VM Business : Social Media Sort of Blocked-Slow, VMB DNS blocking?

[Ali195]

Been a VMB customer for three weeks, about one week ago the misses has complained facebook.com doesn't load on the PC & mobile app is patchy loading images. Much the same with Intagran. We also noticed WhatsApp images wouldn't load/download or upload within chats.


- Setup:
Hitron router in modem mode (192.168.0.1) (it's not really in true modem mode*)
Ubiquiti Dream Machine router (192.168.1.1)


- Troubleshooting:
rebooted Ubiquiti Dream Machine router, no change
rebooted Virgin Hitron router (business Virgin account), no change
re-routed traffic around DNS filter (Pi-Hole) to instead use Google by default 8.8.8.8 - 8.8.4.4, no change.

- Findings
mobile phones in house can also not load Facebook.com >> on Data they can
connecting to OpenVPN (NordVPN) PC can load Facebook FINE
connecting to OpenVPN (NordVPN) Android phone can load Facebook FINE

- Without VPN:

C:\Users\endle>NSLOOKUP www.facebook.com
Server: dns.google
Address: 8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: star-mini.c10r.facebook.com
Addresses: 2a03:2880:f158:82:face:b00c:0:25de
102.132.108.35
Aliases: www.facebook.com


102.132.108.35 sits 'loading' in browser...



- Traceroute:
C:\Users\endle>tracert www.facebook.com

Tracing route to star-mini.c10r.facebook.com [31.13.83.36]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 2 ms 1 ms 2 ms 192.168.0.1
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 10 ms 9 ms 8 ms basl-core-2b-ae16-0.network.virginmedia.net [82.2.244.133]
5 * * * Request timed out.
6 * * * Request timed out.
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 33 ms 33 ms 24 ms 86.85-254-62.static.virginmediabusiness.co.uk [62.254.85.86]
9 24 ms 24 ms 25 ms 213.46.174.46
10 26 ms 26 ms 24 ms be2871.ccr42.lon13.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.58.185]
11 32 ms 35 ms 34 ms be12489.ccr42.par01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.57.70]
12 51 ms 52 ms 53 ms be3324.ccr52.bio02.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.2.65]
13 49 ms 51 ms 49 ms be3358.ccr32.mad05.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.1.97]
14 53 ms 53 ms 55 ms edge-network.demarc.cogentco.com [149.14.101.74]
15 52 ms 51 ms 49 ms po104.psw04.mad1.tfbnw.net [157.240.44.189]
16 51 ms 53 ms 50 ms 157.240.38.225
17 52 ms 52 ms 53 ms edge-star-mini-shv-01-mad1.facebook.com [31.13.83.36]

re-runnung it again stops at [2] with Request timed out, which is odd, as that would be the Hitron router but i get varying resulting within seconds of each other.

C:\Users\endle>ping www.facebook.com

Pinging star-mini.c10r.facebook.com [102.132.108.35] with 32 bytes of data:
Request timed out.



I'm not sure what to think i changed nothing on our network config at-all & all works fine via a VPN. I am not aware VMB even have a 'family' filter server, Web Safe, why would they? Hitron router is set to minimum firewall & no clear indications on the realtime logs is blocking.

[djfunkdup]

Try a simple test . Prob easier/best to test this with your mobile. Turn off wifi and connect to the internet away from VM's network using your local 4g/3g mobile network and see if there is any difference

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by djfunkdup

Try a simple test . Prob easier/best to test this with your mobile. Turn off wifi and connect to the internet away from VM's network using your local 4g/3g mobile network and see if there is any difference

Or you could read the post.

- Findings
mobile phones in house can also not load Facebook.com >> on Data they can

[Ali195]

Just had a massive light bulbs moment whilst sat in bed; GEOIP Blocking, which I had enabled a month back in Ubiquiti security settings. It included China, Russia, Brazil, Middle East etc. Removed all of them & Facebook just loaded immediately.

Would explain why it was soo patchy, sort of blocking parts of the service but then working a little hours later, I guess the routing traffic was going via.


Will report back tomorrow how things go long term.

[ccarmock]

I have Virgin Media business service as well, no issues with facebook both the app and web interfaces working just fine.

I'd start a process of elimination - connecting an affected desktop/laptop to an ethernet port on the Hitron and try again there.

It is possble that the facebook node you were connecting to when not on VPN / Mobile had issues

[Ali195]

Confirmed, it was GEOIP blocking in my router. I didn't select any European, US, Canada countries but traffic must have somehow traversed one of these. But yes, you're correct, silly not to just try the laptop directly in Hitron, bypassing anything beyond. Noted for future.

[pip08456]

Originally Posted by Ali195

Confirmed, it was GEOIP blocking in my router. I didn't select any European, US, Canada countries but traffic must have somehow traversed one of these. But yes, you're correct, silly not to just try the laptop directly in Hitron, bypassing anything beyond. Noted for future.

Troubleshooting 101.