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[loveextasy]

Hi,

I am new to this forum but have been looking a lot through useful posts on my new router, and after setting up it yesterday it is absolute a solid kit, apart from the problem below:

I just found a DNS issue on the router which is, I could not log on to any website using DNS names, but no problem using IP address directly. This happened just now. However I experienced the same problem with my HG635 which also uses BCM63168 chip, and in TalkTalk forum there are several cases complaining the issue.

So I was guessing if this issue is common in BCM63168 family, not particular to VMG8924 or HG635?

p.s. I am using 7C0 firmware on VMG8924, and DCHP for all my devices, on a 2.5Mbps ADSL line.

It is much appreciated if anyone knows this problem, or even better could provide me a solution...

Thanks a lot in advance:)

[PhilipD]

Hi

Not heard it being a common issue with Broadcom before, it is more likely flaky DNS servers hosted by TalkTalk and perhaps the Broadcom software doesn't attempt as many DNS lookups before giving up.

An easy change to see if it fixes your problems is log into the ZyXEL, under Network Setting go to Home Networking and under the LAN setup table find the DNS Values, this I expect is checked as "From ISP" or Dynamic.    Change this to static and enter for 1: 8.8.8.8 and for 2 enter 8:8:4:4 then save your changes.  This is moving from TalkTalk DNS servers to Googles public DNS servers.

You will then need to get devices to obtain these new settings, on a PC open a command window and type Ipconfig /renew for other devices turning off Wi-Fi then back on again should do it.

Any improvement?

Regards

Phil

[loveextasy]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. Actually I'm with PlusNet, and re-connected yesterday and everything seems to be fine now...although it is still using PlusNet's DNS server.

Will report back here if any issues.

By the way, could you, or anyone could advise which firmware is the best for ADSL please? I've heard 8C0 would be good but some bugs reported?

Thanks!

[loveextasy]

Hi,

Just come back and report - tried change DNS to google servers, and after 1 day and 6 hrs the problem happened again....

Totally no idea why this happened, or how to solve it

by the way, I have updated the firmware to 8C0 and factory reset the settingsand setup again.....

[kitz]

I could not log on to any website using DNS names, but no problem using IP address directly.

When you say log on.  Can I just clarify is that log into a site..  or reach a site to view.. or both.

[loveextasy]

Thank for reply.

What I mean by "log on" is "to display a site on screen". i.e. when this problem occurs, I could only see an error message saying "NET_DNS_ERROR" and cannot see anything else.

Following up the report, the problem seems to be happening when my wife is copying over a large amount of files from her laptop onto the NAS which connected to the router by ethernet cable. (at least for the last time about 10 mins ago)

[kitz]

OK, was just checking re the login, because if you cant physically log in to https sites then that is usually indicative of an MTU problem.  If its happening when just trying to view/read normal sites then I think that can be ruled out and it is more likely a DNS issue.

tried change DNS to google servers,

I presume that you mean you changed DNS in the Zyxel?
This should be changed under Broadband > ADSL/VDSL > click the edit button, then scroll down to DNS server.
**Check again that the setting has actually taken, sometimes if you use Firefox the setting isnt always saved.**


If the setting has saved.....   

Is this problem just on your PC or does it happen for other PCs on the network.
Is it possible that you have a different DNS server set on the local machine?
Have you tried setting DNS on the local PC to googles DNS? 

[loveextasy]

OK, was just checking re the login, because if you cant physically log in to https sites then that is usually indicative of an MTU problem.  If its happening when just trying to view/read normal sites then I think that can be ruled out and it is more likely a DNS issue.

It was just trying to normal http sites....so presumbly DNS issue....

I presume that you mean you changed DNS in the Zyxel?
This should be changed under Broadband > ADSL/VDSL > click the edit button, then scroll down to DNS server.
**Check again that the setting has actually taken, sometimes if you use Firefox the setting isnt always saved.**

Yes, saved google DNS and checked on the ZyXEL status page as well as individual PC's network settings, all of them are set to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

Is this problem just on your PC or does it happen for other PCs on the network.
Is it possible that you have a different DNS server set on the local machine?
Have you tried setting DNS on the local PC to googles DNS?

Normally this happen to all of my devices, and all of them should have google DNS set as mentioned above.

When I was seeking for HG635 solutions, someone mentioned that this may because of "ran out of DNS cache memory".....

I hope ZyXEL's routers do not have similiar problem though 

by the way, the router is up and running for another 3 hours and no problem...hope that is single issue and not repeatable

Thanks again for your answer....

[kitz]

"ran out of DNS cache memory".

I doubt its that or I should think one of us would have spotted it before now. Although theres a lot more of use with VMG8324's they both share a lot of the same hardware and the same f/w.

all of them should have google DNS set as mentioned above

hmmmmmmmm.  Now that is interesting because if all the PC's have DNS set on the local machines then that totally over-rides the Zyxel, which wont be doing anything DNS related.

