"ssh -b x.x.x.x" or "ssh -o BindAddress=x.x.x.x" does not work.

[m.bosner]

I got a machine which has eight public ip addresses bound to eth0, eth0:0, eth0:1, eth0:2 etc.

If i try to bind an address using -b for outgoing connections it just fails to do so but creates the connection without any warning or message:

ssh -v -o UsePrivilegedPort=no -o BindAddress=x.x.x.131 other-host.com
or
ssh -v -b x.x.x.131 other-host.com

OpenSSH_5.8p1 Debian-1ubuntu3, OpenSSL 0.9.8o 01 Jun 2010
debug1: Reading configuration data /root/.ssh/config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: Applying options for *
debug1: Connecting to other-host.com [x.x.x.x] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: permanently_set_uid: 0/0
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert type -1
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_5.5p1 Debian-4ubuntu5
debug1: match: OpenSSH_5.5p1 Debian-4ubuntu5 pat OpenSSH*
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.8p1 Debian-1ubuntu3
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug1: kex: server->client aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none
debug1: kex: client->server aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST(1024<1024<8192) sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY
debug1: Server host key: RSA a8:4b:a6:8f:0e:56:96:cb:df:15:31:84:de:30:5e:fe
debug1: Host 'other-host.com' is known and matches the RSA host key.
debug1: Found key in /root/.ssh/known_hosts:20
debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature correct
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug1: Roaming not allowed by server
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_REQUEST sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering RSA public key: mbosner@S510-X-CBCEG
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password
debug1: Trying private key: /root/.ssh/id_rsa
debug1: Trying private key: /root/.ssh/id_dsa
debug1: Trying private key: /root/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug1: Next authentication method: password
<email address hidden>'s password:
debug1: Authentication succeeded (password).
Authenticated to other-host.com ([x.x.x.x]:22).
debug1: channel 0: new [client-session]
debug1: Requesting <email address hidden>
debug1: Entering interactive session.
debug1: Requesting authentication agent forwarding.
debug1: Sending environment.
debug1: Sending env LANG = en_US.UTF-8
Linux gatekeeper 2.6.35-30-generic #54-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jun 7 18:41:54 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux
Ubuntu 10.10

Welcome to Ubuntu!
 * Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com/
New release 'natty' available.
Run 'do-release-upgrade' to upgrade to it.

You have new mail.
Last login: Tue Jul 26 10:58:03 2011 from x.x.x.130 <- IMPORTANT!

netstat -at | grep EST
tcp 0 0 x.x.x.x:ssh x.x.x.130:46113 ESTABLISHED <-

The outgoing address is x.x.x.130 instead of x.x.x.131
---
Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: openssh-client 1:5.8p1-1ubuntu3
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-10.46-server 2.6.38.7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 ssh-askpass N/A
 libpam-ssh N/A
 keychain N/A
 ssh-askpass-gnome N/A
SSHClientVersion: OpenSSH_5.8p1 Debian-1ubuntu3, OpenSSL 0.9.8o 01 Jun 2010
Tags: natty
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-10-server x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-07-24 (3 days ago)
UserGroups:

[James Page (james-page)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please execute the following command, as it will automatically gather debugging information, in a terminal on the machine you are initiating the connection from:

 apport-collect 816313

When reporting bugs in the future please use apport by using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[m.bosner (m-bosner)]

Changed affected package name.

[m.bosner (m-bosner)]

apport information

[Clint Byrum (clint-fewbar)]

Marking importance Medium since this only affects one portion of ssh (the bind address functionality).

[m.bosner (m-bosner)]

This seems to be fixed in the latest version (OpenSSH_5.8p1 Debian-1ubuntu3, OpenSSL 0.9.8o 01 Jun 2010)