topic Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses in Community Announcements

Important information about our DNS server addresses

bobpullen — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:18:20 GMT

For those who haven't just seen my latest Service Status Announcement.
[quote author="Service Status"]This announcement contains important information about some changes we're going to be making to our DNS platform. We strongly recommend that you read this notice in full to avoid any unnecessary interruption to your service.
In about a month's time we are going to be making some changes that will stop you being able to connect to some of our 'DNS servers'.
These DNS servers are what help convert website addresses, like www.plus.net, into a unique 'IP address' that tell your computer where to find a particular web page or Internet resource. This process (known as 'DNS resolution') is largely transparent, and most people don't need to worry about it as we automatically try to assign you the correct DNS server addresses when you connect to the Internet.
These are the servers that most customers will be using for DNS resolution.
212.159.6.9
212.159.6.10
212.159.13.49
212.159.13.50
There are however a small number of you who are using our 'authoritative DNS servers' for the same purpose.
195.166.128.16
195.166.128.17
212.159.11.129
212.159.11.150
212.159.11.151
212.159.11.155
212.159.13.129
212.159.13.150
212.159.13.151
212.159.13.155
These servers are not intended to be used in this fashion and in several weeks time we are going to start refusing lookup requests from customers.
For most of you this will be a transparent change and will *not* cause any problems. In fact if you've never made any manual changes to your DNS settings then you can rest safe in the knowledge that you won't have to take any action.
Those of you who who may have made changes to their DNS settings in the past will need to check which server addresses you are using.
Information about how to do this can be found here -
http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/how-to-find-out-what-my-dns-servers-address-is/
If you are using one or more of the authoritative DNS server addresses then you will need to switch to using one or more of the four recommended servers.
You can find information about how to change your DNS settings here -
http://www.plus.net/support/domains_and_dns/dns/index.shtml
Please note that there's a possibility that your computer is configured to use the DNS addresses specified by your modem or router. If this is the case then following the instructions above might return an address in the format 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x or 172.x.x.x
If you do have one of these addresses assigned then you will need to check your modem or router settings to find out what actual servers are in use. To find out how to do this please refer to the manual or setup guide that came with your equipment.
We will be making an effort to email customers who we think are still using our authoritative DNS servers for recursive lookups.
If you have any further questions about this announcement then please ask for guidance over on our Community Site forums - http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/board,3.0.html
Kind Regards,
Bob Pullen
Customer Support
We'll be ticketing customers who we think might need to take action with a copy of the email text below.
[quote author="Bob Pullen"]Subject: Important information about your broadband service from Plusnet
Your username: {username}
Dear {full_name}
This email contains important information about some changes we're going to be making that may affect your ability to connect to the Internet. We strongly recommend that you read this notice in full to avoid any unnecessary interruption to your service.
In about a month's time we are going to be making some changes that will stop you being able to connect to some of our 'DNS servers'.
These DNS servers are what help convert website addresses, like www.plus.net, into a unique 'IP address' that tell your computer where to find a particular web page or Internet resource. This process (known as 'DNS resolution') is largely transparent, and most people don't need to worry about it as we automatically try to assign you the correct DNS server addresses when you connect to the Internet.
We've been looking at our records though, and we think that you might be using (or have recently used) one or more of the DNS servers that we're going to be disabling access to.
195.166.128.16
195.166.128.17
212.159.11.129
212.159.11.150
212.159.11.151
212.159.11.155
212.159.13.129
212.159.13.150
212.159.13.151
212.159.13.155
If you are using any of these addresses then you might lose connection to the Internet in a month's time when access to the servers is disabled.
What do you need to do?
-----------------------
You need to check which DNS server addresses you're using and change them if necessary to ensure that there are no interruptions to your service.
Information about how to do this can be found here -
http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/how-to-find-out-what-my-dns-servers-address-is/
If you are using one or more of the DNS server addresses listed above then you will need to switch to using one or more of the four recommended servers below.
212.159.6.9
212.159.6.10
212.159.13.49
212.159.13.50
You can find information about how to change your DNS settings here -
http://www.plus.net/support/domains_and_dns/dns/index.shtml
Please note that there's a possibility that your computer is configured to use the DNS addresses specified by your modem or router. If this is the case then following the instructions above might return an address in the format 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x or 172.x.x.x
If you do have one of these addresses assigned then you will need to check your modem or router settings to find out what actual servers are in use. To find out how to do this please refer to the manual or setup guide that came with your equipment.
We will post a planned maintenance announcement at a later date containing information about when we plan to make these changes -
http://usertools.plus.net/status/archive/
If you have any further questions about this announcement then please ask for guidance over on our Community Site forums - http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php
Kind regards,
Bob Pullen
Digital Care
http://{visp_url}
This email has been sent as it contains important information about your service from {visp_name}. Please do not reply to this email, as it has been sent from an unmonitored address.
Plusnet Plc.
Registered Office: Internet House, 2 Tenter Street, Sheffield, S1 4BY
Registered in England no: 3279013

