diff --git a/etc/defaults/rc.conf b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
index b3874d6f1885..a81058eaea85 100644
--- a/etc/defaults/rc.conf
+++ b/etc/defaults/rc.conf
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #
 # All arguments must be in double or single quotes.
 #
-#	$Id: rc.conf,v 1.8 1999/04/10 10:56:56 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.conf,v 1.9 1999/05/16 09:19:44 phk Exp $
 
 ##############################################################
 ### Important initial Boot-time options  #####################
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ natd_interface="fxp0"           # Public interface or IPaddress to use.
 natd_flags=""                   # Additional flags for natd.
 tcp_extensions="NO"		# Set to Yes to turn on RFC1323 extensions.
 log_in_vain="NO"		# Disallow bad connection logging (or YES).
+tcp_keepalive="YES"		# Kill dead TCP connections (or NO).
 network_interfaces="lo0"	# List of network interfaces (lo0 is loopback).
 ifconfig_lo0="inet 127.0.0.1"	# default loopback device configuration.
 #ifconfig_lo0_alias0="inet 127.0.0.254 netmask 0xffffffff" # Sample alias entry.
diff --git a/etc/network.subr b/etc/network.subr
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/network.subr
+++ b/etc/network.subr
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/netoptions b/etc/rc.d/netoptions
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/netoptions
+++ b/etc/rc.d/netoptions
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network1 b/etc/rc.d/network1
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network1
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network1
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network2 b/etc/rc.d/network2
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network2
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network2
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network3 b/etc/rc.d/network3
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network3
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network3
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/routing b/etc/rc.d/routing
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/routing
+++ b/etc/rc.d/routing
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
diff --git a/etc/rc.network b/etc/rc.network
index a10e8fdb73aa..ef6bc084d992 100644
--- a/etc/rc.network
+++ b/etc/rc.network
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh -
 #
-#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.43 1999/04/10 10:56:58 des Exp $
+#	$Id: rc.network,v 1.44 1999/04/12 15:26:41 brian Exp $
 #	From: @(#)netstart	5.9 (Berkeley) 3/30/91
 
 # Note that almost all the user-configurable behavior is no longer in
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ network_pass1() {
 	    sysctl -w net.inet.ip.accept_sourceroute=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
     fi
 
+    if [ "X$tcp_keepalive" = X"YES" ]; then
+	    echo -n ' TCP keepalive=YES'
+	    sysctl -w net.inet.tcp.always_keepalive=1 >/dev/null 2>&1
+    fi
+
     if [ "X$ipxgateway_enable" = X"YES" ]; then
 	    echo -n ' IPX gateway=YES'
 	    sysctl -w net.ipx.ipx.ipxforwarding=1 >/dev/null 2>&1