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charterengr
Premium Member
join:2002-03-09
Newnan, GA

charterengr

Premium Member

Gulf Coast test info

I wanted to make folks aware of a trial we are conducting in our Gulf Coast Florida region.

Currently, we are testing a service that returns a web page with enhanced error results when a web page request would have otherwise just returned a DNS error. Generally, DNS errors are caused by misspelled URLs and syntax errors such as “ww” instead of “www” or “con” instead of “com.”  When possible, customers who have entered a URL that cannot be found will be shown a web page identifying some possible alternative sites they might have been trying to reach. If we can’t determine any alternative sites, we simply present another search box.  These enhanced error results are designed to help the average user more quickly reach their web destinations, and only affect web page responses ('A' records to those in the know).

During our trial, some customers with special DNS configurations (like some custom settings for company laptops used at home) may experience some errors.  Those with a need to work around these results pages can statically set their DNS to one of the following IP’s: 68.105.28.13 and 68.105.29.13.

While I understand that to some of you power users here in the BBR forum may not find this feature useful, keep in mind that we’re giving you an opt out option, and that for most customers, this will actually represent an improvement to their service.  The team working on this project is monitoring feedback from all areas, so please feel free to post comments on the performance and implementation of the enhancement here.  You may not receive a formal response, but all comments will be reviewed. Thanks.

almex
Premium Member
join:2001-09-18
Chandler, AZ

almex

Premium Member

Sounds very similar to SiteFinder.
robertfl
Premium Member
join:2005-10-10
Mary Esther, FL

robertfl

Premium Member

I've noticed that webpages loaded faster. Is this a result of the test here?

Rob

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to charterengr

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to charterengr
Oh NO! dont tell me cox is going to start that verislime crap via dns like other providers are doing[charter anyone?]
Gamer135
join:2006-12-09
Phoenix, AZ

Gamer135

Member

said by dvd536:

Oh NO! dont tell me cox is going to start that verislime crap via dns like other providers are doing[charter anyone?]
I personally hate any system that breaks DNS, though I can at least live with it if we have alternative servers.

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

BillRoland to charterengr

Premium Member

to charterengr
Could you perhaps post a few examples of just what exactly users are going to see if they screw up the address?
round_toit
Premium Member
join:2005-02-01
Pensacola, FL

round_toit

Premium Member

Click for full size
Here is what it looks like if I enter dslreports.con
robertfl
Premium Member
join:2005-10-10
Mary Esther, FL

robertfl

Premium Member

that's annoying. I would rather see a blank page. Please turn it back off. (looks like Cox is trying to make some money from clicking on the sites)

rob
Gamer135
join:2006-12-09
Phoenix, AZ

2 edits

Gamer135

Member

How is that 'helpful'? That's not a redirection to the correct TLD of .com, that's creating a fake TLD and using it for revenue with completely unrelated results.

If Cox is going to begin practices like that, I'd expect rates to start dropping significantly.
robertfl
Premium Member
join:2005-10-10
Mary Esther, FL

robertfl

Premium Member

Wrong. They won't decrease our rates.

People need to demand that they turn this crap off. Period.

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

BillRoland to round_toit

Premium Member

to round_toit
I'm afraid I have to agree that this is a poor showing on Cox's part. I'm not even sure how anyone can claim that that page is more helpful than the standard DNS error page: neither of them suggest ways to get to where you're going, and both say the same thing: that site doesn't exist. The only difference is it looks like this one is loaded down with ads that are going to profit Cox.

Sorry guys, two thumbs down on this one.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

1 edit

dvd536 to Gamer135

Premium Member

to Gamer135
said by Gamer135:

How is that 'helpful'? That's not a redirection to the correct TLD of .com, that's creating a fake TLD and using it for revenue with completely unrelated results.

If Cox is going to begin practices like that, I'd expect rates to start dropping significantly.
WRONG! Cable bills do NOT go down but most likely revenue generated would go into Cox's CxO's bonus checks!
maybe this is an effort to get many off coxs dns servers as thats whats going to happen[specially with power users]

state
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join:2002-02-08
Purgatory

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state to BillRoland

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to BillRoland
said by BillRoland:

I'm not even sure how anyone can claim that that page is more helpful than the standard DNS error page: neither of them suggest ways to get to where you're going, and both say the same thing: that site doesn't exist.
I'm gonna have to agree with you there. Since .con isn't even a valid TLD I'd say that the new system is flawed.

