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Please help with a really weird problem
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 01:09 PM |
| Id be very grateful for any help with a really weird problem on one site on a Hostgator reseller package. I cant work it out, and so far neither can Hostgator. This post is pretty long winded, but Ive tried to include everything to provide as many clues as possible. I think youll need them lol.
The symptoms:
1. The site in question is one of several on the same reseller package.
2. It was set up 11 May and gave no problems until 28 May. I was working on it daily during this period building the site.
3. Starting on 28 May I have had a problem with it every single day.
4. Sometimes the site loads fine, and everything works perfectly.
5. Every day at some time the site stops loading for me Page cannot be displayed
6. When this happened first I was emailing you to moan about it, you said it loaded ok for you, and when I checked again it loaded for me too.
7. I have since checked with other people and it appears to be loading ok for everyone else except me when this happens
except the 3 PCs on this local network. When the site stops loading for me it also stops loading for all 3 PCs on this network (i.e. on this IP).
8. The problem therefore SEEMS to be somehow related to this IP, but it is not a permanent problem with it.
9. The site comes back again each day some time later maybe many hours later, sometimes sooner.
10. I have tried rebooting my PC. Twice the site has come back after this, mostly doesnt. The reboot may therefore be just coincidence.
11. When the site comes back for me, it also comes back to the other 2 PCs on this network too.
12. I cant see any certain pattern to when the site will or will not load, or when it comes back.
13. Even when the site wont load for me I can still access cPanel for it, and access by fpt.
14. When the site wont load for me, I cant send or receive emails from it either. This is usually the first indication I have that the problem has recurred, as Outlook generates an error message.
Some facts and stuff I have tried so far:
1. It is one of a number of sites I have on the server. The rest are working fine the problem is unique to this site.
2. It is a phpnuke site, though it has html pages too. When the problem occurs, no pages will load.
3. On whm, when I list accounts and click on the IP beside this account it loads the first page (index.html, located in the public_html folder of the site), except for one of the images. For this image it looks as though it is looking in the server root directory for it properties display the URL as xxxxx.websitewelcome.com/images/sport/welcome.gif . The other image on the page and the images on all other sites I have on the server show a URL path to the specific site, e.g. xxxxx.websitewelcome.com/~user/assets/images/main_r2_c2.gif
4. The welcome.gif image is in the /images/sport/ folder in the public_html dir of the site ok.
5. The welcome.gif image also contains a link to an index.php file (also located in the public_html folder of the site) that is the front page of the main site a phpnuke. When I click on this link (i.e. on the missing image) I get the following error
Not Found
The requested URL /index.php was not found on this server.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
That also happens when the site is loading normally, so may not be significant.
6. At one stage I suspected that the site had somehow blocked my IP. If so, it doesnt show up on the IP Deny Manager in cPanel. Also, the problem clears without me going near the cPanel.
7. The network configuration I have here is an ADSL line into an ADSL modem, from that modem to a router, then each of the 3 PCs from that router. Any of the times I rebooted my PC and the problem cleared I did not reboot the other PCs or the modem, or router.
8. I have tried clearing cookies, temp files, and history in IE 6, but this doesnt make any difference.
9. I have tried closing down antivirus etc. I do have a hardware firewall that I have not disabled (for obvious reasons) but the site loads fine some of the time with this in place, as do all other websites including others on the server.
10. Every time I ask Hostgator to look at it and they come back saying it looks fne to them, it is fine when I look ... almost like the action of them looking at the site clears the problem. Could be coincidence of course.
I cant work this out. A problem that appears to affect only my IP and only this site on the entire planet, and only sometimes. It occurs and clears for no apparent reason - certainly nothing I am doing here.
You have to admit its interesting.
Look forward to your thoughts! My gratitude and possible a hug to anyone who can tell me what the problem is.
|
| Posted by webhoststalk, 06-15-2004, 01:16 PM |
| Network isssue,
Well check if there is any virus or firewall that is blocking you.
May be your Internet connection is slow,
Every time I ask Hostgator to look at it and they come back saying it looks fne to them, it is fine when I look ... almost like the action of them looking at the site clears the problem. Could be coincidence of course.
Very clear, Trojan is blocking you. Check for Trojans,
This would clear your problem, I Hope So.
|
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 01:41 PM |
| Thanks for that.
Check for Trojans as in run antivirus/ Adaware etc? I will again, but I can't see how the site loads sometimes (every day) if that is the problem. Same for firewall. Also, how come the other PC's on this local network load/don't load the site at the same times if it is a Trojan on this PC?
Or could it be a Trojan on one of my other networked PC's and the on/off thing relates to when the other PC is on/off? That's something I hadn't considered .. hmmmmmm.
Stilll can't see why that would only affect this site though. My internet connection may not be the fastest in the world at 512 down/256 up, but it ain't the slowest either, and again - why does every other site on the planet load ok?
|
| Posted by The3bl, 06-15-2004, 01:47 PM |
| Sounds like a DNS issue run a dns report at dnsreport.com and see if there are any red boxes.
