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  1. #1

    MediaServe and email issues [edited]

    Well, our email was down last week for 4 days. Support tickets never answered, all calls went to voice mail. No returned calls. Now the server is down again as of this morning. I can't ping the server. Still no callbacks.
    Good thing we moved our website to a different host a year ago. I just moved 40 email accounts that were still on MediaServe over to CrystalTech today.

    If you have anything with MediaServe, I suggest getting it off now.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
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    Miami, Florida
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    20,777
    Hello,
    I can hit the server without problem from here. I wonder if this could be related to the problem impacting Staminus

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showpo...24&postcount=6
    Keith I Myers
    KMyers.me The rantings of a lunatic
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  3. #3
    That's what I figured too. I can get to MediaServe webpage, but the server our stuff is on, can not be pinged.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    UK
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    If they do not want to pay attention to you whay to stay with them?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    3,878
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Madiou View Post
    If they do not want to pay attention to you whay to stay with them?
    I'm pretty sure he said he has moved or was moving stuff...

  6. #6
    I am not really in charge of that stuff. I was told about the 4 days of down time after it happened. The IT guy is out sick and they knew I "was into computers" so they called me when the email dropped again. The joys of "our email is not working, can you fix it?"

    And our MediaServe email/website is still down.
    Last edited by Porch; 10-23-2009 at 01:33 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
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    Quote Originally Posted by Porch View Post
    Well, our email was down last week for 4 days. Support tickets never answered, all calls went to voice mail. No returned calls. Now the server is down again as of this morning. I can't ping the server. Still no callbacks.
    Good thing we moved our website to a different host a year ago. I just moved 40 email accounts that were still on MediaServe over to CrystalTech today.

    If you have anything with MediaServe, I suggest getting it off now.
    We answer support tickets very timely. Please feel free to PM me here with your ticket number, and I'll be happy to look right into it.

    Our site is fine as well, as are all of our servers. Feel free to post or PM a traceroute so we can see if you are having routing problems from your location to ours. Or, if you attempt to log in to a server incorrectly too many times, you'll be temporarily blocked by our IDS.

    Please let me know who you are, so I can address your concerns - especially given the irresponsible implication you've thrown out here that we're "going under".
    Last edited by MediaServe-Troy; 10-23-2009 at 05:08 PM.

  8. #8
    Well then something must be really wrong with your IDS. I have tried connecting over my phone, from home, 2 different servers on the web, and from the office and nothing can connect.

    The IT guy is out sick right now and it's up to him if he wants to follow up. I was in the room when he called you guys and left a message for the second time requesting help. In the 4 hours I was with him, he never got a call back. According to him, he submitted support tickets, but did not get any help.

    I even tried to call the sales number, but I only got voicemail of some guy. Seriously, your entire sales dept is one guy? I didn't bother leaving a voicemail as that did not seem work before.

    Code:
    traceroute to mediaserve.com (208.43.211.50), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
     (removed for privicy)
     3  te-3-4.car2.SanFrancisco1.Level3.net (4.53.130.17)  0.890 ms  0.907 ms  0.928 ms
     4  ae-2-4.bar2.SanFrancisco1.Level3.net (4.69.133.158)  0.367 ms  0.342 ms  0.331 ms
     5  ae-6-6.ebr2.SanJose1.Level3.net (4.69.140.154)  1.507 ms  1.486 ms  1.466 ms
     6  ae-2.ebr2.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.69.132.14)  13.506 ms  13.834 ms  13.583 ms
     7  ae-3.ebr3.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.69.132.78)  53.950 ms  53.936 ms  53.916 ms
     8  ae-1-60.edge3.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.69.145.8)  46.596 ms ae-4-90.edge3.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.69.145.200)  46.016 ms ae-1-60.edge3.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.69.145.8)  46.375 ms
     9  te2-1.cer01.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (4.71.198.18)  46.925 ms  46.589 ms  46.785 ms
    10  po1.dar01.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (66.228.118.201)  46.416 ms  46.916 ms  47.183 ms
    11  po1.fcr04.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (66.228.118.214)  46.715 ms  46.231 ms  46.307 ms
    * * *
    
