strange 'block' problem has me stumped

[10secondbuzz]

I've been trying to diagnose a problem i've been having using msn messenger for the last 2 days and am completely stumped. the problem is with using messenger from any pc on my home network. It's worked for 2 years with no problems but two days ago I stopped being able to login.

It works through web based services so its not an account problem.
I don't run software firewalls and i have the same problem from any machine so id don't think it's a pc issue.

I've tried three different clients (msn, miranda and pixa msn) so it doesn't appear to be a client issue.

I cannot access messenger.hotmail.com through my web browser though if i use an web-based proxy (http://www.proxeasy.com/) i get redirected to the microsoft live login.

I've tried two different routers and though the problem went away briefly after swapping them over it came back within an hour... as it does if i bypass the router and connect directly to cable modem. (i'm on virgin cable broadband) .Theerefore i don't think it's the router(s) though haven't ruled it out...

when i do a trace route on messenger.hotmail.com i get the following
1. hop: 192.168.1.1: 0 ms
2. hop: 10.231.204.1: 20 ms
3. hop: 80.0.54.149 (leed-t2cam1-a-ge916.network.virginmedia.net): 10 ms
4. hop: 80.0.50.158 (leed-t3core-1b-ge-015-0.network.virginmedia.net): 6 ms
5. hop: timed out.
6. hop: timed out.
7. hop: timed out. etc ..etc

With my limited knowledge this looks to me likes it being blocked en-route so I called virgin but got nowhere with their support who practically refused to acknowledge the question.

windows firewall is not running and I've made no changes to the router configuration so in my mind the only thing that's left is a network issue.

If anyone know my next step in trying to get to the bottom of this i'd be eternally grateful.

please.. anyone.

[ajtag]

I am having the same problem, (at two different houses based in leeds)
I noticed yesterday that accessing subdomains on sites were failing, being tired I took no notice but after a friend was having the same problem I have investigated.

I am able to get to some sites (including subdomains other than www.) however the site that I have found consistantly fails is support.microsoft.com, as with the previous poster messenger.hotmail.com also fails. I have also had problems with jobs.guardian.com and england.shelter.org.uk however these appear to be connecting now, these started to work after changing my dns servers from virgin to opendns

running a traceroute to support.microsoft.com gives the same an identical result to the previous poster however to messenger.hotmail.com gets a little further before failing.

interestingly enough I am able to access the support.microsoft.com at 65.54.166.122 but not the one at 207.46.248.248 (the ip my dns normally returns)

I am also fairly clueless as to why this is happening, so if anyone has suggestions ???

I have also checked the virgin service site, there is a red flag against the 'broadband' however I havent been able to find any notices.

I gave up calling them about problems years ago, this forum is much better

Cheers, Ajtag

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#Edit
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it could well be that http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12...l#post34615999 is related...

[10secondbuzz]

interestingly, as of I've just tried again (10:30pm) and can login to msn though a traceroute fails but this time not until hop 9.

ajtag - I've tried the other subdomains you mention but have no problems with these. I too noticed the red flag on the virgin service status but could find no other info... infact i started to wonder if it was jsut an interface element telling me i had selected 'broadband' servie status as apposed to phone.. tv etc. if this is the case then it's lousy UI design.

I'll Keep you posted as to how long the messenger connection it lasts.

..still baffled.

[ajtag]

thats interesting, since posting this I have gone home and I am able to access the everything on that list as well however support.microsoft.com is still failing.

traceroute stops at
4 26 ms 11 ms 9 ms leed-t3core-1b-ge-010-0.network.virginmedia.net [80.0.50.146]

Messenger is working for me too.

will keep an eye out for solutions but to tell the truth I can live quite happily in a world without access to the microsoft site.
Cheers
Ajtag

[10secondbuzz]

Everything was working fine up until a few minutes ago (about 9.15) but now the same problem has returned... this is really starting to drive me mad.

It may be a coincidence but I'm pretty sure it was about 9 oclock yesterday that the problem briefly vanished which makes me wonder whether it's time related.

The only thing I can think is it's a virgin issue as the problem seems to come and go without me doing anything.

What I'd like to know is how I go about getting proof either one way or another whether its a virgin problem.

(while I've been writing this it's come back on.. for how long i don't know though)

???

[makemywish]

This is what Virgin has to say about traceroute failing within its own network:

However, taking this caveat into account, if you cannot access a particular website through a browser AND a traceroute is failing to get to it, the last hop will likely be the point at which there is the problem.

If this address is one of our machines [it will have cableinet in its name], then we should be able to do something about it. This means that the failure is within our network. If you contact our technical support team they will be able to escalate the problem to our networks team to investigate.

Read it http://help2.virginmedia.com/help/ge...internet_trace

[10secondbuzz]

just to update you... I've not noticed any issues since my last post yesterday. I'm reluctant to say it but it appears that the problem has disappeared... at least for me anyway.

[ajtag]

I also have an account at asmallorange.com and also unable to access their site, however I am able to ssh into and view my hosting account.

another site I am unable to access is ladyada.net

there is a parallel thread on this topic at
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=867960

I am going to call virgin tomorrow to see what they say.

Ajtag

[makemywish]

Originally Posted by ajtag

I also have an account at asmallorange.com and also unable to access their site, however I am able to ssh into and view my hosting account.

another site I am unable to access is ladyada.net

there is a parallel thread on this topic at
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=867960

I am going to call virgin tomorrow to see what they say.

Ajtag

Ajtag: That was posted by myself! Yes, please call them and let them know that this is a fault at their end and they should look into it. Please ask to speak to the next level of tech support. Only then will this problem be escalated.

I also suggest you arm yourself with your tracert report so you can nip the tech support before they start buggering you with modem restart and other nonsense.

---------- Post added at 21:28 ---------- Previous post was at 21:24 ----------

Originally Posted by ajtag

I also have an account at asmallorange.com and also unable to access their site, however I am able to ssh into and view my hosting account.

another site I am unable to access is ladyada.net

there is a parallel thread on this topic at
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...d.php?t=867960

I am going to call virgin tomorrow to see what they say.

Ajtag

I am unable to access ladyada.net as well! Also, I am unable to access/ping/tracert mail.live.com

[ajtag]

thankfully enough, everything is getting through for the first time this morning, hopefully this will be the end of it.
Ajtag

[makemywish]

Originally Posted by ajtag

thankfully enough, everything is getting through for the first time this morning, hopefully this will be the end of it.
Ajtag

Yes. I noted the same. Am able to access the sites I couldn't earlier. Hopefully this is the last of it.