problem with NTL proxy?

surrealkid · 05-09-2005, 22:02

Does anyone know how to force an NTL proxy to update it's cache for a website?

I have just changed a domain which I own (number-seven.net) but I am still getting the registrar's holding page when I try to browse to the site.

number-seven.net works but www.number-seven.net does not, the A record does exist and works and both addresses trace back to the correct server IP:

Code:

> nslookup number-seven.net
Server: cache2.ntli.net
Address: 194.168.8.100

Non-authorative answer:
Name: number-seven.net
Address: 70.84.159.228


> nslookup www.number-seven.net
Server: cache2.ntli.net
Address: 194.168.8.100

Non-authorative answer:
Name: number-seven.net
Address: 70.84.159.228

I can also get to services not on port 80, so the only explanation I can think of for the thing not working is a crap ntl proxy. I can change the registrar's holding page and see the changes so the proxy is obviously updating it's cache ... just from the wrong server. When I go to www.number-seven.net in my browser I get this:

Code:

> netstat
...
TCP	MyComp:xxx	redirect.123-reg.co.uk:http	ESTABLISHED
...

Which leads me to think the proxy hasn't bothered to update the dns records for the address, which is pretty stupid since cache2.ntli.net returns the correct IP

Does anyone know of a way of getting the thing to work properly, the last time this happened it took about 2 weeks for it to start working.

SK

**Paul M** · 05-09-2005, 22:07

There are multiple dns servers within ntl, they won't all update at the same time - it depends on which one the proxy gets served by. Dns changes take time to happen, that's a feature of the system.

surrealkid · 05-09-2005, 22:26

surely the cache server should check to see if there is a newer version of a page before serving up the stored version. It updated the first change I made a few hours a go within a few minutes to get the 123reg page. I just don't get why it isn't updating now to get the current version.

05-09-2005, 22:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by surrealkid

surely the cache server should check to see if there is a newer version of a page before serving up the stored version. It updated the first change I made a few hours a go within a few minutes to get the 123reg page. I just don't get why it isn't updating now to get the current version.

dns & proxy servers are not the same - full dns propogation can take 48 hours

**Paul M** · 05-09-2005, 22:49

What he said ^^

surrealkid · 05-09-2005, 23:00

ok then, this should make it a bit more interesting ...

the nthellworld proxy checker says I am on belf-cache-5.server.ntli.net at the minute so I set that as my proxy manually, and I can see the site as it should be without any problems (same when i manually set the proxy to any other belfast proxy) but when I go back to using the automatic settings it reverts back to the 123-reg page

. so the proxies have obviously got the right dns settings somewhere.

**Paul M** · 05-09-2005, 23:13

Okay, first of all it's a common misconception that you are on a particular proxy, you aren't. ntl's proxy servers work as a group - so if your default group is Belfast then you will get routed to a different proxy server (from belf 1 to belf 5) depending on the IP of the target site - this is how they load balance.

Secondly, if you have tested all five (and they work) then it makes no sense that it would then fail if you allow ntl to choose, since you will still get one of the same five servers, with the same result.

Out of curiosity, I'll try them myself.

__________________

Belfast 3 is still returning the old page.

surrealkid · 05-09-2005, 23:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Okay, first of all it's a common misconception that you are on a particular proxy, you aren't. ntl's proxy servers work as a group - so if your default group is Belfast then you will get routed to a different proxy server (from belf 1 to belf 5) depending on the IP of the target site - this is how they load balance.

I wasn't sure if it changed them or if each user was on a particular proxy, that's why i checked all the belfast proxies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Secondly, if you have tested all five (and they work) then it makes no sense that it would then fail if you allow ntl to choose, since you will still get one of the same five servers, with the same result.

My thoughts exactly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul M

Belfast 3 is still returning the old page.

Strange, I get the new page when I manually select any proxy, but the old one when I use the automatic settings. And to confuse me even more, I just got a friend in belfast, who was getting the old page, to check each proxy. He got the same result as me (new page from all 5) but now that he is back to the automatic settings he is still getting the new page

Chrysalis · 05-09-2005, 23:42

check the ttl for the domain, you can do this with dnsreport.com.

the ttl is 86400 which is 24 hours.

by the way you or your host needs to fix your NS records they are set as ns.hosteurope.com.ns2.hosteurope.com. instead of ns.123-reg.co.uk. and ns2.123-reg.co.uk.

**Paul M** · 05-09-2005, 23:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

by the way you or your host needs to fix your NS records they are set as ns.hosteurope.com.ns2.hosteurope.com. instead of ns.123-reg.co.uk. and ns2.123-reg.co.uk.

Again, that depends on whether the dns server you check has updated. I just checked the NS records on two dns servers (non ntl), one gives hosteurope, the other 123-reg.

surrealkid · 06-09-2005, 00:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

by the way you or your host needs to fix your NS records they are set as ns.hosteurope.com.ns2.hosteurope.com. instead of ns.123-reg.co.uk. and ns2.123-reg.co.uk.

I set them to ns/ns2.123-reg.co.uk in the 123-reg control panel. I don't know what way they set them after that. As far as I know 123-reg and hosteurope are the same company.

Chrysalis · 07-09-2005, 00:51

It could be just a propogation delay yes, if thats the case you can ignore what I said.