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Question

DNS problem? or other? where to now...?

Mar 16, 2015 12:15PM PDT

I have recently had my home internet connection established. Presently, it is a straight broadband connection, without (wireless) router or modem.

In this time, I have noticed that I am unable to access particular IT sites—I am receiving dialogs indicating as much eg. no access to Tinyurl, OpenDNS, Wikipedia page on Alternative DNS, other IT support sites. This occurs when I conduct a search by search engine or attempting via placing a url into either of the Firefox or Internet Explorer browser directly.


The peculiar point is that I had been able to utilise TinyURL in a public network, but have noticed that this inability to use it has occurred only recently. I do not know if it (& the other site problem) has coincided with my home internet connection access or not.


With the home internet connection, I have forced a full refresh on Firefox browser (my default), and have flushed the DNS cache. To no avail.

Can anyone give me an indication of what additional steps I can take to solve this problem?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Did you try another DNS?
Mar 16, 2015 12:33PM PDT
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Tried another DNS...plus
Mar 20, 2015 2:51PM PDT

It took 2 attempts, but I managed to switch to OpenDNS. For some of the sites that were impossible or slow, I now appear to have quick(er) access. Thanks for this.


But, as to the benchmark testing, do you have what in your view, is an equally acceptable alternative benchmark provision site?

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I find I must do the NAMEBENCH test.
Mar 20, 2015 3:45PM PDT

I guess folk that have it working may not want to know how well it is working or not?
Bob

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No objection to Namebench whatsoever, but...
Mar 23, 2015 9:35PM PDT

as you know there are forces far bigger than ourselves eg. governments which seek to institute very tight control on internet access for their citizens. For some of these countries, Google is shut out completely, in all its forms & permutations. Not much I can do in such situations. Except ask for a recommendation for an alternative benchmark test, that is considered equally acceptable...

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Why I note Namebench.
Mar 24, 2015 12:25AM PDT
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Clarification Request
Using DHCP for DNS?
Mar 20, 2015 12:51PM PDT

I've had some issues with ISP supplied DNS services.
These are assigned with DHCP when you get your IP address.

If you try changing your ISP supplied DNS with another, say, verizon's 4.2.2.2 by typing it into your connection configuration and it goes away, its probably your ISP having trouble with BIND transfers for sites that have changing IP addresses or more precisely those sites with nameservers delivering servers with changing addresses.

I think they are trying to cache DNS referrals. Go figure.