Dialup Networking - DNS Failures

  • Thread starter Thread starter Luke Silburn
  • Start date Start date
L

Luke Silburn

Hi

I have a problem with similar symptoms to those described in recent
posts by Dick Rawlings [thread titled "pings but won't connect"] and
Peter Lee [thread titled "Dialup Networking Can't Access Web Pages"].
Rather than hijack their threads I thought I'd start my own, as my
setup and situation is a little different.

My situation:

I have a laptop (Dell Latitude with Windows 2000 Pro recently upgraded
from SP1 to SP4 and with various other critical security patches
applied) that I've setup with two dialup network connections - one to
pull down emails from my work account, the other to a basic service
ISP for web-browsing, usenet etc.

The trouble is that since doing some housecleaning and general
maintenance last week, these connections (which have been fine and
routinely used for well over a year now) fail to resolve hostnames. I
can dial in, establish a connection and authenticate to the ISP/work
server and then, once connected, I can ping to IP addresses explictly,
but anything that relies upon resolving hostnames via DNS (ie.
anything remotely useful) fails.

The problem isn't at the ISP end since my desktop system can connect
to the same ISP account without any problems (that's how I'm posting
this out now). What is irritating is that I managed to get DNS
resolution working temporarily - I was randomly trying various
ipconfig commands and something seemed to take - but the original
problem returned upon reboot and whatever it was that I did I haven't
been able to replicate since.

The prime candidate for a culprit is the upgrade and various security
hotfixes I applied last week, however I also used a startup manager
('Starter' by CodeStuff) to trim down my autostarting applications and
restore some stability to the system. I doubt this is the root of
problem however, as I have pretty much restored the changes I made
there and the dialup problem still remains.

So, any thoughts on the underlying fault and how it can be fixed?

BTW I know its not good form, but can you copy follow-ups sent prior
to 25th October 2003 to (e-mail address removed) as well as here
please? I am going to be on a client site which blocks usenet all this
week, so after this evening I won't have access to my internet-capable
system until next weekend.

Regards
Luke

PS
Some of the outputs from various DOS-prompt commands:

ipconfig /all (with some obfuscation)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : UKP-HWHMK38LNE6
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : xxxxxx.co.uk
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : xxxxxx.co.uk
uk.xxxxxx.com
europe.xxxxxx.com
fr.xxxxxx.com
us.xxxxxx.com
ie.xxxxxx.com
au.xxxxxx.com
cz.xxxxxx.com
nl.xxxxxx.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Cable Disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast

Ethernet Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-BF-AE-6A

PPP adapter {20554BB2-902B-4113-89CA-DF73487A265E}:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.221.64
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.221.64
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.253.50
80.225.254.178
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping 80.225.253.50 (primary DNS at my ISP)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pinging 80.225.253.50 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=290ms TTL=59
Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=391ms TTL=59
Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=180ms TTL=59
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 80.225.253.50:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 180ms, Maximum = 391ms, Average = 215ms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

nslookup www.google.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Server: UnKnown
Address: 80.225.253.50
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping www.google.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unknown host www.google.com.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping 216.239.59.99 (a google server identified via tracert)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pinging 216.239.59.99 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=200ms TTL=50
Request timed out.
Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=210ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 216.239.59.99:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 200ms, Maximum = 210ms, Average = 102ms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
Since you said that doing something with ipconfig made it work, I suggest
running the ipconfig/renew switch first and see if that makes a difference.
Not much hope for that though...

You also have a lot of DNS suffix entries. While these may be usefull for a
company network, they will create problem with DNS on a dial up link for
internet. Is it possible for you to remove these for the connection?

Thirdly, while you are dialled up, use nslookup to set the DNS server to
another one. This might be a freeserve, bt or telewest server. Then see what
happens when you try to run a dns lookup


Luke Silburn said:
Hi

I have a problem with similar symptoms to those described in recent
posts by Dick Rawlings [thread titled "pings but won't connect"] and
Peter Lee [thread titled "Dialup Networking Can't Access Web Pages"].
Rather than hijack their threads I thought I'd start my own, as my
setup and situation is a little different.

My situation:

I have a laptop (Dell Latitude with Windows 2000 Pro recently upgraded
from SP1 to SP4 and with various other critical security patches
applied) that I've setup with two dialup network connections - one to
pull down emails from my work account, the other to a basic service
ISP for web-browsing, usenet etc.

The trouble is that since doing some housecleaning and general
maintenance last week, these connections (which have been fine and
routinely used for well over a year now) fail to resolve hostnames. I
can dial in, establish a connection and authenticate to the ISP/work
server and then, once connected, I can ping to IP addresses explictly,
but anything that relies upon resolving hostnames via DNS (ie.
anything remotely useful) fails.

The problem isn't at the ISP end since my desktop system can connect
to the same ISP account without any problems (that's how I'm posting
this out now). What is irritating is that I managed to get DNS
resolution working temporarily - I was randomly trying various
ipconfig commands and something seemed to take - but the original
problem returned upon reboot and whatever it was that I did I haven't
been able to replicate since.

The prime candidate for a culprit is the upgrade and various security
hotfixes I applied last week, however I also used a startup manager
('Starter' by CodeStuff) to trim down my autostarting applications and
restore some stability to the system. I doubt this is the root of
problem however, as I have pretty much restored the changes I made
there and the dialup problem still remains.

So, any thoughts on the underlying fault and how it can be fixed?

BTW I know its not good form, but can you copy follow-ups sent prior
to 25th October 2003 to (e-mail address removed) as well as here
please? I am going to be on a client site which blocks usenet all this
week, so after this evening I won't have access to my internet-capable
system until next weekend.

