# DNS Server Dropping Constantly



## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Hi, This is my first Post on this Forum, This problem has been Persistent for a Long time (About 5-6 Months) Since i changed from AOL to SKY.

This is the Problem: At random Occasions my DNS Service will stop Responding causing all connected Devices on my network to stop Aswell (2 Computers and an Xbox360) I Troubleshooted the Problem, Ans for some reason the internet comes back on Right in the middle of the Troubleshooter (It doesn't detect any Problems) This keeps happening regularly every Day.

My Network card: Nvidia Nforce Networking controler #2
OS: Windows 7

Ipconfig /all Details:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Hoss>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Declans-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : Home

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 3:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : Home
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1E-90-47-E6-27
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::888e:a980:a1d8:56fa%15(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 11 August 2011 10:03:56
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 12 August 2011 14:15:35
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 251666064
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-13-40-2A-04-90-E6-BA-80-55-A6

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.Belkin:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 9:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Teredo Tunneling Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

C:\Users\Hoss>

Any advice is Appreciated! :smile:


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## Troy_Jollimore (Dec 31, 2007)

I've been experiencing something similar on my networked PC, but it was spotty and REALLY hard to trace, so I've lived with it. If you change the DNS servers you use to, say, Google's (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4), does the issue persist?


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Troy_Jollimore said:


> I've been experiencing something similar on my networked PC, but it was spotty and REALLY hard to trace, so I've lived with it. If you change the DNS servers you use to, say, Google's (8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4), does the issue persist?


Yeah, I tried that a few days after I got SKY, The problems didn't pop up as much, But still happened, Changing the DNS Server now has no Affect :sigh:


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

post the results of a tracert yahoo.com for review


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Wand3r3r said:


> post the results of a tracert yahoo.com for review


Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Hoss>tracert Yahoo!

Tracing route to eu-fp3.wa1.b.yahoo.com [87.248.112.181]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 47 ms 48 ms 48 ms dr14.ennby.ov.easynet.net [89.200.128.215]
3 61 ms 57 ms 62 ms 5adfcf48.bb.sky.com [90.223.207.72]
4 66 ms 68 ms 69 ms 5adfcf02.bb.sky.com [90.223.207.2]
5 67 ms 69 ms 67 ms 5adfcf02.bb.sky.com [90.223.207.2]
6 74 ms 74 ms 75 ms ge-1-1-0.pat1.the.yahoo.com [195.66.224.129]
7 84 ms 92 ms 84 ms so-0-0-0.pat1.irz.yahoo.com [66.196.65.33]
8 90 ms 89 ms 86 ms ae-1.msr1.ird.yahoo.com [66.196.67.231]
9 87 ms 85 ms 84 ms te-7-4.bas-b1.ird.yahoo.com [87.248.101.103]
10 91 ms 84 ms 92 ms ir1.fp.vip.ird.yahoo.com [87.248.112.181]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\Hoss>


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

No problems there. Name resolved and those are good ms times.

When you experience the issues again do the tracert again and post the results


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## Troy_Jollimore (Dec 31, 2007)

Another thing to confirm working, although it's probably what the Repair does, is open a command prompt when DNS fails and type 'ipconfig /flushdns' <Enter>, then type 'ipconfig /registerdns' <Enter>. Wait a second or two, and it works (at least for me...).

When mine was out, doing an nslookup would return an 'DNS Server not found' message, or it would display the cached IP address of the target server, but it STILL wouldn't work until the above commands were used. On some older computers I was re-setting up with XP, even THEN it wasn't sure to work, but if you waited a few minutes, things would work again.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Troy_Jollimore said:


> Another thing to confirm working, although it's probably what the Repair does, is open a command prompt when DNS fails and type 'ipconfig /flushdns' <Enter>, then type 'ipconfig /registerdns' <Enter>. Wait a second or two, and it works (at least for me...).
> 
> When mine was out, doing an nslookup would return an 'DNS Server not found' message, or it would display the cached IP address of the target server, but it STILL wouldn't work until the above commands were used. On some older computers I was re-setting up with XP, even THEN it wasn't sure to work, but if you waited a few minutes, things would work again.


Right, I've flushed the DNS, This is what Popped up:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Hoss>ipconfig /flushdns

Windows IP Configuration

Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

C:\Users\Hoss>ipconfig /registerdns

Windows IP Configuration

Registration of the DNS resource records for all adapters of this computer has b
een initiated. Any errors will be reported in the Event Viewer in 15 minutes.

C:\Users\Hoss>

I Guess i'll wait till the network issues start again and Post back to you the Results!


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## Troy_Jollimore (Dec 31, 2007)

Yes, but did it fix your issue when you did it?


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Troy_Jollimore said:


> Yes, but did it fix your issue when you did it?


