Having lots of trouble accessing sites today, can still get on here (dur) but can’t access my email or my ISP’s site, or a seemingly random scattering of other sites. I’ve tried Downforeveryone, but I can’t access it either 😉

Check name resolution; type nslookup nameofsite at a command prompt, see if it resolves.

Eg,

>nslookup www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com
Server:  resolver1.opendns.com
Address:  208.67.222.222

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    www.downforeveryoneorjustme.com.Home
Address:  67.215.65.132

>

EDIT – ignore the http:// bit, the forum prepended that.

That clarification clarified nothing for me and I assume non IT types

Now imagine you were explaining it to your nan

You don’t need to understand it, you just need to follow simple instructions. We have techies to understand it for you.

Last I checked, my nan could read. Before she died, anyroad.

Well that’s interesting. Without knowing what on earth I’m doing, i do now know that if enter my ISP’s website address, I get a 404. But if I do the nslookup thing then type in the dotted quad, I get in.

Well, sort of, I can get to the homepage but can’t navigate round it.

I have no clue what to do with this info though!

Right. So your DNS is buggered. Assuming it’s not some sort of malware infection, it’ll be a problem at your ISP’s end.

Go to the properties for your (wired / wireless, whichever you’re using) network card, and open TCP/IP properties. Where it says to obtain DNS settings automatically, change it to read 8.8.8.8

If you’re struggling to find it, I can give you more verbose instructions but I’ll need to know what version of Windows you’re running (XP / W7 etc).

Whats a command prompt and how would i find it?
I would search the internet but its broken 😉

Seriously I dont understand what has been asked and what is a command prompt

Cougar, I can read what you wrote, but I don’t have the foggiest idea as to what you’re supposed to do with the words; like, where would you type them. Do you type them into a browser window?
Not that I’ve been having problems, but just pointing out that, while it may be perfectly clear to you, for many folks, comprehension would be difficult, most of my friends would have an expression of utter bafflement! 😀

Sorry JY, I assumed you were being facetious. Are you having the same problem?

What version of Windows?

CZ > the person I’m actually talking to seems to be understanding me just fine so far, so there’s little point in me explaining granular steps and minutiae unless it’s actually necessary. It’s a waste of time.

I try to tailor support to the right level for a given audience. So, if it was yourself with the issue, I’d have distilled the technical details down into something I thought Mac users would be able to follow.

No my internet is fine but I genuinely did not understand what was being asked
I was trying to be both jokey and get clarification but the OP is more PC savvy than me – it was not a dig but may be a general banter fail.

Dont worry my main riding partner works in IT so I have my own first level response when things go wrong.
he will happily confirm it is like helping your nan

may be a general banter fail.

‘s what I assumed it was, hence what I thought was an equally banteresque response. I was aiming for funny rather than arsey (which TBH is my standard operating mode) but sorry if it didn’t come across that way. It’s tricky to get meaning across in text alone, sometimes.

Just to expand a little on what I mean by ‘tailoring’ support; day to day I deal with complete luddites one minute and Enterprise admins the next. It’s not always immediately obvious what level someone’s at, and telling someone who’s been in IT for a couple of decades to “click on Start with your left mouse button” would be somewhere between inefficient and patronising. So I start with fairly high level suggestions, then drill down if needs be.

It’s the same idea with troubleshooting generally. I could put a post up saying “well, try this; if X happens, try Y, otherwise, try Z; if Z works, then you need to…” etc. But if I did that I’d be here all day(*). Far quicker just to ask a question, wait for a response, then explain what that result means rather than try and list all eventualities scattergun style.

If it was yourself with the issue, I’d have distilled the technical details down into something I thought Mac users would be able to follow.

Wonders what that would be 😉

Crayon.

No standalone network card in this thing, ADSL moden/router connected directly to a gigabyte motherboard by ethernet cable (Realtek chip, I believe)… It’s servicepacked Windows 7. Had a root around but can’t find anything relating to TCP/IP properties or obtaining DNS settings…

Thanks very much! And, er, I suppose possibly the other comments from other people are supposed to be helpful to so, thanks for those too 😉

Right, that’s fine.

Go to Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center (or just type ‘network’ in the run box and pick it from the list).