Regards
Luke

PS
Some of the outputs from various DOS-prompt commands:

ipconfig /all (with some obfuscation)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : UKP-HWHMK38LNE6
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : xxxxxx.co.uk
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : xxxxxx.co.uk
uk.xxxxxx.com
europe.xxxxxx.com
fr.xxxxxx.com
us.xxxxxx.com
ie.xxxxxx.com
au.xxxxxx.com
cz.xxxxxx.com
nl.xxxxxx.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Cable Disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast

Ethernet Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-BF-AE-6A

PPP adapter {20554BB2-902B-4113-89CA-DF73487A265E}:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.221.64
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.221.64
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.253.50
80.225.254.178
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping 80.225.253.50 (primary DNS at my ISP)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pinging 80.225.253.50 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=290ms TTL=59
Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=391ms TTL=59
Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=180ms TTL=59
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 80.225.253.50:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 180ms, Maximum = 391ms, Average = 215ms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

nslookup www.google.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Server: UnKnown
Address: 80.225.253.50
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping www.google.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unknown host www.google.com.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping 216.239.59.99 (a google server identified via tracert)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pinging 216.239.59.99 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=200ms TTL=50
Request timed out.
Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=210ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 216.239.59.99:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 200ms, Maximum = 210ms, Average = 102ms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Click to expand...
 
Dont know why, but I just got a delivery failed to your email address....I
had copied the email address from your post.


Mahmood Ali said:
Since you said that doing something with ipconfig made it work, I suggest
running the ipconfig/renew switch first and see if that makes a difference.
Not much hope for that though...

You also have a lot of DNS suffix entries. While these may be usefull for a
company network, they will create problem with DNS on a dial up link for
internet. Is it possible for you to remove these for the connection?

Thirdly, while you are dialled up, use nslookup to set the DNS server to
another one. This might be a freeserve, bt or telewest server. Then see what
happens when you try to run a dns lookup


Luke Silburn said:
Hi

I have a problem with similar symptoms to those described in recent
posts by Dick Rawlings [thread titled "pings but won't connect"] and
Peter Lee [thread titled "Dialup Networking Can't Access Web Pages"].
Rather than hijack their threads I thought I'd start my own, as my
setup and situation is a little different.

My situation:

I have a laptop (Dell Latitude with Windows 2000 Pro recently upgraded
from SP1 to SP4 and with various other critical security patches
applied) that I've setup with two dialup network connections - one to
pull down emails from my work account, the other to a basic service
ISP for web-browsing, usenet etc.

The trouble is that since doing some housecleaning and general
maintenance last week, these connections (which have been fine and
routinely used for well over a year now) fail to resolve hostnames. I
can dial in, establish a connection and authenticate to the ISP/work
server and then, once connected, I can ping to IP addresses explictly,
but anything that relies upon resolving hostnames via DNS (ie.
anything remotely useful) fails.

The problem isn't at the ISP end since my desktop system can connect
to the same ISP account without any problems (that's how I'm posting
this out now). What is irritating is that I managed to get DNS
resolution working temporarily - I was randomly trying various
ipconfig commands and something seemed to take - but the original
problem returned upon reboot and whatever it was that I did I haven't
been able to replicate since.

The prime candidate for a culprit is the upgrade and various security
hotfixes I applied last week, however I also used a startup manager
('Starter' by CodeStuff) to trim down my autostarting applications and
restore some stability to the system. I doubt this is the root of
problem however, as I have pretty much restored the changes I made
there and the dialup problem still remains.

So, any thoughts on the underlying fault and how it can be fixed?

BTW I know its not good form, but can you copy follow-ups sent prior
to 25th October 2003 to (e-mail address removed) as well as here
please? I am going to be on a client site which blocks usenet all this
week, so after this evening I won't have access to my internet-capable
system until next weekend.

Regards
Luke

PS
Some of the outputs from various DOS-prompt commands:

ipconfig /all (with some obfuscation)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Windows 2000 IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : UKP-HWHMK38LNE6
Primary DNS Suffix . . . . . . . : xxxxxx.co.uk
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : xxxxxx.co.uk
uk.xxxxxx.com
europe.xxxxxx.com
fr.xxxxxx.com
us.xxxxxx.com
ie.xxxxxx.com
au.xxxxxx.com
cz.xxxxxx.com
nl.xxxxxx.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Cable Disconnected
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : 3Com 3C920 Integrated Fast

Ethernet Controller (3C905C-TX Compatible)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-B0-D0-BF-AE-6A

PPP adapter {20554BB2-902B-4113-89CA-DF73487A265E}:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : WAN (PPP/SLIP) Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-53-45-00-00-00
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.221.64
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.221.64
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 80.225.253.50
80.225.254.178
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping 80.225.253.50 (primary DNS at my ISP)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pinging 80.225.253.50 with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=290ms TTL=59
Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=391ms TTL=59
Reply from 80.225.253.50: bytes=32 time=180ms TTL=59
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 80.225.253.50:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 3, Lost = 1 (25% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 180ms, Maximum = 391ms, Average = 215ms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

nslookup www.google.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Server: UnKnown
Address: 80.225.253.50
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping www.google.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Unknown host www.google.com.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

ping 216.239.59.99 (a google server identified via tracert)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Pinging 216.239.59.99 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=200ms TTL=50
Request timed out.
Reply from 216.239.59.99: bytes=32 time=210ms TTL=50

Ping statistics for 216.239.59.99:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 200ms, Maximum = 210ms, Average = 102ms
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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