Orange Broadband DNS alternatives.

Can anyone suggest an alternate DNS for Orange broadband apart fromn OpenDNS and Google? I have been forced to stay at a relatives house for what may be some time and they have Orange Wifi with a Netgear DGN1000 router. I have a business concern in the virtual world Second Life and I can only log in to this for 1 - 3 minutes before it crashes. Is there something I can do to the router (apart from kick it round the house..... my preferred treatment at the moment) I have searched many, many sites and people always suggest OpenDNS and Google DNS which I have tried to no avail.
Please help - the old relative won't hear of changing isp's (or anything else) and I am at my wits end here.
Thanks.

Hi, your problem could be with the router MTU, set it (1500) not 1492

Orange DNS settings�
Primary Domain Name Server: 193.36.79.101
Secondary Domain Name Server: 193.36.79.100

Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU): 1500

My 2Wire 2700HGV Router Stats with Orange.
View Broadband Link Details
DSL Connection Details
DSL Line (Wire Pair): Line 1 (inner pair)
Protocol: G.DMT2+ Annex A
Downstream Rate: 11041 kbps
Upstream Rate: 1144 kbps
Channel: Fast
Current Noise Margin: 9.3 dB (Downstream), 6.5 dB (Upstream)
Current Attenuation: 30.9 dB (Downstream), 11.8 dB (Upstream)
Current Output Power: 20.8 dBm (Downstream), 12.1 dBm (Upstream)
DSLAM Vendor Information: Country: {0xB5} Vendor: {IFTN} Specific: {0xBE71

MTU or router NAT table issues sound a lot more likely than DNS issues.

Not had any problem with Orange DNS lately and if OpenDNS and Google DNS are to no avail, then your issue is not with the DNS.

EDIT: What are the router stats?

Edited by XRaySpeX (Sat 05-May-12 17:01:55)

Would port forwarding help?

http://portforward.com/

Thanks for your help guys. I shall look into this MTU you speak of - My own home set up is BT Infinity which is gloriously fast and, right up until the house burnt down, very reliable. I had read a lot of stuff online about people having issues with Orange broadband and certain sites - SL and WoW apparently being two of the more frequented ones - and they had fixed the problem with OpenDNS or Google. I will give the MTU a poke with a stick when I find it.
Thanks

Is this what you mean by stats?


System Up Time 107:16:27
Port Status TxPkts RxPkts Collisions Tx B/s Rx B/s Up Time
WAN PPPoA 6093 12584 0 732 3928 00:27:36
LAN 10M/100M 135820 48903 0 156 20 107:16:09
WLAN 11M/54M/150M 6864246 5448505 0 5480 1609 107:16:12

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 13784 kbps 1011 kbps
Line Attenuation 13.9 db 6.0 db
Noise Margin 14.2 db 8.6 db

Also, could someone explain where I can find the MTU please?

Ok, so I found the MTU. What should I be doing to it? And the NAT?

It might, but with nat issues usually the game does not work at all in terms of internet connection, rather than work for a while

Ok. So I changed the MTU settings to several different levels - from 1400 1500 and I pinged Google's 8.8.8.8 ip, which gave favourable results. This didn't change the status in Second Life though - getting the same problem: I can log in but once everything has rezzed properly I am crashed. I know it's not SL - I parked myself in a cafe with Wifi and it worked fine - but, what the hell could it be?

In reply to a post by Bongohonky:

from 1400 1500

Does that mean from 1400 to 1500? If so, 1400 was far too low.

Did you change MTU in router?

Yes, 1400 TO 1500. And, yes, I changed the router settings via the 192.168.0.1 default address set up thingy.
Someone, on another site, recommended "flushing the DNS cache" via ipconfig. The only problem with this is; the instructions begin: "Click "start" and then click "RUN".....". I'm not sure what version of Vista that person is running but, I'm damned if I can find a "RUN" in the start menu of my version. Tell me if I'm being thick - I can take it - but am I missing something obvious here? It is becoming increasingly frustrating - I'm going out to find a dog to kick - in the meantime, thanks for your time chaps, it is greatly appreciated.

Run should be there under Vista. However, look instead for 'Command Prompt' within your Programs. I doubt "flushing the DNS cache" will assist as you do not have a DNS issue.

Indeed, I don't think this is a DNS issue, and /flushcache isn't going to do much here.

The run box isn't there by default, but it can be typed into the start menu search in it's absense anyway.

Or, good old Windows Key + R.

Hi, I would flush the DNS because it may have been corrupted.

DNS Cache Flush, Clear, or Reset in Vista and Windows 7

1. Click the Microsoft Vista Start logo in the bottom left corner of the screen
2. Click All Programs
3. Click Accessories
4. RIGHT-click on Command Prompt
5. Select Run As Administrator
6. In the command window type the following and then hit enter: ipconfig /flushdns
7. You will see the following confirmation:
Windows IP Configuration Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Any time you restart the computer the DNS resolver cache is cleared so this is clearly not the problem...

The command is there really for system administrators and people who know when a DNS record has just changed and don't want to wait the length of the TTL.

