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Can't access broadbandMicrosoft problem, but my ISP won’t accept that, so I’m hoping someone can tell me what to say to the !(£Y*&@@! which will convince them of that... a few weeks ago, my broadband connection at home started to malfunction. I can receive e-mails on OE6, and browse SOME websites, but not others. I can’t connect to Hotmail or (eg) eBay; I can’t SEND e-mails from OE6, or anywhere else; I can’t FTP (using drag and drop from Windows Explorer to Internet Explorer); and many other web pages refuse to open. My ISP is like a broken record, telling me to take it up with Microsoft, because it’s “definitely†an XP or browser problem. I have demonstrated quite conclusively this isn’t the case, by using a client’s PC with a fresh XP build, straight off the CD; by using an old W98 laptop; etc etc etc. Yet their latest response was to run two fixes from www.sympatico.ca, which un-register and re-register some browser-related dll’s! Please, does anybody know what kind of broadband network issue would cause these symptoms? I've even tried phoning and pretending to be somebody else, with similar symptoms, and the default reply is again that I have it take it up with Microsoft, which is ridiculous and quite unfair to you guys. You’ll be saving somebody (me) from having a stroke here... Thanks Roger Hogweed wrote on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 03:36:01 -0800:
> Hi folks – let me be honest up front and say I don’t think this is a OK, so that rules out a connection issue as you can access some non-local > Microsoft problem, but my ISP won’t accept that, so I’m hoping someone can > tell me what to say to the !(£Y*&@@! which will convince them of that... a > few weeks ago, my broadband connection at home started to malfunction. I > can receive e-mails on OE6, and browse SOME websites, but not others. servers. > I can’t connect to Hotmail or (eg) eBay; I can’t SEND e-mails from OE6, or Any error messages? Any messages at all? Did you install IE7?> anywhere else; I can’t FTP (using drag and drop from Windows Explorer to > Internet Explorer); and many other web pages refuse to open. Have you checked your DNS settings? How are you connected? If using a router, does it have a DNS proxy, and if so can you try disabling it? > My ISP is like a broken record, telling me to take it up with Microsoft, Demonstrated how? Are you saying none of these worked either? How did you > because it’s “definitely” an XP or browser problem. I have demonstrated > quite conclusively this isn’t the case, by using a client’s PC with a > fresh XP build, straight off the CD; by using an old W98 laptop; etc etc > etc. connect them to the broadband? > Yet their latest response was to run two fixes from www.sympatico.ca, Given that you can download email and browse some sites, I'd say that the > which un-register and re-register some browser-related dll’s! > > Please, does anybody know what kind of broadband network issue would cause > these symptoms? I've even tried phoning and pretending to be somebody > else, with similar symptoms, and the default reply is again that I have it > take it up with Microsoft, which is ridiculous and quite unfair to you > guys. > > You’ll be saving somebody (me) from having a stroke here... > > Thanks > Roger connection itself is not the problem, and most likely it's a misconfigured router. But you've given almost no information to go on! Dan OK, thanks for the reply, and sorry for the lack of info. Answers in text:
> OK, so that rules out a connection issue as you can access some non-local The only thing is... it varies a little bit. Most days I can access very > servers. little; others a few more sites seem to be accessible. Makes me think it’s maybe a transmit-level issue on the broadband, but they deny this. > Any error messages? Any messages at all? Did you install IE7? No, it’s just “Page not Found†or similar, and “Your POP server hasn’t responded†or whatever on OE6. Yes, I installed IE7 on one of the PCs – but as I say, the others have variously IE6, IE5, Firefox 1.5, Firefox 2.0. Makes no difference. > Have you checked your DNS settings? How are you connected? If using a Unfortunately, that’s all at home, and I’m at work... but it’s just the > router, does it have a DNS proxy, and if so can you try disabling it? default settings. I removed the router, but it didn’t change anything. > > My ISP is like a broken record, telling me to take it up with Microsoft, I stuck each of them on the router in turn, and got the same basic inability > > because it’s “definitely†an XP or browser problem. I have demonstrated > > quite conclusively this isn’t the case, by using a client’s PC with a > > fresh XP build, straight off the CD; by using an old W98 laptop; etc etc > > etc. > > Demonstrated how? Are you saying none of these worked either? How did you > connect them to the broadband? to browse most sites, or send e-mail etc. But I could receive e-mails – even ones with several MB attachments – easily. > Given that you can download email and browse some sites, I'd say that the Hope I've clarified a little. Can’t be my router, as I removed it with no > connection itself is not the problem, and most likely it's a misconfigured > router. But you've given almost no information to go on! effect. I’m convinced it’s an upstream transmission problem with my ISP... Hogweed wrote on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 05:40:00 -0800:
