diff --git a/config/jail.conf b/config/jail.conf
index a35414d9..6eaedcee 100644
--- a/config/jail.conf
+++ b/config/jail.conf
@@ -5,6 +5,16 @@
 # $Revision$
 #
 
+# The DEFAULT allows a global definition of the options. They can be override
+# in each jail afterwards.
+
+[DEFAULT]
+
+ignoreip = 127.0.0.1
+bantime  = 600
+maxretry = 3
+
+
 # This jail corresponds to the standard configuration in Fail2ban 0.6.
 # The mail-whois action send a notification e-mail with a whois request
 # in the body.
@@ -17,7 +27,6 @@ action   = iptables[name=SSH, port=ssh, protocol=tcp]
            mail-whois[name=SSH, dest=yourmail@mail.com]
 logpath  = /var/log/sshd.log
 maxretry = 5
-bantime  = 600
 
 # This one behaves like the previous and sends a report when the jail
 # is stopped.
@@ -31,7 +40,6 @@ action   = iptables[name=SSH, port=ssh, protocol=tcp]
            mail-report[dest=yourmail@mail.com]
 logpath  = /var/log/sshd.log
 maxretry = 5
-bantime  = 600
 
 # Here we use TCP-Wrappers instead of Netfilter/Iptables.
 
@@ -42,8 +50,7 @@ filter   = sshd
 action   = hostsdeny
            mail-whois[name=SSH, dest=yourmail@mail.com]
 logpath  = /var/log/sshd.log
-maxretry = 3
-bantime  = 600
+
 
 # The hosts.deny path can be defined with the "file" argument if it is
 # not in /etc.
@@ -55,7 +62,6 @@ filter   = postfix
 action   = hostsdeny[file=/not/a/standard/path/hosts.deny]
            mail[name=Postfix, dest=yourmail@mail.com]
 logpath  = /var/log/postfix.log
-maxretry = 6
 bantime  = 300
 
 # Do not ban anybody. Just report information about the remote host.
@@ -67,5 +73,5 @@ enabled  = false
 filter   = vsftpd
 action   = mail-whois[name=VSFTPD, dest=yourmail@mail.com]
 logpath  = /var/log/vsftpd.log
-maxretry = 3
-bantime  = 600
+maxretry = 5
+bantime  = 1800