Some tech help please.....

DancesWithProtons · Post by **DancesWithProtons** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:55 am

Okay, here's the deal: a few weeks ago, my computer suddenly started acting up and I could only go to certain web sites but not others. I've checked my security settings (now ridiculously, perilously low) and other things, but it still does it. When I run the CMD command from the "run" window, then do a tracert to a site I cannot get to, I can see it going out of my network and into cyberspace, hopping from domain to domain, but then it times out.

What can be causing this? It is really frustrating to try and surf and not be able to get to certain sites, like blogspot, MSNBC and the download page for TortoiseSVN. I would love to upgrade to SVN but am unable to at the current time. I run Firefox, but also have IE on my computer for other purposes and it does it in IE too, so it isn't browser-specific.

Perhaps one of you techies out there who knows what's going on could give me some pointers to look at. In the process of trying to isolate it I have completely uninstalled/reinstalled Firefox, updated/repaired Windows XP and, as I said, set my security settings perilously low. I disabled (actually totally uninstalled) my firewall, so I am wide open at this time to hackers, but am still impaired in my surfing.

I am running Windows XP Pro (no service packs as they make my computer totally freeze up), Firefox 1.5.0.2, 384mb ram, networked through my wifes computer to the modem. I've committed the gravest IT sin and gone and phouqued with it, massively, but would love some informed assistance in rectifying this situation, so HHHHEEEEEEELLLLLP!!!!!

Privateer Ferrius · Post by **Privateer Ferrius** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:58 am

You don't have a router do you?

Post by **klauss** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 1:54 am

That kind of stuff usually means one of your regional routers is down, or one of the DNS servers in your provider's DNS chain. That usually goes away with time. If not, you could try explicitly pointing to another DNS.

Some DNS servers: 63.208.196.90, 204.13.249.81

DancesWithProtons · Post by **DancesWithProtons** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:49 am

well the tricky thing is that my wifes computer can get to all the domains. My computer is routed through her computer, essentially making her computer the "router", then to the modem, so it could be something in her system, but for the life of me I cant think of what. Don't have a true router though.

Sorry, should have mentioned that above.

Oh, and how exactly would I point directly to one of the above DNS addresses? My computer pings and tracert's both fine, so if I could get there maybe I can get elsewhere. I know I can get to the sites by surfing anonomously, so not sure what's up there. Unfortunately the anonomyzers I have found are a PITA, but at least they work.

Halleck · Post by **Halleck** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:04 am

If she can get out onto all sites, and you are routed through her computer but cannot get on to all sites, I think that's a farily clear indication that the problem is either in her or your computer, and not external. What happens if you route her computer through yours, and make your computer the "router"?

DancesWithProtons · Post by **DancesWithProtons** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:16 am

Well haven't tried hooking my computer up as the router yet - that would entail taking the system down for a while and the wife isn't letting me do that at all. The wierd thing is that it was working fine up until a point, at which for an unknown reason it ceased working.

An odd thing is that I can tracert some places fine, but when I put the url into my browser, nothing.

Bye the way, anybody know why the first place my tracert goes after her server is 10.57.64.1, which shows as either unresolveable or IANA, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, when I do a DNS lookup on the net? Is this because I have my system set to obtain IP address and DNS automatically? Is this something to be worried about?

Wisq · Post by **Wisq** » Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 pm

Are you using DSL? Being able to ping / traceroute a site but not access it via e.g. a web browser is typically caused by Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) issues. Look up how to lower the MTU on your system and give it a shot. The default is 1500; try something lower like 1400 or 1300.

As for the IP address... any 10.*, 192.168.*, or 172.16.* through 172.31.* address is "unroutable" or "private". That means it's only used inside private networks, and is not used once you're actually out on the Internet. Some ISPs use these addresses in their infrastructure.

Home users use private IP addresses extensively when they have multiple systems on a network, but only one public IP address. Systems contact each other internally using the private IP addresses, but when using the Internet, they all share the public IP address.

Basically, I wouldn't worry about the address.

Post by **klauss** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:24 am

Slightly OT: What's the unroutability rule?

I thought it was the 0s... 192.168.0.*, but not 192.168.1.*

Wisq · Post by **Wisq** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 3:02 am

Nope, any 192.168.* address is private and unroutable. If it were 192.168.0.* only, then you would only have 256 addresses (254 hosts) to play with.

Note that it's part of the class C (24-bit netmask) range of addresses, so it's typically used in 24-bit allocations... i.e. 192.168.1.* is one network, 192.168.2.* is another. But that's just tradition. You're free to allocate it any way you like.

DancesWithProtons · Post by **DancesWithProtons** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:08 pm

Well the problem is moot now. It appears that the problem was my wifes computer, as her hard drive crashed while restarting. I figure it was probably dropping bits when it was loading programs so something got pooched. Now that I have installed a new hard drive with a fresh install of XP, along with uninstalling/reinstalling my own network card, everything is right as rain.

Except for her old hard drive. She's not too thrilled with that one. We've got it in the freezer in hopes that we can grab the data off of it, but no guarantees there. I guess we've got some pretty cool data on it.

Oh, and the 10.57.. address was internal for the DHCP server. Now I've learned enough to be truly dangerous.

Halleck · Post by **Halleck** » Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:54 pm

Heh... careful there, that's only going to help if the head is stuck to the platter. You could wind up damaging the data further.

DancesWithProtons · Post by **DancesWithProtons** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:17 am

Well at this point, anything that can get the data off without spending massive $$ will be a plus. When the thing goes "clicka clicka clicka" upon power-up, it's pretty pooched, so if it works fresh from cold storage enough to salvage the data, thats good. If not, it's just a cold paperweight.

Either way, there's nothing to lose. The drive is already considered "dead" so anything we do is experimental.

Cassandros · Post by **Cassandros** » Fri May 05, 2006 3:37 pm

If you havn't dont anything yet, i suggest hitting it with a hammer and trying to catch the bytes of data as they fly out