Friday, September 26, 2008

Website not Forwarding

Symptoms

I am not able to get a website to forward. (See the steps here.) I get the following error message: Address not found. Firefox can't find a server at www.golftrack.mobi.

The forwarding address is working. http://www.kevinmcreynolds.com/apps/gt/index.aspx.

Gathering Information

I called tech support and they told me to wait because of DNS latency. This could be the reason. I also found this website that lets you test your DNS setup: http://www.checkdns.net. I got a lot of information. See the appendix. These seem to indicate the site is setup.

Hypothesis

In 24 hours, the issue should be fixed. The address golftrack.mobi should show up.

Results

I will have to wait.

Reflection

This website (checkdns.net) can be a hacking tool. You get a lot of information that could be used to attack you website. This is a good example of security being decreased by availability. I could mark the website as private but I would have to pay for the services.

Appendix

CheckDNS.NET is testing golftrack.mobi


 

CheckDNS.NET is asking root servers about authoritative NS for domain

Got DNS list for 'golftrack.mobi' from TLD2.ULTRADNS.NET or TLD2.ULTRADNS.NET

Found NS record: ns52.domaincontrol.com[208.109.255.26], was resolved to IP address by c.gtld-servers.net

Found NS record: ns51.domaincontrol.com[216.69.185.26], was resolved to IP address by ans01.domaincontrol.com

Domain has 2 DNS server(s)


 

CheckDNS.NET is verifying if NS are alive

DNS server ns52.domaincontrol.com[208.109.255.26] is alive and authoritative for domain golftrack.mobi

DNS server ns51.domaincontrol.com[216.69.185.26] is alive and authoritative for domain golftrack.mobi

2 server(s) are alive


 

CheckDNS.NET checks if all NS have the same version

All 2 your servers have the same zone version 2008090300


 

CheckDNS.NET tests mail-servers

Domain golftrack.mobi has 2 mail-servers.

Checking mail server (PRI=0) smtp.secureserver.net [64.202.166.12]

Mail server smtp.secureserver.net[64.202.166.12] answers on port 25

<<< 220 pre-smtp15-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ESMTP

>>> HELO www.checkdns.net

<<< 250 pre-smtp15-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net

>>> MAIL FROM: <dnscheck@uniplace.com>

<<< 250 ok

>>> RCPT TO: <postmaster@golftrack.mobi>

<<< 550 sorry, mail to that recipient is not accepted (#5.7.1)

>>> RCPT TO: <root@golftrack.mobi>

Connection to mail server smtp.secureserver.net [64.202.166.12] timed out waiting for status 250

Checking mail server (PRI=10) mailstore1.secureserver.net [64.202.166.11]

Mail server mailstore1.secureserver.net[64.202.166.11] answers on port 25

<<< 220 pre-smtp33-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net ESMTP

>>> HELO www.checkdns.net

<<< 250 pre-smtp33-02.prod.mesa1.secureserver.net

>>> MAIL FROM: <dnscheck@uniplace.com>

<<< 250 ok

>>> RCPT TO: <postmaster@golftrack.mobi>

<<< 550 sorry, mail to that recipient is not accepted (#5.7.1)

>>> RCPT TO: <root@golftrack.mobi>

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Attacked on the Train Details

I was riding home on the training and someone tried to connect to my laptop through Bluetooth. See the graphic in the previous blog. I quickly removed my Bluetooth card.

I went around the train and found a young man and talked to him. He said he did it by accident.

I should not have had my Bluetooth working in discoverable mode.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Attacked on the Train Graphic


See the next blog for details.
Posted by Picasa

Blocked on my Router

I decided to log the Ip addresses that are blocked from router. My router has a log function and I posted the blocked Ips in the previous BLOG.


 

Symptoms

I was not having any issues but I wanted to know how often my router was being attacked.


 

Gathering Information

I am not sure what port 1028 is used for. It might be for a calendar program. I found this information on a link logger site . The internet storm site shows a lot activity on this port. Click here

I found this website with this webpage that allows you to find names for IP addresses.

Ip Address

Host

Port Involved

69.59.240.75

ntp1a-wil.klax1.s.vonagenetworks.net

123

67.177.60.58

Host c-67-177-60-58.hsd1.ut.comcast.net

1026,1027,1028

24.64.199.10

S0106001c2346b44e.br.shawcable.net

1028

216.115.23.76

ntp1b-lv3mc.klga1.s.vonagenetworks.net

123


 

Vonage and Comcast are two of my vendors. The only outside IP is Shawcable. I have sent them an abuse email and I will wait to hear from the.

