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DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

GrahamC
Grafter
Posts: 257
Registered: ‎19-07-2009

DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Some follow-up investigations regarding the dns issues I have been having....
While on the PC this morning, I decided to run Windows Update, usual stuff, waiting for some indication from the MS servers when I noticed the Taskbar Network notification was intermittantly showing a yellow triangle against the connection. As I've experienced this previously over many months I was expecting a complete network dropout, but no.... after my recent firmware update the connection remained stable.
Next stop was the event logs, this showed the following...
The generic error is Event ID: 1014 - Name resolution for the name X timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.
In this case the following were listed as X:
download.windowsupdate.com
download.microsoft.com
teredo.ipv6.microsoft.com
weather.service.msn.com
All standard MS tasks within Windows 7 at least.
Running ipconfig /all showed no discrepancies, all network address's were correct.
A couple of standard pings gave....
C:\Windows\system32>ping download.microsoft.com
Ping request could not find host download.microsoft.com. Please check the name and try again.
C:\Windows\system32>ping bbc.co.uk
Ping request could not find host bbc.co.uk. Please check the name and try again.
Here the nslookup's for the PN and Google DNS servers:
The router is autoconfigured on connection with the following:
Primary  DNS address 212.159.6.9
secondary DNS address 212.159.6.10

C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk
Server:  mygateway1.AR7WRD
Address:  192.168.1.1
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 mygateway1.AR7WRD timed-out
C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk 212.159.6.9
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  212.159.6.9
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 UnKnown timed-out
C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk 212.159.6.10
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  212.159.6.10
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 UnKnown timed-out
C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk 212.159.13.49
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  212.159.13.49
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 UnKnown timed-out
C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk 212.159.13.50
DNS request timed out.
    timeout was 2 seconds.
Server:  UnKnown
Address:  212.159.13.50
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 UnKnown timed-out
C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk 8.8.8.8
Server:  google-public-dns-a.google.com
Address:  8.8.8.8
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    bbc.co.uk
Address:  212.58.241.131
C:\Windows\system32>nslookup bbc.co.uk 8.8.4.4
Server:  google-public-dns-b.google.com
Address:  8.8.4.4
Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    bbc.co.uk
Address:  212.58.241.131
As you can see, the PN DNS servers hit the timeouts, but the Google servers were able to respond.
Using IE9, and no configuration changes, I cannot access the internet as the DNS is still failing to play ball. After assigning the PN DNS servers in Windows 7 (LAN Config) I still have no Internet access, however assigning the Google DNS servers (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) I do have Internet access and am able to navigate around the web as normal. 
Prior to my latest firmware update, my connection always dropped totally at the first sign of this DNS problem, usually by locking up the router, so I was never in a position to try any diag or get any further info except for the Windows logs. As a consequence I have been stuck at a 5.5Mb profile with interleaving for months on a line perfectly capable of synching at 8128. Wether this new firmware allows me to acieve that I've yet to see.
But at least I know where the problem lies, and hope I can get a response from PN about this issue.
Cheers
Graham
-------------------------------------------------------
I originally thought this problem might have been releated to Windows 7, the original thread is here.....
http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,100941.0.html
12 REPLIES 12
Chris
Legend
Posts: 17,724
Thanks: 600
Fixes: 169
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

This morning probably wasn't the best time to test this as we had some maintenance that may have impacted DNS resolution: http://usertools.plus.net/status/archive/1333375806.htm
I'd suggest trying this later in the day/evening or tomorrow and see if the same issues are being seen.
Former Plusnet Staff member. Posts after 31st Jan 2020 are not on behalf of Plusnet.
GrahamC
Grafter
Posts: 257
Registered: ‎19-07-2009

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

The period all tests were done was between 0745 and 0815 this morning, outside the maintenance window. Connection has been up for over 22 hours, so the profile shouldn't have been a problem.
Just re-checked now, and for my particular connection the PN DNS servers are still not responding, although the net connection is up and wotking happily with Google DNS.
Gateway is pcl-ag05.
Does this require yet another reboot?
sotar
Grafter
Posts: 38
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

I too am having problems with the DNS servers (212.159.1.9 & 212.159.1.10): they were working this morning (approx 8 a.m.) when the wife VPNed into her company network but not now.
The only reason I can type this that I wrote down some old PlusNet DNS server IPs when moving over to a new modem/router the other week and have temporarily set them up manually - but these don't give me access to the Interwebs in general just PlusNet.
Does PlusNet still have a problem with these servers?
If NOT then how do I resolve my connection problems?
If SO then does anyone have the IPs for other DNS servers I can use temporarily (even Google's)?
Regards
Ian.
GrahamC
Grafter
Posts: 257
Registered: ‎19-07-2009

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Hi Ian,
Google's DNS IP's are in the OP ( 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4)
cheers
Graham
sotar
Grafter
Posts: 38
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Thanks Graham, works just fine.
Kind Regards
Ian.
GrahamC
Grafter
Posts: 257
Registered: ‎19-07-2009

