Last ditch effort for tech support re: Betfair, $20 reward

[KoRnholio]

I live in Canada and have been playing on Betfair/Ongame for a while now. All of a sudden (approx October 1st) I am no longer able to access betfair.com on the web or through their software. In the software it tells me "Connect failed. Please check your internet connection". On the web it gives me generic site is down/may have moved, etc.

Other people on my ISP can still connect to betfair. My ISP tech support was no help and assures me there is nothing on their end blocking me from accessing that site. I haven't changed anything on my comp that would block this site. I've tried turning off my virus scanner and windows firewall, clearing cache/internet data, release/renewing my IP, everything I can think of.

Betfair support was little help, but they do have a secondary website (www2.betfair.com) which works for me fine until I go to log in. Then it tries to access the main betfair.com and I can't get in.

I've googled this problem and the only potential solution I've seen is using some shady proxy server. I'd really rather not even attempt that.

$20 reward (stars/FTP xfer) for anyone who can help me successfully solve this issue. I literally have no clue what else to try, and I am somewhat competent with computers.

Here's what the tracert looks like:

Tracing route to betfair.com [84.20.192.65]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms telus.home [x.x.x.x]
2 39 ms 37 ms 38 ms 10.236.208.1
3 38 ms 37 ms 38 ms 209-115-132-109.DNS77.com [209.115.132.109]
4 39 ms 38 ms 37 ms 209.115.198.5
5 38 ms 40 ms 39 ms 154.11.94.245
6 38 ms 37 ms 38 ms edtnabxmca01.bb.telus.com [154.11.94.226]
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 78 ms 77 ms 79 ms 204.225.244.178
9 77 ms 78 ms 76 ms chcgildtgr00.bb.telus.com [154.11.11.34]
10 78 ms 77 ms 79 ms so-10-0-0.chi12.ip4.tinet.net [77.67.68.45]
11 97 ms 99 ms 98 ms xe-1-1-0.was12.ip4.tinet.net [89.149.184.38]
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15 * * * Request timed out.
16 * * * Request timed out.
...

To www2.betfair.com it takes a different path and actually gets there:

Tracing route to www2.betfair.com [84.20.193.56]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms telus.home [x.x.x.x]
2 37 ms 38 ms 37 ms 10.236.208.1
3 38 ms 39 ms 37 ms 209-115-132-105.DNS77.com [209.115.132.105]
4 39 ms 36 ms 37 ms 209.115.198.85
5 38 ms 38 ms 38 ms 154.11.94.246
6 38 ms 38 ms 38 ms edtnab02ca01.bb.telus.com [154.11.94.228]
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 74 ms 73 ms 74 ms wnpgmbabbr00.bb.telus.com [204.225.243.86]
9 73 ms 75 ms 74 ms chcnil23br00.bb.telus.com [204.225.243.130]
10 74 ms 73 ms 73 ms CHCGILDTGR01.bb.telus.com [154.11.13.186]
11 74 ms 73 ms 72 ms 173.182.200.2
12 74 ms 73 ms 73 ms te0-4-0-1.ccr21.ord01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.25.65]
13 90 ms 92 ms 89 ms te0-3-0-4.ccr21.dca01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.40.197]
14 92 ms 90 ms 90 ms te0-1-0-7.ccr21.jfk02.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.1.234]
15 91 ms 89 ms 91 ms te0-0-0-5.mpd22.jfk02.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.7.1]
16 91 ms 90 ms 89 ms te8-7.mpd01.jfk05.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.3.166]
17 90 ms 90 ms 89 ms gblx.jfk05.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.11.138]
18 158 ms 158 ms 157 ms THE-SPORTING-EXCHANGE-LIMITED.Gi329.ar6.LON3.gblx.net [64.214.129.10]
19 157 ms 157 ms 158 ms 84.20.193.56

[Micro2Macro]

god damn, poker sites pulling out of regions one by one. we're all fucked.

[Ash256]

I assume you've already done this, but go to your command line and put in "ipconfig /flushdns"

[KoRnholio]

I assume you've already done this, but go to your command line and put in "ipconfig /flushdns"

Yup I've also reset/power off+on'd my modem and router (forgot to mention in the OP).

[jyms]

Could you not just find someone you trust here to log in and withdraw the money for you so you can move somewhere else?

