Hey all!

I am experiencing often (a bit less than often actually) DNS issues. I've noticed that these occur mostly a night (probably 2 times a week). Everything says its connected including the router (Netgear DG834G) and the windows icon. Yet browsing internet sites don't work. Often times when this is happening Windows Messenger is still up and running.

I've have also experienced DNS problems when siging onto the PSN (Playstation Network).

My usual fix for this is to use the repair connection tools (most of the times to no avail) and wait for up to 10mins.

I stress this is not too often, it is just rather annoying when it happens and I would love to prevent this from happening.

Not sure if this would be an ISP issue but from understanding it is most likely something to do with this.

Any help would make my day!
Cheers, and have good ones!

this has been happening to me quite often this week and it's quite frustrating! downloads would still be going no worries . ive checked the advisory section maybe its something to do with that

I've been having all sorts of DNS issues this week to..

I noticed yesterday lns4 in melbourne was all over the shop (ping wise?) if that has anything to do with it.

I have also noticed it over the last week or two and suspected it was something to do with the DNS cache poisoning updates.

I have had fairly good success fixing it by using:

ipconfig /flushdns

but am not sure if this is just a coincidence. What I have just now done is to hard code the DNS into my router as it was set to auto resolve it. Not sure how this will go but if it fixes it then that is fine by me.

Cheers,

Chook

Paul Warren writes...

I've been having all sorts of DNS issues this week to..

Please be aware that Internode, like most businesses running DNS servers will have/ had occasional resolution issues, as they patch/ update DNS resolver software due to the (now) publish DNS poisoning exploit.

Internode has a number of DNS servers, spread across various states, behind the two resolver IP addresses, thus it will take some time to patch them all.

That may mean, on occasion, that resolution will take longer than normal, as a non-local DNS server may be temporarily providing answers. Please review the outage notification associated:

https://secure.internode.on.net/webtools/advisories/item.html?id=5554

Hiya Brendan,

I was already aware of that issue, it was discovered quite a while ago.

I'm quite surprised it took so long to hit auscert.

If I remember correctly it's been on Zone-H and similar type sites for a while now.

Thanks for the replies!

So there really isn't much we can do except wait?

Brendan. writes...

https://secure.internode.on.net/webtools/advisories/item.html?id=5554

This explains it a bit!

Have good ones. I hope Internode fixes it soon.

Last night at around 11pm the internode DNS stopped working for me, and I can't remember what time it was the night before but both times rebooting the modem fixed it. (I didn't actually check, but I'm guessing it assigned a new DNS server after being rebooted?)

falconed writes...

So there really isn't much we can do except wait?

Hmm, no.

We're unaware of any systemic issues with DNS.

There have not, to my knowledge, been any active exploits of the security vulnerability discussed in this thread or our advisory.

Public exploits were released yesterday (with another one today). It's highly unlikely that anything observed between the announcement of the vulnerability on July 6th and the opening of this thread yesterday has anything whatsoever to do with the vulnerability.

If you are using DNS settings different from the ones we recommend, then you could be experiencing some DNS problems. Our recommendation is that you use 192.231.203.132 as your resolver. If you attempt to perform recursive queries against ns1.on.net thru ns4.on.net, those queries will probably fail. I'm aware that some of our customers have misconfigured their systems against our recommendations by using those nameservers as resolvers, and to those customers I can only reiterate our recommendation to use 192.231.203.132.

If your DNS settings are consistent with that recommendation and you still have problems, then you are experiencing a fault and should contact the helpdesk. Sitting back and waiting/hoping for a fix for a bug we don't know about isn't likely to result in satisfaction.

– mark

Paul Warren writes...

I've been having all sorts of DNS issues this week to..

I've had a ticket open about the VIC DNS resolver for a few days now.

I got a reply on Wednesday saying "We are going to investigate the issues you have brought up in your ticket and will be in contact once we have further information regarding on it." ... but I haven't had any updates or new information since then.

I noticed yesterday lns4 in melbourne was all over the shop (ping wise?) if that has anything to do with it.

Pinging the LNS directly isn't really going to give you any useful information about DNS problems [or anything at all really].

I've been graphing the response times of some nslookup probes though, and there's defintiely something not quite right somewhere.

It's also doing things like refusing to resolve Google to the Internode servers that they're running, and a few other odd bits and pieces as well.

more info here.. https://www.dns-oarc.net/

Mark Newton writes...

We're unaware of any systemic issues with DNS.

This is strange as many people have said they have been experiencing issues. Although the issues I experience as I said in my first post aren't to worrying.

Our recommendation is that you use 192.231.203.132 as your resolver.

I currently have DNS Address setting to 'Get Automatically From ISP'. So should I put the above address as the primary and secondary DNS?

falconed writes...

I currently have DNS Address setting to 'Get Automatically From ISP'. So should I put the above address as the primary and secondary DNS?

If it's set automatically then you'll already be using those settings.

You can set them manually if you'd like – it certainly won't hurt anything – but it really shouldn't make any difference.

falconed writes...

This is strange as many people have said they have been experiencing issues.

When you say, "many," you mean, "a small handful out of a six-figure customer base."

Even when everything we do is 100% perfect, a small handful of customers will have "issues."

That's why we have a helpdesk. Open a ticket, they'll help. That's what they're there for.

I currently have DNS Address setting to 'Get Automatically From ISP'.

That's fine — that means we're sending you the recommended config when you login.

