Very Weird Internet Problem.

[rvg90]

I started having this 5-6 months ago and i've been desperately trying to solve it unsuccessfully, my problem is that randomly everything except Google websites and my ISP website stop working including 3rd party programs like Skype, Steam, Origin etc... things i have already tried:

- Called ISP a lot they don't know what that is on their screen the line is working fine.
- Changed router
- New copy of windows
- turned off UPnP
- Different browsers
- flush DNS
- turn off wi-fi(problem still happened)
- disconnect all wired connections except mine
- try on a different computer(happens still even on the PS3)

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[rusabus]

You've already done a good bit of troubleshooting, so I can offer you some pointers to pin down the problem. I'd guess the issue lies with the ISP, but here is how to prove it.

To connect to a website you really just need two things:
DNS resolution
an IP route to the website

Your ISP provides both of those things, but here is how to check which one is broken:

When your Internet connection stops working, open a command prompt (windows key + R, type in cmd, press enter; or press start and search for "command prompt" . . . lots of ways to launch it)

1. Figure out what is your default gateway. To do this, in the command prompt type this:
[cpp]ipconfig /all | find "Default Gateway"[/cpp]
(the capitalization matters)
or just type this and search for your default gateway in the output:
[cpp]ipconfig /all[/cpp]
The default gateway is probably something like 192.168.0.1, but it could be anything.

2. Ping your default gateway. In the command prompt type:
[cpp]ping <ip address found in step 1>[/cpp]
You should get 4 replies with ~1ms latency. If not, the problem lies between your computer and Modem/router.

3. Try to ping a public IP address. I always just ping 4.2.2.2. In the command prompt type:
[cpp]ping 4.2.2.2[/cpp]
If this fails, the problem could be:
ISP is having problems - call them immediately to report it.
Problem with your modem - way less likely than #1.
4.2.2.2 is down - way less likely than #2, but verify by pinging 8.8.8.8

4. Try to resolve a website name. In the command prompt type:
[cpp]nslookup <some site you haven't recently visited>[/cpp]
I always use realultimatepower.net and toyota.com, because it is unlikely I will have recently visited either of them.
If that step fails, your ISP may be having trouble with their DNS server. Call them immediately to report it.

5. If step 4 fails, try resolving websites using a public DNS server:
[cpp]nslookup realultimatepower.net 4.2.2.2
nslookup toyota.com 8.8.8.8[/cpp]
If step 5 succeeds, it really points to a DNS problem for your ISP. You can try to get your ISP to fix it, or just not use their DNS servers. If you want to change your DNS servers, you can do so on your computer, or your router. I'd recommend doing it on your router. Let me know if you need help with that.

--Russel

 

[rvg90]

Thanks i will try that the next time the problem occurs but just to let you know i am already using google DNS (8888 and 8844) and yes i tried to use my ISP DNS and same problem happened.

 

[rvg90]

You've already done a good bit of troubleshooting, so I can offer you some pointers to pin down the problem. I'd guess the issue lies with the ISP, but here is how to prove it.

To connect to a website you really just need two things:
DNS resolution
an IP route to the website

Your ISP provides both of those things, but here is how to check which one is broken:

When your Internet connection stops working, open a command prompt (windows key + R, type in cmd, press enter; or press start and search for "command prompt" . . . lots of ways to launch it)

1. Figure out what is your default gateway. To do this, in the command prompt type this:
[cpp]ipconfig /all | find "Default Gateway"[/cpp]
(the capitalization matters)
or just type this and search for your default gateway in the output:
[cpp]ipconfig /all[/cpp]
The default gateway is probably something like 192.168.0.1, but it could be anything.

2. Ping your default gateway. In the command prompt type:
[cpp]ping <ip address found in step 1>[/cpp]
You should get 4 replies with ~1ms latency. If not, the problem lies between your computer and Modem/router.

3. Try to ping a public IP address. I always just ping 4.2.2.2. In the command prompt type:
[cpp]ping 4.2.2.2[/cpp]
If this fails, the problem could be:
ISP is having problems - call them immediately to report it.
Problem with your modem - way less likely than #1.
4.2.2.2 is down - way less likely than #2, but verify by pinging 8.8.8.8

4. Try to resolve a website name. In the command prompt type:
[cpp]nslookup <some site you haven't recently visited>[/cpp]
I always use realultimatepower.net and toyota.com, because it is unlikely I will have recently visited either of them.
If that step fails, your ISP may be having trouble with their DNS server. Call them immediately to report it.

5. If step 4 fails, try resolving websites using a public DNS server:
[cpp]nslookup realultimatepower.net 4.2.2.2
nslookup toyota.com 8.8.8.8[/cpp]
If step 5 succeeds, it really points to a DNS problem for your ISP. You can try to get your ISP to fix it, or just not use their DNS servers. If you want to change your DNS servers, you can do so on your computer, or your router. I'd recommend doing it on your router. Let me know if you need help with that.

--Russel

Tried it just now when it went off and Step 4 and 5 failed unless i do it on Google, ISP Website, Tomshardware(yes it works when the problem occurs for some reason).