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19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned)

Member

What is this LEVEL3 crap??

In the last week I have noticed if I enter an invalid URL such as www.mauisun.orgf I AM DIRECTED TO

»searchguide.level3.com/s ··· sun.orgf

I used to get just a 404 error WHICH IS WHAT I WANT!!!! (I dont use the cable companies DNS servers because I DONT WANNA SEE THIS CRAP)

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THIS GARBAGE??

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena

Premium Member

said by 19579823:

In the last week I have noticed if I enter an invalid URL such as www.mauisun.orgf I AM DIRECTED TO

»searchguide.level3.com/s ··· sun.orgf

I used to get just a 404 error WHICH IS WHAT I WANT!!!! (I dont use the cable companies DNS servers because I DONT WANNA SEE THIS CRAP)

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THIS GARBAGE??

Don't use 4.2.2.x DNS servers.
-
If you use Level3's DNS servers (4.2.2.1 through 4.2.2.6 for instance) you will be redirected to a Level3.com site when you mess up a site.

Same thing will happen with most DNS servers, I know it happens with Google's 8.8.8.8 (which of course will show you a Google page) and OpenDNS, which also shows their own page.

If you want a plain old 404 error, you want to find a DNS server that doesn't do that. Goodluck with that.
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned)

Member

They didnt used to do this!!!!!

WHAT A PAIN IN THE ASS!!!!!! -- I SWEAR EVERYTHING just keeps getting worse!!

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

1 recommendation

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Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

said by 19579823:

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THIS GARBAGE??

Stop using Level 3 DNS Servers
Use TWC DNS Servers and opt out.
Stop typing in invalid URL's.

Hob
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned)

Member

They are HIJACKING YOUR TRAFFIC!!!!

I put "0 level3.com" in my host file and the first time It worked but then it somehow got around that!!!!!! (I use 0 because I do not have 127.0.0.1 pointed to localhost in my host file)

Yes I may use TWCs DNS servers and optout,i dunno.......

hobgoblin
Sortof Agoblin
Premium Member
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY

1 recommendation

hobgoblin

Premium Member

said by 19579823:

They are HIJACKING YOUR TRAFFIC!!!!

This is a Time Warner Forum, I suggest you find a Level 3 one and complain there.

Hob

DocDrew
How can I help?
Premium Member
join:2009-01-28
SoCal
Ubee E31U2V1
Technicolor TC4400
Linksys EA6900

4 edits

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Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

404 errors are generated by a web server, not a DNS server.

You want a nxdomain reply from the DNS server.

Level3 looks to be using the same yahoo DNS redirect service most doing it use, including TWC. There is a setting page where you can opt out.

I'll have to take a minute and update my router dnsmasq config with a new bogus nxdomain entry to thwart the redirect. Problem solved.

[edit] Done. Added this to my DNSMASQ config, no more redirects from Level3:
bogus-nxdomain=198.105.254.11
bogus-nxdomain=198.105.244.11
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned)

Member

Yes I tried going to SETTINGS but it says it cant retrieve information about my settings..
quote:
There was a problem retrieving your settings from the server. Please try your request again later.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

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said by 19579823:

They are HIJACKING YOUR TRAFFIC!!!!

New solution: Don't make a typo.

And as said above: A typo in a host name does not generate a 404 error, they are generated by the webserver in case you reach a link that doesn't exist. You will likely always get some sort of DNS page if you mistype a host.

BTW my DNS servers simply give me a "host not found" page. But I use paid DNS Servers from Overplay.net.
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

2 edits

19579823 (banned)

Member

I tried to goto preferences directly and it said my preferences ARE LOCKED!!

»searchguide.level3.com/prefs.php

Idiots are forcing this trash on everyone........ I HOPE DrDrew can get around it!!



If anyone get get to the page that says "YOU CAN DISABLE IT BY CLICKING HERE" please right click CLICKING HERE and COPY the URL and paste it here please!! (Ill click that and hopefully be free of it)

Muchos Gracious!

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

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Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

So use different DNS servers. It's not like Level3 has the only ones....

JohnCC
join:2005-12-19
none

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Use OpenDNS. They got rid of the ads for their redirects and search guide.