Edited by Pipexer (Sun 06-May-12 23:01:28)

My thoughts exactly

OP chasing DNS is a red herring

Ok, so. It's not the DNS (which I thought it might be because I had seen posts in another forum where people were having much the same trouble and that was the advise given); It's not the MTU and we're ruling out the NAT..... So, what is it? Bearing in mind that it only happens on this Orange Wifi and not just on this laptop.... I tried my sons as well.
I am using a 2ghz Core2 Duo Dell Vostro 1700 with a Nvidia GeForce 8400 graphics card running Windows Vista Business. Second Life has always and still does (anywhere else) work perfectly - actually, to a high graphical standard. I can log into Second Life fine but it seems to be when the graphics has resolved themselves (rezzed) properly that it crashes. It is an official crash; i.e. I get the message saying I have been logged off and given the option to read IMs or quit. I use the Phoenix Viewer but have tried Firestorm and the official Linden Labs Wiewer.
I don't know how much of this would make sense to anyone who has never been inworld and I looked to post something on the SL forums but, surprisingly (or not), they are very user unfriendly and hard to navigate.
So, any ideas?

btw, apparently the aged relative blames me for having Orange. I installed Freeserve onto her first comp and she has stuck with it through Wanadoo etc. So, it's kinda come back to bite my bum.

How have you ruled out NAT problems, there are two types

1. Port forwarding
2. The NAT table filling up and crashing router due to large number of connections by a software application

Have you also ruled out WiFi issues, by connecting using an Ethernet cable.

You brought your PCs from your old place. Did you manage to bring your router too? Try connecting that, or another router, if you think it is the Wi-Fi.

Are all the wireless connected at time of fault to the same standard (N?)? Router slows to slowest. Better to run wired.

Are those stats given earlier at the time of the fault?

Are you running software at maximum bandwidth. If so try amending network slider to 3000. Could be packet errors.
Also delete program cache may help.

What software? What slider?

Ok. Let's slow down...... I didn't bring anything from the house coz it burnt down. I came back from the US and that had happened. My machine is a LAPTOP. which, before anyone says anything, has, and still does, run Second Life perfectly.... except on this damn Orange set up. Apparently, it isn't just me having problems. There are a few blogs and forums with floks complaining about this problem. Also, some complaints regarding Skype - I myself have noticed a fall off in sound quality occasionally. In a lot of these sites people suggested changing the DNS, which I did but it didn't work - hence my original query here. I have read that Orange are most unhelpful about this particular problem even though it affects about 25,000 of their users. I haver also gleaned that the problem hasn't always been there - that it started some short time ago when Orange changed servers or somesuch.
All i want is for someone to say: "This is the only thing you can do......." even if it's: "..... buy another router." or, tell me there is nothing I can do and I should move into the Premier Inn for it's immaculate Wifi.
Is it the router or the ISP?
Please.

You have slowed it down.

In reply to a post by Bongohonky:

All i want is for someone to say: "This is the only thing you can do......." even if it's: "..... buy another router." or, tell me there is nothing I can do and I should move into the Premier Inn for it's immaculate Wifi.

You expect too much! You present a problem and expect an instant definitive answer without even supplying the info you were requested . Such problem solving requires a dialogue.

In reply to a post by Bongohonky:

I have read that Orange are most unhelpful about this particular problem even though it affects about 25,000 of their users.

Evidence? Sources?

OK! You ask for help and can't even be bothered to answer the questions I posed. Ciao.

Edited by XRaySpeX (Mon 07-May-12 21:51:17)

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Tips-and-Tricks/Q...

Seems to be that you can tune second life within the application

Go out and buy another router.

No one can guarantee it will fix it, but without taking your hardware to another property that has the same Orange setup but a different router it will always be a bit of guess work

Hi, do you know which Orange router you have Netgear DGN1000 or DGN1000SP, it will give the model details on base of router.

Have you configured your router and Windows static IP address 'Schema' range.

Use Ethernet at first to get the router and programmes configured and running.

http://portforward.com/networking/static-vista.htm

http://www.homenethelp.com/web/howto/static-ip-addre...

Hi,

The Orange Netgear DGN1000SP has recently had a software version upgrade which fixes a number of WiFi stability issues on the router and may solve your problem. Check you are running the latest (V2.1.00.44_RG) software - you can upgrade using the instructions here.

http://help.orange.co.uk/orangeuk/support/personal/6...

Edited by techlad (Thu 10-May-12 08:35:37)

Thank you all for taking the time to be so very helpful. Having had issues with SL and Skype and a couple of other sites and, having watched the signal strength waver between "fair" and "very good", I think I have the solution; Don't use Orange broadband if you are going to attempt to access anything too sophisticated. It works perfectly for my aged relative who only uses it to keep in touch with family members scattered around the globe but, for me, it is useless and, as I am not going to be there too much longer, I may as well wait it out. I will take a lot away from this though... I had no idea there was such things as DNS, MTU or NAT.... Now I know.
But, thank you very much anyway guys (and gals?) particularly Mr Spex who, I suspect, is a sales executive at Orange. So, for you:
Evidence: Not sure what you mean by that.... My own experience and that of others maybe?
Sources: These links may help......
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/forums/1/helproom/386913/...
http://www.techsupportforum.com/forums/f31/orange-br...
http://neilrobinson.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/are-you...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/26/ora...
And there are more. Some of them are a couple of years old but that only shows Orange have done nothing to change things. Oh well. Such is life
Thank you.

Mr. SpeX has never been employed by Orange. Just a mostly satisfied customer who will fire off a formal letter at the drop of a hat when they won't do what he wants.