Maxo
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Tallahassee, FL
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| reply to NormanS
Re: EMBARQ Hijacks Browser Search Capabilities
said by NormanS  :Your first lookup queries your router, or modem? That would hold the actual Embarq DNS servers, yes? What would interest me would be the results of looking up 'www.microsoft.con' using the Embarq DNS servers. Should be something like this: I have a 2-Wire modem/router combo. The router is holding the DNS servers (they are set to automatically obtain.) |
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espaeth
Digital Plumber
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join:2001-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
 ·voip.ms
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| reply to NormanS
said by NormanS :Ultimately, what I don't like about OpenDNS is that the Google lookup suggests an OpenDNS landing page for the Google site. I am not sure why they do that. I don't know why I should trust OpenDNS more than Google. Google cuts OpenDNS in on the AdWords revenue, which is how they are able to provide the service for free. Google needs some way to track who is using OpenDNS to get to their site to properly attribute the AdWords revenue payout for sponsored link clicks, so that's why you get directed to the OpenDNS navigation page first so that the OpenDNS referral can be tracked.
You get the same Google content and search results, the only thing that changes is who gets paid if you click on a sponsored link.
-Eric |
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espaeth
Digital Plumber
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Minneapolis, MN | reply to NormanS
I ran through some of the DNS servers listed in the FAQ, it appears all of the Flordia servers are doing the mistype redirection, but once you go further down the list the results are hit and miss. |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to dagman52
I was just trying to find out what the Embarq DNS servers were really doing. I don't use them myself, and don't know if I could test them myself. At least on ISP blocks access to their DNS servers from outside of their customer network IP address space.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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dagman52
join:2007-11-12
32879 | reply to NormanS
agreed. Perhaps we are arguing the same thing.  |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
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| reply to dagman52
I didn't post a single screen shot. All are "copy and paste" jobs; plain text.
If an 'nslookup' on a non-existent domain does not return an IP address to a landing page, then there is no problem that I can see.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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dagman52
join:2007-11-12
32879
| reply to NormanS
Norman,
I didn't take screenshots, but nslookup is responding correctly when I'm opted out of the service (using Linux). Opting back in is overriding the queries on a known typo. I would go so far to say as Embarq's DNS servers are working as I would expect. |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to Maxo
said by Maxo :Mind you, this is on Linux: As long as the results make sense...
Your first lookup queries your router, or modem? That would hold the actual Embarq DNS servers, yes? What would interest me would be the results of looking up 'www.microsoft.con' using the Embarq DNS servers. Should be something like this:
I have actually been jumping around, trying different setting in my router. I ran with the default DHCP setting (router gets IP address, DNS servers from SpeedStream 4100) for a long time. Every so often, though, I'd hit a period of DNS lag. I thought it might be the router firmware, and tried both the latest version, and the first (router shipped with the middle version, of three). Ultimately figured it might be some kind of interaction between the router and the modem, so I manually overrode the automatic settings. I also played with OpenDNS (set up an account to configure things) and Verizon DNS server on the router. Ultimately, what I don't like about OpenDNS is that the Google lookup suggests an OpenDNS landing page for the Google site:
I am not sure why they do that. I don't know why I should trust OpenDNS more than Google.
Anyway, I'd rather keep the ATTIS DNS servers, for now (68.94.156.1/68.94.157.1). If 'at&t Yahoo!HSI' (ATTIS) changes things, I would consider jumping over to DSL Extreme for Internet service. As long as DSLX kept a basic, no-frills, no tricks DNS service. Or run with Dynamic DNS Network Services, LLC "Recursive DNS" service, if necessary. Granted, I'd have to pay for it. But it would be exactly what DNS should be.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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espaeth
Digital Plumber
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Minneapolis, MN
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| reply to NormanS
OpenDNS Control Panel |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
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San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
| reply to dagman52
The place to disable OpenDNS error correction. There is a bit of lag from when I change the router to use their DNS servers, and when their Dashboard reflects that change. And I want to be sure that the change is in effect before I run the 'nslookup' command, just so I am certain that the results reflect the changes.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum |
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dagman52
join:2007-11-12
32879 | reply to NormanS
Haven't found what? |
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NormanS
Premium,MVM
join:2001-02-14
San Jose, CA
·Pacific Bell - SBC
2 edits | reply to espaeth
I haven't found it. Yet. Well, maybe I did. It sort of works:
Which is satisfactory, from the standpoint of getting a proper error when a domain doesn't exist. OTOH...
