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Help can't get mn on my laptop only my phone?!?!?!?

10 replies

LoveBeing34 · 17/06/2010 09:45

Since yesterday morning I have be unable to open mn on my laptop, help!

I use firefox, it's saying the server at mn is taking too long so thd connection timed out.

All other websites I try are working, have restarted.

Any ideas?

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NetworkGuy · 17/06/2010 14:32

Is this at home or work ? (Just in case someone in an IT department has blocked it, in which case bypassing any block might not be worthwhile!)

If you are using Windows can you get a 'command' window (use Start, then Run... on Windows XP, ME, 98, 95 or Search... if using Vista or Windows 7 ... then enter cmd and press Enter

The 'command' window is likely to be a smallish window with a black background. This is a DOS window (from the days before Windows existed) and allows you to do some tasks more easily.

You may get a prompt like

C:\Windows> or C:>

If you enter ping www.mumsnet.com what happens ? You might get:

Pinging arsenal.dsc.net [213.161.73.140] with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
...

Ping statistics for 213.161.73.140:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss)

If you see 213.161.73.141 then it proves DNS lookup is working. If you get some other IP address, there's a problem with you ISP. It might also be worth mentioning which ISP you use, in case others also have a problem.

Hope there's an easy solution.

LoveBeing34 · 18/06/2010 08:24

NetworkGuy. Thanks for your reply, I've done that and got the same as above, however thd timedout message came up 4 times. I'm at home not a work laptop. Any ideas????

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NetworkGuy · 18/06/2010 13:10

Yes, I got timeout, but the important part was getting the right IP address... There's a chance of some error in the way data gets to your ISP from the Mumsnet server (213.161.73.140).

If you imagine the internet connection to be like a set of roads (data pipes) linked to roundabouts (routers) then when you request a web page your PC first does a lookup to translate www.mumsnet.com into an IP and then sends the request out for the page to 213.161.73.140 (and at every router on the way, the IP number is used to decide where to send the request). Once a request reaches a web server, the reply is sent back to your IP address (allocated by your ISP).

It's possible that somewhere between the two places a router is set up incorrectly. Imagine a motorbike courier starting at Glasgow and being told to get data from Mumsnet in London.

S/he leaves Glasgow, going south, to Carlisle, then south again to Manchester, and south again to Birmingham. From Birmingham s/he goes on to Oxford and then via Reading to London. After arriving at the web server, the 'return address' in Glasgow is given and the rider starts off going west to Reading, then on to Oxford, and on to Birmingham.

Unfortunately at Birmingham someone has messed up the sign and has put an arrow pointing south-west for Glasgow, so the rider goes south-west and when s/he reaches Bristol, finds a sign pointing back to Birmingham (and once there, back to Bristol).

Eventually the rider runs out of fuel and is flattened by a juggernaut. OK, that bit doesn't happen, but there is a limit on the number of routers (roundabouts) which can be used to stop an endless loop like this, and the data never gets back to the place where it was requested. So the office (ISP) in Glasgow just waits and waits, and then tells the client, sorry your data went missing. (in fact your PC decides it has waited long enough and reports the problem).

Now, although I've described an error at Birmingham affecting the data coming back, there could equally be a problem with data going to the web server (eg Birmingham signposting London as south-west).

Sometimes a problem affects just one ISP, and sometimes it affects lots of people. You didn't mention which ISP you use, but it might be worth posting on Talk/site_stuff with your situation. We know your DNS lookup is OK, but the technical staff may well ask you which ISP you are using, and perhaps also ask for your IP address.

You can find that out quite easily if you visit ShowIP.Net it will give your specific IP address. That may help the support guys to check whether there's a problem somewhere in the 'local' network (where the server is) or not.

I have in the past found ways around a problem (there's some software from www.http-tunnel.com which allows you to have free access via their service)... the idea is that your web traffic first goes to their server and then their IP address is used for the next part of the journey for your data to get to/from the web server. It's slow (because they offer free access really as a 'test drive', and clunky, but does work, just not something you'd want to use forever). It does, however, prove the web server is up and running (which you already know via your phone) !

NetworkGuy · 18/06/2010 13:15

sorry, I meant to add I put "..." in place of the same text another 3 times. I got timeout 4 times, too.

LoveBeing34 · 18/06/2010 18:26

Wow now that's an explaination cheers network guy will have a look and see if virgin media has a forum.

Maybe I'll wake up one morning and it will be fixed, and at least it's only one site. I'll have to start doing housework

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LoveBeing34 · 18/06/2010 18:27

Feel a bit mean ghat my reply was so short, I am on my iPhone though so takes a bit longer than a keyboard for half as long a message

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NetworkGuy · 18/06/2010 19:23

Don't worry about short reply - would not have mattered even if you had a proper keyboard that it was a short response...

I just hoped the motorway/signposts idea made it a bit easier to understand!

I suppose you could ask tech support if they can view the mumsnet.com website, and if they cannot, they ought to start wondering "what else isn't working ?" (which will niggle them)

LoveBeing34 · 18/06/2010 20:33

Hmm that's a good idea, did email the help address but think I'll start a thread in the tech topic

thanks for all your help

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NetworkGuy · 18/06/2010 21:55

I was thinking tech support at Virgin Media

LoveBeing34 · 18/06/2010 22:57

Opps will try them in the morning when I check on my forum post.

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