whfsdude
Premium
join:2003-04-05
Washington, DC | reply to whfsdude
Re: Oh No They Didn't!
»blogs.earthlink.net/2006/08/hand···ns_1.php
I think tmrw I'm going to bitch in the comments |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| So is that the Official Channel for System Wide changes?
I love this part....They don't know how it works or they just believed the lies their partners told them....
»blogs.earthlink.net/2006/08/hand···ns_1.php
quote:
Our partners on the product are Yahoo and Barefruit, a company that specializes in processing DNS and HTTP errors for ISPs. Barefruit provides the system to process errors and Yahoo hosts the destination customers are directed to. For more than a year we have been offering DNS error functionality for EarthLink Toolbar users through our Yahoo relationship, and Barefruit provides the technology that allows us to extend this functionality to EarthLink’s entire access customer base.
So far, we've rolled out the system to a small number of servers, and ISP geeks who track of this sort of thing noticed pretty quickly. The service has been criticized in some online conversations because by nature it changes the way DNS errors are reported through the network. It’s important to remember that the Barefruit system only processes errors classified as NXDOMAIN (non-existent domain) when they are in route back to a user’s browser, which means the user experience we are changing is a browser error stating the web site cannot be found or the auto-search functionality of Internet Explorer, neither of which are especially helpful to the user. The system is specifically configured to handle only NXDOMAIN HTTP traffic as it is being returned to the user’s browser and to not impact email and other non-web-browsing traffic.
If it only routes this change to my Browser, how come my other affected programs like Ping, Tracert, Email to name a few are being involved? The person in charge doesn't know what DNS does? 
Speaking of the guy in charge, it is a guy named Ken Womack.
quote:
I should note that I'm the EarthLink product manager for this initiative on the customer-facing end (the results page users see).
Posted by: Ken Womack | August 30, 2006 02:28 PM
I love it when they put people in charge of things they don't understand. NOT
Regards,
Doctor Olds
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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longtimelurker
@swbell.net
 from:
Doctor Olds 
| reply to about_blank
If you want to change to an alternative DNS server you might want to check out:
»www.opendns.com/
I think they got a mention on this site a few months ago when they started up operations. I have been using them for about a month or so and have not had any problems. Others on this site have used them with positive results as well. If you don't like how they work you can just revert back to what you are using now. I only costs a little time to try them out, nothing more...
If you only need their DNS IP numbers, they are:
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
Just a happy customer (and did I mention its free?) 
Cheers |
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Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
Premium,MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
 ·Comcast
| said by longtimelurker :If you want to change to an alternative DNS server you might want to check out: » www.opendns.com/ When this service was first mentioned a while back, I did some checking and it was the epitome of the practice Earthlink is now slithering into.
Unfortunately, I view this venture as a sad indicator of Earthlink's business position.  |
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longtimelurker
@swbell.net | Bill, did you look at this page?
»www.opendns.com/prefs/
It allows you to turn off all of that stuff and have a "plain vanilla" DNS server.
Cheers |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| said by longtimelurker : » www.opendns.com/prefs/It allows you to turn off all of that stuff and have a "plain vanilla" DNS server. quote:
These preferences are intended for those with static IP addresses.
Earthlink uses Dynamic IPs on their DSL service.
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
Premium,MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
·Comcast
2 edits | reply to longtimelurker
said by longtimelurker :Bill, did you look at this page? » www.opendns.com/prefs/It allows you to turn off all of that stuff and have a "plain vanilla" DNS server. Cheers OpenDNS is becoming more and more interesting. They're obviously on a goal to make a dent in the sorry state of a LOT of ISP's DNS.
Now, here's settings that goes against their business model. I'm rather cynical about "something-for-nothing" services and been wondering what lies beneath their system.
I suspect they're about to create a new term: "DNS data mining". By itself, it may have very little privacy concern for users. But when combined with other data, probably becomes just another piece to narrow down the marketing interests.
I'm purely speculating but history says there's usually more than meets the eye. I'm curious what others are thinking about OpenDNS? Doesn't the concept seem a little strong for their stated business model? (Which is: "you goof, you get an ad" )
Don't get me wrong, their servers seem robust and speedy. *Everything* I've ever looked up is cached so the response time is almost a constant and I suspect they constantly and actively refresh their DNS cache just for this purpose (rather than wait for someone to ask for a domain name). This concept is interesting all by itself. |
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longtimelurker
@swbell.net
| I am just speculating but I think their target market is the part of the population that are not net savvy. They are trying to prevent misdirects due to typing errors and are also trying to prevent phishing. Think about the non technical people that ask you what they can do to prevent or reduce phishing. You could just plug in the opendns IP numbers and know that the number of typo scams and phishing scams would be reduced. In return for using their dns servers they put up a few ads, but only when you have a typo or they feel it might be a phishing scam. And they are up front about it too. I am currently on pppoe with dynamic IP and I have been using them for over a month. I think their "oops" page popped up once or twice because I mistyped a URL. You might not like ads (as do I) but consider the alternative for your friends (or their kids) when they mistype a URL.
