DNS problems started 04/02/2016

[#1]

Hi there anyone else having DNS problems today..  Started yesterday ..
I have a BT homehub 5 connected to fibre unlimited .  The hub is showing Plusnets alternate servers
212.159.6.9 and 212.159.6.10
I get strange results pinging both of these servers
ping 212.159.6.9 /t
Pinging 212.159.6.9 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=26ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=180ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=68ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=293ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=193ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1118ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=351ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=225ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=755ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=743ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=637ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=780ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=125ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=248ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=789ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=128ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=158ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=935ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=278ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=668ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=289ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=204ms TTL=60
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=3493ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=766ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=2303ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=2042ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1048ms TTL=60
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.1.64: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=574ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=376ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=258ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=254ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=283ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=778ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=225ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=181ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=632ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=166ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=187ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=190ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=48ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=51ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=13ms TTL=60

[#2]

Quote from: popeyeuk

Reply from 192.168.1.64: Destination host unreachable.

Are you sure this isn't an issue on your internal network? I'm guessing 192.168.1.64 is the device you were pinging from, in which case that packet didn't even leave the device. So it may be that the packet loss is internal.
What happens if you do a continuous ping to your router's LAN IP ?

[#3]

Hi Dannyboy ..  I assumed that the error "Reply from 192.168.1.64: Destination host unreachable"  was ping on my
laptop saying the host 212.159.6.9 could not be reached...?
Anyway I'm just now pinging the router 192.168.1.254 and It's all fine... 

[#4]

Problem seemed fixed but everythings gone slow again..

Pinging 212.159.6.9 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=469ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=740ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=179ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=22ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=394ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=195ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=14ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=557ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=608ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1102ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1635ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=659ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1192ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1141ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1512ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=410ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=29ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=335ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=327ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=246ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=389ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=101ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=491ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=1023ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=222ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=356ms TTL=60
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=524ms TTL=60

[#5]

The ping response times will not be the result of DNS issues. A slow DNS server could possibly delay the sending of the first ping but since ping measures the delay between send and receive that still wouldn't register.
More likely your router is just too busy doing more important things. Residential routers don't have an excess of CPU power so it doesn't take much else going on before ping responses start to suffer.

[#6]

popeyeuk is pinging the IP address of Plusnet's DNS servers, to try and see if it's a problem with the DNS servers. I suppose popeyeuk could try pinging other addresses and seeing if they have the same ping times.
I have a vague feeling something might be a bit off with Plusnet's DNS server performance recently, or it could be the gateway I'm currently on, ptn-ag04, I think someone from Plusnet recently said there was some trouble with ptn-ag04.
Anyway, I looked back and collected the number of DNS queries that had to be sent to 212.159.6.10 because my computer didn't get an answer from 212.159.6.9 (which could have been due to many different reasons):
[tt]Sat 23/01/2016    21
Sun 24/01/2016    15
Mon 25/01/2016    24
Tue 26/01/2016    39
Wed 27/01/2016    39
Thu 28/01/2016    29
Fri 29/01/2016    38
Sat 30/01/2016    51
Sun 31/01/2016    18
Mon 01/02/2016    24
Tue 02/02/2016  119
Wed 03/02/2016    24
Thu 04/02/2016    68
Fri 05/02/2016    41
Sat 06/02/2016  107
Sun 07/02/2016  104[/tt]
It seems like I'm getting more DNS re-tries since I ended up on ptn-ag04 which happened at about 13:30 on 06 Feb.
popeyeuk: you could check which gateway you are on, and perhaps disconnect and reconnect your Internet connection to get on a different one.

[#7]

Strange issue this one and random..   Everything has been fine for last two years until the last three days.
All hardware is the same..
I am connected to Gatweway pcl-bng01
Pinging Googles DNS resulted in the following haha
Pinging 8.8.8.8 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=661ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=673ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=682ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=2623ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=263ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=654ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=796ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=688ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=2989ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=865ms TTL=55
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=250ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=274ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=427ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=272ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=400ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=792ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=547ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=540ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=285ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=239ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=447ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=419ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=671ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=195ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=450ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=321ms TTL=55
Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=261ms TTL=55
Edit :-  Rebooted router and now connected to  pcl-bng02

[#8]

UPDATE
Changing from Gatweway pcl-bng01
to Gateway pcl-bng02
All working fine at the moment  Cheers EJS

[#9]

Pinging our DNS servers won't give a realistic ping response, simply because those devices aren't set up to prioritise pings. They are there to resolve DNS queries rather than respond to ping requests, so the response time may well be higher.

[#10]

Hi Chris I see what mean but... I have been connected to Plusnet for a long time and you can tell when things are off in
some way..  since the router changed gateways all is fixed and when I ping the server all is bang on with no dropouts..
15 to 17 ms at all times and this is normal ..  I can now browse all websites without any problems..  Yesterday when things were bad I had
ping running and right at the time of high response times or dropouts the browser timed out or went very slow mmmm....

Pinging 212.159.6.9 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=19ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=20ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=18ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=17ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=15ms TTL=58
Reply from 212.159.6.9: bytes=32 time=16ms TTL=58
mav:quote

[#11]

Well after a couple of weeks of all working great this problem as detailed above  has appeared again

[#12]

Have you tried a different gateway?
eg
Use this tool to check which gateway you're on http://usertools.plus.net/@gateway/
Disconnect the ppp session, wait 30+ seconds then reconnect the ppp.
Recheck to ensure you're on a different gateway.