DNS issue

SoozyJ22

The Orange ones from their website didn't work so I've changed to using opendns as recommended (thanks guys). I've just got on the site ok, but since it's an intermittent problem I'll need to keep trying on and off for a while to see if it's actually fixed. I'll let you know how I get on.

DatabaseError

you did. i open lots of tabs, from this and other sites, then work through them, on this site (and others) i use quick reply and add html tags myself, so the page doesn't refresh to show new posts until i've posted, then i close the tab without checking and refresh the main page.
good advice, by the way, opendns is fantastic!

SoozyJ22

Aggghhhhh opendns doesn't work either.

I just remembered another site where I have the same problem with it not loading the first time and then loading right away if I reload - superflash.org - also a Canadian site, but I have no idea where it's hosted.

At the current time I can ping my friend's site successfully (new laptop) but can't get to it in firefox or IE, even after clearing the cache.

The old laptop still seems fine though - even loads first time.

This is so frustrating. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can try now?

Edit -and now a minute or so later I can't even ping any more.

Belnahua

Just one thought, and it's a remote possibility, but your Firefox and IE has a direct connection to the net, and not going thru a proxy web site? (in the connections tab)

Demon used a proxy to 'speed' up web access, but it's always been not worth bothering with. I think they ditched it as it was unreliable.

In Firefox, it's TOOLS > OPTIONS, then ADVANCED tab, then Network tab and Connection Settings - see if it says Direct Connection to the Internet.

SoozyJ22

Thanks for your help Belnahua. I've checked Firefox and it's set to use the direct connection. I had a look in IE and that's not using a proxy server either.

Now, I was just looking around on my laptop and changed my connection setting to the router to use a specific DNS (I used the opendns addresses) rather than getting one automatically and the last 2 times I've tried to connect to the website it's worked. Maybe a fluke, or maybe I'm on to something - I have no idea!

SoozyJ22

Nope, it's broken again

Once again I could ping but not access from a browser, though now I'm back to not being able to even ping.

I did a tracert and this is what it says. The time out at step 4 doesn't look good. But I really don't have any more than the most basic idea about what all this means.

albertross_2

adding 64.13.232.147 www.matthewgood.org

to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts will avoid any dns issues. From that trace it appears to be connecting, but maybe IE is timing out

Belnahua

Just for an experiment :-

Open "HOSTS" in c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc in Notepad

add the line

64.13.232.147 matthewgood.org https://www.matthewgood.org

and save it back, and see how you get on.

But watch out, if the website changes it's address you'll be scuppered, and will either have to delete or amend this line for the correct IP address.

Belnahua

Ah, just noticed, matthewgood.org redirects to https://www.matthewgood.org; Suspect possibly the redirect to the www. part is the bit that's failing (and maybe not at your end). Try it with the www. bit in instead of leaving it out.

SoozyJ22

I can't do it ... Windows won't let me save the hosts file.

It says:

Can't create the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts file. Make sure that the path and file name are correct.

It seems I can't write to the root of my C drive either. I'm the administrator on this laptop so I don't see why I can't. Where should I be going to give myself access?