General Problems with sites not loading...

[mmouse]

Hi (I posted this on the VM community page but have just found this site, so it may be useful....)

I've seen a lot of postings with people having problems connecting to certain websites, where the website loads very slowly or not at all. I've got a similar problem over the last 3 days in the AL5 area, and I've narrowed the problem down (or at least eliminated a few things).

I've had 3 machines (2 Macs and 1 windows PC) all have exactly the same problem on the same sites, so I know it's not related to the OS or viruses.

I've tried safari, internet explorer, firefox and google chrome, all have exactly the same problem so it's not related to the browser.

I get exactly the same problem whether I connect via wireless, wired (ethernet) or wired (powerline adaptors), so I know it's not related to my internal networking.

When I look to see what's not loading it's typically ad.uk.doubleclick.net (adverts) which are failing to load.

Now, what's interesting is when I setup a VPN link to my work, then the sites work fine, so I suggest VM look into why this is happening. To everyone else I wouldn't bother changing anything as I don't believe it will help.

Richard

ps I have 30Mb broadband with the new super hub.

[Stephen]

Have you check in the superhub settings to see if ip flood detection is switched off?

[mmouse]

Yes, it's nothing to do with any settings, wireless or super hub problem.

When I connect using VPN through work servers (using the same wireless / superhub etc) everything works fine. Without VPN any website that uses google / doubleclick ads doesn't load.

Someone on another site suggested using traceroute to find out where the problem is, and it confirms that I can't reach any 74.x.x.x ip address, which seems to be where the some of the google sites are located (maps.google.co.uk) and all of the adsense / doubleclick servers are located.

So it looks like a routing problem. So if you're having similar problems then changing settings on your superhub / changing wireless settings / ordering a new superhub / getting an engineer out isn't going to help.......

It looks like this has been going on for at least a couple of days now, (maybe a bit longer in certain areas)

[terrel]

I can get on the YouTube page but just can't get on the YouTube video's not loading?

[mmouse]

I can't get on the youtube page at all, but if I ping www.youtube.com it tries to go to ip address : 74.125.230.140 and fails. I suspect some of the page may have been cached in your browser which is why the page displays.

I suspect maps.google.co.uk doesn't work either.....

Though I bet you can load sites like www.bbc.co.uk or www.bing.com ok as they have no ads served from google (which is in the 74.x.x.x range).

I'm concerned that people who are affected by this, might start changing all sorts of things, which might cause problems when this is resolved.

[theoldbill]

My Youtube was duff earlier, use https (https://www.youtube.com) and you'll find the videos will load and play... very strange but I'm sure some techie can tell us what's up :)

I re-installed Flash, wiped flash cookies etc... and that didn't work. Using secure http did.

[asbo dog]

second the https trick, was getting black screen on all vids this afternoon till tried the clearing cache and then https after cache was a no worker.

seems fine now at time of post with out https

[mmouse]

I suspect you the VM webcache set up in your browser. The https might work if you have the webcache setup for https traffic as well.

If I switch on VM webcache in my browser (webcache.virginmedia.com port 8080), then I can get youtube and some of the google sites to load, but that's only because VM have cached the pages.

However, a lot of pages will load a lot of the page but not quite complete, if it needs to go to 74.x.x.x to get some of the page.

So this seems to fix the problem as long as VM cache everything I want to look at :)

If I need anything from 74.x.x.x then :(

It seems to be a problem mainly in the Harpenden / Tring / Berkhamstead area, would be interested if it's elsewhere as well.

To check, try turning of the webcache, and see if maps.google.co.uk loads...

[JayAy]

These are sticking plasters to mask the real problem which is with VM. There is a significant problem in the areas that run through VM's Luton servers, at least for those on the 50Mb service. Problem started at 21:30 on Thursday 30th June 2011 (give or take a few minutes).

If you want another sticking plaster you can use a VM proxy webcache.virginmedia.com:8080

Or run over a VPN connection

Or avoid the http protocol - port 80

VM Broadband support know of the problem, are investigating, but have no fix date.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33679194-dns-issues-in-hemel-area.html

[sirocks]

how do u use webcache.virginmedia.com:8080 ?

[mmouse]

It will be a setting somewhere in your browser. I use a mac, for firefox the settings are under the preferences / network / advanced / settings, click on manual proxy, then enter webcache.virginmedia.com in the first box and 8080 in the port box.

It might be in a slightly different menu under windows, but google it if you get stuck.

It does make a huge difference in that sites now load most of the page (anything that still has to go to 74.x.x.x doesn't load) but I can actually use the internet now.

Of course as someone mentioned earlier this is a sticky plaster solution, the original routing problem has not yet been fixed.

[muppetman11]

I'm using the Superhub and my Internet has been fine both LAN and wireless however today my Internet connection has been awful , wireless slow and over LAN not great. Running a speediest it shows full however over the last week my router has needed rebooting on a couple of occasions with all 3 lights green instead of the top being blue , any ideas before I make the painful call to VM.

[muppetman11]

I'm using the Superhub and my Internet has been fine both LAN and wireless however today my Internet connection has been awful , wireless slow and over LAN not great. Running a speediest it shows full however over the last week my router has needed rebooting on a couple of occasions with all 3 lights green instead of the top being blue , any ideas before I make the painful call to VM.

Anybody ?