Curse

Malice Black · Oct 16, 2008, 01:04 PM // 13:04

I've been having a load of these lately (past few months). A router reboot helps sometimes, but not always. Sometimes it'll fix itself within 10-20mins, other times it's down for hours.

This is over my wireless connection only.

Leads me to believe it's either a router issue or my network card is going tits up. Tried updating the network card drivers from the Intel site, that just screwed my system up and had to do a full restore. I've tried manually entering new DNS codes (not sure if that's the right terminology or not) and that didn't help. I flushed the DNS cache, renewed my settings etc all had no effect.

So, I'm open to ideas.

Cheers

SkekSister · Oct 16, 2008, 02:43 PM // 14:43

I get this issue reasonably often. I lose routing to arenanet & guildwars.com.

Pinging results in a name cannot be resolved, yet I can still happily resolve other domains such as google.com, bbc.co.uk, ebay.com etc.

I have no idea whether the problem lies at their end or whether its related to my ISP, who by the way, is zen.co.uk and whom in all other respects is excellent.

I had issues with routing to various CoD4 and CS:S servers earlier this year and that turned out to be hops through some dodgy Telewest equipment. It's possible this is the same issue again.

Meh, stupid internets.

ranger rothers · Oct 16, 2008, 02:55 PM // 14:55

Try using the free DNS servers at OpenDNS which I've found to be excellent:

208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220

Malice Black · Oct 16, 2008, 02:56 PM // 14:56

My issue is with Microsoft. When it does go, it always comes up as not being able to connect to the Microsoft server. My connection can be 100%, yet it won't connect no matter what.

Painbringer · Oct 16, 2008, 03:04 PM // 15:04

Check your cords from entry to your home up to the router make sure cords are not going bad (I had a splicer issue that fubared my system) Can you connect to someone else’s network to make sure network card is ok? Maybe sit for a few hours at a coffee shop?

Flightmare · Oct 16, 2008, 03:09 PM // 15:09

Why would you want to connect to Microsoft? It's all about your home connecting to the GW servers through your ISP and OpenDNS.
Do you happen to be using a linksys model router? Older versions of those can have DNS errors, if so, try updating firmware or use 3rd party firmware (I heard tomato is a good one).

Malice Black · Oct 16, 2008, 03:16 PM // 15:16

This is nothing to do with GW. I don't even play the game anymore.

When I have an DNS issue, the error box says something along these lines

-Can not connect to Microsoft.com, the server might be experiencing technical difficulties or the server might be down.-

Not word for word, but it gives you the general idea of the message.

Tarun · Oct 16, 2008, 03:27 PM // 15:27

Try this out first:

Code:

netsh winsock reset
netsh winsock reset catalog
netsh interface ip reset C:\Interface-resetlog.txt
netsh interface reset all
netsh firewall reset
ipconfig /flushdns

Put that into a batch file and run it.

Malice Black · Oct 16, 2008, 03:47 PM // 15:47

You talk as if I know what a batch file is lol enlighten me, please.

Quaker · Oct 16, 2008, 03:48 PM // 15:48

When you send a URL it needs to be translated into a IP address (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx). A DNS server is basically just a big list of URLs and their associated IPs, which does the translating. When you get a DNS error, it's in the form of a "can't locate xxx.com - make sure you type the address correctly" type thing.
Your DNS servers should be in your ISP's system. The IP(s) of the server(s) would be listed on the Status page of your router (the page that also tells you what your actually IP is). Unless you have some particular reason to, you don't need to manually enter DNS numbers, you should let the router handle it.

At any rate, your error sounds more like a common "routing error" type problem. If it only happens with the wireless connection, it would be caused most likely by either your router or your computer.

So, two questions
1. Is it wireless errors, wired ok - or you don't know if wired has problems?

2. Are you sure they are DNS errors, or are they routing/connection errors (which could be a DNS issue)?

Malice Black · Oct 16, 2008, 03:56 PM // 15:56

Wireless only.

I'm sure it's DNS errors. I right click the network icon, then press 'diagnose and repair' and it always comes back with the same error message.

