */
 static __inline__ void tcp_bound_rto(struct tcp_opt *tp)
 {
-	if (tp->rto > 120*HZ)
-		tp->rto = 120*HZ;
+	if (tp->rto > sysctl_tcp_rto_max)
+		tp->rto = sysctl_tcp_rto_max;
 	if (tp->rto < HZ/5)
 		tp->rto = HZ/5;
 }
@@ -682,7 +684,7 @@
 		tcp_clear_xmit_timer(sk, TIME_PROBE0);
 	} else {
 		tcp_reset_xmit_timer(sk, TIME_PROBE0,
-				     min(tp->rto << tp->backoff, 120*HZ));
+				     min(tp->rto << tp->backoff, sysctl_tcp_rto_max));
 	}
 }
  
diff -ru linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
--- linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c	Fri Sep 22 15:44:20 2000
+++ linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c	Fri Sep 22 15:42:44 2000
@@ -1174,5 +1174,5 @@
 	tp->backoff++;
 	tp->probes_out++;
 	tcp_reset_xmit_timer (sk, TIME_PROBE0, 
-			      min(tp->rto << tp->backoff, 120*HZ));
+			      min(tp->rto << tp->backoff, sysctl_tcp_rto_max));
 }
diff -ru linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c
--- linux-2.2.17-cut-tcp_rto/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c	Sat Jul 22 05:31:27 2000
+++ linux-2.2.17c/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c	Fri Sep 22 15:33:32 2000
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@
 	 * the 120 second clamps though!
 	 */
 	tp->backoff++;
-	tp->rto = min(tp->rto << 1, 120*HZ);
+	tp->rto = min(tp->rto << 1, sysctl_tcp_rto_max);
 	tcp_reset_xmit_timer(sk, TIME_RETRANS, tp->rto);
 
 	tcp_write_timeout(sk);
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@
 #endif
 						timeo = min((TCP_TIMEOUT_INIT 
 							     << conn->retrans),
-							    120*HZ);
+							    sysctl_tcp_rto_max);
 						conn->expires = now + timeo;
 						op = prev->dl_next; 
 						tcp_synq_queue(tp, conn);