– mark

Mark Newton writes...

When you say, "many," you mean, "a small handful out of a six-figure customer base."

Okay I shall rephrase: Everyone! No one is having problems, sorry for wasting your time. We can all go home now!

(Y2BNE1) writes...

I've had a ticket open about the VIC DNS resolver for a few days now.

As they say though .... a picture is worth a thousand words.

http://einstein.dontexist.net/smokeping/DNSResolution_last_86400.png

falconed writes...

Okay I shall rephrase: Everyone! No one is having problems, sorry for wasting your time. We can all go home now!

No, that's not what I said either.

I really don't understand: What's the issue with opening a ticket, just like I said, and giving the helpdesk the chance to check it out for you?

There appears to be some resistance to that concept. Why?

– mark

I've finally switched over to OpenDNS.

I spent 6 months away from Internode, and came back when I moved house. However, I note the same DNS issues I've seen from more than 2 years ago continue on sporadically at times.

Anyway, now using OpenDNS and issue is resolved.. instantly.

Sure, it may be related to the hardware (Internode supplied Billion), but the fact of the matter is, using an alternative DNS server solves the problem.

Edit: One point to note, adding the Internode DNS server to the individual machines on the network made no difference, we still had DNS slowdowns at times.

Try www.opendns.com

Do what I do run your own DNS server. Then again one time I'm sure I had internode doing something with my DNS packets however that was an isolated incident.

Mark Newton writes...

No, that's not what I said either.

Was just kidding around.

╢GOLDfinger╟ writes...

Try www.opendns.com

In regards to OpenDNS does unmetered content provided by Internode still work – as in is it still unmetered?

bloodbob writes...

Then again one time I'm sure I had internode doing something with my DNS packets however that was an isolated incident.

I'm sorry, but can you explain what that means?

Hint: Internode don't spend their idle moments 'doing something' with individual customers' DNS packets for kicks :)

falconed writes...

does unmetered content provided by Internode still work

Ask Simon.
I don't care.
I just want steady Speed and Reliability.
I'm not a file swapper so 5-10Gigs is more than enough for me.

falconed writes...

In regards to OpenDNS does unmetered content provided by Internode still work – as in is it still unmetered?

Unmetering is done based on source IP address list matching. Not on DNS name.

Its done at a different layer, quite independent to DNS.

Simon Hackett writes...

I'm sorry, but can you explain what that means?

All my DNS requests ( or alternatively the replies ) were blocked except to one of the node servers. Off hand I can't recall which worked however only one of them worked. Anyway the situation did only last for about an hour. Support did acknowledge there had been issues customers connecting to one of the DNS however as per usual no advisory was ever posted. I figured someone played with an ACL somewhere and accidently borked stuff instead of doing it for kicks.

Certain international sites drop out like cricinfo.com, imageshack every few requests.

We've made some changes to DNS which appear to have reduced response time. We'll continue to monitor and make further changes if required.

https://secure.internode.on.net/webtools/advisories/item.html?id=5583

I had my DNS drop out at around 7pm tonight – I noted the DNS and rebooted the modem, got the same DNS server back again but it began working again. I'll have to assume that my ADSL modem is going to die shortly :/

Glenn Butcher writes...

We've made some changes to DNS which appear to have reduced response time. We'll continue to monitor and make further changes if required.

Thanks Glenn.

The latency/lookup time seems to have stablised since about 18:20 – the difference is pretty obvious ;) – but the VIC server is still refusing to resolve www.google.com to the local servers that you're running.

Server: 192.231.203.132
Address: 192.231.203.132#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.google.com.au canonical name = www.google.com.
www.google.com canonical name = www.l.google.com.
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.19.147
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.19.99
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.19.103
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 74.125.19.104

VS the secondary server ...

Server: 192.231.203.3
Address: 192.231.203.3#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.google.com.au canonical name = www.google.com.
www.google.com canonical name = www.l.google.com.
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.215
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.209
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.222
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.210
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.214
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.211
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.221
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.213
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.223
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.216
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.208
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.217
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.224
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.219
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.212
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.218
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.220
Name: www.l.google.com
Address: 150.101.98.225

It's been that way since the Vic DNS started misbehaving about ~10 days ago ...

Brad Baker writes...

I've finally switched over to OpenDNS.

Anyway, now using OpenDNS and issue is resolved.. instantly.

So have I and it's more consistent. I like the ability to filter out the crap and the ads.

Bob D writes...

it's more consistent. I like the ability to filter out the crap and the ads.

+1 and it's FREE

(Y2BNE1) writes...

but the VIC server is still refusing to resolve

is the end site actually working, regardless of where it is resolving to? if so then there isn't a problem.

if the site isn't loading then log a support request.

Michael Kratz writes...

is the end site actually working, regardless of where it is resolving to?

Of course it is.

if so then there isn't a problem.

LOL. I know that isn't an example of a huge problem ... but please don't try and feed me that sort of BS!

Sure it's not going to put us at DEFCON 4, but it's certainly sub-optimal!

There's an awfully big difference between "working" ... and something that's actually working PROPERLY!

Why the hell would you even bother setting all of this up in the first place, if your intention wasn't to have your customers actually USE the bloody thing?

FWIW ... this has now been resolved, although the ticket that I opened 6 days ago still hasn't had any response beyond "'We are going to investigate the issues you have brought up in your ticket and will be in contact once we have further information regarding on it."