So my computer with Vista has been craping out since Ive moved in with its network connection. Totally Random, not always easily recoverable. Friday my roommate, also with Vista starts crapping out. Mine died thursday night and really hasnt come back up without me running it through a router (which I really dont want to do). Im pretty sure its a DNS based issue, and since Ive got no issues with my router in between it and the wall, Im sure its something on NCStates end...

Anyone else at WV having issues with Vista so I can chew the F out of the helpdesk tomorrow?

10/5/2008 7:28:11 PM

why, exactly, do you think it's a DNS issue? have you run a traceroute? tried nslookup?

Quote :

"so I can chew the F out of the helpdesk tomorrow?"

don't do this, it will not help you in any way

10/5/2008 7:34:56 PM

Just use different DNS servers and see if the problem goes away...

10/5/2008 7:53:41 PM

I can assure you that following the "chew the F out of the helpdesk tomorrow" is not the way to get anything done. You will learn this sooner or later in life, please take the time now to commit this to memory.

10/5/2008 8:10:27 PM

you should stay behind a router anyway

10/5/2008 9:02:58 PM

Quote :

"Just use different DNS servers "

10/5/2008 11:10:41 PM

Actually it will considering half of them know me professionally (Ive worked for them) and also I know what Im talking about when it comes to networking. It was also made when I was quite pissed off. Ive worked helpdesk both with them and others so I know how to approach this. More so I also want to chew some senior bureaucrat out on why we dont have helpdesk coverage on the weekends...

what happens is my connection totally dies, vista diags it as a network issue, and then kills all dhcp settings to a windows private address (169.x.x.x). NCSU DHCP normally rotates the dns servers it attaches with dhcp requests so I havnt been able to trace it to a single server. Resnet doesnt like statically setting ips so I dont want to go that route.

Router, will work but Im trying to avoid having to manually create my whole routing table. Its got 2 nics in it so it will be done at some point, but I really want an outside connection for some server hosting type stuff. Second nic will eventually be put on a private internal network so ya. Because of the router, this also tells me this is something with their network and not a cable/hardware issue on my part. Im not ruling out an issue with Vista itself (actually I suspect this) but that means a flag is getting flipped somewhere on NCSU's side and Vista is receiving it.

10/5/2008 11:21:16 PM

http://www.opendns.com/

10/5/2008 11:28:54 PM

Quote :

"Actually it will considering half of them know me professionally (Ive worked for them) and also I know what Im talking about when it comes to networking. It was also made when I was quite pissed off. Ive worked helpdesk both with them and others so I know how to approach this."

p.s. i also used to work there

Quote :

"More so I also want to chew some senior bureaucrat out on why we dont have helpdesk coverage on the weekends..."

are you willing to pay for it? your tuition dollars at work.

Quote :

"what happens is my connection totally dies, vista diags it as a network issue, and then kills all dhcp settings to a windows private address (169.x.x.x)."

this statement alone tells me you, in fact, do not know anything about networking. dns and dhcp are two separate things - you pull a private address when windows can't reach a dhcp server. it has nothing to do with dns. yes, when you've got an autoconfig address, you're not going to be able to resolve dns queries... because you don't have a routable IP. there's either something wrong with your hardware or OS config (i doubt this if it works with the dhcp server on your router) or (most likely) something wrong with your link (wall port, line, switch port, etc).


i'd be more willing to help you out here, but your attitude makes me sick.

10/5/2008 11:36:02 PM

-Evan
Yes I would be willing to pay for it, a lot more than some other shit we have to pay for...

Ok, i wasnt exactly clear. I believe some sort of reset packet is being sent that might be related to DNS lookups, which kills my connection. After that, dhcp will not renegotiate an address. Because its happening with Vista only (and not XP or linux), Im not ruling out an OS issue. Right now i believe its something with Vista (how it handles some sort of packet or flag on a packet) or something wrong with ncsu's network (which could be several things).

With what I said, if you want to come over and see what it does, actually it does make sense. What I belive is happening plus what is:
1. Something resets/freezes connection
2. Attempt to repair by renewing addressing by refreshing DHCP and associated fails (because of no connection)
3. Private address is obtained due to 2.

Vista thinks that it cant talk to DNS but it really cant talk to anything (everything, eg ping, fails). It then wants to renew dhcp obtained info (eg get new DNS server). Ive kinda been stuck on it being DNS but on thinking today its affecting everything and just Vista is thinking its DNS.

otherwise, first post i was pissed off. I know not to chew out the techs. I am one and have been chewed out so ya.