> OK, thanks for the reply, and sorry for the lack of info. Answers in text: Find an IP address you can ping and get a response. When your connection > >> OK, so that rules out a connection issue as you can access some non-local >> servers. > > The only thing is... it varies a little bit. Most days I can access very > little; others a few more sites seem to be accessible. Makes me think it’s > maybe a transmit-level issue on the broadband, but they deny this. isn't working very well, ping it and look at the responses, if it varies from when it's not bad then it could point to a connection issue. >> Any error messages? Any messages at all? Did you install IE7? OK, so that rules out dodgy plugins for IE7, and the occassional problems > > No, it’s just “Page not Found” or similar, and “Your POP server hasn’t > responded” or whatever on OE6. Yes, I installed IE7 on one of the PCs – > but as I say, the others have variously IE6, IE5, Firefox 1.5, Firefox > 2.0. Makes no difference. I've seen reported with OE when IE7 is installed (of which I've experienced non myself). "Your POP server hasn't responded" infers that the DNS lookup worked, but no response was received - so points to a connection issue. >> Have you checked your DNS settings? How are you connected? If using a When you removed the router, how were you connected? Are you using a router >> router, does it have a DNS proxy, and if so can you try disabling it? > > Unfortunately, that’s all at home, and I’m at work... but it’s just the > default settings. I removed the router, but it didn’t change anything. inline with a modem? >>> My ISP is like a broken record, telling me to take it up with Microsoft, Could still be a DNS caching issue on a proxy.>>> because it’s “definitely” an XP or browser problem. I have demonstrated >>> quite conclusively this isn’t the case, by using a client’s PC with a >>> fresh XP build, straight off the CD; by using an old W98 laptop; etc etc >>> etc. >> >> Demonstrated how? Are you saying none of these worked either? How did you >> connect them to the broadband? > > I stuck each of them on the router in turn, and got the same basic > inability to browse most sites, or send e-mail etc. But I could receive > e-mails – even ones with several MB attachments – easily. >> Given that you can download email and browse some sites, I'd say that the I need more info about how you removed a router and still had a connection. >> connection itself is not the problem, and most likely it's a >> misconfigured router. But you've given almost no information to go on! > > Hope I've clarified a little. Can’t be my router, as I removed it with no > effect. I’m convinced it’s an upstream transmission problem with my ISP... > It might point to a possible hardware conflict. Dan > Find an IP address you can ping and get a response. When your connection Yes, that happens – sometimes I can ping certain sites and get one or two > isn't working very well, ping it and look at the responses, if it varies > from when it's not bad then it could point to a connection issue. packets back – sometimes not. Interestingly, my ISP (spit) always start their response by getting me to ping a URL rather than an IP – usually www.bbc.co.uk and it responds. However, when I try to ping other sites, like www.hotmail.com – or even the ISPs own home address www.blueyonder.co.uk, they don’t respond. I don’t know enough about WANs to speculate further, but somebody said they might do this to avoid denial of service attacks or something... for me, it just makes things more complicated... > OK, so that rules out dodgy plugins for IE7, and the occassional problems It really is pointing to a connection issue, isn’t it.> I've seen reported with OE when IE7 is installed (of which I've experienced > non myself). "Your POP server hasn't responded" infers that the DNS lookup > worked, but no response was received - so points to a connection issue. > When you removed the router, how were you connected? Are you using a router It’s an ethernet cable from my network card to the corresponding port on my > inline with a modem? cable modem. The modem has been rebooted several times, and the ISP also claims to have downloaded the latest software to it. > Could still be a DNS caching issue on a proxy. Beyond my capacity to understand at present, I’m afraid! Any way I could test this easily? Hogweed wrote on Tue, 12 Dec 2006 06:18:02 -0800:
