OPINION

UK DNS Servers Down?

Written by Jon Downs
Published October 14, 2003

As I write this, I'm having to go through a us-based open proxy server. The reason? Most of NTL's services seem to have died in the last half hour or so. In fact, it appears that other ISPs have also had their services affected. So what the hell is going on?

I can't find this in the news yet so I don't know. Instead, I'd like you to think about this: if the net were to completely stop working tomorrow, how badly would you be affected? We, as computer users, should know best of all how important it is to have a backup plan in case things go wrong (well at least one backup plan, but more is better)

In short, never rely totally on the net being available, because just when you need it most, it'll probably die for a bit.

Keep reading for information and comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own!
UK DNS Servers Down?
Published: October 14, 2003
Type: Opinion
Section: Sci/Tech
Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Internet
Writer: Jon Downs
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Comments

#1 — October 14, 2003 @ 16:41PM — Jim Carruthers [URL]

I've just gotten through to guardian.co.uk, not that it means anything since that is one of the few UK sites I check.

Didn't the UK just get flush toilets a few years ago? (this from friends of mine who were at Oxford, and my frustration at trying to reach them via email).

#2 — October 14, 2003 @ 18:42PM — jadester

yeah it seems (ed? haven't changed the proxy back yet...) to be just the ISPs themselves, rather than sites. Still strange

#3 — November 25, 2003 @ 14:59PM — chilin_dude

is it down AGAIN?
anyone got a dns server list?

#4 — November 25, 2003 @ 17:28PM — Oli Kingshott

There's a fat virus going around, taking out routers of dns servers. Most of Ntl, Aol, and some of BT is down.

#5 — November 26, 2003 @ 12:25PM — jadester

ah yeah, that was very annoying

#6 — October 30, 2005 @ 12:14PM — Martijn Brunott

Bulldog users in the south will notice both South assigned DNS Servers unavail.
(Primary: 83.146.21.5 / Alternate: 83.146.21.6)

Just use the North ones for now:
(Primary: 212.158.248.5/Alternate: 212.158.248.6)

or do what I did, set your primary to 83.146.21.5 and secondary to 212.158.248.5. That way you can rely on the secondary in a completely different location to try avoid this happening in future.

#7 — October 30, 2005 @ 12:58PM — Greg Z

Had the bulldog problem as well, and I verify that the proposed solution (northern dns servers) works.

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