Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'? in Windstream

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 03:26:05 EDT

Piggie : You did find this post I hope, the people in India are book readers and unless you complain and get to second level support in Ohio (the Ohio in the US), you can't find out but save the call and look at this link, it has raw dns IP's

»Windstream DNS Servers - With and Without Ads
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:41:34 EDT

wkitty42 : i can confirm that this is on-going as i've just run into it this evening and had several of my users write and complain to me about it... the problem that i ran into is that i just blew it off right before i got the emails from my users... then i couldn't remember the actual url... arrrggh...

needless to say, once i read the email complaints, i called windstream support and, as noted earlier in this thread, they have out-sourced support to india :mad:

after spending 30+ minutes on the phone with their so-called support service, they could only report that they can't find any kind of redirect on their DNS servers...

while i was waiting on hold, i was trying to get it to happen again but to no avail and then i tried searching google and finally got a hit which was a link to this thread... hopefully someone will wake up and give these dweebs a swift kick right where the good lord split'em :mad:

yeah, i'm mad and upset about this... and to think, i've been with alltel/windstream for over 10 years and was one of, if not the, first in my area to sign up for their internet service :?

and to think, they actually got DSL service out here some 12+ miles from the CO and sprint can't or won't even though their nearest "CO" is only 5 to 7 miles away :huh:

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:31:06 EDT

Piggie :

said by deadi :

What is really a shame is they probably spent a lot of money implementing redirection.

No, I am sure that Yahoo gives a percentage of the clicks.
Since they already have the racks, routers and a DNS server, they can set a DNS rack up dirt cheap to them.

Since DNS request packets are very small, then normally cached by the requester, a single DNS server can handle a LOT of requests.

Bottom line, they built the new DNS out of equipment they probably had, they get paid for the ads and Make, not Lose money on them.

I run Google Adsense and Yahoo ads on my commercial sites for the same reason. They to bring in a small fortune, but they still pay my part of the hosting fees on my co-op server.
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:52:54 EDT

deadi : What is really a shame is they probably spent a lot of money implementing redirection. The money we give them!!!
And people are just going to bypass it.

Nice.
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We learn through the exchange of information, tell me more......

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:14:35 EDT

anon : Simple fix. In your router, just block these addresses in your firewall or router:

63.251.179.0 - 63.251.179.63

and you'll be set. This is the address block for this little nasty bunch of SOBs.

I just made a filter called "N0_BUTTMONKEYS" in my DI-604 and blocked it.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:09:24 EDT

fourboxers : The IP LittleSnitch picked up is one of the redirecting to ads DNS servers. Not sure why it would be querying DNS if your backups are only local.

I'd try changing your DNS servers and rerunning the scripts.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:55:27 EDT

anon : none

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 09:48:05 EDT

fourboxers : What external backups do you have set up?

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:31:47 EDT

anon : I don't want to be alarmist but did something hijack my OS X maintenance scripts? LittleSnitch caught automountd trying to connect to an IP address mentioned earlier in this thread when I went to run my daily weekly monthly scripts.

Please look

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 15:28:22 EDT

Piggie :

said by bort123 :

Another option, at least for those openwrt and/or linux users among us. Dnsmasq (default dns forwarder on openwrt) can be set to return an actual "domain not found" response when the Windstream servers respond with the IP for the "Ooo, check our cool search page and give us ad revenue" page.

This would make a good how to for those running Tomato, which is the firmware almost all of us use here on Windstream. Tomato has a custom configuration box for those that don't SSH also.

Thanks
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 09:55:32 EDT

lacibaci : This should be in the same category as Comcast's tinkering with the bittorrent traffic. WS returns a fraudulent result with no benefit to the user.

Lac

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:37:26 EDT

bort123 : Another option, at least for those openwrt and/or linux users among us. Dnsmasq (default dns forwarder on openwrt) can be set to return an actual "domain not found" response when the Windstream servers respond with the IP for the "Ooo, check our cool search page and give us ad revenue" page.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:43:01 EDT

Piggie :

said by lacibaci :

Thanks for the research Piggie. Just to repeat for those that find WS practice annoying .....
Lac

To me it's more than annoying, it actually breaks all my link checking tools. They depend on seeing a real 404 echo from their HTTP_REQUEST packets to determine that a link partner or just a nice link to something else still at least returns a 200, which to my program means the link is still valid. But read below as this method is getting less effective fast from other sources.