-synapse

I would use opendns, but theres no reason right now not to use ncsu's servers if it can be figured out what is wrong. Plus with some of the stuff I use on campus, Id rather have ncsu resolving than something else.

Eventually when I do do all the manual configs and stuff, there will be a DNS server attached to my network in my apartment and that will pull from NCSU plus serve some inside lookups.

I have a feeling this is really going to come down to me wiresharking the connection and debuging all the packet streams...

10/6/2008 12:31:11 PM

that was my next suggestion, post a pcap dump somewhere with like 50 frames of buffer around the incident, i'll take a look at it for you.

(i am known as the packet sniffing/tcp ninja at work)

10/6/2008 12:35:59 PM

So got someone this afternoon from comtech (first guy this morning didnt read it just saw Resnet and closed it telling me to call the resnet desk).

Pulled the logs from the switch, if they can be called that (read below, joke here)... Definatly issues seen.

Not sure if its switch, wiring, or OS caused (or a combo). Switch...

So they are replacing the Cisco 1900s that run most of WV's network with Cisco 3560s (yay!), this weekend. After that, we then troubleshoot the rest of it. Feature difference between the 2 along with 1900s being POS/EOS/EOL is a big question mark in this.

Evan, I might take you up on that. While I can do it, I suck at it (Id probably do it and then have someone check me on it, especially if I dont see anything.) Also was said today to rule out wiring after the switch replacement that we might have to to figure out where in OS its screwing up. I would definatly want to as I really dont want to reformat and then have it start up again (which probably will have to happen if its an OS issue)...

Also per this weekend, there was a local building issue that really killed it and my roomie's, but isnt accountable for all of my issues. I hate switch loops... Another reason to love 3560s...

10/6/2008 3:03:33 PM

yeah, the WV infrastructure was built using leftover 10mbps switches to save money

the pcap dump will tell us where the issue is happening. the BEST way to do it would be to set up a tap and sniff from a laptop (or do a transparent bridge with 2 nics) so you completely separate variables (the winpcap driver works well, but you'll most likely see different - read: more accurate - results using a tap).

10/6/2008 3:07:18 PM

Quote :

"I can assure you that following the "chew the F out of the helpdesk tomorrow" is not the way to get anything done. You will learn this sooner or later in life, please take the time now to commit this to memory."

sometimes that's what it takes to get what you need. im a pretty nice guy, but i dont have a problem being a total asshole to people should they dick me around and not provide the services I pay for (comcast, directv, et al)

10/6/2008 3:17:05 PM

this thread is hilarious and full of [fail]

DNS problem?
DHCP problem?
vista issue?
switch issue?

do you mind if i save these quotes for future reference

Quote :

"Vista thinks that it cant talk to DNS but it really cant talk to anything (everything, eg ping, fails). It then wants to renew dhcp obtained info (eg get new DNS server). Ive kinda been stuck on it being DNS but on thinking today its affecting everything and just Vista is thinking its DNS. "

Quote :

"I believe some sort of reset packet is being sent that might be related to DNS lookups, which kills my connection."

10/6/2008 3:31:30 PM

Evan, knowing how POS 1900s are, further troubleshooting will be put on hold till after they replace them Thursday/Friday. Helpdesk anyway wont do anything further till then as well.

After that, if it continues... ive got a FastHub400 and my laptop with wireshark, and nothing else going on this weekend... Might on top of that get around to manually coding that routing table as well...


[Edited on October 6, 2008 at 10:42 PM. Reason : edit]

10/6/2008 10:39:34 PM

hahaha haven't read this thread, but this is pretty damn funny

Quote :

"Vista thinks that it cant talk to DNS but it really cant talk to anything (everything, eg ping, fails). It then wants to renew dhcp obtained info (eg get new DNS server). Ive kinda been stuck on it being DNS but on thinking today its affecting everything and just Vista is thinking its DNS"

OMG I THINK I BROKE A GEAR IN MY PRINTER SPOOLER!!!1

10/7/2008 8:31:55 PM

while living in WV, I had to setup a separate network for my friend. the nomad infrastructure was the only thing that didn't suck so I took a big boosted antenna and hooked it up to a dd-wrt router running in bridge mode. we put a hub on the back of the router (bridge) and it was the only way to get a decent gaming connection. torrents/web/etc was done exclusively over the wired network with 2 nic's in each box and metrics.

10/7/2008 8:48:01 PM