FF/IE can't find server?

[visagephoto]

A photo forum I've been frequenting for a few years has been relocated to a new server and all members were provided with a url link by email and most have logged in and registered, however my system can't seem to find the server.

I've tried to login using 1x desktop & 2x laptops, running XP Pro & Vista, using Firefox & IE but I keep getting the following message (Firefox/Internet Explorer can't find the server at www.*****), I've even temporarily disabled AVG and windows firewall but still no luck.

Anyone any ideas what's going on?

[brian.austin]

DNS.

Either reboot your local gateway if you're using one (at home), your DNS server, or you'll have to wait for the DNS Time To Live (TTL) settings to expire. A good migration strategy (on their part, not your's) is to reduce the TTL to an hour or two a few days prior to the migration. Most DNS TTL's default to 72 hours (3 days).

[Douglas]

Can you go to any sites via the ip address versus the www?

And for Brian, can DNS issues be fixed? A few years ago (mostly win 98/me era) a DNS was bad news. Usually requiring (by company guidelines) a windows reinstall.

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by Douglas

Can you go to any sites via the ip address versus the www?

And for Brian, can DNS issues be fixed? A few years ago (mostly win 98/me era) a DNS was bad news. Usually requiring (by company guidelines) a windows reinstall.

DNS issues requiring a Windows re-install?? That's like fixing a hangnail with a blowtorch! And it's rarely a workstation issue anyway.

Easy fixes, all around. In this case, it's not his workstations but the DNS server(s) or his local gateway (firewall/cable router/whatever).

[Douglas]

dup

[Douglas]

We were told thats what needed to be done. Thats Time Warner and Roadrunner for ya. heh. Guess they thought it was easier telling a customer to do that, then try and explain how to fix it.

<end of thread derail>

[visagephoto]

Originally Posted by brian.austin

DNS.

Either reboot your local gateway if you're using one (at home), your DNS server, or you'll have to wait for the DNS Time To Live (TTL) settings to expire. A good migration strategy (on their part, not your's) is to reduce the TTL to an hour or two a few days prior to the migration. Most DNS TTL's default to 72 hours (3 days).

Originally Posted by Douglas

Can you go to any sites via the ip address versus the www?

And for Brian, can DNS issues be fixed? A few years ago (mostly win 98/me era) a DNS was bad news. Usually requiring (by company guidelines) a windows reinstall.

Brian, Douglas. Thanks for the replies, But. . .

Local Gateway?? DNS server TTL IP address versus the www :-(

Wow do I feel thick or what!!

All I know is the url I was given and I can't connect to it using three different computers, running two different operating systems with two different web browsers.

The only two constants are my service provider and router.

PS. I've rebooted the router several times but it didn't help.

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by visagephoto

Brian, Douglas. Thanks for the replies, But. . .

Local Gateway?? DNS server TTL IP address versus the www :-(

Wow do I feel thick or what!!

All I know is the url I was given and I can't connect to it using three different computers, running two different operating systems with two different web browsers.

The only two constants are my service provider and router.

PS. I've rebooted the router several times but it didn't help.

If you've rebooted your router, your easiest course of action is to simply wait and try it later. There isn't much else you can do from your end short of changing where you point to for your DNS info. And if you're that confused on what that means, it's better just to be patient.

[Douglas]

Originally Posted by visagephoto

Brian, Douglas. Thanks for the replies, But. . .

Local Gateway?? DNS server TTL IP address versus the www :-(

Wow do I feel thick or what!!

All I know is the url I was given and I can't connect to it using three different computers, running two different operating systems with two different web browsers.

The only two constants are my service provider and router.

PS. I've rebooted the router several times but it didn't help.

Yep. Best to do as Brian advises. DNS stands for something. Just cant recall, but what happens is your computer is confused right now. It can recognize an IP address (internet protocol) which are the numbers, but the words www.***.com it doesnt recognize. Your computer knows 2+2 = 4, but it doesnt know what two plus two equals.

Oversimplification, but best way I know how to describe it.

[visagephoto]

Thanks Guys

I searched for info regarding DNS in the FireFox help files, and kinda understood that as this is a problem only with this site, and I can connect to all other sites it's unlikely to be a DNS issue (but then what do I know?)

The site has been live for about a week now, and others have been successfully logging on, therefore I'm assuming it can't be a TTL issue either?

I understand the difference between an IP address and a www address, but I'm not sure how I can obtain that information other than emailing a request to the forum administrator.

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by visagephoto

Thanks Guys

I searched for info regarding DNS in the FireFox help files, and kinda understood that as this is a problem only with this site, and I can connect to all other sites it's unlikely to be a DNS issue (but then what do I know?)

Not a DNS SERVER issue but a DNS record issue with that particular site. This isn't unusual during a server migration.

The site has been live for about a week now, and others have been successfully logging on, therefore I'm assuming it can't be a TTL issue either?

What's the site? Let's just get this out of the way and troubleshoot it.

[visagephoto]

Originally Posted by brian.austin

Not a DNS SERVER issue but a DNS record issue with that particular site. This isn't unusual during a server migration.



