I think I just broke the internet
Sep 22 2007 20:25
For some reason, the only sites I can access right now are urban75 and libcom. MSN messenger, lastFM plugin and BitComet all seem to be working fine too.
This seems to happen to me every so often, anybody know what might have caused it?
Sep 22 2007 22:26
#2
Actually, there's this on the internet as well: -
Sep 22 2007 23:52
#3
Everything's started working again for no apparent reason. So now I can piss my time away on youtube and check my e-mails to my heart's content, w00t.
Sep 22 2007 23:56
#4
happens to me too, dont know what its about. nothing i do seems to make it better. all i can do is reboot.
i think it might be utorrent related?
Sep 23 2007 00:02
#5
It seems to happen sometimes even when I'm not running BitComet, so I don't think that's my problem.
Sep 23 2007 00:09
#6
its the only thing i can think of, sorry. its been going on on my pc for months now, my browser will just suddenly stop working, except for forums. but my torrents and messenger carry on fine. it makes no sense 
Sep 23 2007 01:00
#7
mine does this too. usually after I've left it on for too long which usually means I'm downloading stuff.
Sep 23 2007 09:49
#8
happens to me as well sometimes. I usually just restart my router and the problem is fixed.
Sep 23 2007 10:56
#9
Sounds like it's a DNS issue, means your router or whatever is just going through the cache, i.e., sites you've been to recently, and either isn't forwarding requests or isn't getting responses to requests for other websites from proper DNS servers.
Sep 23 2007 11:04
#10
treeofjudas wrote:
Sounds like it's a DNS issue, means your router or whatever is just going through the cache, i.e., sites you've been to recently, and either isn't forwarding requests or isn't getting responses to requests for other websites from proper DNS servers.
But if I was just seeing the cache, surely I wouldn't be able to post threads or read new posts?
Sep 23 2007 11:19
#11
the button wrote:
Actually, there's this on the internet as well: -
I thought the whole rick roll thing was bad. ugh I feel ill.
Sep 23 2007 11:25
#12
madashell wrote:
treeofjudas wrote:
Sounds like it's a DNS issue, means your router or whatever is just going through the cache, i.e., sites you've been to recently, and either isn't forwarding requests or isn't getting responses to requests for other websites from proper DNS servers.But if I was just seeing the cache, surely I wouldn't be able to post threads or read new posts?
No, it's connecting to the website itself, but that's because the DNS cache already has the translation of libcom.org into whatever IP address inside, so it doesn't have to ask a proper DNS server about it. On the other hand, it doesn't have new websites in there (or ones you don't use that often, or however it decides to go about it), so you can't connect to them.
Sep 25 2007 00:55
#13
treeofjudas wrote:
madashell wrote:
treeofjudas wrote:
Sounds like it's a DNS issue, means your router or whatever is just going through the cache, i.e., sites you've been to recently, and either isn't forwarding requests or isn't getting responses to requests for other websites from proper DNS servers.But if I was just seeing the cache, surely I wouldn't be able to post threads or read new posts?
No, it's connecting to the website itself, but that's because the DNS cache already has the translation of libcom.org into whatever IP address inside, so it doesn't have to ask a proper DNS server about it. On the other hand, it doesn't have new websites in there (or ones you don't use that often, or however it decides to go about it), so you can't connect to them.
so why would the DNS stop working for no apparent reason?
Sep 25 2007 11:19
#14
You can break the internet if you type "google" into Google.
Sep 25 2007 12:40
#15
jef costello wrote:
so why would the DNS stop working for no apparent reason?
You probably only have one or two DNS servers listed in your in your networking information. If anything happens to those servers, then they won't answer your request to give you the IP address that corresponds to a certain domain name. The DNS servers listed in your networking information are listed by their IP addresses.
The odds that any two servers on the internet are going to be unaccessible at anytime, is that it's going to happen from time to time. Maybe the DNS server is overloaded with requests. Maybe there is some network obstruction between your computer and the DNS server. You can try doing a traceroute or ping to find out how long it takes your DNS request to make it from your computer to the DNS server, and where the slowness in the networking might be; if you can even reach it all. Why would you do that? Because there isn't a whole lot else you can do unless you have your own private list of IP addresses that go to your favorite sites, or a list of alternative DNS servers you can use (a good idea to have a list like that).
Or, you can wait a few minutes to hope it comes back or then call your ISP about the problem. The first thing after making you check your network connection and power cycling your modem is get you to do a ping and trace route first on your network gateway and then your DNS server.
Sep 25 2007 12:54
#16
Thanks Flint.
I did a traceroute here and it gave me a list of IP addresses, what does this mean?
Are they my DNS servers?
Should I write them down in case there is a problem?
I think it's a software problem at my end.
can I do a ping or a traeroute when my computer is refusing to access the internet?
