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Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

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davidmhewitt
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Registered: ‎20-01-2020

Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Hi All,

 

Just had my Plusnet Fibre activated today. Fairly happy with the activation process and the speed so far. A little slower than BT that I switched from, but I know I'll need to wait for DLM to work its magic.

 

However, I'm having an issue wherein images and videos won't load on facebook or Instagram on any devices (Laptops, Phones, WiFi or Wired) connected via the new Plusnet connection. This appears to be an issue with reaching a lot of facebook CDN domains (e.g. "scontent-scl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net" amongst others.) It's not a DNS issue as I can resolve that domain to an IP.

 

If I drop off the Plusnet connection or use a VPN, I can reach this domain fine and facebook and Instagram work as normal. Other web based tools are reporting that domain as being up and reachable. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what the issue could be, or is anyone experiencing a similar issue?

20 REPLIES 20
Gandalf
Community Gaffer
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Welcome aboard @davidmhewitt 

I'm sorry to see you're having issues loading Facebook and Instagram. Assuming you're not experiencing any other issues with your connection, could you provide the information from Here so we can investigate further?

From 31st October 2022, I no longer have a regular presence here as I’ve moved on to a new role.
Anoush Mortazavi
Plusnet
davidmhewitt
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Registered: ‎20-01-2020

Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Thanks @Gandalf , I can confirm that the service is OK other than issues with certain parts of Facebook and Instagram.

 


  • What device (manufacturer, model and OS version) you are using

This issue is persistent across all manner of devices. I've tested a Google Pixel 2 (Android 10), a Dell XPS 13 (Running Ubuntu 18.04) and an iPhone 8 (running iOS 13). So a fair selection to say it's a network issue rather than a device issue.

 


When you experience the issue what is your IP address

Current IP is 209.93.151.220 and can confirm the issue still exists

 


Which router (model + software version) you are using. Visit 192.168.l.254 and log into your router to get this information

Currently testing on a Plusnet Hub One | Software version 4.7.5.1.83.8.263 However, the issue is reproducible with a BT HH6 also

 


If you're able to replicate the issue, would you be happy for us to contact you and run tests on your line whilst you the problem

Yes, since the service was active, this has been reproducible. Happy to be contacted about it.

 

For further information, here's a traceroute to one of the domains I'm having an issue with:

 

traceroute to scontent-scl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net (179.60.193.20), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.254)  1.717 ms  16.470 ms  16.510 ms
 2  * * *
 3  * * *
 4  128.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk (195.166.143.128)  28.728 ms 132.hiper04.sheff.dial.plus.net.uk (195.166.143.132)  29.646 ms  30.496 ms
 5  core1-BE1.colindale.ukcore.bt.net (195.99.125.132)  31.797 ms 195.99.125.140 (195.99.125.140)  32.002 ms  32.230 ms
 6  194.72.16.60 (194.72.16.60)  32.299 ms peer7-et-3-0-4.telehouse.ukcore.bt.net (109.159.252.160)  17.753 ms 194.72.16.78 (194.72.16.78)  23.577 ms
 7  109.159.253.215 (109.159.253.215)  29.627 ms 109.159.253.163 (109.159.253.163)  29.367 ms 109.159.253.215 (109.159.253.215)  29.517 ms
 8  * * *
 9  ae121.ar01.lhr6.tfbnw.net (157.240.40.68)  30.391 ms ae121.ar01.lhr3.tfbnw.net (129.134.44.166)  29.702 ms ae124.ar01.lhr6.tfbnw.net (129.134.34.224)  24.267 ms
10  ae6.bb02.lhr8.tfbnw.net (129.134.43.184)  24.330 ms  24.529 ms  24.483 ms
11  ae26.bb02.dub1.tfbnw.net (129.134.47.102)  30.651 ms ae14.bb02.bos2.tfbnw.net (31.13.24.156)  92.661 ms ae4.bb01.bos2.tfbnw.net (157.240.32.192)  90.499 ms
12  ae15.bb02.lga1.tfbnw.net (157.240.42.179)  93.339 ms  93.213 ms  93.108 ms
13  ae41.bb04.dca1.tfbnw.net (204.15.23.208)  105.342 ms ae45.bb03.dca1.tfbnw.net (74.119.78.216)  93.574 ms ae10.bb01.dca1.tfbnw.net (157.240.53.212)  100.670 ms
14  ae26.bb03.clt3.tfbnw.net (157.240.42.54)  117.764 ms ae25.bb01.clt3.tfbnw.net (129.134.37.70)  115.492 ms ae26.bb03.clt3.tfbnw.net (157.240.42.54)  121.081 ms
15  * * *
16  * * *
17  * * *
18  * * *
19  * * *

It times out after this point.

 

Kelly
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Are you having issues using those sites via a browser, or via the Apps?  (Or both?)

Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
davidmhewitt
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

This issue exists with both the apps and the website on all devices.
davidmhewitt
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

I should add that I've cleared the cache in affected browsers and tried re-installing the app on a phone. This has had no effect on the issue.

 

The majority of the functions within facebook and Instagram work fine. For example, I can sign out and and in again and new posts can be loaded and I can read any text associated with them. Just any images or videos that would ordinarily be fetched from facebook CDN domains never load and eventually time out.

 

As I said in an earlier post, it doesn't seem to be a DNS issue as I can resolve the IP address of these CDN domains when connected via the plusnet connection (using either plusnet DNS or another provider, e.g. cloudflare). My devices just can't make a connection to these domains, almost as if there's a routing issue somewhere between my router and wherever these facebook CDNs are peered.