[KoRnholio]

I've been reading some help files on tech-faq.com about DNS servers and such. It's all greek to me, but I'm pretty sure there's some issue between here and betfair.com, or something my computer is doing wrong for the connection to get there.

I flushed my dns then did a displaydns after trying the site again. This is all meaningless to me, but perhaps someone will see something in it that might help.

C:\Documents and Settings\Matthew>ipconfig /displaydns

Windows IP Configuration


Betfair.com: Online Betting, Sports Betting, Horse Racing, Football | Bet Poker, Casino & Games
----------------------------------------
Record Name . . . . . : Betfair.com: Online Betting, Sports Betting, Horse Racing, Football | Bet Poker, Casino & Games
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Answer
A (Host) Record . . . : 84.20.192.65


Record Name . . . . . : pdns1.ultradns.net
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
A (Host) Record . . . : 204.74.108.1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns1.ultradns.net
Record Type . . . . . : 28
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 16
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
AAAA Record . . . . . : 2001:502:f3ff::1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns2.ultradns.net
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
A (Host) Record . . . : 204.74.109.1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns3.ultradns.org
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
A (Host) Record . . . : 199.7.68.1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns4.ultradns.org
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
A (Host) Record . . . : 199.7.69.1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns4.ultradns.org
Record Type . . . . . : 28
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 16
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
AAAA Record . . . . . : 2001:502:4612::1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns5.ultradns.info
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
A (Host) Record . . . : 204.74.114.1


Record Name . . . . . : pdns6.ultradns.co.uk
Record Type . . . . . : 1
Time To Live . . . . : 2587
Data Length . . . . . : 4
Section . . . . . . . : Additional
A (Host) Record . . . : 204.74.115.1

[NobleTruths]

I have no brainy ideas, but have you tried to see if another computer from your place will work? Have you tried taking your computer to a friend's house and trying to access from there? These tests might help pin-point the problem's origins a bit.

Try emptying your internet cache and cookies.

[KoRnholio]

I have another machine here (laptop) on the same network that also doesn't connect. I've cleared cache/cookies/temporary internet files. I'll try taking my laptop to a friend's this weekend and see if it works.

Is there any way a certain domain name/IP could be blocked through say the software in a router?

[Galapogos]

What province do you live? Do you know anyone that also has this same issue?

I live in BC and have no troubles fwiw

[KoRnholio]

I'm in Alberta. I don't know of anyone else who has had this issue other than that one post I found on a random forum (he was from the UK).

I just had a friend on the same ISP as me try it, works for him. His tracert is basically identical, except it moves past hop #12 (xe-1-1-0.was12.ip4.tinet.net [89.149.184.38]) and gets to its destination.

Washington has banned me, obv?

[KoRnholio]

Well turns out something is fuct with my router. When I plugged my laptop straight into the modem (my modem connects to my router/HUB/wireless), it worked just fine.

Why one site would be blocked/broken by it I have no idea, but at least I have a temporary solution.

[kiwiMark]

Well turns out something is fuct with my router. When I plugged my laptop straight into the modem (my modem connects to my router/HUB/wireless), it worked just fine.

Why one site would be blocked/broken by it I have no idea, but at least I have a temporary solution.

What're you gonna spend the $20 on?

[Luco]

What're you gonna spend the $20 on?

Guessing 'a new router' would be +ev

[KoRnholio]

Guessing 'a new router' would be +ev

lol perhaps, but I was browsing last night and seemed to find another clue. Unfortunately I tried this fix and it didn't work

The correct answer to your problem - CNET Networking & wireless Forums

In Reply to: Can't access a specific website going thru my router by bartggc
The correct answer to this problem is as follows:
1. You must go into your router.
2. Enter the setup section.
3. Select MAC address.
4. Select user defined.
5. Change a few numbers and letters in the MAC address.
6. Save settings and reboot your computer and reset your MODEM.

This problem occurs when viewing the same site over a router from more that one computer or application at the same time for a period of time. This activates something in the server software that puts your IP address on a so called "BAND LIST". Your web hosting company will not be able to correct it because they don't know what is going on because they can see that it is working fine from their point of view.
Most common response is: Replace your router.
It works for them... But it is not the correct answer and it costs money to do so.

More Info:
If you check your IP address with and without your router, you will see that it is different. The MAC address on your router is different from the one on your modem. The MAC address helps define what your IP address is. If you are on an "IP Band List", you must change your IP. This is only possible through changing the MAC address on the router or calling you ISP, if you are not using a router.

