Есть скрипт

fifo_in="/tmp/empty.in"                 # input fifo
fifo_out="/tmp/empty.out"               # output

telnet_cmd="$telnet $target"            # All other OSes

# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
tmp="/tmp/empty.tmp"                    # tempfile to store result

echo "Starting empty"
empty -f -i $fifo_in -o $fifo_out -L $tmp $telnet_cmd
if [ $? = 0 ]; then
        if [ -w $fifo_in -a -r $fifo_out ]; then
                echo "Sending Login"
                empty -w -v -i $fifo_out -o $fifo_in -t 5 sername: "$login\n"
                echo "Sending Password"
                empty -w -v -i $fifo_out -o $fifo_in -t 5 assword: "$password\n"
                echo "Sending tests"
                empty -s -o $fifo_in "sh user\n"
                echo "Sending exit"
                empty -s -o $fifo_in 'exit\n'
                echo "Check results:"
                sleep 1
                cat $tmp
                rm -f $tmp
        else
                echo "Error: Can't find I/O fifos!"
                return 1
        fi
else
        echo "Error: Can't start empty in daemon mode"
        return 1
fi

echo "Done"

Если хост доступен то все работает отлично.
Если хост не доступен то:

telnet: Unable to connect to remote host: Connection refused
empty: Got nothing in output

Подскажите, пожалуйста, что не так
Заранее благодарен