Certain Web Sites Won't Load

**the Black Prince** · June 04, 2007, 05:36 PM

OK, ever since we've had this router here (a belkin one) we've had a constant problem with certain websites not loading, intermitantly. Its not bothered me much, because i've been away at uni, but now i'm back, and its annoying.

The site most affected is news.bbc.co.uk
the rest of the BBC site works fine, but i can't load BBC News. It always times out, regardless of whether i'mn browsing in firefox or IE.

Other pages seem to do it intermittently, for no apparent reason.
currently, my email server can't be accessed (fanforce.net) whenever i log in, the inbox won't load. This surprised the hosts when i told them, since the service was running perfectly from their point of view.

I find it hard to believe that a site such as BBC news is offline 90% of the time. I imagine that would e noticed, so it can only be a problem at my end, not with the websites. And yet other sites work fine, as evidenced by me sitting here typing this post.

Any help, comments, suggestions?

**Garbarsardar** · June 04, 2007, 07:46 PM

Yes, I had the same problem exactly with BBC news. My provider, provided me (nice sentence btw) with a static (fixed) IP address and that solved the problem. Don't ask why, because I am an idiot with those things, but now it works...

You are using Firefox, right?

**sapi** · June 05, 2007, 02:03 AM

It might be worth while seeing if you can in fact ping those sites - your problem could be something as simple as your dynamic IP being banned for another person's actions (although I admit that that is unlikely)

**the Black Prince** · June 05, 2007, 01:17 PM

ok, now how do i go about doing that?

**GrnEyedDvl** · June 07, 2007, 03:34 PM

First disconnect your router and your cable/dsl modem for at least 1 minute, then plug your modem in. Once it goes through its boot cycle then connect your router. Then go into your router and make sure its picking up a primary and secondary DNS server. These issues are usually DNS problems.

Then try pinging various websites from both your router and your computer. Your router will have a tool in the interface to ping internet names. To ping from WIndowsXP/2000 click Start, RUn, type cmd in the box and hit enter to get a DOS window. Type ping bbc.com and it will give you a response in milliseconds.

If you are getting DNS servers picked up, but arent able to ping the sites, either from your routers utility or from a command line then there is most likely a problem with your DNS service provided by your ISP.

Heres how you know if its a DNS problem. If you can't go to www.bbc.com but you can go to 212.58.240.34 then you arent resolving names. You should be able to go to any site on the web by knowing its IP address. If you can connect by typing in IP addresses but not by typing in names its definitely a DNS problem.

Another possibility is that your ISP account is tied to your computers MAC address. This can also cause intermittent issues. Most routers have the capability to clone a MAC address, assign the MAC address of your computer to your router and reboot everything.

If you are still having the problem after a reboot and cloning your MAC address then try a third party DNS server. There are many free DNS services out there just pick one close to you.

The last possibility is related to Net Neutrality. This is becoming a big issue in the US and Canada because of the way ISPs are doing business. Google and Microsoft are actually talking about filing lawsuits on this issue,a nd probably many other companies aswell. Basically how it works is this:

You own a website. A big cable internet provider comes and asks you for an access fee or they will limit peoples ability to access your site by throttling bandwidth. Verizon actually did this to Vonage because people were using Vonages VOIP phone service instead of Verizon phone service.

Other ISPs are now starting to do the same thing, with all kinds of websites. Ask your ISP what their Net Neutrality position is.

http://www.technologyevangelist.com/..._vonage_1.html

http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2...eutrality.html

**the Black Prince** · June 07, 2007, 04:40 PM

the DNS are automatically assigned by the ISP but the router is picking them up.

indnsc40.ukcore.bt.net and indnsc61.ukcore.bt.net

bbc.co.uk i have no problem with, its just news.bbc.co.uk and sport.bbc.co.uk that won't load most of the time. additionally, my email is affected. i can access fanforce.net, but not readmail.fanforce.net
the routers security log records them as time-outs each time i try

as for mac, the router already clones the mac address for each PC on the network

i'm gonna try a third party DNS now

**Simetrical** · June 08, 2007, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by GrnEyedDvl

You should be able to go to any site on the web by knowing its IP address.

Not quite true. Many sites (including TWC for now) use DNS-based virtual hosting.

Also, this isn't going to be a DNS problem. If a browser says timeout, it means timeout. If it's a DNS issue it will say "cannot locate" or something.

Edit: There may be a router further upstream that's screwing stuff up. Try opening a command prompt as GrnEyedDvl suggests, then typing "tracert news.bbc.co.uk" and post what's printed out.

Edit 2: Whatever the issue is, you should be able to connect with no troubles through an open proxy. You can Google for instructions on that.

**GrnEyedDvl** · June 08, 2007, 04:04 PM

Actually IE6 and IE7, I am assuming he is using one of those, both have a generic Cannot Display the Webpage message, it doesnt just say timeout although thats what it actually did. It either timed out waiting for a name or it connected and timed out waiting for content. I dont remember exactly how FireFox or Mozilla handle it.

With the DNS virtual hosting you are right, you probably cant hit it by IP address because this is shared hosting, but any organization as big as the BBC has at least 1 dedicated server, probably a farm to handle high loads, and you can always hit them by IP.

Is this the error you are getting?

I tried pinging both sport.bbc.co.uk and news.bbc.co.uk, the sport site failed and the news site gave me a response.

Try this link for the news site, it works by IP address as well.
http://212.58.240.132/

The BBC Sport site you are looking for is:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport

If you had it bookmarked before and they moved it without redirecting then this is why you cant find it. Lazy on their part.

**the Black Prince** · June 10, 2007, 03:47 AM

yes, that is the IE screen i see, though my normal browser is firefox

**Simetrical** · June 13, 2007, 11:30 PM

I get the same as GrnEyedDvl for sport.bbc.co.uk, it doesn't exist. Presumably that means that it's been taken down, if it ever existed. You can try putting news.bbc.co.uk -> 212.58.240.134 in your HOSTS file if you want (Google for how to), although it's not recommended, since if that changes it really won't work.

Anyway, the advice from the edits in my last post still holds.