Major Dns Errors

[Shengeta 0]

A bit of info that might be needed first:

 

-I go to college, the only time I can go to or work on my site is at that college usually and once in a while at a friend's house.

-I don't have administrative access at the college.

-Nothing has changed with the Network at the college since December.

-My problem started maybe last week or it may have started weeks ago I don't remember using my site much before a week ago, but I highly doubt the problem started then.

 

Problem:

 

-After 5-30minutes of being on my site usually I can no longer go to it. It happens every single day. I know it is a DNS error after what I've tried and looked up online. I'm a lab monitor at my college and if it stops working on that PC, it will stop working on the PCs near it. Then I can go into the back room in the computer lab, use the site still afterwords but it eventually stops working 5-30minutes there too. Again, I know it is a DNS error after research but I cannot fix it since I don't know how, and some things would require administrative access. I guess the error could be a little bit of my site itself, the college's network, and/or your servers. Also, nothing online out of the dozens of sites I went to helped at all.

 

Tried:

 

-I tried flushin the DNS settings.

-I tried multiple browsers.

-I tried clearing the cache, cookies, etc.

-I tried pinging the site, that command didn't find the site or the site's IP.

-I tried proxies, I can get to the site on Proxies still, other members can get to it, etc. But what good is a proxy when doing backend/ftp work? Plus they are annoying to have to use.

-I tried doing some other DNS command in command prompt, but it wouldn't let me without administrative access.

-I talked to my mother who works with the higher ups in the academic department at the college. She can't figure anything out from what I told her and I cannot bring this to anyone else that works there since they don't deal with problems that happen with only one student and his site. Their network is working fine and everyone can get online fine and that is all they deal with.

 

 

Before it would only do this once in a great while, and only with my site. Now it is constantly, instantly almost, and every day. Like I said, the college never touched it's network so would it be you guys or anything in the backend of my site? This happens to no other site on these computers and it doesn't happen much outside of college computers I believe.

[serverph 0]

as this is a Xisto - Web Hosting issue, it would help if you state what server you are hosted in (alpha, beta, gamma, theta?) and your domain name/URL as well. we need to clear up a few things though. i read that you say that it is a DNS error, but what exactly is the error, the verbatim error which shows up when you're trying to access your site? how did you determine for certain that it is actually a DNS error? via DNSreport? did you tweak anything on your DNS records recently?

 

the most recent Xisto - Web Hosting issue reported here is this, but it appears to have been resolved within the day itself with no recurring complaint from thenon. the downtime is not attributed to any DNS error however. note that his site was apparently incorrectly hosted in the gamma servers (which is used for Xisto.com free hosting accounts), which is experiencing some administrative server clustering on the side by that time, but has since then been moved by opaque to the server dedicated for paid accounts where it should belong.

 

when you encounter any problems again, it may also help if you compare it with other sites hosted on Xisto - Web Hosting (one of which is sonorama.net from the link above) to see if it's a Xisto - Web Hosting-wide downtime. if it's only your site, then it would have to be a problem on your side which can be caused by anything from your ISP/network, your browser, or as you mentioned your backend scripting also. it would be good to see if you are able to replicate your problem also outside of your college network, like your friend's house as you indicated in your post above.

[Shengeta 0]

Yeah I've looked at that other post you've mentioned.

 

Anyways I'm on the Delta server, can I actually post my domain name? I'll just say it, KaonZero.com. I go to the site and after a while I get a standard error instead or a redirection to MSN saying cannot find site because of whatever error or DNS errors or something like that.

 

I told you how I know it is a DNS error. It only happens on 1 computer, or all the computers under one close network - I asked my other members and they can still reach it fine when I cannot. Then the computer cannot reach the site until probably 12-24 hours which is normal for a DNS error. Then I cannot ping my site, meaning the computer I'm on doesn't see it as existing.

 

I never tweaked anything on the computers as I said before, I'm at my college and I have no administrative powers. The administrators did not touch the computers either, they only mess with them under big problems or between semesters.

