ssh_exchange_identification fails (how to fix)

[Michael Helm]

Chad Netzer writes:

> long look through the sources tells the tale.  Basically, the problem
> can be cured by adding a line like the following to /etc/hosts.allow:
> 
>    sshd       : hostname.on.whatever.net : ALLOW

Do you have a catch-all line in /etc/hosts.allow that denies
"everything", or an /etc/hosts.deny file?

eg

ALL: ALL: DENY
at the end of the file?