Sep 25 2007 16:00
#17
You have to do a tracerotue from your desktop computer to the DNS server; don't use a third party website.
If there is a real problem, trace route will hang trying to connect to a server along the transmission change with a "* * *". Then you know that's where the problem is.
It's probably NOT a software problem at your end, from what you described.
And you said your computer wasn't refusing to access the internet, rather that only certain websites weren't accessible via domain name, while those whose domain name were cache locally you could reach.
What operating system are you using? If it's Windows you can use
Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt
ipconfig -all
That will list all your networking information, including your DNS server
then
Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt
tracert ipaddressofyourdnsserver
(example "tracert 166.66.66.66")
Can you http://72.249.20.237
Can you tracert 72.249.20.237
Sep 25 2007 16:50
#18
the link you put I got a big 'It works' from.
I think my DNs is automatically assigned.My IP is fixed (I think)
Ok I just used the traceroute thing and that seemd to work.
I use windows XP home edition SP2 (I've got a gigabyte of shitty updates so far)
I've tried that ipconfig thing and got nowhere, it tells me it can't find it. I don't know how to use command prompt, I can never get to the prompt I want, it always puts me automatically in my documents.
I use a belkin infra red USB key to connect to a wifi network (France Telecom Livebox). To make that work I had to use wireless zero configuration for the setup but now I don't always need to. Sometimes if it won't connect at all then if I start WZC then it connects.
Sep 25 2007 17:25
#19
Someone else will have to help you with wireless.
Sep 25 2007 21:37
#20
ok it's doing it now, I can get onto libcom but not other sites.
Is there a way to make my computer remember DNS things for certain sites? I've spent lots of time on lots of sites but they don't seem to be working.
I just don't understand why it stops bloody working.
Sep 26 2007 09:32
#21
if you go
start >> run
type cmd
then
ping google.com
copy the ip address into your browser.
That's worked for me in similar situations.
Sep 26 2007 15:59
#22
jef costello wrote:
Is there a way to make my computer remember DNS things for certain sites? I've spent lots of time on lots of sites but they don't seem to be working.
Yes, there is.
Quote:
on unix(es) this can generally be done by adding an entry in your /etc/hosts file and making sure that the host file is queried before DNS (/etc/nsswitch.conf on solaris&linux&freebsd5.x, /etc/host.conf on freebsd 4.x). keep in mind that mac os x is also unix.on windows an entry can also be added to the host file. on xp it is located in WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
If you open that Windows system file with a text editor, you'll find instructions for how to add the IP addresses.
Sep 26 2007 16:13
#23
That's a good idea. Just remember if they stop working, the site might have moved server to a different ip address and your text file won't update by itself. Otherwise you'll be fine.
Sep 26 2007 16:16
#24
Quote:
if you gostart >> run
type cmd
then
ping google.com
copy the ip address into your browser.
That's worked for me in similar situations.
ok I tried that when the comp was working, if the comp isn't working and I do this then it will let me acces the site I've pinged but only that one right?
Felix Frost wrote:
Yes, there is.
Quote:
on unix(es) this can generally be done by adding an entry in your /etc/hosts file and making sure that the host file is queried before DNS (/etc/nsswitch.conf on solaris&linux&freebsd5.x, /etc/host.conf on freebsd 4.x). keep in mind that mac os x is also unix.on windows an entry can also be added to the host file. on xp it is located in WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
If you open that Windows system file with a text editor, you'll find instructions for how to add the IP addresses.
so do I add the IP addresses I get by pingingto that file or to somewhere else?
Sep 26 2007 16:23
#25
I got to other sites via google, it was a weird network setup where I did this though so dunno if it'd be any good for you.
ip addresses - yeah to that file, but you need to add them along with the domain names, and in the right format.
Sep 27 2007 20:54
#26
ok I have libcom
"ping request could not find host www.google.com please check the name and try again."
Sep 27 2007 20:58
#27
ok the ip config thing worked.
Connection specific DNS suffix (this is blank)
IP address 192.168.1.11
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Default gateway 192.168.1.1
ok so the gateway is the address of my router
the IP address is the address the router assigns to my comp.
what can I do now?
Sep 27 2007 21:03
#28
ok seeing as how I'm not a total idiot I just pinged libcom and got an address back.
I hit that and I got a screen with It Works! in big friendly letters.
That's libcom server right?
ok I just pinged google with no success and I tried to reuse the window woth the it works and it got nowhere.
what do I do?
Sep 27 2007 21:05
#29
xConorx wrote:
You can break the internet if you type "google" into Google.
didn' t work 
Sep 27 2007 21:10
#30
Ok so flint's thing doesn't work because I don't hav a DNS server listed.
When I did the traceroute before should I have noted down the DNS servers?
I'm trying to traceroute libcom now.
You mean there' s more on the internet?