DNS issue or what, ping problem

My router is always left on but I only log in to the ISP when I want. I usually do this by just issuing a "ping www.bbc.co.uk" at a terminal window. There's a few secs delay and I see the router light come on and then window shows the usual with the IP address and times.

Here's the problem.

I see an indication for the IP address _before_ the router logs in and this IP address is _not_ the BBC's. A whois lookup only shows it as part of a block in America. That is, instead of the window just showing my ping command only and _then_ when login has happened the IP and times show up, I _immediately_ see this -

ping www.bbc.co.uk (aa.bb.cc.dd) with bytes of data

the () brackets IP is the rogue address and normally no address is shown at this stage.

I have the ISP's DNS set in the router.

Is this a case of poisoned DNS or could there be a malware issue?

What IP do you see?

Matt

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

I see an indication for the IP address _before_ the router logs in and this IP address is _not_ the BBC's.

Do you mean an indication in the displayed ping results? I'm not clear what you are talking about. Post the ping output exactly that you are talking about.

I don't understand how you can have the router ON but not logged in to ISP. Is it a special router or ISP, or do you do something special to achieve this?

Anyway, if you are not logged into your ISP somehow, there can't be any DNS in operation until you do log in.

Maybe he means his connection is not set to "always on" ?

Ah OK! I've never known how anything other than that worked

Yes xrayspex, most routers I've encountered can set the ISP login to "always on", "on demand" or a box "connect/disconnect".

So this router is sitting synced at 8Meg but waiting to get its dynamic address from the ISP login.

Normally, a hit on a bookmark in Firefox will initiate a login but most times the "ping www.bbc.co.uk" command is used in a terminal.

That command will be the only text showing _until_ the login is done, then the usual info with the correct IP and the trip time will scroll on until it's stopped.

The anomaly is arising with once the Enter key is hit after the command, immediately is shown

ping www.bbc.co.uk (207.67.186.88)

So where is it getting that address from, is my query?

There's plenty tryingto help with the question, but

My router is always left on but I only log in to the ISP when I want.

Why?

Is your PC set to DHCP and getting its IP and DNS settings from the DSL Router?

If so, it is the DNS daemon on the DSL router returning that IP address.

What happens if you ping something other than www.bbc.co.uk ?

Surely the fix for this is to change the router settings to 'always on' rather than 'connect on demand'.

Seems a most unusual way to want to connect. Surely just by opening your browser application it would force a connection as it connects to your chosen home page ?
What settings are you using in your browser, the LAN should be set to 'never dial a connection' or similar.

I can't help but think you are making hard work for yourself.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

So where is it getting that address from, is my query?

Your computer can cache DNS lookups.

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

There's plenty tryingto help with the question, but

My router is always left on but I only log in to the ISP when I want.

Why?

Sorry for late reply as I'm not at home, and also perhaps for the obvious, but why not if I don't need to be online when I'm sleeping.

And to others. Yes the router provides dhcp but with associated macs for my specific pcs and nobody else connects, the DNS is ISP's own specified in the router setup. The DNS cache if any doesn't persevere between reboots.

It does no harm to leave the router connected to the ISP at all times; none of the UK ISPs charge based on time spent connected.

In reply to a post by Anonymous:

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

There's plenty tryingto help with the question, but

My router is always left on but I only log in to the ISP when I want.

Why?

Sorry for late reply as I'm not at home, and also perhaps for the obvious, but why not if I don't need to be online when I'm sleeping.

As bluacid says, plus:-

The whole point of broadband is that it is always on. The fact you disconnect from your ISP does not disconnect the router from the exchange.

At all times the router is switched on there is a constant stream of packets in each direction between it and the exchange, at the connection speed. This applies whether or not you are logged into your ISP.

When you are logged into your ISP then these packets may or may not contain data, depending on what you are doing at any particular instant. When you do a speed test, it isn't the speed of the packets that changes, it is the amount of data the ISP sends to you that gets into the steady stream of packets.

So disconnecting as you are doing is pointless. You should either leave it logged into the ISP, or turn it off completely. At least that way you save electricity .

(Edit - and if you turn it off, also either turn the switch off at the mains socket if it has one, or remove the plug from the mains socket. The router power supply uses power even when the router is turned off.)

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 02-Apr-11 23:40:15)

What IP address do you get if you ping www.bbc.co.uk after you are connected?