DNS problem? Having trouble when trying to access web pages.

(cross-post added to Vista Networking)
"giyad" <giyad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A3554D6E-2D3E-45C9-BCBB-89BA680F56EA@microsoft.com...

> In February I took the liberty of building my own PC. I installed Windows
> Vista Business edition. The PC is up and running with only minor complaints
> (compatability issues at first). I am able to surf the Internet; however,
> many times I will try to go to a site (any site, even one that I normally
> visit) and I will get the "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage"
> error. I have noticed that many times I can easily fix this error by
> removing the "www." from the URL. However, many times this will not work,

You can't just willy-nilly add or subtract a www. prefix without knowing if there
is a server operating under the resulting name.

You should at least use nslookup (in a cmd window) to check if the name
that you are constructing has an IP address.

If it does use ping -n 1 to get that lookup loaded into the dnscache.
If the nslookup shows that the name that you are using is an alias of
a canonical name, just pinging the alias doesn't actually cache a lookup
of an IP address to use with the alias, so then you should also ping -n 1
the canonical name. You can check on how useful this would be by
flushing the dnscache and then displaying it again after the pings
(e.g. using ipconfig.)

Caching the lookup using the ping -n 1 may help IE with its lookup.
E.g. the displaydns of the cache would show you the Time To Live
of a site's A record.

> and I don't understand why this is happening in the first place. How can I
> fix this problem, and why is it happening?

Unfortunately the symptom that you get is too imprecise to say exactly
what is causing it. E.g. it may indicate that the lookup isn't working,
or it may indicate that a secondary lookup needed by a redirect isn't working,
or it may indicate that the site is not responding (e.g. no port 80 detected
listening there), etc.

>
> Attempted solutions:
>
> 1. At first I thought it may be the router because my router was not Vista
> compatable, but I purchased a new one that is compatable and it is giving me
> the same errors. However, the new router fixed my port forwarding issues.
>
> 2. Tried using Firefox but the same thing happens. The pages that don't
> work at times work at others... its really weird because the pages Im trying
> to access are ones that should never be done, such as my online banking. Im
> pretty sure thats not the case because I only notice it on my computer.

Well, does Firefox have any better diagnostics in it than IE.
(I would expect so but I have never used it.) ; }

Alternatively, you could use telnet 80 (from a cmd window)
to simulate a browser. That would at least tell you that the lookup
was working and that the site had a port 80 open at the IP address
that the lookup resolved to. E.g. the telnet screen would clear
if there was an HTTP server there to connect with. In addition
you could simulate part of the request that a browser would make
through that connection. E.g. start by typing GET /
(That's GET <space><slash><Enter>, just that word and those 3 keys.
Normally you won't see your typing unless set localecho on in telnet's
command mode.)

Inserting a trace tool such as FiddlerTool as a proxy between the browser
and the server could also make it clearer how far each connection request
was going.

Doing a full packet trace e.g. using netcap and formatting it with Ethereal
may be necessary if insufficient clues result from any of the previous methods.

In Vista there may be additional complications to think about
(e.g. apparently it supports IPv6) and perhaps there are better tools
for understanding all of this anyway. Cross-posting to a newsgroup
which specializes in networking for your OS.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---

Thanks for the reply! I just noticed a problem when performing nslookup. I
have pasted the response of "nslookup www.hotmail.com" below (this time out
happense with every site):

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.0.1:53

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: www.hotmail.aate.nsatc.net
Address: 208.172.96.250
Aliases: www.hotmail.com, www.hotmail.com.nsatc.net

Any suggestions?

Thanks

"Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:

> (cross-post added to Vista Networking)
> "giyad" <giyad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A3554D6E-2D3E-45C9-BCBB-89BA680F56EA@microsoft.com...

