Still can't access the Dibb on the main computer

[keith&carol]

Hi again all,
Well we've tried everything you kind people have suggested and we still can't get into the Dibb site.
DH has also trawled through all the settings to make sure they're ok. Everything else is working fine. No problems getting into any other web site.
Every time we try the DIBB it comes up "page cannot be displayed" or "invalid domain name".
We've been logging in without trouble for years now and nothing had happened to cause this as far as we know. It just came up like this one day.
Fortunately we're having no trouble using the laptop but I prefer the main computer and it's linked to the printer and scanner so really would like to get this sorted.
Any more ideas folks?
Carol :confused2 :confused2 :confused2 :confused2 :confused2

[essexmick]

interesting, your defo using www.thedibb.co.uk/forums ?

[Stu]

Carol can you try the following from your main PC please

1. click START
2. click RUN
3. in the box type cmd then click ok
4. in the pop up black window type the following then hit return key

tracert www.thedibb.co.uk >> c:\dibbtrace.txt

leave it to run for a few minutes, when it's finished a new line will appear in your black window.

5. close the black window
6. double click 'My Computer'
7. double click 'Local Disk (C: )
8. open the file called dibbtrace.txt, you should be able to just double click it.
9. Copy the contents of the file to a reply to this thread so that I can see what it says.

it should be something like this

Tracing route to thedibb.co.uk [213.228.231.30]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.0.1

2 8 ms 9 ms 8 ms 10.48.64.1

3 8 ms 9 ms 9 ms gsr01-tf.blueyonder.co.uk [62.31.176.161]

4 12 ms 9 ms 13 ms pc-62-30-254-49-du.blueyonder.co.uk [62.30.254.49]

5 15 ms 13 ms 12 ms man-bb-a-ge-130-0.inet.ntl.com [195.182.178.65]

6 14 ms 14 ms 16 ms lee-bb-b-so-100-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.194]

7 19 ms 17 ms 16 ms nth-bb-a-so-030-0.inet.ntl.com [213.105.175.133]

8 19 ms 15 ms 17 ms nth-bb-b-ge-000-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.185.118]

9 17 ms 18 ms 18 ms tele-ic-1-as0-0.inet.ntl.com [62.253.184.2]

10 22 ms 21 ms 17 ms fe-0-2-2.cr1.sov.lon.uk.as29017.net [195.66.224.141]

11 17 ms 19 ms 17 ms ge-0-3-0.core-2.lhc.lon.uk.as29017.net [89.145.125.21]

12 19 ms 17 ms 20 ms goofy.x3hosting.net [213.228.231.30]
Trace complete.

[carrieanne]

My DD "yoda " is having the same problem so l have printed the message from Stu to give to her to try like you she has gone through all her settings and gotten nowhere.She missing the dibb and constantly asks me what is going on and all the latest info.She sends a big HI to everyone and hopes to be back soon.

[Rufus Rules]

I have been having exactly the same problems. Do you think its something to do with sky.com? I have tried your above method and get this in the box - Unable to resolve target system name www.thedibb.co.uk

Any other ideas to try, my hubby knows its the dibb I want to go on when I ask to use his laptop - I don't want him to know what an addict I really am!!!!

Michelle. xx

[Stu]

I have been having exactly the same problems. Do you think its something to do with sky.com? I have tried your above method and get this in the box - Unable to resolve target system name www.thedibb.co.uk

Any other ideas to try, my hubby knows its the dibb I want to go on when I ask to use his laptop - I don't want him to know what an addict I really am!!!!

Michelle. xx

I think this could be your router, try power cycling your router/modem, power it off at the mains for at least 30 seconds then power back on.

[Rufus Rules]

Still the same i'm afraid. This laptop is running via the same router so I don't think it can be that. Is anyone else with Sky who is having the problems, or with different servers.

[Stu]

Ok, if laptop is ok and main PC is not and they are connected to the same Internet connection then you will need to check your HOSTS file

goto C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\

you need to view the file called HOSTS open it with NotePad and copy the contents to this thread please.

[Stu]

Edit the HOST file
Note: The following procedure is for advanced users.

The HOSTS file is a hidden file used by some Internet related programs to control Web browsing by directly linking particular Web sites to pre-set IP addresses. The only problem is, if a Web page's IP address changes, the HOSTS file will not update itself to suit, causing "Page cannot be displayed" errors.

The HOSTS file can be viewed and edited using Notepad, but first we must temporarily show hidden files.

For Windows XP

1.
Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2.
Click Appearance and Themes, and then click Folder Options.


For older systems

1.
Double-click My Computer, click View, and then click Folder Options.

2.
On the View tab, under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders, and then clear the Hide protected operating system files check box.


Important: Files are hidden by Windows for a very good reason. It is not wise to experiment with these files. Unfortunately, to successfully complete the following steps we must turn this protection off temporarily. Please turn the protection back on when you have finished.

Find and edit your HOSTS file

The correct directory for a HOSTS file depends on what version of Windows you are running:

Windows XP = C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc
Windows 2K = C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\Etc
Win 98\ME = C:\Windows

Once you have found your HOSTS file, right-click on the HOSTS file, and then select Open. You will be asked to choose a program to use. Select Notepad, but make sure you that you do NOT turn on any option to always use the same program.