Select ‘change adapter settings’ in the menu on the left to open the Network Connections screen. Here you’ll probably see various adapters, one should be the connected Ethernet adapter (logically they’re all ‘adapters’ whether they’re embedded on the board or separate cards). Right-click this and pick Properties.

Select TCP/IPv4 from the list of protocols, then Properties again.

Change the DNS setting at the bottom to use 8.8.8.8

Ok, Apply, etc. Robert’s your mother’s brother.

Was it only ‘The Borders’ internet that was jiggered ? 🙂

(Who’s your ISP, out of interest?)

Cougar would you describe yourself as Wintel Nazi 😉

(I’d take a wager on “no LINUX, Windows is crap” response)

That seems to have done the trick, thanks very much! I’m on the ghost of Force 9, now part of Plusnet. Had a wee squizz at their statuses and they don’t seem to think anything’s wrong at their end…

Woo internetz! Now I can get back to wasting my life and it’s all down to you! I’d never have got that sorted by myself so I really appreciate it

Cougar would you describe yourself as Wintel Nazi

(I’d take a wager on “no LINUX, Windows is crap” response)

I’m not wholly sure I understand the question but I’m fairly sure I wouldn’t describe myself as any sory of nazi. I’d like to think I’m fairly easy-going.

Primarily I’m a Windows tech. Wintel servers are my day job and it’s the platform I’m most familiar with. But I firmly believe in the right tool for the job (and for the user); be that Windows, Linux, OSX, Android, iOS, something else.

I get vexed with evangelists not because of their passion (which I applaud) but because of the lack of thought that often goes into their recommendations (“use what I use cos it’s the bestest and everything else is shit”).

And, I take occasionally take opportunities to have a gentle dig at CountZero because I feel like it goes a little way to achieving a balance in the Force. (-:

Does that answer your question?

Cougar – Member
Crayon.

😆

Cougar – Member
CZ > the person I’m actually talking to seems to be understanding me just fine so far, so there’s little point in me explaining granular steps and minutiae unless it’s actually necessary. It’s a waste of time.

I try to tailor support to the right level for a given audience. So, if it was yourself with the issue, I’d have distilled the technical details down into something I thought Mac users would be able to follow.

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be an arsehole; as the OP hadn’t specified his platform, and as anything that might involve going into Terminal give me hives, I was genuinely interested in clarification, as I didn’t understand either. I often read instructions that require the use of Terminal, and I really wasn’t sure if this was a similar situation.

That seems to have done the trick, thanks very much!

\o/ Brill.

At some point when they’ve fixed it, you can change that setting back if you like. It won’t hurt to leave it as is though, except in fairly atypical situations.

DNS is basically a phone book. You use it to look up names (www.blah.com) and turn them into addresses (w.x.y.z). The automatic way uses your ISP’s phone book, what we’ve just done here is use google’s (free, public) phone book instead. In theory they should all be identical for all practical purposes, so it shouldn’t make a difference. But as you see, sometimes things break.

Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be an arsehole; as the OP hadn’t specified his platform

Fair enough. As I said before, it’s hard to tell intent when it’s just written. I didn’t think you were being an arse, I figured you were just teasing me.

If it had been an Apple platform, offhand I wouldn’t have known the exact steps either. I have a vague recollection that there’s an applet with nslookup in OSX, ‘network utils’ or some such, but TBH I’d have been hitting google to be able to explain step-by-step.

Hi Cougar it does indeed answer my question, it was meant in jest and no offence was intended and I hope I didn’t cause you any if I did please accept my apology.

As an elderly techie, having been at this lark for 25 years now, I felt obliged to defend the Mac, especially as I’m typing this on one. I also agree wholly with your point re O/S evangelists, I get to deal with them on a daily basis touting their preferred platforms as the only possible O/S for an enterprise grade solution regardless of the functionality it needs to deliver. Holistic

I’m not easily offended, don’t worry.

Defend away, though it’s probably not necessary. My comments were only ever meant light-heartedly, and there’s plenty of Mac advocates on STW (along with everything else).

I think you have a few years on me, but not all that many. (-:

27 posts and no one suggested “turning it off and on again”?

cougar, what does the 8.8.8.8 do ?

(Crayons…….me………………………………………….IT bod)

skip that – had the window open for an hour and you’ve answered

(me…Crayons…………………………………………………..etc)