 

 

 

I've had DNS errors with you guys since I've been hosted on Xisto years ago, but it was only once in a GREAT while. I didn't care then but this is messed up.

 

I now know it isn't a problem with any of the computers I used because I was on the phone with my friend last night and it happened to him just then and he couldn't connect for probably the next 12-24 hours - same error message, etc, I also asked a few other people and it happens with them on my site once in a while. So it probably has to be something in my backend and/or my domain name and/or something on the Delta server that may be conflicting with something else. One thing though, I did upgrade from IPB 2.1.7 to IPB2.2 recently but I doubt it is that, I got DNS errors once in a great while having IPB1.3 and IPB2.0 and right now I have nothing in the backend that was there around those times.

 

 

But why would files in the backend cause DNS errors? Usually it is the server a computer is hosted on or the Domain name (which I get from Yahoo.com) which is conflicting with something...

 

Maybe something happened on the Delta server which cause my Yahoo Domain name to not point correctly?

 

 

EDIT: Ok it happened again, this time I was able to be on it for a little over an hour. I went to that dnsreprt site and I got these two failures:

 

I don't get what is wrong, if this may be the problem, or how to change or fix anything so if anyone could lead me through that, that would be awesome. Whelp, off to using proxies... *sigh*...

Edited March 8, 2007 by Shengeta (see edit history)

[serverph 0]

i could only surmise that your network is not properly resolving your domain. i went to your site, got greeted by a joomla splash/maintenance page with a link to the forums, proceeded to your forum, refreshed every 5 minutes jumping from page to page, and all were still working after i did the cycle for 30 minutes -- and on a dial-up to boot! Dean (of D-Scripting), even extended a congratulatoty note for the successful installation of your new shoutbox!

 

in between i check https://www.siteuptime.com/users/quickcheck.php for your domain uptime (http, ftp, smtp, pop3, https, ping and dns services) and all are green/okay. likewise the delta server status i viewed via http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ are green/okay as well.

 

hence, your site is up which means the Xisto - Web Hosting delta server is doing great and working with no hitches. it is hardly a server error (on the part of Xisto - Web Hosting). the screenshot from your dnsreport didn't even remotely pose a problem in my ability to access your site, a multiple number of times. we need to settle first that it's not a Xisto - Web Hosting server error, agreed?

 

since you weren't able to include a screenshot of the error, other than saying "I get a standard error instead or a redirection to MSN saying cannot find site because of whatever error or DNS errors or something like that.", i could only guess you get one of any of these messages displayed on your side:

 

[Cannot find server - Microsoft Internet Explorer] The page cannot be displayed.

The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings.

Cannot find server or DNS error.

Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site Web address. A connection with the server could not be established.

The page you are looking for is currently unavailable. The Web site might be experiencing technical difficulties, or you may need to adjust your browser settings.

An Internal error occurred in Windows Internet extensions.

any of these can be attributed to any of the following causes:

Your web browser may need to have its security settings adjusted

Internet Explorer connection settings may be incorrect

Firewall or proxy software is not functioning or is not configured properly

The TCP/IP transmission protocol is not installed or may not be functioning properly

The WINSOCK.DLL, WSOCK32.DLL, or WSOCK.VXD file is missing or damaged

Your workstation has multiple copies of the WINSOCK.DLL, WSOCK32.DLL, or WSOCK.VXD file, or one of these files is in the wrong folder

The WINSOCK2 registry key may be damaged

If you are using America Online (AOL), there may be parental control restrictions applied to the account

The Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) installation may be damaged or is not functioning

If your server IP was changed, your site's DNS entry may need to be updated with the new IP address or the host entries on the workstations may need to be updated.

possible solutions?

 

since you're on a network: Tools > Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings: uncheck automatic detection.

 

try also to revert to default settings for:

Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Restore Defaults

Tools > Internet Options > Security > Default

sometimes a page refresh will do. instead of the refresh button, try pressing Ctrl + F5.

