I do it all the time..and never had a problem, even when other users are
in...

Yes, you need to keep a persistent connation open to the back end. This
advice not only applies when re-linking, but for general running of your
application. Those delays you see are actually occurring *all over* the
place..and you can remove those delays by keep a persistent connection open.

Of course, you keep a persistent connection open by simply opening *any*
table in the back end from the front end..and *keep* it open while you do
your operations. the problem is that when linking...you don't have a link
yet!!

The solution is in  your re-link code to put in some code that after the
first table is linked..you open it!!!

The result is linking that will occur as fast as when no other users are in
the back end....

Here is a code snip:

  For Each mytables In CurrentDb.TableDefs
     strOld = mytables.Connect
     strBackPart = strGetDbTable(mytables.Connect)

     strTo = strReLinkDir & strBackPart

     If Len(mytables.Connect) > 0 Then
        If Left(mytables.Connect, 10) = ";DATABASE=" Then
           mytables.Connect = ";DATABASE=" & strTo
           mytables.RefreshLink
           If bolFirst = False Then
              Set rstFirst = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(mytables.Name)
              bolFirst = True
           End If
        End If
     End If

  Next mytables

  If bolFirst = True Then
     rstFirst.Close
     Set rstFirst = Nothing
  End If