[imp] need help with Imp slowness

[Darryl Cook]

   I need some help trying to locate the source of slowness with Imp.   
I have been running Imp for about a year or so with no problems until  
recently.   Suddenly when I send a message with Imp it takes on  
average about 50 seconds before the message is sent to the mail  
server.  I have looked through logs, turned on debug etc etc but cant  
find any error messages.  The only thing I see is at the bottom of the  
compose screen a message which says contacting mail server.  I have  
tried other imap programs such as Thunderbird and the slowness does  
not exist.  I have tried both standard and ssl imap connections with  
horde and get the same results.  Something has changed somewhere but I  
cant for the life of me figure out where.

   Im currently using:

   Redhat ES v4

   Php v5.1.4

   Apache v2.0.59

   Horde webmail v1.0

   Anyone have a clue where I should look?  

   thanks,

   darryl cook