Intermittent problem with accessing DPChallenge

Lytro Illum Light Field Digital

10/08/2011 09:43:14 AM · #1

For the past couple of days I've had intermittent problems with accessing this site. Sometimes disabling my antivirus (Kaspersky) allows me to connect again, sometimes not. I've been running IE9 under Windows 7-64 on a new laptop for the past couple of weeks, but this problem has only just started. I've been able to access DPC from other computers, so clearly there's no problem with the website and I've had no probs accessing other sites from the laptop. Suggestions??

Qiki

yakatme

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

10/08/2011 09:48:13 AM · #2

I've had the same problems over the last couple of days so I also think that it is the site. Using Google Chrome, Windows 7-64, AVG Free

Lytro Illum Light Field Digital

10/08/2011 09:52:39 AM · #3

Originally posted by yakatme:

I've had the same problems over the last couple of days so I also think that it is the site. Using Google Chrome, Windows 7-64, AVG Free

I'm confused about why I can access via other machines tho. I've also used a few sites that check the status of other sites and they all report back that DPC is up and running.

yakatme

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED

10/08/2011 10:19:12 AM · #4

The problems that I encountered didn't occur often enough that I thought that I could pin it down to one machine or the other. I thought that if I tried to access with another computer and I had no problems that it would probably be that the problem was happening at all at that moment so I didn't even try. I wasn't unable to access DPC for more than 20 seconds at a time, but it did happen approximately a couple dozen times over two or three days.

Message edited by author 2011-10-08 10:19:31.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

10/08/2011 12:40:15 PM · #5

I had some issues yesterday. It seemed as if the DNS server couldn't find DPC, or that DPC was temporarily offline.

KristinaG

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS

10/08/2011 01:03:50 PM · #6

Huh, I use Google Chrome, and I haven't had any problems.
I guess I might have just not been trying to access the site at the right times though

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

10/08/2011 01:36:00 PM · #7

My guess is this is DNS related. I've experienced this problem in the past, but not recently.

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

10/08/2011 03:14:29 PM · #8

Router issue !

LandzEnca

Samsung TL500

Sony SAL-16105 DT 16-105mm

10/08/2011 10:44:48 PM · #9

My usual problem with dpc is during uploading to portfolio. It usually takes me a few retries of the same file before it goes through. Uploading for challenges is fine, except during the nonsense challenge, it gave me a message saying only jpegs are accepted, when i was submitting a 280kb jpg file. The rest of the site is fine, except for the css not being mobile friendly.

10/08/2011 10:55:04 PM · #10

You can check if it's DNS related by changing your DNS server to google. When I had Comcast I'd have DNS related problems quite often, I think either Google or openDNS are better options than going through your ISP.

//code.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

10/09/2011 08:10:38 AM · #11

Problem is still ongoing. Can't put my finger on what is/isn't causing the problem. This is driving me nuts. Have downloaded Firefox, but have the same problem as with IE. Any other suggestions?

o2bskating

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

10/09/2011 09:06:33 AM · #12

i use openDNS and have never had a problem connecting to this site.

10/09/2011 04:50:14 PM · #13

Originally posted by Qiki:

Problem is still ongoing. Can't put my finger on what is/isn't causing the problem. This is driving me nuts. Have downloaded Firefox, but have the same problem as with IE. Any other suggestions?

That it's not browser specific makes me think it's ISP related. Have you tried changing your DNS yet? I'm betting changing DNS servers would fix it.

Google Glass Google Glass

10/09/2011 08:51:14 PM · #14

Originally posted by bmatt17:

Originally posted by Qiki:
Problem is still ongoing. Can't put my finger on what is/isn't causing the problem. This is driving me nuts. Have downloaded Firefox, but have the same problem as with IE. Any other suggestions?

That it's not browser specific makes me think it's ISP related. Have you tried changing your DNS yet? I'm betting changing DNS servers would fix it.

Sorry for my computer gumby-ness, but I'm not really sure what 'changing my DNS' means.

ambaker

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

10/09/2011 08:58:19 PM · #15

I've noticed that the people who are inclined to give my images a high score, are having an exceedingly hard time accessing the site.

