DNS & Firefox fails on Linux, WindIE works only on older windows OS, ex not Vista

[steve reilly]

giovanni_re wrote:
> I'm trying to get a Linux (KUbuntu) laptop with Firefox working on a network, INet supplied probably by ATT (The USA national phone company) DSL. It has a router/gateway, maybe including a firewall, about 3-6 yrs in place, which I can't physically access.
> 
> Under Linux, it gets an IP assigned (either automatically, or with dhclient? ifup eth0?), but dig & nslookup fail. Can ping the gateway. Ping offsite IP = untried.  Firefox fails to bring up web pages, IIRC because unable to look up host name.
> 
> One key fact, I suspect, is that older ms windows InternetExplorer works (probably due to the os or Internet Explorer web browser, I'm guessing 2000-2225, like windows 2000 professional), but newer ones fail (for sure wXP professional fails, maybe a 2007 date. & I've been told, windows vista fails).  In fact, the primary users of this network bought new Windowss Vista laptops, their tech failed repeatedly to get them working, & they returned them for older non vista laptops.
> 
> Is there someone here with networking, dns, gateway, firewall, web browser knowledge who can suggest a clue for fixing, or further debugging, this situation??  Thanks  :)
> 
> 
> =======================================================
> What's the command to find out the currentt network settings? -netstatt?  I think it says the DNS server has the same IP as the gateway, 192.168.111.1 .IP assigned to the laptop: .14
> 
> How doesFirefoxx find outIP addresses? Query theDNS server itself?  Ask the Linux OS to find out? If that, how does Linux find out? - use a command like netstat/dig? Part of the built in networking stack? If not, what?
> 
> -
> Older windows laptops work, loading web pages in IE. Newer laptops (vista definitely, maybe whatever was before that) fail - a (probably junior) sysadmin/tech tried to get some new windows based laptops to work, & failed, & they had to downgrade to older laptops, running an older windows OS.
> 
> On a windows 2000 professional laptop, HP, Maybe 5-10 years old, IE can pull up web pages. "ipconfig" shows the gateway & assigned IP. But "netstatt" fails, timeout after 2 seconds, to get IP address.
> 
> I'm thinking the router/gateway/dns system is talking to older Windows Internet Explorer directly, & supplying it the dns lookup directly, through an alternate dns access method than the standard method??
> 
> -
> I had a method to find the gateway box manufacturer, but forgot it. Was it by telnetting to it's IP, & that showed the manufacturer? What else could have showed that (underlinuxx or windows)?  Traceroute? Ping?? Something else???
> 
> -
> Something is weird in that older windowsIEE are able to load web pages, but newer ones can't.
> 
> -
> Anyone heard of, or anything about, or can figure out this problem, or any useful analysis steps/probes??
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> 
> =======================================================
> SOME SPECIFICS ABOUT WORKING & FAILING LAPTOPS:
> 
> Works:
> windows 2000 professional -Aproxx year 2000? HP laptop
> IEE works, nslookup fails, ipconfig shows .1 as gateway? doesn't show dns server
>  old flag windows start button
>  The strange thing here is that InternetExplorer works, but nslookup fails.
> 
> =
> Fails:
> windowsXPP Professional - Compaq
>  auto assigns gateway, nslookup fails, IE won't pull up web pages.
> 
> New Vista? laptops fail
> 
> KUbuntu 9.04 Fails nslookup, dig, &Firefoxx.
> 
> Untested:
> windows xp Home Edition - SonyViao
>  new flag green
> 
> =====
> Note: 6-12 months ago i did something that gave me a manufacturer or model name for the gateway/router, but I forgot what I did. Telnet to some port on it's IP? traceroute??
> 
> Do you have any idea of any likely command/tool to find out the name from the g/r?
> 
> 
> ==
> Any help appreciated.  Thanks :)
> 

sounds to me like MAC address filtering on the routers part.

find out what your gateway is with ifconfig in a terminal, and type the 
gateway address in firefox, you'll need to know what the password is, 
google for that.  from there you should be able to figure it out.



steve