Can access most websites but not all

[SimpleSi]

Can't access some websites (www.microsoft.com) but most others work fine.

More info

I installed a wireless router (DLink 2640b) at a teachers house yesterday and she rang to say that her daughters wireless laptop couldn't get onto some sites and the main computer wouldn't go onto internet at all.

Went along tonight - laptop seemed fine -google - bbc (tried I-Player - worked flawlessly)

Tried main desktop (wired connection) and home page wouldn't load (ISP = Orange)

Changed home page to Google - worked fine. Daughter said Myspace didn't work - tried it - agreed - said it must be a problem at MySpace.

For some reason, tried www.microsoft.com and it failed - nothing came up at all - not even little blue progress bar

Convinced teacher it must be some problem with Orange's upstream connections to t'internet but decided to dig out the old USB Speedtouch modem and try it out - everything worked fine

Has anyone come across anything like this before because I'm stumped as to how the router could be causing this problem!

regards
Simon

[powdarrmonkey]

Sounds vaguely like a DNS forwarding issue on the router? or possibly a firewall, but you'd expect the same results from each computer.

Have you updated the firmware?

[SimpleSi]

To clarify

I get the same results on any computer connected to the router.

There doesn't seem to be any firmware to download (not that I've found anyway)

regards

Simon

[Edu-IT]

Are the MTU settings on the router correct? I've had problems with not being able to access some websites in the past and that was because I was using a higher MTU set in the router config.

[SimpleSi]

I was just about to post that I've found this
thread that seemed to point towards the problem I've encountered!

But is it true???

And if it is true what the F are Orange playing at!!!!!!!!!

And the problem is I can't seem to change the MTU Setting on the router - I'd already tried 1500 (seemed worth a go ) but after router resets - it goes back to 1492.

Tried 1501 but router says no

regards

Simon

[DMcCoy]

I was just about to post that I've found this
thread that seemed to point towards the problem I've encountered!

But is it true???

And if it is true what the F are Orange playing at!!!!!!!!!

And the problem is I can't seem to change the MTU Setting on the router - I'd already tried 1500 (seemed worth a go ) but after router resets - it goes back to 1492.

Tried 1501 but router says no

regards

Simon

Try an mtu of 1452 on the router.

Edit - read first post again, a dlink. Seen this on netgears before

[Edu-IT]

Mine is set at 1432. It must vary between ISP. Make sure that the MTU setting is not set to auto.

[SimpleSi]

Trying 1452
(installed logmein before leaving )
....

regards
Simon

[SimpleSi]

1452 didn;t work

But at least the value stuck in the settings following a reboot but still www.microsoft.com will not load.

(and the orangeproblems.co.uk site is down so no-one can see the post that pointed me towards the problem )


For further inf - the router is set to PPPoA VCMux

[tech_guy]

Orange are notorious for problems with their service. Remember the balls-up with their email - was it last year?

Have you tried doing a traceroute on the sites you can't get to to see if there's a pattern?

[SimpleSi]

In desperation - tried changing to PPPoE with MTU 1492 - Eureka - microsoft.com now works!

Hope nothing else breaks.

Why don't Orange just publish the settings that should work for them on their website???

(The D-Link router setup wizard asks which country you are in and which ISP (t o which I answered Wanadoo) and then defaults to PPPoA)

I hate b*&^%y computers and IT

Thanks for the help and moral support at 11pm!!!!

regards

Simon
But you learn something new each day!