»www.opendns.com/no-more-ads/

mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

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said by maartena:

I know it happens with Google's 8.8.8.8 (which of course will show you a Google page)

I've *never* had it happen with 8.8.8.8. Perhaps your ISP is hijacking all DNS requests? I've seen ISPs do that before.

dig @8.8.8.8 dslreportss.com
 
; <<>> DiG 9.9.3-rl.156.01-P1-RedHat-9.9.3-3.P1.fc19 <<>> @8.8.8.8 dslreportss.com
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 9065
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 1
 
;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 512
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;dslreportss.com.               IN      A
 
;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
com.                    899     IN      SOA     a.gtld-servers.net. nstld.verisign-grs.com. 1405606097 1800 900 604800 86400
 
;; Query time: 121 msec
;; SERVER: 8.8.8.8#53(8.8.8.8)
;; WHEN: Thu Jul 17 07:08:34 PDT 2014
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 117
 

/M

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

maartena

Premium Member

said by mackey:

said by maartena:

I know it happens with Google's 8.8.8.8 (which of course will show you a Google page)

I've *never* had it happen with 8.8.8.8. Perhaps your ISP is hijacking all DNS requests? I've seen ISPs do that before.

No my ISP is not, and you are right. I thought it used to though. I use a paid DNS service anyways for specific reasons, configured in my router.

Solution for the TS is to use Google's 8.8.8.8, it gives a nice plain old "page can't be displayed" error. Just like he wants.
Davek
join:2014-07-17

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...

said by 19579823:

I put "0 level3.com" in my host file and the first time It worked but then it somehow got around that

I don't think the host file will match top level domains to subdomains. I think you'd need to use the entire domain to create a match: searchguide.level3.com

Smith6612
MVM
join:2008-02-01
North Tonawanda, NY

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Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

+1 OpenDNS, or Google DNS. Level3's public DNS is dead in my eyes now.

ARGONAUT
Have a nice day.
Premium Member
join:2006-01-24
New Albany, IN

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I use Level3 without any redirects.
209.244.0.3
209.244.0.4

Napsterbater
Meh
MVM
join:2002-12-28
Milledgeville, GA
(Software) OPNsense
Ubiquiti UniFi UAP-AC-PRO

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So you are using open DNS servers provided by a company that has no incentive to let the free world use their servers for free.

And you are mad that they are trying to make some money back to support them?

How about just stop using them or they could just cut off non level3 customers.

xer008
Premium Member
join:2000-05-22
socal

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hmm, I've been using 4.2.2.x for years and have never seen a redirect
19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

1 edit

19579823 (banned)

Member

Hmmm maybe your IP address has it disabled??

I cant change the settings on mine.... (When I goto the prefs page it says they are locked)

Right now im using 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2 (I dont think I can change it w/o logging into my SMC router (Which I forgot the password ))
said by DaveK :
I don't think the host file will match top level domains to subdomains. I think you'd need to use the entire domain to create a match: searchguide.level3.com
Muchos Gracious Dave.... This works,I get a 404 instead of thier stupid search page!!

I dunno why wildcards arent recognised in the host file do you?? (Putting something like 0 *.level3.com)

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

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Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

TWC has been doing DNS redirection for a long time. So have alternate DNS servers. Kind of surprised a backbone provider now does. I just use TWC's for resolution to close CDNs and DNSMasq on my router with firewall redirection forcing router DNS only via iptables. I then got all of TWC's redirection IPs and put in the config bogus-nxdomain=IP resolved for sites that should be NxDomain. TWC uses one but some use a few, so just add as many lines as needed for real 404 errors with the benefits of ISP DNS. I use my router to direct ads to a transparent 1 pixel image via network DNS so I don't need third party DNS features at expense of performance and handing my surfing info to 1 more company outside my ISP. I just moved back into TWC territory for work and family. Boy do I miss Cox. But still TWC is not the worst if you know how to set things up. And they are unlimited. Cox had a soft cap that was never enforced in Fort Smith.

maartena
Elmo
Premium Member
join:2002-05-10
Orange, CA

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Re: ‏

said by 19579823:

Right now im using 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2 (I dont think I can change it w/o logging into my SMC router (Which I forgot the password ))

That's not very smart.... now you are stuck using those DNS servers unless you change it manually on all PC's/devices.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia

Premium Member

Reset the router? Not a big deal to reconfigure a few things. I did so recently because I upgraded the software and always reconfigure by hand when doing that. Just the safest way
said by maartena:

said by 19579823:

Right now im using 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.2 (I dont think I can change it w/o logging into my SMC router (Which I forgot the password ))

That's not very smart.... now you are stuck using those DNS servers unless you change it manually on all PC's/devices.