Of course one thing you can't seem to get around are these companies that squat any domain name that is let to expire figuring it must have had some traffic at some point. My link checker also thinks that is valid link. Returns 200

It probably won't be long till everyone goes back to the AOL model where you have to watch 30 seconds of commercials before you can use the internet, plus 30 seconds every 30 minutes. I hope I am kidding........ please!!!!!

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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:12:29 EDT

lacibaci : Thanks for the research Piggie. Just to repeat for those that find WS practice annoying here are the Level3 DNS servers:

4.2.2.1
4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
4.2.2.4
4.2.2.5
4.2.2.6

Easy to remember :)

Lac

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:44:29 EDT

Piggie : Oh Lordy, we made a news article. Sad day for WS getting bigger I guess. Then again they either get bigger or get absorbed, or both. Also I presume part of being an official forum along with other unmentionable benefits.

I digress as normal.

I use several link checkers for websites I maintain. If they find the WS BS 404 page they will consider the link to still exist. I think WS if they are going to do this, maintain a second set of DNS servers that are not "branded". Fat Chance, and probably end up in India with 200ms pings.

Here is another alternative, OpenNIC reorganized last August (2007).

»www.opennicproject.org/

Probably a good thing to read but here are their DNS servers.

It is probably worth ping or trace route to the ones you feel are closest to you so you don't slow down system.

AU,QLD 58.6.115.42
AU,QLD 58.6.115.43
FR 82.229.244.191
FR 88.191.51.140
SE 80.244.90.85
UK 91.186.26.48
US,CO 216.87.84.209
US,DE 65.36.176.140
US,MN 66.191.137.134
US,TX 71.170.11.156

Based on the fact most of us on WS go out on the net from Atlanta, I found these rough values:

US,DE 55ms
US,MN 80ms
US,TX 80ms
US,CO 110ms

US,CO is too far away, but US, DE would make a pretty good primary DNS as that is only about 15 to 20 ms more than WS or the Level 3 DNS servers.

A comparison:

OpenDNS (both IPs) 45ms

Level3 40ms

Windstream 43ms

bind 1ms

TreeWalk 1ms »treewalkdns.com/

The other comment is I really doubt that WS users here will overload the Level 3 DNS. Probably less than 1/10th of 1 percent of WS users read this forum.

Second Level3 could easily turn off public access.
There are plenty of DNS servers that have done so in the last 5 years. The upper tier servers have always been off, unless you are log into them as another DNS looking for updates, or by a list of who can log on.

Plus if Level3 were to send you a bill, they would have to contact WS to find who had that IP, which WS would then want some of the money. Hence, if Level 3 thinks they are getting hammered they will someday just turn off public access.
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:30:42 EDT

JmanA9 : All the "big" ISP's are doing this, which makes me not know what to think about Windstream anymore, because I never considered them one of the big guys. It's obvious that their main focus is on profit, since they've outsourced their support to India and now they're trying to make money when we go to a non-existent website. You can't run a business without profit in mind, but there's a point where you go too far, and people become unhappy. That's happening now.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:52:11 EDT

redblkjck : I don't like this idea either. Anyone know what is the rn=somecode in the url when a wrong address is entered?

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:34:06 EDT

mojo1 : I get a Windstream-branded Yahoo search page. Seems innocent enough when I try WS DNS servers. But, I've been using opendns for awhile now but then I started thinking about the possibility of data mining with opendns. Of course, WS could be doing it too.

Maybe I am just paranoid. Just because I think they are out to get me doesn't mean they are not...

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:25:38 EDT

Piggie :

said by lacibaci :

What is next....?

Lac

Never ever ask that question! :@)

Yes, it's time to complain. Sales hate complaints I think more than any other easy to find number.

I mainly use my own email servers anyway. And anyone can get an alt email server. I believe godaddy has one that comes free with a domain name. That is cheap price per year.
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 20:22:44 EDT

lacibaci :

said by JmanA9 :

I'm getting this too. Time to change DNS servers.....

I think we should all call Windstream and complain. This is unacceptable. What is next; inserting ads to emails?