Now Im stumped.  Its not looking like MTU or router DNS and Im racking my brains to think what could cause similar.   Packet loss is about the only other thing I can think of right now and even thats a bit of a long shot.

Do you monitor your line stats with DSLstats or HG612modem stats, either of those should tell you if you are getting lots of CRCs/Err Seconds/SES.

[kitz]

Ive just read your first post again, because something is bugging me about this

However I experienced the same problem with my HG635 which also uses BCM63168 chip,

No it extremely unlikely to be the DSL chipset and anything in the Broadcom shell otherwise this issue would be widespread and vast.
Im beginning to think it may be something more local.

2.5Mbps ADSL line

Obviously it is a long line and Im beginning to wonder if its noisy and if it is experiencing packet loss then it could stop webpages from loading.   It doesnt explain though why you can then reach by using the IP address.  Wondering if by that time a noise spike has ceased.

the problem seems to be happening when my wife is copying over a large amount of files from her laptop onto the NAS which connected to the router by ethernet cable.

Wondering if the NAS could be causing noise when in use?

Yep I know clutching at straws here and lots of 'wonderings', but atm it seems more of a likely explanation than router DNS.   

I suggest you grab a copy of DSLstats and record your SNR Margin and any CRC type errors

[Ronski]

I think I had a similar problems a few years ago, I'm sure I posted on Plus Nets forum, but can't remember what the cause was.

[loveextasy]

Thank you....

Obviously it is a long line and Im beginning to wonder if its noisy and if it is experiencing packet loss then it could stop webpages from loading.   It doesnt explain though why you can then reach by using the IP address.  Wondering if by that time a noise spike has ceased.

Um, it doesn't seem to be the noisy thing, as it is almost immediate for the browser to give me a response of "Page cannot load, DNS error". The interesting bit is that, when I was using Technicolor TG582N before this problem never happened:(

Wondering if the NAS could be causing noise when in use?

Yep I know clutching at straws here and lots of 'wonderings', but atm it seems more of a likely explanation than router DNS.   

I suggest you grab a copy of DSLstats and record your SNR Margin and any CRC type errors

I did use DSLstats to monitor and found there were about 150 CRC in 24 hrs' time, but it didn't reported a re-sync...However I will do another monitor this evening and post it back here after work.


Just another update that, since my wife finished her copying it seems fine with the DNS (although speed is a little bit slow opening the site though)

Thanks very much!

[broadstairs]

Just one question, which ISP are you connected with?

Stuart

[loveextasy]

Just one question, which ISP are you connected with?

Stuart

PlusNet

[loveextasy]

My DSLstats as below

adsl info --stats
adsl: ADSL driver and PHY status
Status: Showtime
Last Retrain Reason:    0
Last initialization procedure status:   0
Max:    Upstream rate = 648 Kbps, Downstream rate = 2776 Kbps
Channel:        INTR, Upstream rate = 448 Kbps, Downstream rate = 2592 Kbps

Link Power State:       L0
Mode:                   G.DMT
TPS-TC:                 ATM Mode
Trellis:                ON
Line Status:            No Defect
Training Status:        Showtime
                Down            Up
SNR (dB):        9.0             7.0
Attn(dB):        58.5            31.5
Pwr(dBm):        17.4            12.4
                        G.dmt framing
K:              82(0)           15
R:              16              16
S:              2.0000          8.0000
D:              16              4

                        Counters
                        Bearer 0
SF:             10029           9970
SFErr:          0               0
RS:             340969          84745
RSCorr:         58              0
RSUnCorr:       0               0

                        Bearer 0
HEC:            0               0
OCD:            0               0
LCD:            0               0
Total Cells:    1042305         0
Data Cells:     96983           0
Drop Cells:     0
Bit Errors:     0               0

ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            56              56
AS:             171

                        Bearer 0
INP:            1.00            1.50
INPRein:        0.00            0.00
delay:          8               8
PER:            0.00            0.00
OR:             32.00           32.00
AgR:            2613.78 478.13

Bitswap:        0/0             28/28

Total time = 3 min 47 sec
FEC:            58              0
CRC:            0               0
ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            56              56
LOS:            0               0
LOF:            0               0
LOM:            0               0
Latest 15 minutes time = 3 min 47 sec
FEC:            58              0
CRC:            0               0
ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            56              56
LOS:            0               0
LOF:            0               0
LOM:            0               0
Previous 15 minutes time = 0 sec
FEC:            0               0
CRC:            0               0
ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            0               0
LOS:            0               0
LOF:            0               0
LOM:            0               0
Latest 1 day time = 3 min 47 sec
FEC:            58              0
CRC:            0               0
ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            56              56
LOS:            0               0
LOF:            0               0
LOM:            0               0
Previous 1 day time = 0 sec
FEC:            0               0
CRC:            0               0
ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            0               0
LOS:            0               0
LOF:            0               0
LOM:            0               0
Since Link time = 2 min 49 sec
FEC:            58              0
CRC:            0               0
ES:             0               0
SES:            0               0
UAS:            0               0
LOS:            0               0
LOF:            0               0
LOM:            0               0
 >