Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options - Page 8

BenMcr · 18-08-2009, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milambar

Reported to el-reg, and a few other places, see if they wanna take the story and run.

Not quite in the way you were expecting I bet

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08...media_opendns/

Kymmy · 18-08-2009, 10:18

That report just says the same thing as the first few pages of posts.. i.e...you have an opt out, if you don't like it then use the opt out..

webcrawler2050 · 18-08-2009, 11:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Not quite in the way you were expecting I bet

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08...media_opendns/

:O jesus

Ignitionnet · 18-08-2009, 11:54

The comments are quite funny. The author is someone who makes his money through search type stuff so hardly surprising he's a patronising ass about it all.

punky · 18-08-2009, 12:07

Does anyone know where the settings are stored?

On Firefox it goes to Google. I found the URL setting in about:config but removing it leads to a chrome error.

On IE it goes to Google but through a Dell link (I have a Dell laptop)

I've tried googling but nothing really comes up.

webcrawler2050 · 18-08-2009, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Does anyone know where the settings are stored?

On Firefox it goes to Google. I found the URL setting in about:config but removing it leads to a chrome error.

On IE it goes to Google but through a Dell link (I have a Dell laptop)

I've tried googling but nothing really comes up.

I believe it's a setting in the registry.

rogerdraig · 18-08-2009, 18:57

the "opt out" if you don't like it misses the point it should be opt in

and though some seem to think its not going to lead to it being used for other things they are being naive

this and other companies think if they keep on doing it it will be seen as the norm and no one ( important ) complains so it must be the right way

Mick Fisher · 18-08-2009, 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by rogermevans

the "opt out" if you don't like it misses the point it should be opt in

and though some seem to think its not going to lead to it being used for other things they are being naive

this and other companies think if they keep on doing it it will be seen as the norm and no one ( important ) complains so it must be the right way

Well said, I totally agree.

Jon T · 18-08-2009, 19:32

There isn't a setting on your PC that controls the search page, it's a re-direct triggered by an unsuccessful lookup from the Virgin DNS servers. Instead of returning a "cannot find the record" type of reply, therefore triggering a 404 error on your PC, virgin tell your browser to go the the virgin search page. It's all done via the DNS servers, nothing local on your PC at all.

The Installer · 18-08-2009, 19:48

If you don't like it then just use Open DNS problem solved.

Google it if you want to findout more about it

**Hugh** · 18-08-2009, 19:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Installer

If you don't like it then just use Open DNS problem solved.

Google it if you want to findout more about it

Which, as has been said before, does exactly the same thing - just that you are choosing to do it, rather than take the opt-out option with VM.

token · 18-08-2009, 20:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by foreverwar

Which, as has been said before, does exactly the same thing - just that you are choosing to do it, rather than take the opt-out option with VM.

And you're putting yourself further away from the DNS server, both hop and latency wise but also from a supportability point of view...

Traduk · 18-08-2009, 21:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by token

And you're putting yourself further away from the DNS server, both hop and latency wise but also from a supportability point of view...

OpenDNS has 9 DNS servers one of which is located in London so hops and latency is not the problem that you may think.

Supportability is another non issue because in the eternity I have used the service there has not been a single issue that has affected me. I used them after trying all manner of on PC type software DNS's because VM's DNS servers were so unreliable.

VM's DNS servers are still comparatively slow as I saw when my 20Meg was transferred to the 50Meg connections (for a few days). The allocated DNS servers on the 50Meg group connections were the same old visible hesitation that has been a problem with VM for years.

dev · 18-08-2009, 21:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traduk

OpenDNS has 9 DNS servers one of which is located in London so hops and latency is not the problem that you may think.

While true, however the IP addresses OpenDNS uses are registered to the US thus breaking anyone that returns an IP address closer to your location, eg Google, but then OpenDNS fake the results for Google anyway so not the best example.

token · 18-08-2009, 21:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traduk

VM's DNS servers are still comparatively slow as I saw when my 20Meg was transferred to the 50Meg connections (for a few days). The allocated DNS servers on the 50Meg group connections were the same old visible hesitation that has been a problem with VM for years.

Funny you saying Virgin's DNS servers are slow - I did a few quick digs against their DNS servers, and I can't get a response for what I assume must be cached lookups in more than 10ms. OpenDNS don't respond in less than 50ms ever.