Have I got a virus / malware etc ?

Basically internet connection is being weird.

When I type a URL in it takes abhout 10 seconds to start loading the site then when I get in the site its fine and connection speed is as it has always been

I've run Spybot etc and they havent detected anything, also run Macafee virus scan - all ok

Any suggestions what to do next ?

Sounds like slow DNS lookups.

Just today? Maybe your ISP has DNS issues. You're not with Wannado/Freeserve are you? One of my customers are having issues with them and DNS.

[edit] Just re-read this. I like the words 'DNS' and 'issues' don't I?

lol - I called NTL and they said they have no outages or issues - shall I call them and ask that specific question about DNS ?

They probably won't tell you anyway.

Try to ping a domain name that you've not used before.

type

nslookup at a command prompt

then type domain names in like : http://www.whatdomain.com

(Just made that up and it exists)

If it takes ages before returning the IP address of it then you'll know it's a DNS issue. Try a few random names and see what happens.

If it returns quick, then it's not DNS.

dude im not in IT so may need to take this a bit slow with me

So I go to Run

then type in CMD

then where the arrow thing is >

I type 'nslook up'

then a url ?

from the DOS prompt

>nslookup http://www.whatdomain.com

then hit return

so I went to

run

cmd

then typed in nslookup http://www.whatdomain.com

is that correct ?

Im not sure where to find the DOS prompt

I got the attached when I did it anyway

You have done it correct and it would seem that you ISP is having some DNS problems. Could change your DNS servera yourself or wait for your ISP to sort the problem their end.

give them a call and give them a hard time

yey ! So I have defo not got a virus or something then?

Thats a relief - can someone explain what a DNS is? and is it a local thing?

Tehy did do a check by asking me to download a file and it downloaded really quickly - the guy on teck support said that

'this eliminates there being a local problem as your connection and download speed is fine for a 2meg pipe'

He then said

'it seems like a program on your PC is affecting your computer or you have downloaded a virus which is slowly eating away at your connection'

naturally I got scared as all my work stuff in on here

Ah - It's so nice to be right!

yey ! So I have defo not got a virus or something then?

 

Thats a relief - can someone explain what a DNS is? and is it a local thing?

 

What does DNS mean?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Domain name servers, or DNS, are an incredibly important but completely hidden part of the Internet. The DNS system forms one of the largest and most active distributed databases on earth. Without DNS, there is no Internet.

When you use the internet to view a web site or send an e-mail message, you use a domain name to do it. For example, the URL "http://www.netpivotal.com" contains the domain name netpivotal.com. So does the e-mail address "[email protected]."

Readable names like "netpivotal.com" are easy for people to remember, but to computers you really are a number and not a name. All of the computers attached to the net use names called IP addresses to refer to one another. For example, the machine that you might refer to as "www.netpivotal.com" has the IP address 65.61.185.241. So every time you visit a web site or send an email your using the Internets domain name servers to translate the address into a machines individual IP address.

What does DNS mean?

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Domain name servers, or DNS, are an incredibly important but completely hidden part of the Internet. The DNS system forms one of the largest and most active distributed databases on earth. Without DNS, there is no Internet.

 

When you use the internet to view a web site or send an e-mail message, you use a domain name to do it. For example, the URL "http://www.netpivotal.com" contains the domain name netpivotal.com. So does the e-mail address "[email protected]."

 

Readable names like "netpivotal.com" are easy for people to remember, but to computers you really are a number and not a name. All of the computers attached to the net use names called IP addresses to refer to one another. For example, the machine that you might refer to as "www.netpivotal.com" has the IP address 65.61.185.241. So every time you visit a web site or send an email your using the Internets domain name servers to translate the address into a machines individual IP address.

So is that why when I type in an IP address it finds it quicker than if I type in a URL?

Also well done to Rogue (you swat ) Even though it seems to be what you and cali al diagnosed NTL are denying it and saying that if it was a DNS problem there switchboard would be going mental and its not

They said its the set top box where the BB connection comes from which is not getting a good signal (due to a power surge or something) as such its not smooth and causing intermittent problems. I explained the nslookup results and the guy said that ties in with a disrupted signal from the set top box to the computer. They are resetting it now anyway

Does that sound correct or are they bullshitting me ?

Does that sound correct or are they bullshitting me ?

cough cough BULLSH*T cough

If it were a poor signal then it'd affect the performance of your net as a whole.

I'd just ignore it for a day or two and I'm sure you'll find it miraculously fixed.

It took me a whole week of calling Telewest complaining about my slow connection before I finally got through to someone who'd listen to my expertise and admit THEY had a problem and not me!!

I've been dealing with an annoying DNS issue all day from one user that can't see a particular website. Actually, you lost might be able to help me on that.. I feel a new thread coming on.

So is that why when I type in an IP address it finds it quicker than if I type in a URL?

Exactamundo!

cough cough BULLSH*T cough

 

If it were a poor signal then it'd affect the performance of your net as a whole.

I'd just ignore it for a day or two and I'm sure you'll find it miraculously fixed.

 

It took me a whole week of calling Telewest complaining about my slow connection before I finally got through to someone who'd listen to my expertise and admit THEY had a problem and not me!!

I've been dealing with an annoying DNS issue all day from one user that can't see a particular website. Actually, you lost might be able to help me on that.. I feel a new thread coming on.

Dude after an hour of harrassing them and telling them what you have advised they have now admitted there *may* be a DNS issue and are looking into it futher. I told them I CANT ping a URL but can ping an IP and ns look up also fails - bloody hell I sounded like I knew what I was talking about ! LMAO (little did they know!) anyway they admitted this is defo DNS related in the end and that the other guy had fobbed me off

big up yourself Rogue ( & Cali)

And I've learned something too

NTL tech support are always full of bullshit like that. Sometimes I lose my connection for days on end and they've never given a satisfatory solution to any problem I've thrown at them. Their customer service stinks too!

If it weren't for the fact that I've not got a BT line installed I'd go elsewhere.

NTL tech support were absolute shite until about 3 years ago when they got the local BB support centres set up.

Then, in their wisdom (read as cost saving) around 9 months ago they moved their support to India, since then the BB support is hopeless. They have scripted troubleshooting (reboot the modem/PC), if that doesn't fix it then they say an engineer will arrive on site within a few days.. by then of course they fix their DNS/proxy problems and the engineer call is cancelled.

That said, it's only a problem when its not working! I've only had about 4 'outages' in the last couple of years and I am using the line all day every day.

big up yourself Rogue ( & Cali)

Glad to be of service.

I heard the support on http://www.mkivsupra.net is some of the best around