>> Find an IP address you can ping and get a response. When your connection Many servers don't respond to pings. For instance, the ones I run don't - >> isn't working very well, ping it and look at the responses, if it varies >> from when it's not bad then it could point to a connection issue. > > Yes, that happens – sometimes I can ping certain sites and get one or two > packets back – sometimes not. Interestingly, my ISP (spit) always start > their response by getting me to ping a URL rather than an IP – usually > www.bbc.co.uk and it responds. However, when I try to ping other sites, > like > www.hotmail.com – or even the ISPs own home address www.blueyonder.co.uk, > they don’t respond. I don’t know enough about WANs to speculate further, > but somebody said they might do this to avoid denial of service attacks or > something... for me, it just makes things more complicated... ping packets are blocked at the firewall. Pinging a hostname like www.bbc.co.uk rather than an IP doesn't make much difference, but I normally advise not pinging using a hostname as it adds a DNS lookup step which could be mitigated by a DNS caching/proxy problem. If you have the IP address for www.bbc.co.uk (when you ping it the address will appear in the results) try using that instead to avoid that initial DNS lookup. Also try something like Ping Plotter ( http://www.pingplotter.com/ ), I used to use this myself to graph anomalies here at work with connection issues, and once found a regular dropout every 30 seconds that ended up being traced back to the upstream ISP being misconfigured and causing packets to be dropped while looking for a connection on an interface that was disconnected. >> OK, so that rules out dodgy plugins for IE7, and the occassional problems Not necessarily - could still be a DNS issue, where maybe invalid responses >> I've seen reported with OE when IE7 is installed (of which I've >> experienced non myself). "Your POP server hasn't responded" infers that >> the DNS lookup worked, but no response was received - so points to a >> connection issue. > > It really is pointing to a connection issue, isn’t it. are coming back. Given that the pings to www.bbc.co.uk work it shows that the connection from your modem to the ISP router is working. It could however point to a routing issue further inside your ISP. >> When you removed the router, how were you connected? Are you using a Right, so you have a cable modem and a router in line. Given that you've >> router inline with a modem? > > It’s an ethernet cable from my network card to the corresponding port on > my cable modem. The modem has been rebooted several times, and the ISP > also claims to have downloaded the latest software to it. taken the router out and you still get problems, it could be down to the local DNS caches on the machines in conjunction with a failing DNS server at your ISP. However, given that you got these problems even with a clean Windows 98 machine (which doesn't have much of a local DNS proxy other than IE caching addresses itself), I'm not so sure. >> Could still be a DNS caching issue on a proxy. With Windows XP, try disabling the DNS Client service. Also check your > > Beyond my capacity to understand at present, I’m afraid! Any way I could > test this easily? router configuration for a DNS Proxy option and disable it - I've had problems with my own router where the DNS proxy would end up getting corrupted, or cause the CPU on the router to max out, and make it appear that there is a connection problem. The DNS Client service on XP can also make it appear that there is a problem by not correctly switching from secondary back to primary DNS when there's a failure at the secondary, by disabling the service you ensure that DNS requests are always sent to the primary first. You say when you're having problems that you can download email but not send it - are your POP3 and SMTP server hostnames the same, or are they different? Dan > Many servers don't respond to pings. For instance, the ones I run don't - Useful information – thank you.> ping packets are blocked at the firewall. Pinging a hostname like > www.bbc.co.uk rather than an IP doesn't make much difference, but I normally > advise not pinging using a hostname as it adds a DNS lookup step which could > be mitigated by a DNS caching/proxy problem. If you have the IP address for > www.bbc.co.uk (when you ping it the address will appear in the results) try > using that instead to avoid that initial DNS lookup. Show quoteHide quote > >> Could still be a DNS caching issue on a proxy. I’ll try that when I get home, thanks.> > > > Beyond my capacity to understand at present, I’m afraid! Any way I could > > test this easily? > > With Windows XP, try disabling the DNS Client service. Also check your > router configuration for a DNS Proxy option and disable it - I've had > problems with my own router where the DNS proxy would end up getting > corrupted, or cause the CPU on the router to max out, and make it appear > that there is a connection problem. The DNS Client service on XP can also > make it appear that there is a problem by not correctly switching from > secondary back to primary DNS when there's a failure at the secondary, by > disabling the service you ensure that DNS requests are always sent to the > primary first. > You say when you're having problems that you can download email but not send I have several e-mail accounts set up on it – but certainly with the > it - are your POP3 and SMTP server hostnames the same, or are they > different? Blueyonder one, they’re both the same. The others are synched with Fastmail and Hotmail, not sure what their servers are called from memory.
