intermittent dns server error message

[toonarmy]

Hi, can anyone help with this problem ? I posted it on another room in here a few weeks back but since then things have become worse, our problem is that we have a few websites hosted by a large hosting back here in the UK and what is happing is at random times we are unable to get on any of the sites for a few mins each day due to a dns server error message, after a couple of mins the sites will all come back online again only to go back offline again, this has been going on for the last 4 months but has now reached the point where certain members of our websites are unable to get on for hours at a time yet other members are still getting on with no problem, as I post this the sites are up using a [major isp] but any members using [my isp] are unable to get on, this will last for a few hours then [major isp] users are unable to get on yet [my isp] members can surf with no problems, we have contacted our hosts so many times that we have lost count, the standard reply we get is that our server is running ok at their end ok and they do not want to know about it, now here is the crazy thing, if I find the sites are down I can use a proxy server and get on to them with no problem, can anyone help with any ideas ? I have tried tracing the route to the servers, pinging them etc etc and in most cases the results come back ok, I am sure all this happened when our hosts got hacked last year and they have changed something at their end.
thanks

[edited by: phranque at 11:50 pm (utc) on Mar. 18, 2008]
[edit reason] hosting specifics [/edit]

[creeking]

if I was seeing a "dns server error message", I would try using a different dns provider.

[toonarmy]

well i would love to move in the near future but i need to sort this problem out now before i can even look at that

[Receptional Andy]

There's really not enough information to give an informed opinion about this, but it sounds like you need a new web hosting company.

In particular you need to clarify the "dns server error message". Is that from your browser (Internet Explorer/Firefox)? What's the text of the error?

[toonarmy]

hi andy as i type its showing in my browser window res://ieframe.dll/dnserror.htm yet i can still get on the site via a proxy server, even my email is down too

[Receptional Andy]

my browser window res://ieframe.dll/dnserror.htm yet i can still get on the site via a proxy server

This implies that the problem may be with your internet connection rather than the site itself, or that you have inconsistent DNS.

It's actually very difficult to troubleshoot this problem without direct access to your network/website etc.

I suggest you run a DNS report [dnsreport.com] and consider using a website monitor service to check your uptime.

[jtara]

I suggest you run a DNS report and consider using a website monitor service to check your uptime.

Unfortunately, DNS Report is no longer free.

The moderators have been tolerant of mentioning them in the past, as it has been such a useful service for so many here.

There are other free DNS report services, but I don't know if it would be OK to mention them here. Do a search, and you will find, though.

Given that most webmasters know little about DNS, and their hosts know just a little more, it would seem essential that EVERY webmaster run a comprehensive technical DNS report on all of their domains.

I doubt that 10% do.

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First things first, who provides your DNS? Your registrar or your host? (I am assuming it is not a third party, which, IMO, is almost always the best choice, but seldom used.)

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if I was seeing a "dns server error message", I would try using a different dns provider.

well i would love to move in the near future but i need to sort this problem out now before i can even look at that

If the problem is beyond your control, you're not going to "sort it out".

If the problem is unreliable DNS service, moving to another DNS provider is something that can be done in a hour or so. You don't have to change your web host. It may be a quick and practical solution to the problem.

But, first, that DNS report. You're shooting in the dark right now.

If the report looks good, then I would look at connectivity issues, though you see to have eliminated that possibility. If you can ping, then it's not a connectivity issue. But how do you ping? If you do it by name (not IP address) then it is NOT a DNS issue!

Anyway, if the report looks good, I would look into using a monitoring service that can monitor your site from multiple points.

[toonarmy]

hi, i would like to thank the two posters for their help, yesterday afternoon we managed to talk to level 2 help at our hosting firm and at the same time we managed to also get to talk to tec help with the isp, of course both said there was no problem but 2 hours later our sites came back online 100% so one of them made a change but we are not sure what they have done or which one of the two made the changes, just keeping our fingers crossed that it lasts this time

[creeking]

no problem.