[TelstraClear] TelstraClear transparent proxy, OpenDNS

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freitasm

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#29955 24-Jan-2009 10:06

Yesterday I had problems when using one of the TelstraClear DNS (203.96.152.4 paradise.net.nz) and decided to switch to OpenDNS.

All very nice, even created an account - but then I couldn't access Facebook to reply to some comments in my status.

I thought it could be OpenDNS and changing back to TelstraClear DNS fixed the problem. I tried again today and couldn't load Facebook.

Sometimes I see error messages when accessing some international providers - mainly ad servers for sites such as Digg or Slashdot. The space where the ad would show comes with "TCP Error".

So I am thinking that

a) TelstraClear uses a transparent proxy
b) This transparent proxy is overloaded or incorrectly configued
c) OpenDNS gives me a DNS for Facebook that is probably different from what TelstraClear usually reports - and the OpenDNS entries are to servers for which the TelstraClear proxy is having problems accessing.

So, how do we get around this? I understand the use of transparent proxy, but for some dynamic content domains they just don't work...

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#191784 24-Jan-2009 12:25

As for the ads not showing up were you aware that OpenDNS has it's own ad blocker ?
I would login and make it's not set to block ads.
I use it on my home connection to block stuff at OpenDNS's end - it places a red box over the ad and says "this has been blocked by your network administrator"

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freitasm

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#191789 24-Jan-2009 12:42

honem: As for the ads not showing up were you aware that OpenDNS has it's own ad blocker ?
I would login and make it's not set to block ads.
I use it on my home connection to block stuff at OpenDNS's end - it places a red box over the ad and says "this has been blocked by your network administrator"

This "ads not showing" is when using the TelstraClear DNS and connection. I am aware of the OpenDNS ad blocker, filtering, optional transparent proxy and other features - all turned off for my account.

Screeb

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#191831 24-Jan-2009 16:01

Sometimes I see error messages when accessing some international providers - mainly ad servers for sites such as Digg or Slashdot. The space where the ad would show comes with "TCP Error".

I've been getting this a lot lately too, only not for ads, but for full pages! (usually a single refresh sorts it out)

eXDee

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#191848 24-Jan-2009 19:16

OpenDNS would be better if it didn't have the annoying auto search through yahoo, though that undermines their business model.
I believe telstraclear have 3 sets of DNS servers, 1 for paradise, 1 for PDQ ADSL and 1 for cable? Not sure if this helps, or if they operate seperately.

rscole86

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#191874 24-Jan-2009 22:02

A mate of mine has been using paradise cables for years and years, all of a sudden his router stopped working, so has reaplced it.

However, he cannot use the 203.96.152.4-12 DNS servers anymore on his connection, no pages will load, change to another set of TCL DNS servers, and no worries.

Might not be related, but added to the thread :D

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#191876 24-Jan-2009 22:05

I have experienced DNS issues with OpenDNS on TelstraClear's VDSL2 network on Friday afternoon, but I switched the firewall to point to Telstra's DNS servers instead and it resolved itself.
OpenDNS must have had an outage.

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freitasm

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#191899 25-Jan-2009 06:59

No, this wasn't limited to Friday, and it happened again when I tried OpenDNS on Saturday afternoon.

As for the TelstraClear DNS servers, for years I've used the Paradise ones. Until I noticed some hosts were not resolving. I then tried the ClearNet servers and the hosts were there. Even after contacting some TelstraClear folks here on Geekzone the Paradise DNS servers were out of sync - really bad stuff.

M take is that OpenDNS reports some DNS addresses but TelstraClear is blocking those or their proxy server is not seeing the same addresses. It probably affects services that use a CDN such as Akamai.

As for the errors displaying ads - it doesn't happen with ads only. It happens on Windows Update sometimes or other Microsoft sites, which leads me to believe - again - that TelstraClear has some problems in their configuration.

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#191928 25-Jan-2009 10:30

I had a very similar situation recently on TCL cable. I had installed a Zenbu server at a motel where I had to cable it out through the buildings to cover the area. Once installed the owner complained that her office PC which was now running via the direct NAT router (ie not via zenbu control but though the clear NAT route) could not see Facebook, the PC if connected directly to the modem (and appropriate TCL detail fixed in the IP setup) could readily see facebook.

I spent sometime talking with Zenbu, he was certain it was due to the fact that the zenbu NAT router software would use OpenDNS is the DNS entries in the WAN port setup were invalid, however all three DNS entries were valid and pingable.

Never got to the bottom of it. But it seemed some issue with DNS from TCL and how NAT routers (rather than a single PC) intereacted.

Cyril

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#192045 26-Jan-2009 01:01

I'm not experiencing any dns issues on Telstra PDQ ADSL

freitasm

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#192053 26-Jan-2009 07:23

My post was about two DNS outages/programs on the 24 January - it's not an ongoing thing.

mossie

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#192115 26-Jan-2009 13:19

Quick question, what device do I change the DNS settings on if I want to try OpenDNS/ the cablemodem or my router behind that?

I have a motorola SB5101 cable modem. I'm guessing it is the modem?

Many thanks in advance.

Regards
Hamish