[Ash256]

Why not phone your ISP, say that more sites have stopped working for you, jump through a few hoops to show it's not working, then threaten to leave unless they send a new router?

[MSG85]

I have no idea what the problem is and I'm not sure what all you've done, but before you just toss the router give this a try.

Type in the router's IP address into a web browser and poke around in there for a bit. If you don't know your Router's Ip, it will be listed as the default gateway in the ipconfig command's output. When you're in there see if there is some way to restore defaults. I'm not really sure that that would do any good, but if you're gonna trash it anyway...

Or, maybe you can add a secondary DNS server that knows where Betfair is?

What kind of router is it?

[MSG85]

I forgot to add that some spyware will set you up to go to a proxy server by default through a VPN, and this can disrupt connectivity. I'm pretty sure this is not the case here but if you're using IE go to (in IE) Tools>Internet Options>Connections Tab

Make sure no VPNs are set up (that shouldn't be).

Again, I doubt this is the problem, but it's worth a check.

[KoRnholio]

I have no idea what the problem is and I'm not sure what all you've done, but before you just toss the router give this a try.

Type in the router's IP address into a web browser and poke around in there for a bit. If you don't know your Router's Ip, it will be listed as the default gateway in the ipconfig command's output. When you're in there see if there is some way to restore defaults. I'm not really sure that that would do any good, but if you're gonna trash it anyway...

Or, maybe you can add a secondary DNS server that knows where Betfair is?

What kind of router is it?

I'm not about to trash the router, I am just hoping my ISP gives me a new one when they come to upgrade my net in a month or so (my router is only like 6 months old, D-Link DVA G3810BN). They sure take your money fast, but when it comes time to fix or upgrade something.. good luck getting them there any time soon

I've poked around a bit in the router, tried some port forwarding but I really don't know what I am doing. Having a friend come over tomorrow to take a peek and hopefully resolve this gheyness.

I do routine spyware checks and virus scans and haven't seen any problems come up from that. Not sure what a VPN is.

[boost]

when I "lived" in Canada for over a year after the UIGEA was passed I had this problem several times with betfair, but was fine logging into ipoker. I was on a VPN server that would be impossible to tell apart from a normal Canadian computer. The thing is, ISP's often route through major hubs as far off as Atlanta. When you have a site like betfair who uses poorly written scripts to sniff out people playing from the US, you get false positives like this.

Fortunately for me, my vpn was in the business of making it look like I was from Canada, so when I let them know that their routing was signaling a false positive, they click a few buttons or whatever they do and voila, I was back online. For you.. I really don't know what to say. The issue is most certainly with your ISP, but even if they understood the issue I'm not sure they could reroute just your connection as easily as this VPN service could.

p.s. Does betfair's software still suck a fat one? Having to click a button to be able to type in a bet was the most absurd thing I've ever seen on a poker site.

[kiwiMark]

betfair's recently (in the last few weeks) moved to a new network (Merge? ongame?) and the software is surprisingly sweeeeeet

[boost]

betfair's recently (in the last few weeks) moved to a new network (Merge? ongame?) and the software is surprisingly sweeeeeet

well the software they use to trace where you are connecting from obviously still sucks.

[KoRnholio]

Okay. Seriously. WTF. Fulltilt worked fine yesterday and now...

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Matthew>tracert www. fulltiltpoker.com

Tracing route to fulltiltpoker.com [91.211.98.20]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms telus.home [x.x.x.x]
2 37 ms 36 ms 37 ms 10.236.208.1
3 37 ms 37 ms 37 ms 209-115-132-105.DNS77.com [209.115.132.105]
4 39 ms 37 ms 38 ms 209.115.198.81
5 37 ms 38 ms 37 ms 154.11.94.245
6 37 ms 42 ms 37 ms edtnabxmca01.bb.telus.com [154.11.94.226]
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 78 ms 77 ms 79 ms 204.225.244.178
9 77 ms 76 ms 79 ms chcgildtgr00.bb.telus.com [154.11.11.34]
10 78 ms 76 ms 78 ms so-10-0-0.chi12.ip4.tinet.net [77.67.68.45]
11 144 ms 96 ms 97 ms xe-5-1-0.was12.ip4.tinet.net [89.149.184.34] <- YOU FUCKER
12 * * * Request timed out.
13 * * * Request timed out.
14 * * * Request timed out.
15

[KoRnholio]

I was doing some "pre-emptive" tracerts on other sites I play on, and now one of my favorite ipoker skins is also not working for me (but others are). Circuspoker worked fine for me yesterday as well. Circuspoker's lobby shows up for me and shows the games and such, but won't let me log in. "Cannont contact the gaming server. Please check your internet connection and try again. You can only continue in Offline mode."