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"Hogweed" wrote: You can try other DNS servers to see if you ISP's servers are having a > > Many servers don't respond to pings. For instance, the ones I run don't - > > ping packets are blocked at the firewall. Pinging a hostname like > > www.bbc.co.uk rather than an IP doesn't make much difference, but I normally > > advise not pinging using a hostname as it adds a DNS lookup step which could > > be mitigated by a DNS caching/proxy problem. If you have the IP address for > > www.bbc.co.uk (when you ping it the address will appear in the results) try > > using that instead to avoid that initial DNS lookup. > > Useful information – thank you. > > > >> Could still be a DNS caching issue on a proxy. > > > > > > Beyond my capacity to understand at present, I’m afraid! Any way I could > > > test this easily? > > > > With Windows XP, try disabling the DNS Client service. Also check your > > router configuration for a DNS Proxy option and disable it - I've had > > problems with my own router where the DNS proxy would end up getting > > corrupted, or cause the CPU on the router to max out, and make it appear > > that there is a connection problem. The DNS Client service on XP can also > > make it appear that there is a problem by not correctly switching from > > secondary back to primary DNS when there's a failure at the secondary, by > > disabling the service you ensure that DNS requests are always sent to the > > primary first. > > I’ll try that when I get home, thanks. > > > You say when you're having problems that you can download email but not send > > it - are your POP3 and SMTP server hostnames the same, or are they > > different? > > I have several e-mail accounts set up on it – but certainly with the > Blueyonder one, they’re both the same. The others are synched with Fastmail > and Hotmail, not sure what their servers are called from memory. > problem. ns1.de.opennic.glue (Cologne, DE) - 217.115.138.24 ns1.jp.opennic.glue (Tokyo, JP) - 219.127.89.34 ns2.jp.opennic.glue (Tokyo, JP) - 219.127.89.37 ns1.nz.opennic.glue (Auckland, NZ) - 202.89.131.4 ns1.uk.opennic.glue (London, UK) - 194.164.6.112 ns1.phx.us.opennic.glue (Phoenix, AZ, US) - 63.226.12.96 ns1.sfo.us.opennic.glue (San Francisco, CA, US) - 64.151.103.120 ns1.co.us.opennic.glue (Longmont, CO, US) - 216.87.84.209 ns1.ca.us.opennic.glue (Los Angeles, CA, US) - 67.102.133.222 ns1.be.opennic.glue (Luik, Belgium) - 83.217.93.246 or 199.166.28.10 (PS0.NS2.VRX.NET) - Atlanta, Ga 199.166.29.3 (nl.public.rootfix.net) - Nederlands 199.166.31.3 (NS1.QUASAR.NET) - Orlando, FL, USA 204.57.55.100 (NS1.JERKY.NET) - Boston, MA, USA 199.5.157.128 (ASLAN.OPEN-RSC.ORG) - Detroit, MI, USA and a huge list of DNS servers can be found at: http://80.247.230.136/dns.htm Try setting one of these as primary and another as secondary on your system or router to force the system to use these instead of the ones provided by your ISP, if the problem goes away, that confirms that their DNS servers are the problem, if not, we have to look elsewhere. Nill Hogweed wrote:
>> Find an IP address you can ping and get a response. When your connection www.hotmail.com and www.blueyonder.co.uk both violate the RFCs for TCP/IP>> isn't working very well, ping it and look at the responses, if it varies >> from when it's not bad then it could point to a connection issue. > > Yes, that happens ? sometimes I can ping certain sites and get one or two > packets back ? sometimes not. Interestingly, my ISP (spit) always start > their response by getting me to ping a URL rather than an IP ? usually > www.bbc.co.uk and it responds. However, when I try to ping other sites, > like www.hotmail.com ? or even the ISPs own home address > www.blueyonder.co.uk, they