The fact that you can get to it by IP says it is possibly a DNS cache issue with your ISP.
|
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 02:29 PM |
| I do get some red boxes, plus some 'Warn' boxes. I get the same reds and yellows on another site on that server though, which hasn't given a problem. This stuff is a bit over my head, but I'm going to ask Hostgator to have a look at it. Red boxes were on (for example) 'Missing (stealth) nameservers'. 'Missing nameservers 2', 'Stealth NS record leakage'.
hmmmmm ... just before I posted this I went back and ran it again - this time those boxes that were red are now all ok - no reds! Huh? Refreshed several times - sometimes red boxes, sometimes not!
How do I deal with that? Contact the ISP? And ask what? Sorry, but this is new territory for me
Appreciate the help all - I feel I'm getting closer to the problem already than after 10 emails to support.
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| Posted by sawbuck, 06-15-2004, 02:32 PM |
| Provide us with a domain name or ip and name server info so someone can take a look.
|
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 02:45 PM |
| OK - because I haven't yet posted 5 times the board won't let me post a URL. Just add www at the start obviously
visportanswers.co.uk
Thanks
|
| Posted by sawbuck, 06-15-2004, 02:53 PM |
| According to the following, looks like you have a mis-match between your zone file and what the registrar is reporting.
http://www.checkdns.net/quickcheck.a....uk&detailed=1
|
| Posted by serverunion, 06-15-2004, 03:03 PM |
| NS list mismatch is from using custom name servers.
I get this issue too, if I put the "www" in front of the address it works, otherwise not. Mostly just from certian networks.
Natron
|
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 03:07 PM |
| Thanks sawbuck. That looks like we're closing in now. I don't actually know what to do with that information but I have forwardeed it to Hostgator, who hopefully will.
Thanks again.
|
| Posted by serverunion, 06-15-2004, 03:10 PM |
| ns1.yourcustomnameserver.com ---> ns1.hostnameserver --> IP
the DNS check doesn't like that setup. Everyone that uses custom name servers on a reseller level will have this setup though.
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| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 03:16 PM |
| OK - thanks for that too. I guess there will be a few false trails before I nail this. Can't help feeling we're fishing in the right pond though.
|
| Posted by overweb, 06-15-2004, 03:24 PM |
| I'd certainly agree with the comments of a network issue - Its even quite possible that your router is not configured properly.
You havent mentioned your LAN setup.
Does each of your PCs have its own internal IP or what?
What nameservers are your own PCs pointing at?
Can you ping, say, microsoft.com from each of your PCs and do they resolve the name OK?
Have you checked to see whether your router ports are blocked or open for http and mail?
A good port checker is myserver.org
If all else fails then checking the router manufacturers forum for router problems might be worthwhile.
Cheers
overweb
|
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 03:53 PM |
| That 'WOOOSH' noise was the sound of some of that going over my head
Each of my PC's has it's own IP, at least internally here - for example when I use Radmin from inside the network they each have a seperate IP. I think they all communicate to the outside world using the same IP though.
What nameservers are my PC's pointing at? WHOOOSH! lol Sry - don't know what this means.
I'll have to try pinging from each PC tomorrow - do I just go to the DOS prompt and 'ping microsoft.com'? or what? I think I have used the ping command before, but on an IP I seem to remember.
Haven't been near my router yet on the basis that a) this is the only site on the web I get the problem with, and b) it loads fine sometimes, with no change in router. Next time it happens I will try a router reboot though.
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| Posted by serverunion, 06-15-2004, 03:58 PM |
| maybe you sould just stick to selling crafts on eBay. This may be to technical for you. Just a though
|
| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 04:37 PM |
| Very constructive thanks. You call that a thought?
It is too technical for me. That's why I'm here. It's also too technical for Hostgator, and for you so far. Gonna be a lot of us on the crafts stand at ebay.
|
| Posted by serverunion, 06-15-2004, 04:47 PM |
| have also seen this when our upstream internet provider had some routers with issues, would not resolve unless there was the "www" in fron the domain. Most likely has nothing to do with your web host or the server.
Keep us posted if you find a solution...
|
| Posted by overweb, 06-15-2004, 05:06 PM |
| There could even be a intermittent conflict caused by using the wrong equipment to connect computers in your LAN.
Try switching one then two of your PCs off and see if the problem disappears.
Its just double checking to see whether the problem is internal or external.
Ive had no trouble connecting to your site and it looks okay.
Best of luck
Last edited by overweb; 06-15-2004 at 05:17 PM.
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| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 06:05 PM |
| OK. Sounds worth trying - I'll try different PC's on/off tomorrow.
I don't think it is a 'problem' with the server or webhost, but I can't let go of the fact that this problem is only on this site. That also makes we doubt that it is a router problem. The router etc. have worked flawlessly for a year now with no changes, and no problems with any other site - on this server or any other. The site is on the same server as a number of others, none of which have this problem (there is one with a regular email problem, but they always fix that within half an hour of me reporting it (about 10 times now and they haven't actually told me what the problem is - but it is not the same problem as this one anyway).