Selenia

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Premium Member

to hobgoblin

Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

Does that just not use a cookie to give nxdomain in a browser? Other network apps mostly for advanced users would not get this cookie and could break without nxdomain. Dude111 probably does not use such applications but that fact alone makes it an invalid half assed opt out. My suggestion, however, works with all apps while delivering the benefits of using your own ISP's DNS. But requires either a custom built router or the willingness and ability(both human and router being flashable) to use custom firmware. But it solves all issues that may stem from this money grab by ISPs already being paid for their services. Free public DNS, you can't really complain. They have to pay the bills somehow. But I use TWC's because closer DNS=better CDN performance(they only see the DNS IP making requests to their root servers, not yours) even if the ISP is a few meaningless milliseconds slower in lookup time. In my case, TWC lookup times are faster than even Google and then cached to my local DNS.

Btw lol at what you said about not typing invalid urls, but even the best of us occasionally do on these smartphone and tablet keyboards, unfortunately.
said by hobgoblin:

said by 19579823:

ANYONE KNOW HOW TO GET RID OF THIS GARBAGE??

Stop using Level 3 DNS Servers
Use TWC DNS Servers and opt out.
Stop typing in invalid URL's.

Hob

19579823 (banned)
An Awesome Dude
join:2003-08-04

19579823 (banned)

Member

I noticed as someone said above that level3 is using the SAME setup as time warner is..

»www.dnsrsearch.com

Im wondering if I disable it on that,if this will be disabled also?? (Worth a try)


EDIT:

Nope (Ah well....... Daves tip works)
Davek
join:2014-07-17

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said by 19579823:

dunno why wildcards arent recognised in the host file do you??

It matches a specific domain, rather than a string contained within a domain. Perhaps to prevent unintended matches?? Whatever the reason, it was either never intended to be used to block connections to unwanted top level domains or was implemented rather poorly.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

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It would block that domain from loading, but to get a real deal nxdomain error(if you need it as I do, not everybody does) then follow mine and Dr Drew's(sorry, did not notice your post earlier) instructions. You would need better firmware than the stock loaded on consumer routers or a server to run DNSMasq(if you run a box for other servers or p2p already then great, otherwise option A is more eco and electric bill friendly).

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA
Ubiquiti EdgeRouter X
TP-Link Archer C7

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Re: What is this LEVEL3 crap??

If you care so much about it, the best solution is to run your own DNS server. I've got Unbound running on my router (which runs OpenWRT). Can't run it on your router and don't have Linux or Mac OS X on another system? Well Unbound runs on Windows as well.

Selenia
Gentoo Convert
Premium Member
join:2006-09-22
Fort Smith, AR

Selenia

Premium Member

Or run DNSMasq as I stated, point it at your local DNS servers, then use the bogus-nxdomain argument for the IPs that resolve for DNS redirection. Works a treat and DNSMasq is built-in to many alternative firmwares and DIY router software builds. I also up the cache so many lookups are cached on my local network. I also use caching on the laptops that use my router as the DNS via ssh tunnel. Perhaps a bit overkill but I get great lookup performance and clean DNS results using all light and preinstalled software with nothing additional to install. Only thing extra for DNS was pixelserv, to send ad domains to from the hosts file which my router auto-updates and points to the pixelserv IP for ad domains and malware domains for any guest that I let use my guest AP.

Suit Up
join:2003-07-21
Los Angeles, CA

Suit Up

Member

To each their own, I guess. Unbound just seems easier to set up than all that and there's no chance of DNS redirections on bogus domain names (your method only works as long as they continue to use the same IPs).