No :[

The Problems still Persist..
This is what appears on the Event log when the DNS Server goes off:

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client
Date: 11/08/2011 21:09:19
Event ID: 1014
Task Category: None
Level: Warning
Keywords: 
User: NETWORK SERVICE
Computer: Declans-PC
Description:
Name resolution for the name dns.msftncsi.com timed out after none of the configured DNS servers responded.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-DNS-Client" Guid="{1C95126E-7EEA-49A9-A3FE-A378B03DDB4D}" />
<EventID>1014</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>3</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x4000000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2011-08-11T20:09:19.596886300Z" />
<EventRecordID>8419395</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="1468" ThreadID="3924" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>Declans-PC</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-20" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="QueryName">dns.msftncsi.com</Data>
<Data Name="AddressLength">16</Data>
<Data Name="Address">02000035C0A800010000000000000000</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

review this article.
Appendix K: Network Connectivity Status Indicator and Resulting Internet Communication in Windows Vista

I would suggest the registry change though you should see if you can do a 
nslookup dns.msftncsi.com to see if your name resolution is working correctly

This looks to me to be a false lead
"causing all connected Devices on my network to stop as well"

The event log entry you listed only pertains to that web site and that machine. Not the entire lan.

That points more to a failing router.


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## djaburg (May 15, 2008)

Is the internet service you have static IP service or dynamic. If the issue happens daily, it could be that you have dynamic (Residential DSL) service and the lease period for your IP is 24 hours and that causes the modem to request a new public IP each day.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

djaburg said:


> Is the internet service you have static IP service or dynamic. If the issue happens daily, it could be that you have dynamic (Residential DSL) service and the lease period for your IP is 24 hours and that causes the modem to request a new public IP each day.


My IP Is Dynamic, I've checked the IPconfig /all and that shows that the Lease period does happen exactly 24 Hours between the start and end, Is their anyway to fix this from happening?

Also i've done the Nslookup thing and the Results just time out after a few seconds

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Hoss>nslookup dns.msftncsi.com
Server: google-public-dns-a.google.com
Address: 8.8.8.8

Non-authoritative answer:
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Name: dns.msftncsi.com
Address: 131.107.255.255


C:\Users\Hoss>


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

"timeout was 2 seconds."

This is more of an indication of a crappy internet access link.
You should do a speedtest and post the results for review

Yhrite the question about if you had dynamic or static concerned the wan ip not your local ip. It is normal for a 24 hour lease from your router so there is nothing here to fix. Having dhcp provided ip is not a issue for your lan.

Run the speedtest but I am growing firmer in my belief the router is the problem concerning dns. That nslookup should never have timed out.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Wand3r3r said:


> "timeout was 2 seconds."
> 
> This is more of an indication of a crappy internet access link.
> You should do a speedtest and post the results for review
> ...



Ok, I've awoke today to find that "DHCP has been Disabled" Windows fixed that though, Wonder how it happened :S

Anyway, here are the Speed test Results...


EDIT: Forgot to mention, Sometimes the NSlookup times out, and sometimes it doesn't, I'm not sure why this happens since theirs no pattern between when it times out and when it doesn't


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## Troy_Jollimore (Dec 31, 2007)

I recently switched my older computer from NIC #1 (NForce) to NIC #2 (Integrated 3Com), because the Internet would slow right down on occasion. What started happening just the other day is something similar to what you describe. Resetting the router would sometimes help. Resetting the NIC would usually help. I went into the properties and disabled 'Deterministic Network Enhancer', and that seemed to make it much better. Check to see if you have this in your Network Connection Properties list for this NIC.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Troy_Jollimore said:


> I recently switched my older computer from NIC #1 (NForce) to NIC #2 (Integrated 3Com), because the Internet would slow right down on occasion. What started happening just the other day is something similar to what you describe. Resetting the router would sometimes help. Resetting the NIC would usually help. I went into the properties and disabled 'Deterministic Network Enhancer', and that seemed to make it much better. Check to see if you have this in your Network Connection Properties list for this NIC.


I have these Settings in my Network Cards Properties:

Flow control - Disabled
Interrupt Moderation - Enabled
Network Address - Not Present
Priority & VLAN - Priority Enabled
VLAN ID - 1
Wake on Magic Packet - Disabled

And "Allow the Computer to turn off this device to save power" is Disabled aswell 
Wake on Pattern Match - Disabled


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

You are in England right? You should be using Sky dns servers and not Google one which is located in the US.

Sky Broadband DNS Servers - What's My DNS?

Then do your nslookup again. Lets see if you get better results.

Pretty crappy internet speeds especially the upload. What are you paying for with Sky?


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## Troy_Jollimore (Dec 31, 2007)

I used the Google ones as an example, but this problem only seems to hit sporadically. Seeing as how I've been seeing similar issues, I wonder if they're linked somehow?

