Problems over at BT on Saturday morning
The BT service status page has some information about outages in a small number of areas, but from the reaction on our forums it appears something more widespread is the problem.
It looks like potentially a routing or peering issue may be the problem as since people can often get to some sites it rules out their connection. The clear dates listed on the BT service page range from 28th June to 1st July if the fault listed is the same one. So while we do not know the exact problem yet, this post if BT users can read it will at least save them pulling their hair out thinking it is their computer/router at fault.
Update Saturday 11:21am BT users on our forums are reporting that websites are becoming available again, so the problem may be over for now. First report we have was at 9:53am.
"We can confirm some customers had issues connecting to the internet on Saturday morning. The issue was fixed within a couple of hours and we apologise for any inconvenience caused."
BT spokesperson on Saturday morning incident
Update Monday 30th There is the standard statement from BT above, but we have asked for more detail and so far all that is being revealed is that is was a network incident and not a failure of the filter/parental controls system that some suspected.
Comments
Thanks for posting that, I was going nuts having already re-booted the router a couple of times and stormed round the house looking for errant teenagers running streaming video games (they were all sleeping). Bit of a mess. Can get to the BBC and even a couple of US websites with no problem, but crashes trying to get to Autotrader or Decathlon (to name a couple).
According to this BT Core is down
http://www.internettrafficreport.com/europe.htm
Virgin is up
Almost positive the issues I am having are DNS related.
I have two VLANs on BT infinity (not BT router). One for adults (BT DNS) one for kids (Restricted DNS via openDNS), the kids haven't mentioned it yet, but the adult VLAN can get to about 1/10 websites.
Swapped adult VLAN to google DNS and it's fine.
Excellent. Just checked the BT Service Status page, as suggested, and got the message that they are "Unable to resolve the server's DNS address." :-)
Really annoying , can't get on to BT to report it ,cannot get internet banking but can get Paypal .
Some areas available(Cornwall) others not(East of England including London).
Why don't BT flash up a warning ? Checking via their area check it says "don't appear to be any problems in your area"
I think BT have completely lost the plot .
got same issues in cardiff cannot load anything
danielowenuk, can you tell me how to switch to the Google DNS? I can find the DNS settings in the Home Hub Manager, but I don't the IP address for the Google DNS server (assuming that I am on gthe right track). Ta
Changing DNS is not working for everyone, but you can do it directly on your computers network card settings.
- andrew
- over 2 years ago
Google DNS didn't work for me, change it to OpenDNS:
208.67.222.222
208.67.220.220
Same issues in Bucks....at least I've stopped tearing my hair out wondering what's wrong with my network!
Google DNS is Primary DNS 8.8.8.8 Secondary DNS 8.8.4.4 but it isn't working for me
Google instructions here - works for me on a W7 PC - but can't see how to do it on a HomeHub 5
https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using
Issue now resolved in Berwick area
seems to be generally fixed for me now - Reading area, still can't ping the BT DNS server though 213.120.234.62
Was mostly dead for me too; Kettering Northants
Same problem in Preston, Solution, open Network and sharing center, select net connection(wired or wireless) Properties, select IP V4 select properties again and you can changer the preferred DNS to 8.8.8.8(Google)and alt to 208.67.220.220 (Open DNS) problem solved for now!
For BT users with homehubs - there isn't an option to change DNS servers. You must change the device itself (PC/MAC/tablet/phone etc).
My instructions above changes the settings on the Network adapter, so overrides the Home Hub's DNS settings!
I was using various websites as BT gracefully died this morning! Noticed iPhone doing similar so switched WiFi off and onto Vodafone 4G and all OK. I connected phone to a PC and used 4G hotspot. Worked.
DNS???
My 10-year old daughter asked me what was wrong with BT? I told her when it works it is great. When it goes wrong, you have to speak to somebody in INDIA who ensures you all is OK and asks you to reset your router with a paperclip. So if I need to call, I'll tell him which hole he can insert his own blooming paperclip in!
About to alter DNS to reliable as recommended by others.
BT was off in Hinckley this morning too. Recovered just before lunchtime. My son lives across the town and his was off too, so seems likely that all of Hinckley was off. I use Open DNS, set on my pc (because it can't be changed on my Home Hub 3) so I think it was more than just their DNS that went down.
Off in Weston super Mare yesterday and now getting intermittent drops on Sunday morning... I though I was being victimised for complaining to BT earlier in the week about the lack of speed on infinity!
This was also a problem in part of the Tameside Area served by the Mottram in Longdendale exchange.Apparent at 09.30am & lasted until 11.00am.BBC and other sites available though with slow downloads but banks etc with https not reachable.
I'm a Virgin Cable customer and was having DNS issues too, had this confirmed by BT... Nearly nothing would work and still running a bit sluggish now...
Changing the NIC DNS settings only applies to that one device, you would have to do it on ALL devices that connect through your router/modem! Setting it there means that all connected devices that do not state otherwise will use the DNS settings in the HH. Sadly, BT have a software design that prevents changing the HH DNS settings, making it harder not easier. Still applies to HH5 and earlier.
We had problems Saturday but is back now. My brother, on FTTC, also went down but came back with different DNS settings in the HH5 - changed remotely as he was out shopping!
So it wasn't the Parental Controls (that still dont work https://community.bt.com/t5/Apps-and-Extras-from-BT/Parental-Controls-active-but-not-configurable/td-p/1300925 )
BT's response is plain wrong
It appeared to be a routing issue as my home BT Infinity and our works BTNet suffered issues
Needless to say BTNet won't be using parental controls
BT just seems not to know what it is, so are blaming Parental controls, or even DNS
EBay, Amazon, Hotmail and Guardian website all went down-Safari giving cannot connect to server error and Google Chrome suggesting DNS problem. I thought it was perhaps due to thundery weather Friday night- lightning can cause havoc surely.
Having real problems again! Anyone else?
This is getting beyond a joke, had issues like this several times already over the last 6 months. BT really need to get their act together.