Reflection

I thought it was interesting that several of block ips were legitimate users. I am having time issues with my Vantage phone. I will open those ports and see what happens.


 


 

Blocking on Router

Posted by Picasa

No Google Docs on Frontrunner


 

Symptoms

I could not connect to Google Documents. I got the error message that noted that I could not connect to a server at 192.168.10.6 with the port 15871. See the graphic in the previous blog. I have found it easier to blog the graphic through Picasa and then to write about.


 

Gathering Information

The ip address for docs.google.com is 209.85.172.100. My ip on the train was 10.0.5.149 and the router ip was 10.0.5.129. Tracert timed out on all hops except to the first router. I could not connect to a browser with 192.168.10.6. This was on a 6 am train and I was told that the train was #3. The text below is trace route output:


 

Tracing route to writely.l.google.com [209.85.173.100]
over a maximum of 30 hops:



 

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 10.0.5.129
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.

(Continues the down to 30)

30 * * * Request timed out.

Trace complete.

Here the complete configuration of my laptop:


 

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.149(Preferred)

Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.128

Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:04:06 AM

Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Tuesday, September 23, 2008 6:34:05 AM

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.129

DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.129

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.5.129

No Google Docs on Frontrunner Graphic

Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

SQL Book

I like this book. It teaches SQL with MS SQL, MySQL, and Access.

Can’t connect remotely to SQL 2005


Error Message and Symptoms

I could not get to a SQL server. I was getting this error when I tried to connect. See the picture in the next post.

Gathering Information

I Googled the error message and I found that you need to configure your firewall if you have configured for remote connections. Server 2008 default install has a firewall.

Hypothesis

If I open the correct ports, I should be able to connect.

Procedures (This is for Server 2008)


I did the following:

1. Click on Start.
2. Right click and select properties on Network
3. In the network sharing center select the firewall (lower left hand corner).
4. In the Windows firewall window select change settings.
5. Click on the exceptions tab.
6. Click on add port.
7. Named the port SQL, and enter 1433 as the port
8. Click on Okay.

Results

This worked. I was able to connect to SQL server in the building. The server is behind a external firewall so it will not work outside.


Could Not Connect to SQL Server

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Internal DNS Error

My lab is experience odd DNS errors. The internet address http://bis.ldsbc.edu (172.16.1.11 internal IP) is not resolving correctly. Some computer gets the correct webserver but others get a second server that has an internal ip address of 172.16.1.12.

The records in the internal DNS server seem correct. I am working the issue.


 

Gathering Information

I need to identify which computer had the issue with DNS. I only remember workstation 43 having an issue. I will ask students to give me feedback.

The error continues to happen. Server1 and Server2 are still being resolved to bis.ldsbc.edu.


 

Hypothesis

H1. Create an A record for bis 172.16.1.11 and the situations should be fixed.


 

Results

Still have issues after H1 was completed.


 

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Searching in Vista and Server 2008


 

Having just recently moved to Vista and Server 2008, I was not sure how to search for file content.

Searching for file name is fairly clear. You type the file name in the search box. See Figure 1 upper right hand corner.

After reading several helpfiles, I found that you type the content in the box also. The OS will search the content from the same search box.

This is easier but not too easy to figure out. Did Microsoft get it right? They got it have right; the function is great but they need to include some direction that content search is in the same box.

This is also my first attempt at a picture in a blog. The picture does not work. See the empty space below. Well. That will be a blog later.


 


 


Figure 1

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Skipping the CD-ROM Buring

I went to Microsoft Developer's Network Academic Alliance and downloaded an ISO of Microsoft's new web publishing software (Expression) because I did not want to burn CD Rom.

I went to sourceforge.net and searched for "Mount ISO " . There is a piece of software called 7-zip that allows you to read an ISO and extract the files.

Why this software package? It had over 25 million downloads and the rating was very high.

It is important, as IT professionals to look at costs and try to go with free software whenever possible along with considering the total cost of ownership.

Training is a cost that is often overlooked. We tend to think that "They can pick it up on their own" and forget that a lot of users have trouble with new software. Training is valuable part for them. For example: My wife's company just went to Office 2007. She had a few rough spots, but managed to get through it. I rate her computer skills higher than the average user. (She is able to easily manage her Sprint card and a complex VPN software on her own.) The lesson? Don't forget the training.

Click here for a link to 7-zip.