>
>
> You can't just willy-nilly add or subtract a www. prefix without knowing if there
> is a server operating under the resulting name.
>
> You should at least use nslookup (in a cmd window) to check if the name
> that you are constructing has an IP address.
>
> If it does use ping -n 1 to get that lookup loaded into the dnscache.
> If the nslookup shows that the name that you are using is an alias of
> a canonical name, just pinging the alias doesn't actually cache a lookup
> of an IP address to use with the alias, so then you should also ping -n 1
> the canonical name. You can check on how useful this would be by
> flushing the dnscache and then displaying it again after the pings
> (e.g. using ipconfig.)
>
> Caching the lookup using the ping -n 1 may help IE with its lookup.
> E.g. the displaydns of the cache would show you the Time To Live
> of a site's A record.
>
>

>
>
> Unfortunately the symptom that you get is too imprecise to say exactly
> what is causing it. E.g. it may indicate that the lookup isn't working,
> or it may indicate that a secondary lookup needed by a redirect isn't working,
> or it may indicate that the site is not responding (e.g. no port 80 detected
> listening there), etc.
>
>

>
>
> Well, does Firefox have any better diagnostics in it than IE.
> (I would expect so but I have never used it.) ; }
>
> Alternatively, you could use telnet 80 (from a cmd window)
> to simulate a browser. That would at least tell you that the lookup
> was working and that the site had a port 80 open at the IP address
> that the lookup resolved to. E.g. the telnet screen would clear
> if there was an HTTP server there to connect with. In addition
> you could simulate part of the request that a browser would make
> through that connection. E.g. start by typing GET /
> (That's GET <space><slash><Enter>, just that word and those 3 keys.
> Normally you won't see your typing unless set localecho on in telnet's
> command mode.)
>
> Inserting a trace tool such as FiddlerTool as a proxy between the browser
> and the server could also make it clearer how far each connection request
> was going.
>
> Doing a full packet trace e.g. using netcap and formatting it with Ethereal
> may be necessary if insufficient clues result from any of the previous methods.
>
> In Vista there may be additional complications to think about
> (e.g. apparently it supports IPv6) and perhaps there are better tools
> for understanding all of this anyway. Cross-posting to a newsgroup
> which specializes in networking for your OS.
>
>
> Good luck
>
> Robert Aldwinckle
> ---
>
>
>

"giyad" <giyad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:13693974-FEC7-4F61-B50D-4A0E52580780@microsoft.com...

> Thanks for the reply! I just noticed a problem when performing nslookup. I
> have pasted the response of "nslookup www.hotmail.com" below (this time out
> happense with every site):
>
> DNS request timed out.
> timeout was 2 seconds.
> Server: UnKnown
> Address: 192.168.0.1:53

That's a local address. The :53 is just the port number for the DNS server.

I think what this may mean is that you are configured to use your router(?)
as your DNS server. Perhaps it is just being slow getting connected to
a real DNS server?

>
> DNS request timed out.
> timeout was 2 seconds.
> Non-authoritative answer:
> Name: www.hotmail.aate.nsatc.net
> Address: 208.172.96.250
> Aliases: www.hotmail.com, www.hotmail.com.nsatc.net
>
> Any suggestions?

Did you try any of my other suggestions? ; }

nslookup finally got a lookup done for you, so similarly the ping -n 1
might be able to do a lookup. The difference with it would be that
with it the lookup would be cached (at least for its Time To Live value).
Notice that for this particular lookup that the name you are looking up
is an alias so to get any benefit for IE you must also ping -n 1
the canonical name.

The point is that I suspect that IE is less tolerant of these delays than
either nslookup or ping and in any case getting the lookup provably cached
would remove failed DNS lookup as an explanation for your problem
symptom.


Good luck

Robert
---

>
> Thanks
>
> "Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:
>

I bought a new computer with Vista Home Premium and ithas Internet Explorer
7. My computer has Internet Security 2007 by Nortons. I have been having
problems alot lately where webpages won't come up. It says cannot display
the webpage. Noone knows what the problem is. The page will come up on my
laptop with XP and so the router people said it's not the router. How do I
know if my router is compatible with Vista or not? My laptop works I get
internet. I have two Tivos also on the network. But sometimes I'll refresh
pages and they don't come back up sometimes they do. Yahoo will come up and
sometimes I click on mail and I get that message. Excite and my Space have
done it. I was told to plug cable modem directly into computer and try
bypassing the router which I haven't done yet. Insight told me today there is
something wrong with my computer HP said no there's not. They said also to
shut off pc, modem and router and turn each one on in a certain order which I
will do next. A friend said he had same problem and cleaning out registry
helped so I got a registry cleaner. Didn't help! I got Netscape browser to
try and it sometimes does it too. I know it's a setting in Nortons or I.E.7
or my router something. But I have been seeing where several other people
have the same problem. Did you get yours fixed? It's beendriving me nuts..