Examine the content of your HOSTS file, and compare it to the screenshot below. We do not need to worry about any line that begins with an # because is ignored by Windows. Also, the line "127.0.0.1 localhost" can be safely ignored, because it is a standard entry.

http://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=10120&stc=1&d=1192180104

[keith&carol]

Thank you Stu. We'll give that a try.
Carol :wavey:

[Kryten59]

just for info, we use sky for our broadband (for now anyway) and we've no problem getting onto the dibb...I don't know what's already been suggested but what browser are you using? If you're using IE try downloading something like opera or one of the other free browsers and give it a whirl from there...can't see it being the router...if your main PC can't get onto the dibb then I wonder why it's not resolving the domain name suddenly...although why it would pick on one site is a bit mystifying.

I hope you get it sorted and I'll be curioius now until you do...hope you post the fix/cause?!?

[keith&carol]

ok Stu,
We've followed steps 1-9 and all that comes up is "Unable to resolve target system name www. thedibb.co.uk"
I'm afraid the second set of instructions is a bit beyond us.
Carol :confused2

[Stu]

Carol,
If you are unable to follow second set of instructions regarding the Hosts file then can you find someone who can?

This sounds like there is a problem with the hosts file so until we can rule that out it's no use looking for another cause.

[carrieanne]

Yoda is on sky broadband and cannot access the dibb but l am on sky and can get access with no problems .We both live in Plymouth. I will give her Stu's latest instructions as the first ones didn't work.

[Stu]

carrieanne,
My instructions are only applicable to those that can access DIBB from one PC in the house but not from another.
This has nothing to do with Sky Broadband

[Octal]

Stu,

I have some addresses for some free hosts file editors, do you think they may help for them who aren't too sure about editing them? If you think they might be useful I'll post the URL's.

[Stu]

worth a try Paul, I think they will have to be point and click though

[Octal]

Before I post them Stu, can I PM you the links so you can try them to see how they work? Or shall I just post them here anyway? Because as you may know I can't run them on my system.

Edit:

These are the links, maybe someone can try the programs and see which is the easiest to use please?
http://www.abelhadigital.com/

http://www.funkytoad.com/content/view/13/31/

[Rufus Rules]

Hi again, still no joy this end! I'm really not sure about the latest steps, so i'll try and get a computer minded friend up this weekend to have a nosey for me, i'm a complete numpty i'm afraid!! Thanks for your help so far and i'll let you know how we get on.

Michelle. xx

[keith&carol]

Hello Stu, We have finally managed to get into the host file as per your instructions. The page that I have brought up on screen ie Hosts - Notepad is identical to the page that your showed on your post of 12th October. What do I do now?

[Stu]

Hi Carol,
You will need to find someone who knows about computers to look at it for you as there isn't really a good way to diagnose the problem without actually having access to the PC.

All we know is it's not the DIBB, it's not your ISP as your laptop works and for the same reason it's not internet route.

As this is only affecting your main PC then it has to be something on that PC.
Either the Router is blocking the DIBB, you have some software like Norton that is blocking the DIBB or some other problem with your particular setup on that PC.

[keith&carol]

Hi Stu,
We're pretty sure it's not Nortons because we've tried taking that out to no effect. Thankyou for all your help. If we eventually find out what it is I'll let you know.
Carol :wavey:

[mac]

Hi Stu,
We're pretty sure it's not Nortons because we've tried taking that out to no effect. Thankyou for all your help. If we eventually find out what it is I'll let you know.
Carol :wavey:


Is it xp your using?

I had a simular problem where I couldn't access some forums, It turned out to be a problem with my Layered Service Provider. It was a simple fix

[wendye]

Stu I'm having the same problem from my laptop - I can get on fine from my desktop machine but have to use anonymouse.org to get on from the laptop (I am using that now) it was fine until about a week ago. No idea what I did but I have done the trace and it has timed out on every line. I have checked my setting in the anti-virus and firewall and they appear to be fine. The host file is exactly as it should be with nothing in it I have now run out of ideas. I have had this problem before but I needed to give the machine a reformat to get rid of loads of junk but don`t want to do that this time. Any ideas?

[Stu]

Hi Wendy,
If you can connect to the DIBB from one computer in the house but not from another then there isn't really anything we can do to help. It could be a number of things wrong with that particular computer.

As you can connect from another computer then that shows that everything from your location to the DIBB Server is fine and points to a problem on your other computer, the Laptop in this case.

Without actually sitting at the computer and looking at the configuration it's very hard to help you.

If it is an XP machine and you know roughly when it was last working, then try doing a System Restore to a time when you know it was working.

START >> PROGRAMS >> ACCESSORIES >> SYSTEM TOOLS >> SYSTEM RESTORE

[wendye]

Hi Wendy,
If you can connect to the DIBB from one computer in the house but not from another then there isn't really anything we can do to help. It could be a number of things wrong with that particular computer.

As you can connect from another computer then that shows that everything from your location to the DIBB Server is fine and points to a problem on your other computer, the Laptop in this case.

Without actually sitting at the computer and looking at the configuration it's very hard to help you.

If it is an XP machine and you know roughly when it was last working, then try doing a System Restore to a time when you know it was working.

START >> PROGRAMS >> ACCESSORIES >> SYSTEM TOOLS >> SYSTEM RESTORE

Thanks anyway Stu I've had a look at my configuration on my desktop machine and think it may be related to an update on my antivirus but I've just got to try one or two things. I've already tried the system restore and that didn't work and as I haven't changed anything apart from downloading a programme for backgrounds for myspace, which I have now removed the only other changes have been updates so it has to be one of those. My antivirus updates everytime I log on but recently I had a new version download so I think it may be that, anyway I'll let you know.

[wendye]

Well that didn't work but I ran spybot and got rid of some things that it picked up then clear my cache and cookies and it seems to be working now. So whatever it was must have been in there somewhere. Oh well never mind at least it is working now and I don't have to go through that other server so it's quicker again.