Lac

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:24:57 EDT

JmanA9 : I'm getting this too. Time to change DNS servers.....

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 16:50:25 EDT

Seekinsoul : It's happening here for me also and I live in PA. I think it's pretty lame that I get an IE 404 page when I'm using Firefox. Do those people at WS even think before they act? Sure doesn't look like it.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:38:27 EDT

evilghost :

said by magnetron :

said by evilghost :

I run my own bind9 server here locally, you Linux guys may want to do the same.

I started to install bind within minutes of noticing the wildcarding. I am not going to allow an ISP to pollute my internet experience as if my computer was infected with adware.

100% agree.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 23:25:17 EDT

lacibaci : Yes, it is sad that Windstream decided to jump the bandwagon. I guess making a buck from mistyped URLs is more important than fully implementing Internet standards.

Lac

Use the "clean" DNS - OpenDNS 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:52:45 EDT

magnetron :

said by evilghost :

I run my own bind9 server here locally, you Linux guys may want to do the same.

I started to install bind within minutes of noticing the wildcarding. I am not going to allow an ISP to pollute my internet experience as if my computer was infected with adware.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:28:49 EDT

Piggie : Hmm, I don't know, haven't used OpenDNS for years since I found these other DNS servers. I did time 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.4 and both were under 30ms and 3 hops off our Atlanta gateway. You just can't get much faster DNS than that over DSL and not have an in house server.
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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 22:13:55 EDT

Chrisfromkyk : I just used OpenDNS and I got TWO pop ups when I had a domain not found.

is that a joke? = =

edit:

I tried using 4.2.2.2 and 4.2.2.3 and they don't have any ads or anything, just the normal not found page. yay!

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:41:59 EDT

evilghost : I run my own bind9 server here locally, you Linux guys may want to do the same.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:25:22 EDT

Piggie :

said by bort123 :

I think it's time to try OpenDNS again.

Yes, its being done with the WS DNS servers, not a proxy like Hughes did once. So just change DNS servers fixes it. Why I didn't see it. I use

4.2.2.2
4.2.2.3
4.2.2.4

OpenDNS should work fine also.
--
| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:28:36 EDT

bort123 : It's happening here in Nebraska, and I think I can safely rule out a toolbar doing it as it's happening under Linux, with firefox, opera, and konqueror (though curiously not Lynx).

I think it's time to try OpenDNS again.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:04:33 EDT

Piggie : Yeap, it depends on the DNS one uses why I probably said no before but it is here.

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| Speedstream 4200 Modem - 3m/384 plan | W98-W2KSP4-XPSP2 - All AMD | Buffalo WHR G54S with Tomato 1.13 | 3 downstream switches feeding 6 total clients (no wireless) | Including the Data port on the side of my neck |

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:54:41 EDT

Chrisfromkyk : I don't know where everyone is from and what not but someone in this thread:

»[Network] is it just me? Windstream 404??

Had a windstream 404 error page due to yahoo toolbar - it was gone when he uninstalled it.

Off the top of my head I wonder if the toolbar modifies the hosts file ? I'm not really sure if that would effect DNS or not but I would imagine it would.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:26:17 EDT

magnetron : It is happening here in Arkansas. It is definitely not caused by a toolbar, as running a command line query with a random domain name shows.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:04:49 EDT

Piggie : It's not happening here in FL.....

Browser and command line just give domain not found or Non-existent domain.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:48:41 EDT

evilghost : Reply to my own thread. The answer is you have the Yahoo toolbar installed on both PCs evidently (unless you are not using the same DNS servers I am), I saw this exact behavior in the DSL Reports security forum but I can't find the URL right now.

Re: Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:40:40 EDT

evilghost : Without knowning your environment it sounds like your AP/Router has been compromised by MITM DNS. What DNS servers are you using?

By the way, I see you :)
»www.computing.net/security/wwwbo···134.html

Windstream DNS server - 'entry-not-found.com'?

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:17:41 EDT

anon : Hi. Is anyone else seeing this? It appears that Windstream is hijacking browser/system settings and forwarding failed DNS requests to some obscure ad sponsored site.
Opting out requires a cookie on each machine (!) and totally negates any browser settings.
Even worse, their opt-out error page is a copy/paste of the IE 404 page. Nice to see on my Mac in Firefox...