got the ssh-1.2.30 source from ssh.com, and tried building it on my now 
(finally) working 5000/240.

./configure
make

make fails while linking with:

gcc -pipe  -o ssh ssh.o sshconnect.o log-client.o readconf.o hostfile.o readpass
.o  tildexpand.o clientloop.o canohost.o  idea.o  rsa.o randoms.o md5.o buffer.o
 emulate.o packet.o compress.o  xmalloc.o ttymodes.o newchannels.o bufaux.o auth
fd.o authfile.o  crc32.o rsaglue.o cipher.o des.o match.o arcfour.o mpaux.o  use
rfile.o signals.o blowfish.o deattack.o   -Lgmp-2.0.2-ssh-2 -lgmp -Lzlib-1.0.4 -
lz  -lcrypt -L/usr/local/lib  -lutil
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_add_n.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_add_n.o)
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_lshift.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_lshift.o)
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_mul_1.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_mul_1.o)
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_rshift.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_rshift.o)
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_sub_n.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_sub_n.o)
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_submul_1.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_submul_1.o)
/usr/bin/ld: mpn_addmul_1.o: linking PIC files with non-PIC files
Bad value: failed to merge target specific data of file gmp-2.0.2-ssh-2/libgmp.a
(mpn_addmul_1.o)
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
*** Error code 1

Stop.

so what am i missing?  why would configure use PIC in one area and something
other than PIC elsewhere?

thanks!

-brian