Frequent DNS query failure messages

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Frequent DNS query failure messages

toii

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#210297 21-Mar-2017 16:49

I have a Fibre100 connection with Spark as ISP. A PC connected to the modem via WiFi is showing frequent "no internet connection" messages when attempting to browse to site like google.

Running tracert on the PC to google gives error saying it cant resolve the name. I looked in modem log to see if there are any errors and sure enough there are dozens of DNS errors there. They are in this form:

DNS query failed: Name: xxxx.xxxx, Type: 28, Error: no such name

The way I interpret this is that the modem is unable to resolve the name from the DNS service. The primary and secondary DNS servers on the modem are showing as below which I think are Spark standard adresses:

IPv4 primary DNS server:122.56.237.1

IPv4 secondary DNS server: 210.55.111.1

How can I go about identifying the cause of this problem?

Spyware

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#1745271 21-Mar-2017 16:56

Eliminate the wifi by using a patch lead.

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toii

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#1745274 21-Mar-2017 17:02

I think I have already eliminated that as the cause by finding all these DNS lookup failure messages in the broadband modem log. I also see DNS failure messages in the log relating to browsing from a second PC that has a wired connection direct to the modem.

toii

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#1745288 21-Mar-2017 17:28

I just noticed there was a way to configure static DNS addresses in the modem. I have tried changing them to google public DNS addresses and restarting the modem then checking that the DNS settings had stuck. I am still getting DNS query errors in the modem log after doing this. Now I am even more puzzled as to what is wrong.

yitz

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#1745290 21-Mar-2017 17:29

What modem?

toii

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#1745293 21-Mar-2017 17:30

Huawei HG659b (spark supplied)

BarTender

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#1746253 23-Mar-2017 09:25

A no such name normally indicates you are trying to lookup a DNS entry that doesn't exist.

It's not a problem normally as you could have devices at home that are trying to lookup a random DNS entry that just don't exist.

It could be a Mac using Bonjour to do reverse DNS lookups against your local DNS server / relay. https://help.dyn.com/bonjour-and-dns-discovery/

Anything looking up "wpad" is Browsers attempting to auto-discover their local proxy servers.

I suspect this is just normal background noise of the interwerbs.

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toii

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#1746300 23-Mar-2017 10:33

BarTender:

A no such name normally indicates you are trying to lookup a DNS entry that doesn't exist.

It's not a problem normally as you could have devices at home that are trying to lookup a random DNS entry that just don't exist.

It could be a Mac using Bonjour to do reverse DNS lookups against your local DNS server / relay. https://help.dyn.com/bonjour-and-dns-discovery/

Anything looking up "wpad" is Browsers attempting to auto-discover their local proxy servers.

I suspect this is just normal background noise of the interwerbs.

thanks - I think I posted a bad example of the errors in the log. I see what you mean about looking up entry that doesn't exist not being an issue. There were other DNS errors that were indicating no response when looking for name of external sites rather than the DNS entry not existing (I forgot the exact wording of the errors). I got my hands on another modem (same model) and was seeing the same issues occurring with that modem. I'm keeping an eye on it to see if it was just a short term problem.

hio77

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#1746310 23-Mar-2017 10:56

I run both a spark and VF connection and often put them head to head in terms of DNS and speed.

Logs on my end show no issues with the default Spark DNS servers.

Is it possible your getting dropouts causing it to happen? - Happy to check if you want to pass me a line number.

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Scotdownunder

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#1746319 23-Mar-2017 11:22

I have had similar issues with this modem on Spark fibre although only infrequenty. Affects both wired iMac and wifi iPads / macbook. Modem reset fixes it for a few weeks then it will recur. No pattern to what sites I was trying to reach at the time.

I conclude there is a minor bug in the firmware. A fix would be in order if either Spark / Huawei will recognise there is a problem.

andrewNZ

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#1746357 23-Mar-2017 12:28

When I was with Spark, I had the same problem (adsl). I never found a fix. Happened using a linksys and a tp-link modem.
There is an old thread around here somewhere about it. I think there must be an issue at Sparks end, but it'll be something oddball and hard to find.

The quick and dirty way to prevent it is to use googles dns.

I don't have this issue on bigpipe.

andrewNZ

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#1746364 23-Mar-2017 12:41

This thread is the one I remember, but it appears there are a few pretty similar.
I suspect it's an issue that is quite common, but because it's intermittent, and rebooting the modem fixes it, it's not normally reported.

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toii

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#1746539 23-Mar-2017 17:08

Thanks for help everyone. I read the linked thread and yes it sounds like the same issue.

Today I have not had the same symptoms and checking the log I don't see any DNS errors other than "no such name" errors which were related to trying to lookup names of devices on my network. The problem seems to have gone away - lets hope it stays like that :p