Tom's Guide | Tom's Hardware | Tom's Games
 |
 |
 |
My Internet "Service" Provider appears to frequently lose its DNS server. My browser is unable to resolve any domain names when that happens. I called customer "support" and they told me to try a different phone number, to reboot, to reinstall Windoze. I think the problem is on their end. Assuming it is, is it possible to set up a DNS server or cache on my PC to work as a backup when the ISP's fails? Of course it has to retain its mappings across browser shutdowns or reboots. Come to think of it, I need this for a Win98 SE system too (and in the future, a Linux system). Thanks for any advice!
Phil
point yourself to a different DNS server than the one they provide.
You can't cache DNS locally.
Golly gee wilerkers everyone. Learn to Internet Search
0 
I would have to say that yes, you could setup your PC to be a DNS server and it would work. I say this because I browse the internet from my (2) DNS Servers all the time.
I am assuming you are on a dial up connection because one of tech support's suggestion was to dial a different number. If you find a DNS server to run on your computer, just set the TCP/IP properties of your modem connection to use 127.0.0.1 as a DNS server.
DNS is actually pretty simple in nature for caching-only servers. A standard named.conf file on a Linux box just has the IP addresses of all the root servers and most queries and answers are handled recursively so the answers are cached along the way.
0
hey that sounds great Matthew Smith. Now can you suggest a DNS server software that Phil can load on his XP Home box?
Golly gee wilerkers everyone! Learn to Internet Search
0
for one: i doubt the dns error is on their end, otherwise your ISP would no longer be in business because all customers would drop, i would put more focus on your machine...check for adware/spyware/viruses with the proper updated software...hell just for trail and error you may want to do a fresh load of windows on your machine and then test the connect, if it works then cool, if not at least you can then blame it on them...i doubt setting up your own DNS server will prove to fix your issue
yup!
0
--"My Internet "Service" Provider appears to frequently lose its DNS server." --Doubtful, they would lose name resolution for all users connected. Not a good way to stay in business. But if you're convinced, just buy some time from another provider, see how it goes.
--"You can't cache DNS locally" Absolutely not true. Windows maintains a DNS resolver cache: Start, Run, CMD. Ipconfig /displaydns.
--"you could setup your PC to be a DNS server and it would work." True, but why would you want to? It defeats the purpose of having a SERVICE provider.--"i doubt the dns error is on their end, otherwise your ISP would no longer be in business..." Right on. This is likely a local issue.
0
the local dns cache is limited in size and content to what was recently resolved. If you want to "cache" a internet dns server I have to think you mean a zone transfer.
I don't know of any DNS server software that runs on XP that can take/support a zone transfer. Maybe there is one I haven't heard of. Otherwise thats why you buy the server OS with Microsoft.
Golly gee wilerkers everyone! Learn to Internet Search
0
Actually, a zone transfer wouldn't help at all with regards to name resolution on domains for which his ISP isn't authoritative. A zone transfer only makes sense if the user is trying to provide recursive lookups for a particular zone that the ISP is responsible for (simply not the case if they are merely an end user). Secondarying a zone also requires the ability to initiate a zone transfer from the the master server(s). Most DNS admins don't allow zone transfer requests from, "untrusted" users even if they had the software to do it. I certainely don't allow them on mine! Anyway, I only provided this input for the purpose of keeping Phil from getting confused and possibly pursuing that suggestion.
k_Rob - kk7av
0
Hmm. A number of you have suggested that the problem could be on my end after all. Immediately after changing from a local phone number to a WATS (866) number I had the same problem, prompting my question. Since then it's run without problem, but then, I have gone a week or more without DNS problems before. So, we'll see if it's fixed.
As for one of the posts, I keep my machine very clean with antivirus, antispyware, and up to the minute Windows updates. I'm not going to reload Windows if I don't have to. As for "this can't be happening to everyone or the ISP would be out of business", who knows? Maybe they will be! Watch to see if a certain major ISP starting with "C" goes under! Or it might be that just their local portal has been having problems and moving me to a bigger regional one (?) is the ticket.
Thanks for the responses. For the moment I'll just sit tight and see if the problem shows up again. Phil
0
Not an hour after my previous post, my browser was telling me that it couldn't resolve any names! Sigh. Well, at least it's happening less frequently on my WinXP box than it used to. Sometimes I seem to be able to "jump start" name resolution by typing in the site name as a dotted IP address -- DNS starts working after that (but it may be just a coincidence). On my Win98SE box, I think something in the LAN setup was mucking up TCP/IP or whatever -- when I wiped out all LAN drivers and disconnected the Ethernet cable, I could successfully dial up again.
Finally, I'm about ready to ditch Cleartel (my ISP after buying BiznessOnline who had bought my local provider). Last week they dropped the 866 access number they had just given me a few days before, and didn't tell me in advance. I had to call up customer support again and eventually they gave me another 866 number. No apologies for my losing several days of access!
Phil
0  |
 |
 |
This post is quite old and has been locked from receiving new replies. Please create a new posting instead.
| Ads by Google |