Oddly, the tracert shows that it isn't dying on the same hop/dns server as betfair and fulltilt are...

Reward obviously still up for grabs, as now I really have no clue wtf to do. I'll download some new antivirus and anti-spyware stuff and see if they pick up anything my current ones haven't.

Could this be some kind of port/port-forwarding problem? I have not changed a single thing since yesterday though.

C:\Documents and Settings\Matthew>tracert Online Poker | Online Casino Poker | Play Poker Online

Tracing route to Online Poker | Online Casino Poker | Play Poker Online [78.109.164.224]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <1 ms <1 ms <1 ms telus.home [x.x.x.x]
2 39 ms 37 ms 37 ms 10.236.208.1
3 37 ms 37 ms 37 ms 209-115-132-105.DNS77.com [209.115.132.105]
4 37 ms 37 ms 37 ms 209.115.198.85
5 38 ms 37 ms 37 ms 154.11.94.246
6 37 ms 38 ms 38 ms edtnab02ca01.bb.telus.com [154.11.94.228]
7 * * * Request timed out.
8 73 ms 74 ms 73 ms wnpgmbabbr00.bb.telus.com [204.225.243.86]
9 74 ms 73 ms 73 ms chcnil23br00.bb.telus.com [204.225.243.130]
10 73 ms 73 ms 75 ms CHCGILDTGR01.bb.telus.com [154.11.13.186]
11 75 ms 75 ms 73 ms 173.182.200.2
12 74 ms 74 ms 74 ms te0-0-0-1.ccr22.ord01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54
.1.97]
13 92 ms 91 ms 92 ms te0-3-0-6.ccr22.ymq02.atlas.cogentco.com [66.28.
4.138]
14 325 ms 201 ms 207 ms te9-8.ccr02.lon02.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.42.
50]
15 444 ms 249 ms 492 ms te8-3.ccr01.lon01.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.0.
61]
16 164 ms 164 ms 163 ms te1-2.mpd01.lon01.atlas.cogentco.com [130.117.3.
225]
17 164 ms 166 ms 163 ms 149.6.2.10
18 167 ms 168 ms 164 ms ge-0-0-0-0.man1.as8553.net [195.10.255.35]
19 175 ms 177 ms 173 ms gw.ifl2.ukfast.net [85.159.62.30]
20 * * * Request timed out.
21 * * * Request timed out.
22 * * * Request timed out.
23 * * * Request timed out.
24 * * * Request timed out.

[boost]

It appears that you have computer aids. I would definitely email all of these sites and have them freeze your accounts until you can figure shit out.

[Muzzard]

I sent you a PM days//weeks ago about having a look at this for you via teamviewer, but you did not respond

[KoRnholio]

I sent you a PM days//weeks ago about having a look at this for you via teamviewer, but you did not respond

Ah right, scatterbrain me did read it a while ago and then totally forgot about it. Sending you a pm now.

[boost]

Ah right, I did read it a while ago and then realized if I let you teamviewer me, you might find my stash of tranny porn. Hid it where you wont find it, sending you a pm now.

fypldo

[Galapogos]

quality fypldo

[KoRnholio]

lol

Well after 2 hours with my ISP remoting into my comp the guy mentioned something about my router being in bridged mode or having the wrong firmware. I tried telling him they should just change my IP and see if that works. He then left saying he'd follow up with network services.

That was Friday, I get home Sunday (hungover, damn weddings) and now my IP addy is about 5 digits different and now all the sites work fine. We'll see if this becomes a never ending saga when my IP gets renewed

[kittrad]

Poker sites strike again. They just do this slowly but surely.

[spoonitnow]

Poker sites strike again. They just do this slowly but surely.

Excellent bump and excellent contribution to the forum. I'm sure you'll be a valued member in no time.

[OngBonga]

I'd read half this thread with interest before realising it was a 4-y/o bump.