What's the site? Let's just get this out of the way and troubleshoot it.

I initially tried to include the link in a previous post but the url text was replaced with garbage, never thought of trying it without the http://.

www.forum.impact-imaging.co.uk

[brian.austin]

Ok, here you go. Follow along closely:

1. Click the Start Menu. In XP, select Run... In Vista, click in the Search box at the bottom of the menu.
2. Type "cmd" without the quotes and hit Enter.
3. You should have a black box pop up that says C:\.... and a bunch of stuff, depending on which OS you're using.
4. In the box, type "nslookup www.forum.impact-imaging.co.uk" without the quotes and hit Enter.

It should reply back with the last three lines looking like this:

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: www.forum.impact-imaging.co.uk
Address: 74.53.146.226

If the Address number doesn't match, you have a DNS issue. Reply back and we can troubleshoot from there.

[visagephoto]

Brian

followed your instructions and got the following reply. . .
----------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Visage>nslookup www . forum.impact-imaging . co.uk
Server: www . routerlogin . com
Address: 192.168.0.1

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to www . routerlogin . com timed-out

C:\Users\Visage>

(Spaces entered because original text was being edited)
-----------------------------------------------------------

The forum administrator had been in touch and and provided me with the ip address (74.53.246.226)for the forum, but I still couldn't get in, he then temporarily set up a redirect link, which for a short period (today) allows me access so that i can register.

As I can log onto his main website but not the forum he reckons my system can't find the server because it's on a sub domain?

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by visagephoto

Brian

followed your instructions and got the following reply. . .
----------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Visage>nslookup www . forum.impact-imaging . co.uk
Server: www . routerlogin . com
Address: 192.168.0.1

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to www . routerlogin . com timed-out

C:\Users\Visage>

(Spaces entered because original text was being edited)
-----------------------------------------------------------

The forum administrator had been in touch and and provided me with the ip address (74.53.246.226)for the forum, but I still couldn't get in, he then temporarily set up a redirect link, which for a short period (today) allows me access so that i can register.

As I can log onto his main website but not the forum he reckons my system can't find the server because it's on a sub domain?

And you powercycled your router? What about the modem (cable or DSL)? Who's your ISP?

Sub-domain shouldn't matter since DNS is hierarchial anyway. And if others can get to it, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to reach it, too.

[Eero Makela]

It should say something like this

C:\Users\admin>nslookup Pro Photographers Forum &bull; Index page
Server: xxxxx <your router or ISP)
Address: 192.168.xxx.yyy

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: Pro Photographers Forum &bull; Index page
Address: 74.53.146.226

===
Since it shows : www . routerlogin . com

it looks like the router/modem has lost its connection or username password settings to connect with the ISP (internet service provider)

OR the ISP is down

Try and ping the IP address

Start - Run - CMD <enter or OK>

ping 74.53.146.226

C:\>ping 74.53.146.226

Pinging 74.53.146.226 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=50
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=50
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=50
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=46ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 74.53.146.226:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 45ms, Maximum = 46ms, Average = 45ms

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by Eero Makela

Since it shows : www . routerlogin . com

it looks like the router/modem has lost its connection or username password settings to connect with the ISP (internet service provider)

OR the ISP is down

Uh...if the ISP was down, how would he be able to post here??

routerlogin is the default hostname for Netgear gateways. Since the gateway acts as a DNS proxy, forwarding DNS requests upstream, it can resolve its own name prior to forwarding it to a DNS server. This is common with most residential gateways now.

There is nothing wrong with his router or ISP connection.

[visagephoto]

Ok Guys, I pinged the IP address as per your instructions and got these results. . .
------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Visage>ping 74.53.146.226

Pinging 74.53.146.226 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=175ms TTL=55
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=175ms TTL=55
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=175ms TTL=55
Reply from 74.53.146.226: bytes=32 time=175ms TTL=55

Ping statistics for 74.53.146.226:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 175ms, Maximum = 175ms, Average = 175ms

C:\Users\Visage>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
My Internet Service is provided by Sky Broadband, using a wireless router connected to my domestic BT landline.

I think there may be a few others having problems gaining access to this site, but the majority have been successful.

PS. this is the IP address for the moderators main website which I have no problems gaining access to, As far as I'm aware the forum is hosted as a sub domain of this site.

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by visagephoto

My Internet Service is provided by Sky Broadband, using a wireless router connected to my domestic BT landline.

I don't understand what that means. You're using a wireless ISP connected to a landline? What type of "landline"? DSL?

Is there another box that can be powercycled? Something is caching your DNS between you and the server.

The other option is to just change your DNS settings on your workstations, using a different DNS provider. OpenDNS works well for this. Follow the instructions here: https://www.opendns.com/smb/start/

[Eero Makela]

Thanks Brian, I think we are getting closer to solving this. I should have read the above more closer hence my previous reply was not 100% on track. It is for sure DNS cache issue. Is it possible that windows dns cache needs to be flushed

ipconfig /flushdns