 

and then there's your network firewall/s. try disabling everything then reenabling them one by one, testing your site along the way. this is to rule out conflicting settings.

 

if you still feel it's a DNS error, you can use fixed DNS servers. a list of "open DNS servers" can be easily found with google.

[BuffaloHelp 24]

Thanks, serverph!

Looks like you addressed and covered all basis. I too was able to visit your forum and made two shouts as "guest."

If you recently changed your nameserver to Xisto - Web Hosting, it takes 24-72 hours before it is propagated. I think that was your issue. Next time could you explain all your situation, like the date of your nameserver change?

NS History: 4 changes. Using 3 unique name servers in 1 year. IP History: 5 changes. Using 2 unique IP addresses in 1 year.

Thank you. I'll leave this topic open little bit longer.

[Shengeta 0]

Ok. @BuffaloHELP: I'm much better than that. I pointed the nameservers to my site over a year ago with no problems - don't take me for a newbie. Sorry for no reply in the shoutbox as we are just starting over and we are starting to get thing kicking again, the site has yet to fully return.@serverph: Alot of changes are taking place and the forums are restarting like I said. So yeah the forums are the only thing I've been on (never tested the main site) and yeah sometimes I can go on it a bit like today I was able to go on it for an hour without a messup, then it messed up and later on I went on a different computer and was on it for a few hours without a problem yet. idk it seems like it eased up a bit but the problem is still there.I agree that it isn't a Xisto - Web Hosting server problem, I know the servers are fine, that is why it is a DNS error not Xisto - Web Hosting downtime. Something within the path of Windows XP recieving the domain name "KaonZero.com" is the problem. The server could do it without it being it's fault, the pc or network can do it and I bet Yahoo can do it since they hold the Domain name. I believe it is a little of the school network because it does it more there than anywhere else. While other people have the problem, it is much less severe and happens once in a great while.In the end, I think it is a bit of the college's network but at the same time I believe it can be a little of my site or CP's server, yet not being either of their faults, maybe they can mistake a little reading the domain name 99.9% instead of reading it 100% and giving me the problem because of this network. I mostly blame it on XP who saves the error in a cache and gives an error instead of the site until the cache clears.Also I cannot follow your steps, like I said, I already tried all that but I cannot accomplish alot of steps because of limited access here at the college.I just wanted to see if there was something you guys could do on your end to help out. If not then that is ok too, I guess I will have to deal with it, maybe it'll die down after a while or something idk.

[BuffaloHelp 24]

When a computer on a network cannot even ping a site, it's normally due to ISP's cache node resolve or due to internal firewall. Although you are convinced of this may not be the issue, using school's network which you do not have full administrative privilege can't say it isn't either.A university's ISP clears cache node to keep internet traffics free from old information. This is a some what standard practice these days--my university has a set protocol which updates and reconnects to ISP and other cache nodes every x amount of days.Besides this intranet speculation, the next likely problem could be that your IP has been listed under Xisto - Web Hosting's IP ban list. Xisto - Web Hosting has its own firewall where multiple "failed" attempts from a particular IP address flags ban script. This is to prevent your account and Xisto - Web Hosting's server from any malicious acts. To see if this is your case, please email your actual IP address to support{at}Xisto - Web Hosting{dot}com and request your IP to be released from the ban list.

[Shengeta 0]

My friend barely got squat for a firewall and he still got the problem, but yes that sounds very plausible, but why would it majorly happen all of the sudden when nothing has been changed here though? When you say failed attempts, what goes in that category? Could it be anything minor because these computers get to all sites fine at lightning speed without failure so why would it happen only on my site and frequently - and is it a new thing used? I mean the computers here change their IP address every day and different sections of computers have their different IPs here so would I have to submit one everyday and on every computer I use?

