DNS/Routing Issues?

[Tunster]

I hope someone can help give me an idea on what's going on and if they're having the same problems. Certainly before I ring VM support.

I'm having some issues accessing American (possibly international) websites. However, the problem popped up when I was unable to connect to the PS3 Network (so unable to play online games). So testing out all the connections, this was fine and IP settings all okay. However, when I started to browse american websites (which possibly had no cluster alternatives hosted outside america), I got no response. Pinging failed, traceroute would stop 17/18 hops along and changing DNS servers (to OpenDNS) failed. However, I cannot even get to the opendns.com home page (even via IP address doing an IP lookup on the domain). Other American sites fail as well. I've tried rebooting the router and cable modem. None of these things work.

Anything else I can try to determine what the exact issue is before contacting VM support? Don't be afraid to give me detailed instructions as I'm learning CCNA currently. So got a good jist of IP networking.

[RobertM]

Hi, Same problem, Amazon/Play.com hitting DNS servers but unable to ping sites. It's been like that all day. Support a waste of time they say every thing is ok, gave up in the end hoping it will resolve itself. The didn't seem to be intertested in tracert results. They said it was ok at their end so it must be me!

[marcroberts]

I'm having a similar problem all day, mostly with american sites. I'm in London (SW20) so is not just a local issue

[Tunster]

Originally Posted by RobertM

Hi, Same problem, Amazon/Play.com hitting DNS servers but unable to ping sites. It's been like that all day. Support a waste of time they say every thing is ok, gave up in the end hoping it will resolve itself. The didn't seem to be intertested in tracert results. They said it was ok at their end so it must be me!

Don't believe them. I've just managed to convince the support guy that there's a problem and they've logged it to their IT support team in Liverpool (which he couldn't get hold of after 10 minutes putting me on hold). Could mean crap has hit the fan as there's some funny routing going in the trace routes and not able to gain any pings. The support guy had problems (but unsure where he was calling from, unless they have virtual connection to the Virgin Backbone here in the UK).

Lucky I've got the networking knowledge to ensure they can't tell me any bull. The first time round, they thought it was the privacy settings in IE .

They told me they'd get the IT team to call me once they're free, but there's a small chance of that!

NOTE: Anyone who needs access to these websites, you can use Virgin's proxy server in IE or Safari (MAC).

PROXY: webcache.virginmedia.com
PORT: 8080

[otguk]

I aslo have the same trouble.

Tracert and ping stop after 7 hops.. then end after a long time.

Sites like....

http://www.usatoday.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/
http://www.choosechicago.com/
http://www.biostar-usa.com/mbdetails...EFORCE+6100-M9
http://www.evony.com/index.do

All not working. Changing DNS didnt help me.

I have been trying since 08-00 this morning, 9hrs.... Should I waste my time and ring VM and add myself to the list!

Am hoping VM and who ever turned the switch off can get it back on and working.

PS Top of my XMAS list is

Originally Posted by Tunster

NOTE: Anyone who needs access to these websites, you can use Virgin's proxy server in IE or Safari (MAC).

PROXY: webcache.virginmedia.com
PORT: 8080

[Tunster]

Originally Posted by otguk

I have been trying since 08-00 this morning, 9hrs.... Should I waste my time and ring VM and add myself to the list!

Am hoping VM and who ever turned the switch off can get it back on and working.

I would certainly report it. Might get their arses moving and get a service status message on the phone system and on their service page if it effects everyone. Make sure you're firm and get the support person to try the page out themselves and you've tried many different computers with same result.

It could be out of Virgin Media's control. I can traceroute across the pond, but then stops at the level3 domain name (which is in the USA). However, doesn't mean they have to be slow at notifying everyone.

NB: Looks like XBOX:Live is not accessable (to my brothers disgust )

[mikey]

Been having same problems today.



Also with

www.olympus.co.uk
www.nikon.co.uk
www.qvc.co.uk

The guy I just spoke to at virginmedia said they are aware of the problem and are investigating.
He gave me "webcache.virginmedia.com" port 8080 to use as a temp fix in the LAN settings of internet explorer.

[webcrawler2050]

Been having some wierd issues today, in the SN25 area.

