Unable to access websites

[Ian Clyde]

Hi,

This is a real shot-in the dark but thought it worth a try. On Sunday I suddenly found I was unable to access either of my two websites (one is non-actinic). The internet is working fine with no issues accessing any other sites.

I thought the website was down but when I spoke to my hosting company (NetNation, in Canada) they said everything is working fine. I then spoke to my broadband provider at their helpdesk based in Belfast (UK online) and equally they can access both sites and I can access my sites from Heathrow Airport (but different PC).

So it appears I simply can't access them from my base on my PC using UK online. I have tried the 'tracert' DOS command and it simply says 'unable to resolve target'. My Firewall on the PC is switched off.

UK online seem at a loss to know what is wrong. I'm mostly technically useless so just wondered if any of you whizzes out there had any bright ideas?

Thanks....!

Ian.

[Duncan Rounding]

Send the tracert results to your ISP - they may be able to see where the blockage is then.

[Ian Clyde]

Hi Duncan,

I have done that (about 1/2 hour ago), however the trace simply returns 'Unable to resolve target', it doesn't even do one 'hop' so it doesn't give much away(!) ????

[Duncan Rounding]

Not one hop - Stange. How about if you try a different address such as actinic.co.uk or microsoft.com?

First hop should be your gateway or router. If it doesn't get that far then it may be your pc?

[gabrielcrowe]

this sounds like a dns issue.

try switching to opendns.

[Ian Clyde]

Duncan,

Yup, microsoft.com works fine using tracert?

Gabriel,

Errrrr...ok, remember I'm a thicko here please, how/what is opendns?

Thanks to both of you...

Ian.

[leehack]

Google is your friend when you hear new terms - http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourc...D:en&q=opendns

[Duncan Rounding]

I have used open dns when I had problems with NTLWorld.
As gabe says try it:
https://www.opendns.com/start

[Ian Clyde]

Thanks to both of you.

However 2 problems here:

1. I'm a complete coward when it comes to changing anything like this (can you change back easily, and do I have to change both PC and router?)

2. If there is some DNS resolution issue out there then does this mean anyone trying to access my site using UK online is not going to connect, in which case I really need to fix the root problem?

Thoughts......?

[Ian Clyde]

One other thought (please excuse my lack of knowledge), but when I check any other domain name using tracert, the first hop is always my modem address...and with my websites it doesn't even do that???

[pinbrook]

1. I'm a complete coward when it comes to changing anything like this (can you change back easily, and do I have to change both PC and router?)

the thing here is to document what you do so you can undo it if you make a mistake. Then just go ahead, try it and learn - you will be more confident i nthe future, and if you research well you will be able to tell ukonline what the problem is - if indeed its them and not your pc/modem?

Get browsing using openDNS then you will know if ukonline have incomplete DNS tables and you can tell them to add yoour domain, and the problem will be resolved for all ukonline users

[Ian Clyde]

Hi Jo,

Thanks for that, I guess you are right, I'll give it a go, but just one last question again, do I have to change both the PC and Modem to OpenDNS?

Thanks....

Ian.

[pinbrook]

if the PC says assign DNS automoatically - then no - only the modem

[Ian Clyde]

Woo-Hoo!

Get browsing using openDNS then you will know if ukonline have incomplete DNS tables and you can tell them to add yoour domain, and the problem will be resolved for all ukonline users

Jo/Duncan/Lee et al

I have switched over tonight to open DNS and it works, problem solved! Or rather problem solved for me. Potentially I could have thousands of customers out there who use UK online and so are unable to access my site (after costing me on a Google Ad)

Can any of you assist me with the form of techy-speak I need to use to tell UK online there is definetly something wrong with their DNS set-up? Is it a case of all these ISP's use look up tables to verify genuine DNS's and/or URL's?

Any help much appreciated as it already has been with this issue.

Thanks again.....

[pinbrook]

contact ukonline and ask them if they have an entry for your domain in their DNS tables.


tell them you were using "assign DNS address automatically" and were unable to connect however using DNS look up from openDNS you can.