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

bobpullen — Tue, 04 May 2010 12:58:22 GMT

Heads up that we'll be switching off recursion on the 19th May. I'll publish the following planned maintenance post nearer the time.
[quote author="Service Status"]Planned DNS Server Maintenance - Wednesday 19th May 5.00am-7.00am
When's this work happening?
Early Wednesday morning, 19th May.
What does it affect?
Our authoritative DNS servers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System#Authoritative_name_server
How long will it take?
About twenty minutes.
What does the work involve?
We are disabling 'recursive lookups' on our authoritative DNS servers.
Am I likely to notice this work?
That depends. The vast majority of customers are already using the correct servers for DNS lookups and these customers won't notice anything. Those that aren't we have already emailed to ask that they change their local settings. For more infromation about this, please see the forum post here - http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,84881.html
Is there anything else I need to know?
No.
Kind Regards,
Bob Pullen
Customer Support
Edit: edited to include copy of the proposed Planned Maintenance announcement.

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

Oldjim — Tue, 04 May 2010 13:00:39 GMT

Topic unlocked if you wish to reply

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

bobpullen — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:25:51 GMT

Quote from: Bob
I'll publish the following planned maintenance post nearer the time.

Now posted.

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

may88 — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:48:19 GMT

Yes I was caught out by this. Took me a while to work through the problem. Wireless working. Logged on the Router. Tried www.bbc.co.uk. lookup. ping that okay. firefox BBC and only text. firefox PlusNet - 100% okay. Found this posting. Sorted DNS setting.
PlusNet are good at informing their customers. I vaguely remember something about this. But a month is a long time.
A follow up email would have been good, but I guess I am in the minority of users and it's a balance of information against information overload.
<mode fanboy>You're going a great job and over the years I'm very happy with the quality and consistency of service.</mode>

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

holepn — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:30:30 GMT

Note - my Member Centre information includes the following:-
Primary DNS Server 212.159.13.49
Secondary DNS Server 212.159.13.50
Optional tertiary DNS server 212.159.6.9
I do not know if this is applicable to many users - but does explain one problem I have had
regards
-philip

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

bobpullen — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:10:39 GMT

Philip, what problem does it help explain?
All three of those server addresses are valid and will respond to lookup requests.

Re: Important information about our DNS server addresses

jelv — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 09:33:47 GMT

From Bob's first post in this topic:

Quote
These are the servers that most customers will be using for DNS resolution.
212.159.6.9
212.159.6.10
212.159.13.49
212.159.13.50
There are however a small number of you who are using our 'authoritative DNS servers' for the same purpose.
195.166.128.16
195.166.128.17
212.159.11.129
212.159.11.150
212.159.11.151
212.159.11.155
212.159.13.129
212.159.13.150
212.159.13.151
212.159.13.155

The first four servers are the ones we should be using.
The last 10 are the ones that shouldn't be used and will now only answer for Plusnet domains.