[BuffaloHelp 24]

First, let's understand the difference between Private IP (intranet) and Public IP (internet). Private IP may change all the time and to whatever you want. Public IP is the set range IP address for your university. These will never change. It's like a mailing address--the physical address (this is internet) will not change but you can have different apartment numbers (this is intranet). When I asked for the actual IP address, I mean the public internet IP address. So no need for requesting hundreds, thousands of IP addresses to be unban--if this is the case. For example, accordinging to our records (besides using other ISP) you've only used three unique IP addresses from your university (netrange *.*.16.0 - *.*.31.255)If in fact your IP or IP range have been banned, it's probably at the Xisto - Web Hosting's end or your school's firewall end. So let's walk though few different scenarios: You could have multiple failed login attempts. There were attempt to run a script that might have deemed as "abuse." A script uploaded caused server to lag. Anything out of the ordinary that can be seen as critical to hosting server.You left your FTP connection open for a long time (upload/download/idle). This connection sends requests back and forth from your computer (university) to Xisto - Web Hosting server. Although Xisto - Web Hosting understand it as FTP connection, your school's firewall might misunderstand it as "massive ping attack" or something rather, that can cause "refuse/block connection" from and to Xisto - Web Hosting's IP. This is what I explained as internal firewall problem.Lastly, ISP backend issue (not related to your university or Xisto - Web Hosting). This is rare but unusually common these days. When you connect to a domain, you are almost never connected directly. You are connected to, sometimes referred to as, cache server. This cache server holds 'cache' of other pages/infos so that it speeds up the request time. Sometimes these cache servers would be resetted or dumped and it will require some time to resynchronize before you can "visit" again. Your friend who does not have any firewall, he is connection from off campus or within the university's internet connection? If he's in within the campus, no matter what he has installed in his compuer he is still behind the firewall of your university.One other solution that has not be mentioned is editing HOSTS file. This is basically a blind connection without the proper resolve--so to speak. I wrote a little instruction about it. You can find it by searching for HOSTS from Xisto Readme list.See what could be the common action taken from your end when your problem started to happen. And perhaps the actual answer might come up instead of these speculations

[Shengeta 0]

Ok yeah your right about the Public IP I overlooked that. Ok so I should send that to support but how do I find out what the range or particular IP is that I need to send?My friend has a firewall at home but of course it is weaker than the college's.As for the possible causes they sound logical. It is the fact that it happens at different times when I'm doing different things. Either I could be posting, going through the Admin CP, ftp, etc. and it would happen at random but surely it would happen. Another new update is someone else on my board got it once just recently but it never happened again since. If this helps he was at his college at the time but my friend wasn't when it happened to him.Now for the HOSTS file... is there anything negative about editing it to possibly solve my problem? I'll read it now...Sorry for the double post but I did some more research and it seems much less like a DNS error anymore because only me and this other guy get it and we are at colleges. It doesn't seem like it is a firewall problem because nothing has been changed here, only the colleges are majorly getting it and normal PCs get it rarely with little to no firewalls. Plus I clear the DNS cach and nothing happens and that is supposed to rid of the problem for the moment...I agree with your IP website block. Something happens here that Xisto - Web Hosting doesn't like and we are automatically IP banned until the IP switches the next day... unless Xisto - Web Hosting clears it's IP ban list everday or something as well. This happens after I use the computer for about 5 minutes or something idk.---------------------------------------------------So I would like to ask this and try this out: If you could send my college's IP range, or get it for me, or tell me how to get it so I could send it to support - that would be awesome. Also maybe they wont keep that range from the banned list because of what is causing me to be on the banned list... either way I'd like to know what is causing me to get on the list if this is the case....and since a member gets it only at his college and all the time, maybe it is a average college process Xisto - Web Hosting servers don't like? (once again if this is the case)

[OpaQue 15]

A TINY SUPPORT TICKET [1 min. task] was required for this issue.

http://www.dnsreport.com/tools/dnsreport.cin=KaonZero.com

The errors are displayed in red but they are fine and do not mean resolving failures. The ones in yellow are just timeout settings which are again ok unless the site is being transfered from server to server.

Its solved.

Sorry for the inconvenience. :-/