Why can't I connect to to www.google.com?

Question

For about 6 hours every time I try to connect to www.google.com I receive the error message on the page:


The requested URL could not be retrieved

While trying to retrieve the URL: http://www.google.com/

The following error was encountered:

Unable to determine IP address from host name for www.google.com

The dnsserver returned:

Timeout

This means that:

The cache was not able to resolve the hostname presented in the URL.
Check if the address is correct.

Your cache administrator is root. phishing-warning-site.com


OS: Windows 7. Browser: Firefox.
I'm able to go to any other page, but any starting with www.google... I thought that it was something in my gateway. So I entered to it (though my IP) and found that there was a third device connected to my home network listed as Unknown Device. Note that actually I only have to computers connected to it. The IP for this Unknown Device was all zeros and the the gateway couldn't determine if it was linked through cable or wireless.
Then I restarted the gateway and that Unknown Device was gone. But I changed the wireless password for being sure.
Another interesting thing is that last night I installed a FTP Client for Firefox, but I uninstalled today to see if the problem was resolved, but it wasn't.
Also, I called my Internet provider and after 1 hour trying to figure it out and trying several DNS servers, the agent just tell to wait for a few days.
Any idea please???

Answer 1

i don't know, but i can't get on google, either (i've got internet explorer)! it's making me mad! :/

..sorry i'm no help, but i'm glad it's not just something wrong with my computer!

Answer 2

I have the same problem. Noticed it yesterday. Doing an NSLOOKUP in the command line of my XPx64 box I get . . .



Address: 192.168.0.1> google.com

Server: UnKnown

Address: 192.168.0.1



Non-authoritative answer:

Name: google.com

Addresses: 72.14.204.103, 72.14.204.104, 72.14.204.147, 72.14.204.99



. . . . And putting 72.14.204.103 in the URL line of my browser I get the Google page.



Although, when I use www.google.com I get something else . . .

> www.google.com

Server: UnKnown

Address: 192.168.0.1



Non-authoritative answer:

Name: www.google.com

Address: 66.133.183.165

. . . And putting 66.133.183.165 in the URL I get "Unable to Connect"



At first I thought it was a DNS issue, but google.com resolves to the correct IP addresses when doing an NSLOOKUP. Curious. This is happening on multiple browsers on multiple computers.

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Update . . .

On my wife's Vista laptop (Sucks), Firefox doesn't work right, but when using IE attempting to bring up Google, the bottom left side of the browser reads "Website found, waiting for reply. . ." but after a few seconds it fails. This tells me that DNS is working and the address is resolved but for some reason, either Google is not responding or the TCP/IP traffic from Google is being redirected away from me.

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UPDATE:

Atari198 wrote that it is a DNS resolving issue. Well, actually I don't think it is a DNS resolving issue as PING, TRACERT, and NSLOOKUP all resolve the correct IP addresses. Now, I do think it is a Frontier ISP issue and it might be with DNS, but it's not a resolving issue. On Frontier an NSLOOKUP shows the Google addresses in this order . . .



Addresses: 72.14.204.103, 72.14.204.104, 72.14.204.147, 72.14.204.99



. . . But on the Time Warner network Google addresses resolve in this order . . .



Addresses: 72.14.204.99, 72.14.204.103, 72.14.204.104, 72.14.204.147



. . . Normally that shouldn't be an issue though. Im thinking it's more of an issue of filtering or some other security settings as it appears the initial communication actually reaches Google, but the return ACK communications isn't making it back to the requester.

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Also, a TRACERT on the Frontier network resolves the 72.14.204.103 (First Google IP address) hop as . . .



iad04s01-in-f103.1e100.net [72.14.204.103]



. . . It is possable that that host has been black listed for some reason and so return packets are denied. If Frontier changed the order of the IP addresses as they are resolved it could make a difference.



Just My Opinion.



That said . . . Atari198 does have a very good temporary solution, which is to use the UK Google site. http://google.co.uk

Answer 3

After calling the repair line (it was the only one open) the man basically said that Frontier and Google are fighting and so all Frontier customers are unable to access the site. Personally I'm just gonna annoy the hell out of Frontier, but this isn't a virus or browser problem or anything else just someone else who thinks they can argue with google.

Answer 4

This is a DNS resolving issue on Frontier's side, I repeat this is not a google problem, this is a frontier problem. I see 2 solutions, or actually work arounds (they dont fix the problem, but they work) Using google's ip adress will not work, as every search it conducts will still go through google.com.

1.Use google.co.uk untill Frontier fixes their issues, or



2.Use google's public DNS

http://code.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using.html#reverting, they have complete instructions on how to set this up, and how to switch it back once Frontier fixes it.

Answer 5

I pinged Google.com in my command window (OS: Windows XP). The ping was successful. I got the IP address, typed it into Firefox and got the Google main screen. Tried to do a search on Google and failed. This is something that is happening everywhere from the looks of it. I have one other computer in my household I will check that one and update later.

Answer 6

I tried the Google public DNS and it seems to be working very well. It's not something I want to be stuck on, though. A question for everyone... What ISP are you using? Clearly something needs resolved with their DNS if Google's is working. I am on Frontier (formerly Verizon) DSL.

Answer 7

I'm using IE8. This began happening right after I re-installed windows (unrelated event). Curiously, it only affects the first tab. If I open a second tab, google works fine. Go back to the first tab, and back to this. Perhaps this could lead someone in the right direction for us?

Answer 8

Exact same problem here. So sorry to reply without an answer, but really appreciate that it is not just my computer! Had problems with internet last week and hoped that the servicing did not change something in my setup that could cause this kind of issue.



Details: IE9 gives me exactly the error described. Google Chrome doesn't load Google, but didn't get the message. Can get to gmail, but not iGoogle. Same problem on two desktops and a laptop. Searching on "google outage" I'm not finding anything, but copy/pasting the error message that I'm getting found this page for me. ISP is Frontier Communications, Westell DSL modem (327 in model number), modem still shows that Verizon is carrier, as Verizon sold landlines to Frontier some months ago. Don't know if any of those variables match with anyone else's . . .



Thanks for putting something online. Hope there will be further help.

Answer 9

I am having this same problem with the exact same error page. I have tried different browsers...firefox and IE at least... and I can access my gmail and google calender...as well as google UK... but not google.com or google reader or any other google.com related site... such as their blogs.



I have done everything that one would normally do (restart, clear cache, cookies etc...) and I have a firewall/anti-virus/anti-phishing program installed... I also do not download anything or go to any rouge websites.



I am completely confused and frustrated with this. This seem to have just happened overnight... :(

Answer 10

Mine is doing this too... And we all are having this same problem and its been very recent... I'm using google chrome so its just not firefox... It's been happening to me all day.

Answer 11

I am receiving this on my laptop, too. It JUST went away, however.



Did not receive it at all on my desktop. Would like to know what is going on. I'm running on a Mac and never download anything, so I really don't think it is a virus/malware/adware program.

Answer 12

I cannot access google, but can also get on any other site as well! I have this EXACT error message you got - perhaps something wrong with their system? I'm not sure because I can use gmail just fine.



also, phishing-warning-site.com seems to be an advertisement site....





this error you have is happening to me on both my laptop and desktop computers...

Answer 13

Frontier ISP problem, if you do not use Frontier it works fine. you can use google.co.uk for now till it is fixed.

Answer 14

I was able to access Google using https://encrypted.google.com/, I find this very annoying!