[vanasiga]

The whole domain .ee (Estonia) has been cut off for hours during the day. By tracert it stuck quite often in leve13 (Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc.) servers.
Anyway, webcache.virginmedia.com:8080 helps!

[Nero182]

Last.Fm Website doesn't work for me!

I am in Belfast BT8 Area!

[Tunster]

These websites seem to be okay now. Can anyone else confirm this? Time to go try the PS3!

[N00dles]

I seem to be having a similar issue for over 24 hours now too with google search. I use openDNS and cannot do a google search at the moment. If I swap to a backup Be Internet connection everything works fine, even with my DNS settings the same.

Anyone had this issue with google as well? Below are the trace routes for www.google.co.uk on both Be and Virgin.

C:\>nslookup www.google.co.uk
Server: resolver1.opendns.com
Address: 208.67.222.222

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: www.google.co.uk.config
Address: 67.215.65.132


C:\Users\Greg>tracert 67.215.65.132

Tracing route to hit-nxdomain.opendns.com [67.215.65.132]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 25 ms 101 ms 99 ms 192.168.1.254
2 23 ms 21 ms 18 ms 87-194-56-1.bethere.co.uk [87.194.56.1]
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 34 ms 17 ms 18 ms unknown.Level3.net [212.113.15.169]
5 17 ms 17 ms 24 ms ae-34-52.ebr2.London1.Level3.net [4.69.139.97]
6 87 ms 87 ms 89 ms ae-44-44.ebr1.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.137.78]
7 176 ms 99 ms 89 ms ae-91-91.csw4.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.134.78]
8 172 ms 87 ms 86 ms ae-94-94.ebr4.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.69.134.125]
9 184 ms 121 ms 124 ms ae-3.ebr2.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.69.137.121]
10 149 ms 122 ms 123 ms ae-33-80.car3.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.69.145.133]
11 146 ms 123 ms 123 ms SPLICE-COMM.car3.Dallas1.Level3.net [4.71.120.66]
12 141 ms 121 ms 121 ms hit-nxdomain.opendns.com [67.215.65.132]

Trace complete.

c:\>nslookup www.google.co.uk
Server: resolver1.opendns.com
Address: 208.67.222.222

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: google.navigation.opendns.com
Addresses: 208.69.34.231
208.69.34.230
Aliases: www.google.co.uk
www.google.com


>tracert 208.69.34.231

Tracing route to google.navigation.opendns.com [208.69.34.231]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 47 ms 10 ms 9 ms 10.231.8.1
2 8 ms 8 ms 11 ms bmly-core-1a-ge-300-1168.network.virginmedia.net [81.100.0.89]
3 8 ms 9 ms 20 ms pop-bb-a-as6-0.network.virginmedia.net [212.43.162.57]
4 17 ms 14 ms 17 ms 195.50.91.69
5 15 ms 34 ms 18 ms ae-1-51.edge4.London1.Level3.net [4.69.139.74]
6 14 ms 15 ms 15 ms 195.50.122.86
7 14 ms 34 ms 18 ms google.navigation.opendns.com [208.69.34.231]

Trace complete.

[ferretuk]

It looks like Virgin became aware at around 17:30, judging by this post to virginmedia.announce.internet:


Please find details below of this service affecting issue.


Raised : 30 Jan, 2010 17:37
Name : Colin Thornton, Outage Surveillence Team
Ticket Number : 1182464
Estimated Resolution : 4 Hours
Status : Updated
Priority : P1
Services Affected: Broadband Internet

Description :
Some customers nationally may currently be
experiencing an intermittent connection to some
web sites.
Our engineers are now investigating this issue.
Virgin Media apologise for any inconvenience
caused.

Virgin Media Technical Support


Updates:
--------


Date : 30 Jan, 2010 20:24
Name : Colin Thornton
Estimated Resolution : 4 Hours
Status : Updated

Description :
Our engineers have advised that this issue has
been resolved and service restored. Further
checks and monitoring are being conducted to
ascertain the cause of the interruption to
service.

Our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Virgin Media Technical Support

[otguk]

Same problem is back for me. Having to use the proxy again. Started about 20-30.

[marcroberts]

Yeah, its back for me too. Same sites I had problems with last time are unreachable again. I don't have any problems resolves hosts so it's clearly a routing issue somewhere.