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Good to hear Ian  Smiley
I have just (1015) reset the DNS to PN's IP and all seems to function correctly now.
Just to reiterate, I've had no actual network drop during this period, and have not disconnected/connected since yesterday at approx: 0945. Last router reboot was on Sunday at 1739.
cheers
Graham
sotar
Grafter
Posts: 38
Registered: ‎31-07-2007

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Just changed router settings to automatically pick up DNS servers and can confirm the PlusNet DNS servers do seem to be working again.
However all that mucking about seems to have affected my download speed. Having recently been moved to ADSL2+ my modem had just - yesterday - reached a new download speed of 12.5Mbps (using speedtest.net) but has now reverted to 6.5Mbps. Hopefully it will sort itself out again soon.
Regards
Ian.
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

HI guys,
We were aware of an issue after the maintenance affecting our DNS. This was resolved just after 9 this morning, so it looks like the results you were getting were consistent with that.
Jojo Smiley
GrahamC
Grafter
Posts: 257
Registered: ‎19-07-2009

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Thanks for the additional info, Jojo.
I've just noticed my synch speed has dropped again to 6720 kbit/s (was 6880), the logs state
Apr  2 10:54:55 | remote IP address 195.166.130.99
Apr  2 10:54:55 | primary  DNS address 212.159.6.9
Apr  2 10:54:55 | secondary DNS address 212.159.6.10
Apr  2 10:54:55 | PPPoA Connection Successfully Established
Apr  2 10:54:55 | PPPoA Connect with Gateway IP Address: 195.166.130.99
Apr  3 11:01:45 | DSL Carrier is down
Apr  3 11:01:55 | DSL Carrier is up
Apr  3 11:01:56 | sar read trained mode (1)(ADSL_G.dmt)
Apr  3 11:01:57 | PPPD Terminated Through Signal
Apr  3 11:01:57 | Connection terminated.
Apr  3 11:01:57 | pppd 2.4.4 started by root, uid 0
Apr  3 11:01:57 | Connect: ppp0 {--}
Apr  3 11:02:01 | CHAP authentication succeeded
Apr  3 11:02:01 | PPPD Successfully Started
Apr  3 11:02:01 | local  IP address xx,xx,xx,xx
Apr  3 11:02:01 | remote IP address 195.166.130.75
Apr  3 11:02:01 | primary  DNS address 212.159.6.10
Apr  3 11:02:01 | secondary DNS address 212.159.6.9
Apr  3 11:02:01 | PPPoA Connect with IP Address  xx,xx,xx,xx
Apr  3 11:02:01 | PPPoA Connection Successfully Established
Apr  3 11:02:01 | PPPoA Connect with Gateway IP Address: 195.166.130.75
195.166.130.99 is pcl-ag05
195.166.130.75 is ptn-ag01
Is this caused by PN rebalancing the network after last night's maintenance?
cheers
Graham
nozzer
Hero
Posts: 3,298
Thanks: 676
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎04-08-2009

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

Quote from: Joanne
HI guys,
We were aware of an issue after the maintenance affecting our DNS. This was resolved just after 9 this morning, so it looks like the results you were getting were consistent with that.
Jojo Smiley

Just out of interest Jojo, I was having exactly the same problem from around 8am until I changed gateways, and I'm using OpenDNS. Would the maintenance issues also have affected browsing? There were numerous timeouts and not availables.
jojopillo
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 9,786
Registered: ‎16-06-2010

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

@GrahamC, no, it's likely to have been a resync and maybe a 0.5dB rise on SNR or something. Small fluctuations like that are quite common.
@nozzer, It would have meant that sites you were attempting to connect to would not resolve.
Jojo Smiley
Simon_M
Grafter
Posts: 685
Registered: ‎05-04-2007

Re: DNS Issues - Network disconnects...

I've had much the same experience as GrahamC. Win 7 suddenly cannot resolve anything. Usually (but strangely, not always), a Win XP machine on the same subnet can still resolve addresses.
Most times, dropping PPP the connection & then re-connecting restores everything to working order. Note that this is not a re-boot - of anything. My router has been up for 900 hrs since I last rebooted it after changing some setting that required a reboot to implement. Before that it had been up for around 3000 hrs.
Sometimes the Win 7 PC will also require a restart to recover.
This router, a DrayTek Vigor 2830Vn is about six months old. I don't think I set the DNS servers when I got it & I think the router picked up the Plusnet ones automatically. If it didn't then I must have put them it, because that's what it was listing when this problem first started to appear.
Some weeks ago I swapped it over to use Google's DNS servers (that's possibly what triggered that last re-boot). Since then the Win 7 PC looses it's ability to resolve addresses about once a week rather than once a day, or more, as it was doing before.
So I suspect that the Plusnet DNS servers are implicated in this problem, but are probably not directly to blame for it.
I don't think it's relevant, but for info, line stats are:
ADSL Status
Mode                  State          Up Speed   Down Speed   SNR Margin  Loop Att.
ADSL2+(G.992.5) SHOWTIME 1187918         22968491       3                   11