Quaker · Oct 16, 2008, 04:45 PM // 16:45

Well, the thing is, you can't really get DNS errors on only the wireless connection. The wireless connection is only from you to the router, after that, the wired and wireless connection are the same and use the same DNS server.

If you are using the same DNS server settings as a wired computer that works, it has to be some other setting, such as automatic searching for better networks, that's interfering with the connection. At any rate, it would have to a problem with the wireless settings in the router or the network/wireless settings in the computer.

Have you tried connecting the computer by wired connection, or is it a different computer that works with the wired connection?

Do you have your TCP/IP settings set to get an IP and find DNS servers automatically?

Have you looked for any settings in the router or the computer that would search for better connections periodically?

Is your wireless signal strength good?

Firewalls?

Tarun · Oct 16, 2008, 10:35 PM // 22:35

Paste the code into a notepad, then File > Save As... > ResetNetworkInterfaces.bat

Malice Black · Oct 16, 2008, 11:29 PM // 23:29

OK. Done that. Will keep you updated.

Snograt · Oct 16, 2008, 11:44 PM // 23:44

Admission: I haven't used wireless for over a year - got fed up with the poor quality and wired the crap out of my house instead.

Excuse the uninformed question, but is this possibly caused by wireless channel contention? I know that's a problem for me, living in an apartment with one-wall neighbours on 3 sides, all broadcasting on channel 6.

Unlikely, though. I suspect Malice lives in a remote mansion on the top of lightning-struck cliffs somewhere...

Malice Black · Oct 17, 2008, 12:55 AM // 00:55

LOL! Not quite, I live in Sandbanks. Not quite sure what channel I'm suppose to be using, it's set to 2 right now.

Quaker · Oct 17, 2008, 05:59 PM // 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malice Black

LOL! Not quite, I live in Sandbanks.

Now, if we knew where Sandbanks is, we'd have our answer. Or do you mean you live in the desert?

lord_shar · Oct 18, 2008, 12:35 AM // 00:35

Out of curiousity, is your system's wireless connection set up via DHCP, or is it using any static settings?

What OS? Also, are there any entries for microsoft in your hosts file? (usually found in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts for XP systems).

What happens when you remove the router and connect to your ISP modem directly? Are you able to complete a trace-route to microsoft.com with the router disconnected?

Malice Black · Oct 18, 2008, 11:52 AM // 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

Now, if we knew where Sandbanks is, we'd have our answer. Or do you mean you live in the desert?

Fourth most expensive place to live in the world. It's full of stuck up ****s

Quote:

Out of curiousity, is your system's wireless connection set up via DHCP, or is it using any static settings?

What OS? Also, are there any entries for microsoft in your hosts file? (usually found in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts for XP systems).

What happens when you remove the router and connect to your ISP modem directly? Are you able to complete a trace-route to microsoft.com with the router disconnected?

Yea it's set up via DHCP

Vista prem 32bit

I have an idea of what might be wrong now. Apparently I don't have the client for Microsoft Networks installed, would this make a difference?

If I right click on my network card, then go to properties, it brings up the following boxes:

Client for Microsoft Networks
QoS packet Scheduler
File & printer sharing
Internet protocol TCP/IPv6
Internet protocol TCP/IPv4
Link-layer topology discovery mapper
Link-layer topology discovery responder

All of the above boxes are ticked except the top one. Could explain why my MSN connection drops every 5 mins (no joke)

That's all Chinese to me though. I'm a complete computer illiterate when it comes to stuff like this.

Quaker · Oct 18, 2008, 04:29 PM // 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malice Black

Fourth most expensive place to live in the world.

Ah, so it is in the desert - around Dubai, or Saudi Arabia.

Quote:

Client for Microsoft Networks
QoS packet Scheduler
File & printer sharing
Internet protocol TCP/IPv6
Internet protocol TCP/IPv4
Link-layer topology discovery mapper
Link-layer topology discovery responder

Yes, you should probably have MS Networks checked ON.
Check the properties of the TCP/IP protocols and set the IP and DNS to "automatic"