 

Also proven that this isn't an issue with my router by trying a BT HH6 that I've configured myself as well as the Plusnet provided router as configured out of the box. The problem is exactly the same with both.

Kelly
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

hang on, are you saying the images never load?  or is it intermittent and only fails sometimes?

Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
davidmhewitt
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Yes, I've never once had images/videos load since switching to plusnet. It's consistently broken.
Kelly
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Hi, I've applied a static IP to your account.  This is just to change a bit of how your traffic routes through the network.  I want to see if it changes the behaviour.  Can you restart your router and see if it still happens?   We've not come across this before.

Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
davidmhewitt
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Thanks Kelly, I can confirm that's fixed it. I can gather another traceroute shortly if that helps?
Kelly
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Yeah, please do!

Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
davidmhewitt
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

The traceroute below shows how the particular facebook domain I was having issues with is now reachable:

traceroute to scontent-scl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net (179.60.193.20), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
 1  _gateway (192.168.1.254)  4.773 ms  4.514 ms  4.495 ms
 2  84.93.253.88 (84.93.253.88)  21.009 ms  21.989 ms  21.974 ms
 3  84.93.253.95 (84.93.253.95)  23.058 ms  23.530 ms  23.521 ms
 4  195.99.125.136 (195.99.125.136)  21.922 ms  21.902 ms 195.99.125.144 (195.99.125.144)  22.985 ms
 5  62.172.103.232 (62.172.103.232)  23.461 ms peer2-et-3-0-4.slough.ukcore.bt.net (109.159.252.122)  23.962 ms peer3-et-0-0-1.redbus.ukcore.bt.net (62.172.103.238)  23.432 ms
 6  ae20.pr04.lhr3.tfbnw.net (157.240.64.6)  44.781 ms 109.159.253.217 (109.159.253.217)  30.136 ms ae20.pr04.lhr3.tfbnw.net (157.240.64.6)  49.985 ms
 7  * * *
 8  ae122.ar01.lhr6.tfbnw.net (157.240.42.150)  20.176 ms ae111.ar01.lhr3.tfbnw.net (129.134.44.164)  20.163 ms ae111.ar02.lhr3.tfbnw.net (129.134.44.168)  22.160 ms
 9  ae6.bb01.lhr8.tfbnw.net (129.134.41.30)  21.264 ms ae7.bb01.lhr8.tfbnw.net (129.134.43.186)  22.135 ms  22.123 ms
10  ae26.bb02.dub1.tfbnw.net (129.134.47.102)  30.543 ms ae13.bb02.bos2.tfbnw.net (31.13.28.218)  88.953 ms ae13.bb01.bos2.tfbnw.net (31.13.27.58)  85.793 ms
11  ae25.bb02.lga1.tfbnw.net (173.252.65.225)  97.965 ms ae13.bb01.lga1.tfbnw.net (157.240.42.175)  96.968 ms ae15.bb02.lga1.tfbnw.net (157.240.42.179)  87.381 ms
12  ae29.bb01.dca1.tfbnw.net (74.119.78.214)  93.527 ms ae19.bb03.dca1.tfbnw.net (157.240.53.208)  96.494 ms ae10.bb01.dca1.tfbnw.net (157.240.53.212)  96.455 ms
13  ae25.bb04.clt3.tfbnw.net (31.13.29.184)  111.400 ms ae22.bb01.clt3.tfbnw.net (129.134.37.66)  112.433 ms ae25.bb01.clt3.tfbnw.net (129.134.37.70)  114.519 ms
14  ae0.ar01.scl1.tfbnw.net (31.13.28.233)  222.931 ms ae26.ar02.scl1.tfbnw.net (31.13.27.73)  220.848 ms  223.960 ms
15  ae120.pr02.scl1.tfbnw.net (74.119.76.231)  215.232 ms ae120.pr04.scl1.tfbnw.net (74.119.77.249)  237.445 ms ae120.pr02.scl1.tfbnw.net (74.119.76.231)  216.265 ms
16  po101.psw04.scl1.tfbnw.net (204.15.21.199)  213.898 ms po102.psw01.scl1.tfbnw.net (74.119.79.207)  215.015 ms po101.psw02.scl1.tfbnw.net (204.15.20.191)  218.273 ms
17  173.252.67.159 (173.252.67.159)  220.323 ms 173.252.67.11 (173.252.67.11)  221.531 ms 173.252.67.161 (173.252.67.161)  221.919 ms
18  xx-fbcdn-shv-01-scl1.fbcdn.net (179.60.193.20)  213.030 ms  213.192 ms  215.070 ms

 

How do we proceed now? I assume having a static IP assigned to my account is a temporary measure? Is this enough information for a fault to be raised internally to look at what was wrong with my original route, or do you require anything further from me?

 

Thank you for the quick and informed responses so far, however. Yourself and @Gandalf have been very helpful.

BobRock
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Hi, not trying to jump on your thread or anything, but can confirm that I have also experienced the same issues with FB intermittently not loading content on all devices since my line went live 15 days ago, so you're not alone.

Kelly
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Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Bobrock: sounds like your issue is different if it is intermittent?
Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager
Kelly
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Posts: 5,497
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Registered: ‎04-04-2007

Re: Facebook and Instagram CDN Reachability Issues

Thanks for that.  We've raise a ticket internally to see if we can work out why this would be happening.  We'll keep you on the static for the minute, but might ask to remove it for some testing at some point.  We'll be in touch!

Kelly Dorset
Ex-Broadband Service Manager