I would expect something like this to either suggest a proper top-level domain, or automatically redirect to the top-level domain in question. Hell, strip off the domain suffix and redirect the query to Google and you've got a system that's 1000% better than what you're working on.

justin
..needs sleep
Mod
join:1999-05-28
2031
Billion BiPAC 7800N
Apple AirPort Extreme (2011)

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justin to BillRoland

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to BillRoland
They are following in the foot steps of many ISPs. Verisign failed, but the companies that offer this service, and revenue split with the ISPs, are introducing it from the bottom up by stealth.

Unfortunately regular users, who are in the vast majority, do not realize that if they click on one of the links presented as an alternative to their mis-spelling, it usually not the best choice, and is making both Cox and the substitute DNS provider, a few bucks. If they did this a number of times per month then they are potentially worth to Cox twice what their base subscription fee is. I don't think the regular customer realizes this. I think Cox counts on their ignorance.

So in the example above, the mis-typing of dslreports.com is directing regular users to "top-rated-spyware-removers", who are paying to be on that page. They would be better served by Cox if they were redirected to a google search for the domain -- at least the main, non sponsored, page stands a chance of giving them the best possible result instead of whomever pays this DNS redirector the most money to be there!

Its pretty sad really, ISPs just can't get their minds around being a utility and charging directly for pure service. They just have to get greedy, and jump into the conversation somehow. Today, this site and many others now has to pay money to someone in order to continue to reach these customers, tomorrow, we'll have to pay money in order to reach them at maximum possible speed. The day after tomorrow, we'll probably have to pay to reach them at all.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to state

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to state
said by state:
said by BillRoland:

I'm not even sure how anyone can claim that that page is more helpful than the standard DNS error page: neither of them suggest ways to get to where you're going, and both say the same thing: that site doesn't exist.
I'm gonna have to agree with you there. Since .con isn't even a valid TLD I'd say that the new system is flawed.

I would expect something like this to either suggest a proper top-level domain, or automatically redirect to the top-level domain in question. Hell, strip off the domain suffix and redirect the query to Google and you've got a system that's 1000% better than what you're working on.
This is purely about revenue generation, not an added benefit to the subscribers and to think I just saw a news item that cox is a cable company people dont hate. go ahead with this crap and see how fast that rating tanks
-
»'A Cable Company People Don't Hate'
dvd536

dvd536 to justin

Premium Member

to justin
said by justin:

They are following in the foot steps of many ISPs. Verisign failed, but the companies that offer this service, and revenue split with the ISPs, are introducing it from the bottom up by stealth.

Unfortunately regular users, who are in the vast majority, do not realize that if they click on one of the links presented as an alternative to their mis-spelling, it usually not the best choice, and is making both Cox and the substitute DNS provider, a few bucks. If they did this a number of times per month then they are potentially worth to Cox twice what their base subscription fee is. I don't think the regular customer realizes this. I think Cox counts on their ignorance.

So in the example above, the mis-typing of dslreports.com is directing regular users to "top-rated-spyware-removers", who are paying to be on that page. They would be better served by Cox if they were redirected to a google search for the domain -- at least the main, non sponsored, page stands a chance of giving them the best possible result instead of whomever pays this DNS redirector the most money to be there!

Its pretty sad really, ISPs just can't get their minds around being a utility and charging directly for pure service. They just have to get greedy, and jump into the conversation somehow. Today, this site and many others now has to pay money to someone in order to continue to reach these customers, tomorrow, we'll have to pay money in order to reach them at maximum possible speed. The day after tomorrow, we'll probably have to pay to reach them at all.
Ultimately what its going to come down to is 'pay per click' it all comes down to money. I know providers have a right to make profits but i think this goes too far.
robertfl
Premium Member
join:2005-10-10
Mary Esther, FL

robertfl

Premium Member

Click for full size
Here is my answer - I blocked the page (software wise) I need to get the router to block it totally but no avail. (netgear)

Rob
robertfl

robertfl

Premium Member

I also wonder if this is an example of net neutrality?

Rob

state
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said by dvd536:

Ultimately what its going to come down to is 'pay per click' it all comes down to money.
Yep.