don?t respond. implementation by not responding to ICMP Echo Requests. Traceroute and ping will always fail against these sites because of this, which complicates troubleshooting when you're only having problems getting to sites that are broken by design. > I don?t know enough about WANs That is often the case, misguided as it may be... instead of making it> to speculate further, but somebody said they might do this to avoid denial > of service attacks or something... for me, it just makes things more > complicated... harder to troubleshoot and violating the RFCs, they should be allowing or denying based on IP ranges. IE, if they get attacked, everyone from that ISP loses out. If big sites handled network abuse this way, odds are the net would be a safer place for everyone, but these guys don't want to think that far ahead. >> OK, so that rules out dodgy plugins for IE7, and the occassional problems I think I saw upthread that when you connect your other computers in the>> I've seen reported with OE when IE7 is installed (of which I've >> experienced non myself). "Your POP server hasn't responded" infers that >> the DNS lookup worked, but no response was received - so points to a >> connection issue. > > It really is pointing to a connection issue, isn?t it. same manner, they work. Sounds like a Windows problem isolated on one machine to me. >> When you removed the router, how were you connected? Are you using a I'm not sure I saw anywhere in this thread where a proxy is involved, I>> router inline with a modem? > > It?s an ethernet cable from my network card to the corresponding port on > my cable modem. The modem has been rebooted several times, and the ISP > also claims to have downloaded the latest software to it. > >> Could still be a DNS caching issue on a proxy. > > Beyond my capacity to understand at present, I?m afraid! Any way I could > test this easily? suspect that might have been thrown in as a "blind helping the deaf" moment. > www.hotmail.com and www.blueyonder.co.uk both violate the RFCs for TCP/IP Well, I don’t know what an RFC is, but why does what you say not surprise > implementation by not responding to ICMP Echo Requests. Traceroute and > ping will always fail against these sites because of this, which > complicates troubleshooting when you're only having problems getting to > sites that are broken by design. me... sigh... > but these guys don't want to think Like everything else in life! I must be getting old to think that way... > that far ahead. sigh again... > I think I saw upthread that when you connect your other computers in the No, other way round. None of them worked.> same manner, they work. Sounds like a Windows problem isolated on one > machine to me. But... I have a solution. After arguing with the SOBs for nearly SIX WEEKS that it MUST be a problem with their network, and having to have my MP (like a Senator I suppose?) write to NTL’s CEO, one of their network engineers phoned me last night at home, and said he had to “re-align the RF cascadeâ€, which must have been very nice for him, I suppose... apparently I didn’t have sufficient gain on the upstream. We then moved me onto a different upstream frequency, and everything sprang back to life – it's now flying. Still a mystery to me why this could sort of selectively inhibit certain sites, but what do I know... after everything I've been through, it took this guy about 7 minutes to fix it. Sincerest thanks to everyone who helped me out, and educated me a little in the process! Roger Hogweed wrote:
> Please, does anybody know what kind of broadband network issue would cause Compromised system? Old install in need of a reinstall? Firewall?> these symptoms? 
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