Thanks, Rose

"Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:

> "giyad" <giyad@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:13693974-FEC7-4F61-B50D-4A0E52580780@microsoft.com...

>
>
> That's a local address. The :53 is just the port number for the DNS server.
>
> I think what this may mean is that you are configured to use your router(?)
> as your DNS server. Perhaps it is just being slow getting connected to
> a real DNS server?
>
>

>
>
> Did you try any of my other suggestions? ; }
>
> nslookup finally got a lookup done for you, so similarly the ping -n 1
> might be able to do a lookup. The difference with it would be that
> with it the lookup would be cached (at least for its Time To Live value).
> Notice that for this particular lookup that the name you are looking up
> is an alias so to get any benefit for IE you must also ping -n 1
> the canonical name.
>
> The point is that I suspect that IE is less tolerant of these delays than
> either nslookup or ping and in any case getting the lookup provably cached
> would remove failed DNS lookup as an explanation for your problem
> symptom.
>
>
> Good luck
>
> Robert
> ---
>
>

>
>
>

"Rose" <Rose@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:69E4ADF1-7F5A-41DD-9CCF-45EFE4E9864B@microsoft.com
....

> Did you get yours fixed?

Rose,

If you are reading this from Vista Networking please note that I am not the
OP; I just cross-posted this discussion there because I don't have Vista
and because I don't think that this is only an IE issue. BTW since you appear
to be using the web interface to newsgroups you may have to click on the
"Click to show or hide original message or reply text" to see the rest of
the context for my replies. Here is the full thread in the original newsgroup:

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...b-89ba680f56ea

I think that this discussion is still more related to your OS or hardware than IE,
even though the product that you are having trouble with is IE.
However, I don't subscribe to the Vista newsgroup, so if you want to continue
my participation in it you will have to continue the cross-post in all replies
or additions to it.


Please try the diagnostics that I suggested to "giyad" (OP of this thread).
In particular tell us if your nslookup times out the way that giyad's does
and if your DNS address is a local address. If that local address is a
consequence of using a router then perhaps removing the router would
avoid that kind of symptom.

Note also the potential workaround that I gave which involves
making sure that the DNS cache is loaded before IE needs to do its lookup.
If that works it would give you more information about your symptom and
give you a way to improve the performance of IE.


HTH

Robert
---

> I bought a new computer with Vista Home Premium and ithas Internet Explorer
> 7. My computer has Internet Security 2007 by Nortons. I have been having
> problems alot lately where webpages won't come up. It says cannot display
> the webpage. Noone knows what the problem is. The page will come up on my
> laptop with XP and so the router people said it's not the router. How do I
> know if my router is compatible with Vista or not? My laptop works I get
> internet. I have two Tivos also on the network. But sometimes I'll refresh
> pages and they don't come back up sometimes they do. Yahoo will come up and
> sometimes I click on mail and I get that message. Excite and my Space have
> done it. I was told to plug cable modem directly into computer and try
> bypassing the router which I haven't done yet. Insight told me today there is
> something wrong with my computer HP said no there's not. They said also to
> shut off pc, modem and router and turn each one on in a certain order which I
> will do next. A friend said he had same problem and cleaning out registry
> helped so I got a registry cleaner. Didn't help! I got Netscape browser to
> try and it sometimes does it too. I know it's a setting in Nortons or I.E.7
> or my router something. But I have been seeing where several other people
> have the same problem. Did you get yours fixed? It's beendriving me nuts..
>
> Thanks, Rose
>
> "Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:
>