Can't access certain site - DNS issue?

[greyl]

I can't access www.hostdimedomains.com on this PC using IE 6, Netscape, or Firefox. Both IE and Netscape return the standard "cannot find server, check settings..." error page, Firefox shows a popup that says "http://hostdimedomains.com cannot be found. Please check the address and try again."

This is the only site I've found that I have this problem with. It's as if my IP is blocked on hostdime's end, but I'm a client and have talked with their support and they have no solution. I can access hostdime.com just fine.

I'm using XP sp2, and have tweaked a lot of things like services, msconfig, and use X-Setup Pro. Also Spybot S&D's browser extension for IE to "immunize" from bad sites, but the domain in question isn't listed in the blocked list.

edit: I've also run "ipconfig /displaydns" (blank dos window flashed up for just a second) and "ipconfig /flushdns"

?

[cleofus1]

1. try

disabling your firewall and or viri blocker...there are more than a few sights that i have to disable symantic in order to view...

remember to turn em back on though....

[trotsky]

2. Also try this:

Click Start, Run, type in "cmd" (minus the quotes) and click OK.

Now you've got a Command Prompt open. You can run the ipconfig commands and see their output.

But more importantly, do this command:

nslookup www.hostdimedomains.com

That should return something like this:

Server: <Your DNS server name>
Address: <Your DNS server IP address>

Name: hostdimedomains.com
Address: 66.194.238.201
Aliases: www.hostdimedomains.com

If it does not (i.e., returns an error) send the output to your ISP so they can get their DNS records updated properly.

If it does respond correctly, try pinging that address:

ping 66.194.238.201

You should get back a bunch of "Reply from" messages. If not, again send the output to your ISP. They may have a routing problem.

[jayfish]

3. Related Hint.

if the DNS record on your PC does not match the one shown above, run the
following commands:

"ipconfig /flushdns" this will clear your DNS resolver cache.

then run

"ipconfig /registerdns" this will refresh your DNS cache.

wait 15 minutes and try trotskys' command again to see if the DNS record is correct.

Jay

[greyl]

4. Thanks cleofus1, trotsky, and jayfish - waiting for isp reply

from Peoplepc techsupport.

Last week ipconfig results:

>nslookup www.hostdimedomains.com
Server: resolver1.level3.net
Address: 209.244.0.3

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to resolver1.level3.net timed-out

>ping 66.194.238.201

Pinging 66.194.238.201 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 66.194.238.201: bytes=32 time=386ms TTL=56
Reply from 66.194.238.201: bytes=32 time=250ms TTL=56
Reply from 66.194.238.201: bytes=32 time=234ms TTL=56
Reply from 66.194.238.201: bytes=32 time=250ms TTL=56

Ping statistics for 66.194.238.201:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 234ms, Maximum = 386ms, Average = 280ms
_____________________________________

and then tonight:

nslookup www.hostdimedomains.com
Server: resolver1.level3.net
Address: 209.244.0.3

*** resolver1.level3.net can't find www.hostdimedomains.com: Server failed

Dang, I wish a broadband provider was available around here.
Thanks a lot, guys!
I'll reply when I have success.

[greyl]

5. Update

First off, I've got a temp workaround solution to the problem by using a proxy server(not anonymous) that I found here: http://www.proxy4free.com/index.html
I can now connect to hostdimedomains.com just fine.

Second, this is the response I got from PeoplePc's techsupport before figuring out the proxy thing, and having sent them the ip cmd line results:

Dear Len,

Thank you for writing to PeoplePC Online.
Regarding your concern, your issue requires that you speak directly with one of our experienced technicians. Please call 1-900-285-8333.

Thanks again for writing.
All the best,
Hanish
One of the people at PeoplePC Online

I then sent them this reply:

I will not pay for a phone call to technical support to help peoplepc fix their problem.
Don't the experienced technicians have email? They may call me at
804-***-**** or 757-***-****, but preferably correspond via email.
As I'm obviously on a dial-up connection, solving this problem with peoplepc's servers would be best done while I'm online.

The problem doesn't exist when I connect via an AOL account, only with peoplepc.
If peoplepc can't fix this problem with their dns server, I will cancel.

Ahem.
Then I just received this:

Dear Len,

Thank you for writing to PeoplePC Online.
We appreciate the opportunity to assist you. We have forwarded your question to the appropriate department. A representative will soon respond to your inquiry.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused to you.

Thank you for your continued patience.
All the best,
Kevin
One of the people at PeoplePC Online.

So anyway, I'm not too impressed with PeoplePc so far. It's just that they're less than half the price of the other ISPs in my area.

Thanks again for the ipconfig cmds, ;) as I'm sure that including their results in my email helped gain the eventual respect.


edit:fwiw - I set up the proxy server in the Firefox browser by going to Tools > Options > general tab > Connection Settings > selecting "Manual proxy configuration and entering the proxy ip and checking "use same proxy...

[trotsky]

6. The nerve!

Make YOU pay to escalate THEIR problem. Oy.

There is another way to workaround their DNS server problem, that does not involve using a proxy server.

In your hosts file (Likely C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS), add a line to the end:

66.194.238.201 www.hostdimedomains.com

The hosts file is what your computer consults first when looking up a name. If it's not found there, it goes to DNS.

The only time this will cause a problem is if www.hostdimedomains.com up & changes their IP address, which is always possible, but usually rare.

[greyl]

7. That worked too!

Cool, thanks. (Yes, I "got rid of" the proxy before trying it. Didn't even have to restart the PC.

-no further correspondence from peoplepc yet