10/09/2011 10:52:42 PM · #16

//code.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using.html

That explains how to do it. The DNS servers are 8.8.8.8 and the alternate is 8.8.8.4.

Basically you want to change from automatically setting your DNS from your ISP to use the google one. DNS is like the address book of the internet, it's what tells your browser the IP address off a web site. You can bypass DNS also by typing in the IP address directly, for dpchallenge it's 78.158.93.74

This is the info copied from googles instructions
Microsoft Windows

DNS settings are specified in the TCP/IP Properties window for the selected network connection.

Example: Changing DNS server settings on Microsoft Windows 7

Go the Control Panel.
Click Network and Internet, then Network and Sharing Center, and click Change adapter settings.
Select the connection for which you want to configure Google Public DNS. For example:
To change the settings for an Ethernet connection, right-click Local Area Connection, and click Properties.
To change the settings for a wireless connection, right-click Wireless Network Connection, and click Properties.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Select the Networking tab. Under This connection uses the following items, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and then click Properties.
Click Advanced and select the DNS tab. If there are any DNS server IP addresses listed there, write them down for future reference, and remove them from this window.
Click OK.
Select Use the following DNS server addresses. If there are any IP addresses listed in the Preferred DNS server or Alternate DNS server, write them down for future reference.
Replace those addresses with the IP addresses of the Google DNS servers:
For IPv4: 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4.
For IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888 and/or 2001:4860:4860::8844
Restart the connection you selected in step 3.
Test that your setup is working correctly; see Testing your new settings below.
Repeat the procedure for additional network connections you want to change

10/09/2011 10:56:35 PM · #17

Also to get a websites IP address, open the command prompt in windows and do a ping on the website. For example typing 'ping www.dpchallenge.com' with out the ' will show you what the IP address for that site is. If you then put that IP address directly into the address bar of your browser it will bypass the DNS server since all the DNS server is doing is giving that IP address to your browser.

10/09/2011 11:15:07 PM · #18

OK. Thanks. All seems a little daunting, but I'll have a go later when I'm home and have my laptop in front of me. Appreciate your advice.

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

10/11/2011 07:54:26 AM · #19

OK, still having problems. But here's the strange thing - it seems to be related to the strength of my internet connection. I'm currently using a mobile internet connection, which is pretty good where I'm living, but not as strong as in other areas. I only have problems where I'm living and can sometimes overcome them by going out in to the street (where the signal strength is better than inside). But, I haven't had problems accessing any other sites at home except for this one. So, what's different about DPC that requires a stronger connection that every site??

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

10/11/2011 08:24:46 PM · #20

Originally posted by Qiki:

DPC loads larger images than most sites. That may be the rootof the problem. If the connection is weak, your transfer speed is probably slow, which will affect bandwidth intensive sites ore than other sites. Can you easily watch higher-bit-rate videos? If you can, without interruption, then that's not the problem. You can also do a speed test. Try here. Select a city near you and have at it.

cosney

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/11/2011 09:53:46 PM · #21

OK guys I have a similar problem.

I can not access DP Challenge from home. I have tried using my MacBook Pro, my girls friends Macbook, can't get it on my the iPhone if using wifi.

I have used Chrome, safari and firefox - all ust say it can't connect to DP Challenge.

I have tried flushing the DNS cache through terminal

Any ideas, I can access from the work PC (which i am doing now) and I can get it on the iPhone on a 3G signal.

Any ideas would be welcome!

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

10/11/2011 10:01:36 PM · #22

Originally posted by cosney:

Sounds very similar to my situation. In response to Kirbic's question - yep I can connect to any other bandwidth-hungry site, including live stream high bit rate video etc. There just seems to be something about this site. I too am reduced to sending this from work...

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

10/11/2011 10:47:21 PM · #23

Well, we still need to eliminate the DNS question. SInce anything connected to your home wireless will be using you ISP's DNS server, the behavior you observe is what we'd expect if there is a DNS problem. If you're not comfortable switching to public DNS, try typing 78.158.93.74 into your browser's address window (not the search window) and hitting enter. Does DPC come up?

cosney

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/11/2011 11:03:23 PM · #24

I'll try this evening ... and report back!