I always have www in front of the domain. I connect using a Favourites shortcut every time so I'm not making typos either.
As I write this I have noticed something new - the site is loading ok for me at the minute, but email sending/receiving is still not working. Normally the emails work when the site loads, don't when it doesn't - how many strange symptoms can there be? Or is this another clue?
I have thought about deleting the account and recreating it to see if that somehow clears it. Just a bit reluctant to do this because a) it's a bit of a drag to d/l and then u/l the site - it's a phpnuke so has been built in place rather than built on my PC then uploaded, and b) if the problem just goes away we will never know how the problem happened, so none of us learn how to stop/fix it in future.
I told you it was interesting
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| Posted by overweb, 06-15-2004, 06:51 PM |
| I think I can see the problem
A check at nominet.co.uk shows visportanswers.co.uk name servers as:
ns1.bigpinkhippo.com and ns2.bigpinkhippo.com
whereas typing into dos ( on windows machine )
nslookup -type=NS visportanswers.co.uk
shows visportanswers.co.uk nameservers as:
ns13.websitewelcome.com ns14.websitewelcome.com
You really should sort out this discrepancy first - it should solve your problem.
You are giving your nameserver changes time to filter through the system arent you?
Cheers
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| Posted by oats, 06-15-2004, 06:59 PM |
| I'll look into that thanks. The nameserver has been established since 11 May, but that does look like something isn't right.
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| Posted by oats, 06-18-2004, 04:15 AM |
| I have still to chase down the nameserver issue, though I suspect that is just because of using a custon name server and is not causing the problem - otherwise it would surely affect everyone the same, not just this IP?
The site is not loading for me at the minute. I have run Adaware and antivirus on all 3 PC's on this local network - doesn't help.
I have one more clue though. I can access the site from my PC by proxy through http://megaproxy.com/ even when it won't load directly. Does that give anyone any more ideas? Kinda confirms there is an issue with this IP I think, but I don't know what to do with that information.
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| Posted by overweb, 06-18-2004, 07:25 AM |
| The fact that other peoples nameservers can see the site shows that their nameserver setup is working and yours isnt.
By going through megaproxy.com you are, in effect, using megaproxys name servers to reach your site.
Why not try changing the nameservers that your own machine looks at?
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| Posted by Joncore, 06-22-2004, 07:12 PM |
| I have a hosting account with hostgator, kings of customer service, and my main domain doesn't display the images on my machine.
It actually strips the image tage from the html
the domain is ciaoadvertising.com
When I call and talk to the one guy in the closet by himself on the other end of the phone, he pauses from playing nintendo and says, "it works for me." Thats it. He's not willing to accept that it doesn't work for me and that for some reason I have a problem with this. Unlike the last user, it works for everyone else in my network but me
any help would be appreciated....
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| Posted by oats, 06-23-2004, 04:38 AM |
| This sounds like something worth trying, although again I can't see why it works sometimes but not others. It is also new territory for me. The only thing I ever did with nameservers was to set up the NS1.bigpinkhippo.com and to set up the DNS for the site in question to NS1.bigpinkhippo.com - same as every other domain and they all work fine.
How do I change the nameserver that my own machine looks at?
|
| Posted by hemtah, 06-23-2004, 10:13 AM |
| maybe u are blocked by the server due to a brute force or something semilar.
|
| Posted by oats, 06-23-2004, 10:22 AM |
| brute force'? What's that? Why does it happen? How does it happen? What happens (i.e. how would I recognize it)? Why would it happen just to this IP and only sometimes, and only on this site on this server?
|
| Posted by overweb, 06-23-2004, 02:07 PM |
| Changing the nameservers your machine is looking at gets you around the problem of your ISP giving you cached - old - information when you are using your ISPs nameservers.
But doing a quick nameserver check on visportanswers.co.uk still shows that the nameservers for this domain name are still being given as:
NS13.websitewelcome.com
NS14.websitewelcome.com
while at nominet the nameservers for the domain are still listed as:
ns1.bigpinkhippo.com
ns2.bigpinkhippo.com
Which means your domain name still isnt going to resolve properly anyway.
If you change your domains namerservers it can take up to 72 hours for it to filter thru the system - so there is a period when conflicting information can be given out.
But since it hasnt cleared itself up by now I'd suggest you go to your domain account and check that you have made the correct entries.
You could also double check the setup for bigpinkhippo.com to act as a name server as it doesnt seeem to be doing its job.
Best of luck
|
| Posted by daverj, 06-23-2004, 02:40 PM |
| Overweb, if you do an NSlookup you'll see that NS13.websitewelcome.com and ns1.bigpinkhippo are both 69.93.237.34 and that NS14.websitewelcome.com and NS2.bigpinkhippo.com are both 69.93.237.35
That's the way hostgator does custom DNS servers on reseller accounts. It doesn't really matter which one your ISP resolves to, you get to the same DNS server.
|
| Posted by overweb, 06-23-2004, 03:40 PM |
| Oh well - I dont know anything about hostgator so i'll leave it to you guys
Best of luck!
|
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