Workaround for Comcast outage and slow DNS requests

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:58 am

If you have Comcast like me, you probably had problems last night.

They've been having DNS server outages. Comcast is working on it but this is the 2nd major outage in 6 days and I've been having minor DNS hangs off and on all week.

Quick workaround is to use alternate DNS servers.

More info here with a list of alternate DNS servers: http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/r ... 5#13155426

RaT · Post by **RaT** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 2:52 pm

i don't know exactly how a DNS server outage would affect me.

but would that explain me losing my connection last night and a couple of nights before? i initially put the blame on my wireless router couple of days ago and got it working after some frustration. then again just last night same issue. after resetting the router and rebooting a couple of time it seemed to start working but slow at times

also considering i'm on a router, where do i input this info? ont the router's settings or on my "main" PC's network card settings?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:46 pm

Yes. Last night I SEEMED to lose my connection - actually I knew I didn't totally lose it because I could still play on game servers in SOF2, but couldn't browse anything (try to browse, just a LONG delay before it times out).

This was the DNS servers failing to resolve addresses. DNS servers convert an named URL (ie: http://www.yahoo.com) to an IP address (ie: 234.45.6.1). Without DNS you can't browse anything on the web unless you know it's IP address.

Comcast has had sluggish DNS servers for the past week, and last night and a few nights ago it just totally stopped resolving DNS lookups.

Temporarily configuring the DNS server settings manually in the TCP/IP settings on your computer to one of the alternate DNS servers listed in the link will do the job.

Don't forget to change the DNS servers back to "Automatically aquire" once Comcast fixes the problem. It'll always be faster to use Comcast's own DNS servers than someone elses if you're using Comcast.

RaT · Post by **RaT** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 4:59 pm

thanks for the info... that's what confused me a bit.. i had no issues playing a little quake2 and SOF2 last night but noticed web pages were taking longer than usual to load or they would timeout.

so do i just temporarily change the settings on my computer or do i also need to change some settings on the router's setup utility.

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 5:39 pm

yea, that sucked. same junk the night before for me.

Greg

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 5:49 pm

Just do it on your computers. Some routers act as a DNS server and some don't. Without knowing how yours works, the easiest thing to do is just change the DNS settings on your computer.

Today everything seems fine though, at least here in Florida. So I'm going to wait until the next outage.

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 5:50 pm

i was having what appeared to be a real issue with the dns servers (frontiernet) a while back and changed to alternates, etc., with no help

i got a new router/modem and instead of entering a specific dns server and backup it is just set to WAN instead - anyway don't have the problems anymore

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 8:31 pm

down hill again. comcast better get there act togeather....not that I have any options. this is just annoying.

Greg

rndmtask · Post by **rndmtask** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 9:31 pm

Maybe if they had more than 2 DNS servers for the entire country it wouldn't be such a problem. If I run my own DNS server they bitch at me because its agains the TOS but I can't use their POS servers. The second I move or have the DSL option I'm going to speakeasy hopefully if they are available. I just wish sat internet wasn't so slow, stupid speed of light. I wouldn't touch comcasts cable tv service especially not since sat tv is about 1000% better.

Edit: holy crap some of those DNS servers are fast. Unlike comcasts I know a person who went back to DSL because his internet was "so much slower" it was the comcast DNS servers. I think they would have to give me gold bars to redeem themselfs because the service has been just that terrible so far. Just when I thought well maybe they aren't that bad they find some way to screw it over.

RaT · Post by **RaT** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 10:03 pm

dayum... slow ass connection here tonight in LA. i entered the alternate DNS servers and its kinda slow but hey... it's better than nothing.

so how will one know when to revert to the original DNS servers?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:17 am

Okay for me last night in Florida, but outages all over the place. Comcast support rep on this thread thinks it might be an attack since it happens at the same time of day, but they aren't telling him anything:
http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/62494

rndmtask: What DNS servers you using that are so fast?

TruckStuff · Post by **TruckStuff** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 4:36 pm

This is why I run my own DNS server for my LAN. Than I'm only subject to my own incompetencies.

rndmtask · Post by **rndmtask** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 11:41 pm

rndmtask: What DNS servers you using that are so fast?

4.2.2.4 It appears to be vnsc-pri-dsl.genuity.net whoever that is http://www.genuity.net isn't responding

An attack?? The guy is an idiot. Has anyone ever stopped to think that since it happens during the evening it may just be too much load? I noticed the first day it went down hard it was perfectly fine during the day. But later that evening I could barely get a response from the DNS servers. Even later that night I was able to get on fine. So far I've never had a problem between midnight and noon.

I don't think I'd really have a problem with all of this if I had gotten a message when I called them stating that DNS was down and to sit tight they were on it. But I got the normal system then a hangup because the reps were all too busy. They need to add a number on their phone system that they put recorded messages on that state who and what is down. It would take seconds and probably relieve a lot of pressure on their call center, and even save them some money. I usually wait a few minutes after I go down to call, like 15 minutes easily enough time for them to notice, and only once did the recording say my area was down.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Sat Apr 16, 2005 3:05 pm

What the idiots should have done is email us all apologizing for the inconvenience and telling us they're working on it.

You and I know what's going on, but 99% of their users are non-techies and have no idea what's happening.

This will only hurt them in the long run.