As I said previously, plug in their dns IP numbers and try them out for a few days or a week or so. If you don't like what you see you can easily restore your original dns settings.
Cheers |
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Windsun
join:2006-09-04
Phoenix, AZ | I would really mind it if they would make it optional. |
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Disgusted
@mindspring.com | reply to whfsdude
Re: Something fishy
Everytime I start a program--Outlook, Any graphic editor, MS Word etc. My firewall alerts me that "System" is trying to connect to the barefruit IP. This is how trojans work. |
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earthlinkhater
@covad.net
| reply to whfsdude
Re: Oh No They Didn't!
This is Earthlink's complaint form where you can submit your feedback on the subject: »support.earthlink.net/feedback/myearthlink/
Also, here's a PledgeBank pledge that's trying to get them to stop the DNS redirect service: »www.pledgebank.com/earthlinksucks |
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coolhaus
join:2000-05-10
Cary, NC | reply to whfsdude
Cancelling my service right now.
This is technically unacceptable, and a slimy revenue grab. Cancelling my Earthlink service right now and reverting to Time-Warner cable.
I was a subscriber for eight years, by the way. To say I am a little pissed is an understatement. |
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c
@verizon.net
| reply to whfsdude
Re: Oh No They Didn't!
EarthLink DNS servers without the redirection..
»blogs.earthlink.net/2006/09/more···andl.php
207.69.188.171 (west coast)
207.69.188.172 (east coast)
If you're west of the Mississippi, use the west coast DNS server as your primary and the east coast as secondary. And vice-versa for those of you in the eastern U.S.
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Bill_MI
Bill In Michigan
Premium,MVM
join:2001-01-03
Royal Oak, MI
·Comcast
| Great find! These did not have their rDNS back when I found the 207.69.188.100-103 servers.
207.69.188.171 optns1.earthlink.net
207.69.188.172 optns2.earthlink.net
Performance here is so-so.
BTW, this is routing within a class C subnet I didn't expect to see. These adjacent addresses ARE Pasadena and Atlanta. |
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NGOwner
join:2000-11-21
Leawood, KS
| reply to whfsdude
My understanding of this issue:
I make a mistake, and enter in a webaddress that doesn't exist. Earthlink serves up a page (examples on page one) stating that the webaddress I entered doesn't exist. That page includes a few suggestions, respellings, and ads.
Enlighten me here. What's the problem with this?
[NG]Owner
--
It is impossible to create an idiot-proof product. Humanity is simply too adept at churning out better idiots. |
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NGOwner
join:2000-11-21
Leawood, KS
| Never mind. I just read some of the earthlink blog above.
Can't say that I agree with you guys.
But since many feel so passionate about it, maybe separate DNS servers for those with their panties in a bunch is the way Earthlink should go.
[NG]Owner
--
It is impossible to create an idiot-proof product. Humanity is simply too adept at churning out better idiots. |
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brambling
join:2003-12-18
2 edits | reply to whfsdude
I wouldn't mind it if the redirect page didn't look so cheap, and you could opt-out from the "My Account" page. I would feel better if the default account setting blocked the phishing sites, at least the ELN ones, so if I was away from home and wanted a family member to handle the billing, it might catch it. |
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astrocity20
join:2002-07-15 | I wouldn't mind it if it was better than google's "I feel lucky" when I type in a keyword for a website. But it isn't so I'm pissed. |
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Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:
| reply to NGOwner
said by NGOwner :My understanding of this issue: I make a mistake, and enter in a webaddress that doesn't exist. Earthlink serves up a page (examples on page one) stating that the webaddress I entered doesn't exist. That page includes a few suggestions, respellings, and ads. Enlighten me here. What's the problem with this? [NG]Owner It breaks ping, reverse lookups and traceroute.
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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windsurf1970
@mindspring.com
| reply to whfsdude
What a joke. I too spent days trying to figure out what was going on with "my" laptop and "my" VPN connection. I even went as far as rebuilding my system thinking I was hijacked. A "dead domain" to Earthlink does NOT equal a dead domain on my company's intranet but Earthlink makes it so by redirecting you to their own earthlink-help.net site. Needless to say, my email and internal chat was not working either, leaving me dead in the water.
I was given their 207.69.188.171/172 DNS settings during a chat with one of their CSR's, but this does not help if my laptop has a security GPO preventing any changes to DNS settings from sticking for more than an hour. I was also told that their engineers are working on the problem and it will be resolved ASAP, but I was not given any info indicating ASAP means hours, days, or even weeks. If Earthlink's so-called network engineers can't figure this out in a day or two, then they obviously don't know what the hell they're doing. Maybe management will figure out that a paper certification does not equate real world experience and knowledge when they fire these guys and hire new ones.
Bottom line is if I cannot get into my work's network TODAY and Earthlink cannot resolve this with more than a bandaid after I've already wasted 2 weeks fighting the problem, then it's bye-bye Earthlink, hello RoadRunner. I lose nothing; they lose another customer they've had for 5 years. |
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