Yhrite, yeah, wrong properties. It's when you first right-click on 'Local Network Connection' (or whatever) and click properties, one step before you choose the NIC properties themselves.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Wand3r3r said:


> You are in England right? You should be using Sky dns servers and not Google one which is located in the US.
> 
> Sky Broadband DNS Servers - What's My DNS?
> 
> ...


Sky Broadband came free in some Special Sky Package, I was trying to get Sky Unlimited but it wasn't Available in my Area. I've tried the DNS Server and It doesn't seem to work, I'll keep trying and checking online for UK DNS Servers, Thanks for the Help anyway :smooch:

BTW: I don't know if this helps, But my router is set to "Use Router as DHCP Server"


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

use router as dhcp server only means its giving you lan ips which is correct.

You would want to change what dns server ips it giving out to the sky ones. Which are listed in the link I provided.

Please change the dns values in the router dhcp server to the sky ones and try the nslookup again. Post the nslookup results for review.

I am wondering if that 2sec delay was caused by going across the transatlantic pipe which is why we need you to access local to you dns servers.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Wand3r3r said:


> use router as dhcp server only means its giving you lan ips which is correct.
> 
> You would want to change what dns server ips it giving out to the sky ones. Which are listed in the link I provided.
> 
> ...


Annoyingly my router doesn't allow the changing of DNS, So i can only change the DNS from the actual computer.

I Tried changing the DNS to the sky ones, But made some sites accessible :[


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

If you can't change the dns entry in the router dhcp server you need a new router.

Though you can add a dns entry at the workstations advanced it has been my experience MS never goes beyond the first listed dns server. Which in this case would be the one listed from the router.

There is no reason using the sky dns entries should result in loss of web site access. DNS is the same across the world [or should be]

We need to test this so please do the following;
do a static ip address on a workstation 
set dns to the sky dns servers I linked you to.
do a nslookup google.com and post the result for review.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Wand3r3r said:


> If you can't change the dns entry in the router dhcp server you need a new router.
> 
> Though you can add a dns entry at the workstations advanced it has been my experience MS never goes beyond the first listed dns server. Which in this case would be the one listed from the router.
> 
> ...


What do you mean by "Do a Static IP Address" Do you mean SET a Static IP, I've tried this before, their wasn't any difference in Connection

I'll try setting a Static IP and setting the Sky DNS Servers at the Same time and see if theirs any change

The Nslookup before setting the IP and DNS:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Hoss>nslookup google.com
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.0.1

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Non-authoritative answer:
Name: google.com
Addresses: 209.85.143.104
209.85.143.99


C:\Users\Hoss>


With the DNS & IP Applied:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Hoss>nslookup google.com
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
Server: UnKnown
Address: 87.86.189.16

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to UnKnown timed-out

C:\Users\Hoss>


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

This gets stranger as we go along.

I get nowhere using nslookup or ping for that dns server yets its listed as the sky main one. 
In your first tracert that worked you were pointed to the gateway yet still had the 2 second timeout

Is the modem a separate device or are you using a modem/router combo?
Ideally you would connect just to the modem and run your tests from there.

If you go to your routers wan page what ips are listed here for dns?


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## Troy_Jollimore (Dec 31, 2007)

I'd also look again in the router settings. You can usually set the DNS servers manually SOMEwhere... A really old one might just pass through the ones given to IT by the ISP on the WAN side, but you should still be able to configure it that much.

Are you able to get ahold of another router to test? Another thing to try would be to get ahold of SKY's tech support while you're experiencing the issue. Have them monitor your connection while you run some tests and see if they have any input to add.


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## Yhrite (Aug 11, 2011)

Troy_Jollimore said:


> I'd also look again in the router settings. You can usually set the DNS servers manually SOMEwhere... A really old one might just pass through the ones given to IT by the ISP on the WAN side, but you should still be able to configure it that much.
> 
> Are you able to get ahold of another router to test? Another thing to try would be to get ahold of SKY's tech support while you're experiencing the issue. Have them monitor your connection while you run some tests and see if they have any input to add.


Sadly, As shown here: Change DNS servers - Sky Broadband - Digital Spy Forums
Its not possible to change the DNS unless I change it from the Compuers connected to it. And I can't get hold of another router since the other one I had when I had AOL (Netgear Router) I threw out. :sigh:

Wand3r3er, Theirs no Mention of the DNS on the routers page, Except form "Dynamic DNS"


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## Wand3r3r (Sep 17, 2010)

going down the list we have:

checked that the bandwidth the test gave you is what you are paying for. I don't see this has been done.
Does not appear you can test the connection just to the modem bypassing the router.

This results in you need to replace the router with a newer one which should address our dns/access issue.

Only real fix I see is replace the router.


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