Point your DNS servers at 68.105.28.13 and 68.105.29.13 or visit »finder.cox.net and type in a search term...like "google" (results here - none even go to Google!).

When you get the results, check out the page source in your browser....you'll see that the redirects all go through overture.com which is a Yahoo! search marketing product: »www.content.overture.com/d/
state

state to robertfl

Mod

to robertfl
said by robertfl:

I also wonder if this is an example of net neutrality?

Rob
No Rob...this isn't. See: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne ··· utrality for a proper explanation.

NoVA_CoxUser
Stand back from the cage -- The RF bites
Premium Member
join:2004-07-06
Alexandria, VA

4 edits

NoVA_CoxUser to state

Premium Member

to state
said by state:

... check out the page source in your browser....you'll see that the redirects all go through overture.com ...
Nice explanation, thanks!

The enhanced features seem to be offline at the moment ... so I can't "experience" them myself ...

... but based on info provided in this thread so far, I must say that I too am pretty underwhelmed.

Verdict: Two thumbs down.
round_toit
Premium Member
join:2005-02-01
Pensacola, FL

round_toit to charterengr

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to charterengr
Click for full size
Previous screen shot I posted was truncated. Changed computers and now have a complete screen shot. Notice this is not the "Enhanced version" that Coxengr talked about. In the upper right hand corner it says "Enhance error results page".

THZNDUP
Deorum Offensa Diis Curae
Premium Member
join:2003-09-18
Lard

THZNDUP

Premium Member

said by round_toit:

...
Notice this is not the "Enhanced version" that Coxengr talked about. In the upper right hand corner it says "Enhance error results page".
And what should the Cox 'Enhanced version' of DNS do? If you get the syntax correct, should it take you to the page requested? If you misspell it or it doesn't exist, will it take you to an 'Enhanced error results page' maybe?

If you reread the OP, you should find that page is in fact what CoxEng was talking about. It substitutes a normal DNS error 'Page Not Found' with the one you posted. In fact he spells out 'enhanced error results' several times.

BTW, using Google as a DNS filter works pretty good. At least it almost always does a better job at speeling than I do.......
bmn
? ? ?

join:2001-03-15
hiatus

bmn to charterengr

to charterengr
Uber, mega, super important question...

Will this new "feature" affect CBS users ?
wierdo
join:2001-02-16
Miami, FL

wierdo to charterengr

Member

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So, when this rolls out nationwide, unless we take affirmative steps to change the DNS in all our equipment, you will only be providing broken DNS that provides no way for a machine to tell when the user types in an invalid address, or worse, to monitor a domain for correct A records, since anything and everything will return an 'A' record.

This is every bit as stupid as Verisign doing it.

I don't know which I'd rather have, slow speed and PPPoE to make it worse, or idiotic schemes such as this. Actually, I do know. I'd rather have an ISP that provides RFC compliant services, rather than a broken service purporting to be DNS that actually isn't.
robertfl
Premium Member
join:2005-10-10
Mary Esther, FL

robertfl

Premium Member

Only for Gulfcoast users. Hopefully Cox Engneer will shut this down as it's been a failure.

Rob

THZNDUP
Deorum Offensa Diis Curae
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join:2003-09-18
Lard

THZNDUP to wierdo

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It looks as if they are providing another set of DNS servers so that you may 'opt out' of the enhanced service they are providing. Or at least they are for this test phase, I wonder how long they'll support two sets once it goes live........
robertfl
Premium Member
join:2005-10-10
Mary Esther, FL

robertfl

Premium Member

Not an enhancement. I would like to see this drop period or give us a discount like the other person said. If there making extra money on the side, something needs to be done. PERIOD. I have no problem with a cable co making money. This is a sleazy way of doing it.

-Especially when I type DSLREPORTS.CO and get spyware removal software or whatever)

Two thumbs down from me, too.

(Still can't get the router to block the site.. GURR)

Rob

THZNDUP
Deorum Offensa Diis Curae
Premium Member
join:2003-09-18
Lard

THZNDUP

Premium Member

You can always 'opt out' and use 68.105.28.13 and 68.105.29.13 for your DNS.....

BillRoland
Premium Member
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL

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BillRoland to charterengr

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Click for full size
This would be an example of a "HELPFUL" feature when you type in the wrong address. And magically enough, it even suggests the RIGHT site instead of trying to pawn a bunch of crap off on you.