From the standpoint of going straight to the source, it still resolves an OpenDNS IP address, instead of the source IP address. Or am I reading that result wrong? When compared with:
When I go somewhere, I'd like to get the data from the horse' mouth, so to speak... |
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espaeth
Digital Plumber
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Minneapolis, MN
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1 edit | reply to NormanS
FYI -- you can also disable OpenDNS's error correction service if you register with them. (No cost)
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Maxo
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| reply to NormanS
Mind you, this is on Linux:
--
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»maxolasersquad.com/
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»myspace.com/mlsquad |
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dagman52
join:2007-11-12
32879
| reply to Maxo
Features and Benefits
* Per-user preferences that function independent of cookies and dynamic IP addresses for opt-out and opt-in - improves subscriber experience with holistic preferences and controls integrated into the “My Account” experience
»www2.simplicita.com/product_nxd.html |
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Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
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join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL
clubs: | reply to NormanS
If I remember when I get home tonight I'll do that. |
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MrMoody
But the Grinch ... did Not.
join:2002-09-03
Smithfield, NC
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2 edits | reply to MrMoody
Hmm, seems I was wrong. Opting out (of both options presented) returns:
Server: unknown
Address: 192.168.1.1
*** unknown can't find www.typo.con: Non-existent domain
And fixes the search from address bar. The DNS addresses did not change. Apparently the DNS server is checking accounts before returning results. |
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NormanS
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San Jose, CA
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| reply to Maxo
May I suggest that you try using 'nslookup' from a command prompt? I don't have the Embarq DNS server IP addresses (and even if I did, Embarq may obstruct access from outside of their IP network). But I can see the difference between using an error correcting DNS server and a straight, unadulterated DNS server.
Standard DNS (provided by my ISP):
Some utilities depend upon that error to function correctly.
Error-correcting DNS (using OpenDNS):
Those utilities which depend upon an error to function properly will fail to function with this result.
If you opt out of Embarq's DNS error corrections, will you get the first result, or the second when you run 'nslookup' from a command prompt. Try it and post your results. I am curious.
--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
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Maxo
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1 edit | reply to MrMoody
I didn't realise that. Thanks for the clarification. I rarely mistype URLs. I usually start typing them and then complete it from the address bars history. I'll have to mistype a URL when I get home to watch it in action.
I don't think it will have a problem tracking who has opted out, as the DSLAM does do background PPPoE with the Redback, that the user never sees, and this can easily be stored in their LDAP server, or whatever Embarq uses to store information on it's customers. I may be wrong on this point since this is a DNS level "feature." I wonder if they have their DNS servers talking to whatever servers store the customers profile. |
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MrMoody
But the Grinch ... did Not.
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2 edits | reply to Maxo
That's not the same as having a DNS server that returns an error indication when there's no such domain. Opting out just gives you a different result page with error text instead of search results. A nonexistent domain now returns the IP address of a server at customers.simplicita.com whether you opt out or not. The server checks your opt-out status (presumably by your IP address - I wonder how well it keeps up with dynamic IPs), then if you're opted out returns an error page, or if not, a search results page. Your local application has no way of knowing if the domain was invalid - all queries return an IP address.
I meant the option of separate, unadulterated DNS servers for customers to use.
Edit: Simplicita is owned by Sandvine, ugh.
Edit 2: Opting out unadulterates the DNS server. |
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