Useronline mySQL/PHP help

http://www.sublogicmusic.com/

Currently only shows 6 people online at a time, i can change that later, but that is not my problem right now…
my problem is with the Usersonline part…

Im using mySQL to store users online from there IP and also a $name that goes to that IP

i pull the # of usersonline from the DISTINCT IPs and the different names from the DISTINCT name…

I have my flash code set up to send and recieve the info to the mySQL every 2 seconds, and delete if a user has been gone (timeout of 10sec)

My problem… (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt) inside the code, it keeps not connecting and not INSERTING the new information, so the old info times out and shows like the user signed off… is there some limit to connections per minute or hour??

Or can i keep a constant connection to mySQL and never close it(until flash file closes), but then there are more than one connections at the same time, is that possible?

any help would be MUCH APPRECIATED!!

Thanks - Solo

::edit:: should this be in a diff forum? server-side scripting ?