a few thing would be nice to know to maybe localize the problem further: Are you running FreeBSD 5.4-Release or 5.4-Stable? Which MySQL version are you running and do you have compiled it with native threads or with linuxthreads?
I installed freebsd 5.4-release and then updated the source about one week ago with the following: cvsup standard-supfile (tag=RELENG_5_4) cd /usr/src make buildworld make buildkernel KERNCONF=mykernel (didn't change much in the kernel) -added options SMP -added device CARP -removed all cpu accept I686_CPU -changed ident make installkernel KERNCONF=mykernel reboot mergemaster -p make installworld mergemaster reboot I installed everything except freeradius from ports with all the defaults (eg: make install clean) # pkg_info -Ea bash-3.0.16_1 cvsup-without-gui-16.1h_2 gdbm-1.8.3_1 gettext-0.14.5 gmake-3.80_2 libiconv-1.9.2_1 libltdl-1.5.20 libtool-1.3.5_2 libtool-1.5.20 mysql-client-4.1.14 mysql-server-4.1.14 openssh-portable-4.2.0.0,1 perl-5.8.6_2 # uname -a FreeBSD radsql1.soc.int 5.4-RELEASE-p7 FreeBSD 5.4-RELEASE-p7 #0: Tue Sep 27 14:14:11 EDT 2005 root@radacctm.lab.soc.int:/usr/obj/usr/src/sys/carp i386 Installed freeradius last from source simply doing ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/freeradius105. My radiusd.conf is very stripped down. Basically this machines only purpose is to do radius accounting to mysql, so almost everything is commented out or blank (such as users). However, I did test authentication with it briefly with an out of the box configuration only modifying sql.conf username/password and uncommenting all instances of sql in radiusd.conf. Hope that is helpful. If you have any more questions, fire away. -Dusty