    traceroute to 174.36.111.188 (174.36.111.188), 30 hops max, 40 byte packets
     (removed for privicy)
     3  te-3-4.car2.SanFrancisco1.Level3.net (4.53.130.17)  12.617 ms  12.618 ms  12.706 ms
     4  ae-2-4.bar2.SanFrancisco1.Level3.net (4.69.133.158)  0.328 ms  0.319 ms  0.351 ms
     5  ae-6-6.ebr2.SanJose1.Level3.net (4.69.140.154)  1.438 ms  1.426 ms  1.346 ms
     6  ae-2.ebr2.LosAngeles1.Level3.net (4.69.132.14)  16.400 ms  17.385 ms  15.024 ms
     7  * * *
     8  ae-3-80.edge3.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.69.145.136)  65.772 ms  65.751 ms ae-1-60.edge3.Dallas1.Level3.net (4.69.145.8)  46.064 ms
     9  te2-1.cer01.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (4.71.198.18)  46.597 ms  46.560 ms  47.100 ms
    10  po1.dar01.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (66.228.118.201)  46.815 ms  46.486 ms  46.763 ms
    11  po1.fcr04.dal01.dallas-datacenter.com (66.228.118.214)  46.278 ms  46.701 ms  47.356 ms
    * * *
    Looks like routing is fine, but I can't ping 174.36.111.188.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Kansas City, Missouri
    Posts
    462
    Hello,

    The site works fine here. ICMP responses (ping) do not always indicate a site is up. Most common practices deny ICMP packets at the firewall/IDS level.

    Just my 2c.
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  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    212
    PM Troy if you have any more problem,I think it would help a lot.Maybe there is something wrong with their support team.But as you said you have moved all the files already...
    Umm,Yea,can be configed to refuse responses to a ping-request.
    HostEase Hosting - Professional Web Hosting
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  11. #11
    Code below slightly altered to get around this forums rules of no links for 5 post.

    Code:
    wget h-t-t-p://174.36.111.188/
    --18:57:10--  h-t-t-p://174.36.111.188/
    Connecting to 174.36.111.188:80... failed: Connection timed out.
    Retrying.
    
    --19:00:20--  (try: 2)  h-t-t-p://174.36.111.188/
    Connecting to 174.36.111.188:80... failed: No route to host.
    
    This site says it's down. 
    h-t-t-p://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/174.36.111.188
    I know about how some host block pings with the firewall. I have done the same on my firewalls. I did ping once before, and I have tried every other method to connect.

    I have had webhost go out of business with all my files before. It generally starts with no tech support, then nobody staffing the phones, then the servers go dark. Normally they do it when a client has not backed up all their data in months. I just wanted to give a heads up to everyone. It's not my intent to flame.

    I do have all our email accounts moved over to the new host, but I would like to get access to any email still stuck in the server.

    Thanks to AdmoNet for letting me know the server is still up. I just can't contact it from the east or west coast. It might be working for those in the middle.

  12. #12
    From my account on dnsstuff

    [code]
    Information about 174.36.111.188
    QUICK STATS:
    Sorry, I could not connect (10060).
    [code/]

  13. #13
    The problem can occur if host headers are required. In that case you *must* use the hostname instead of ip. This is always the case if using a shared ip. In your original post you talk about moving the website to another host a year ago. Is there even a web server that is supposed to be responding at the address you are trying? If so, then you need to try your wget with the host header that is expected by the site. Otherwise the test demonstrates nothing.

    Good thing we moved our website to a different host a year ago.
    .
    edgedirector.com
    managed dns global failover and load balance (gslb)
    exactstate.com
    uptime report for webhostingtalk.com

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
    Posts
    43
    When you call our sales line, our automated attendant message specifically states that technical or billing questions MUST be submitted to our online help desk. The sales department does not provide technical support.

    The IP you are pinging is invalid at this time. Sites on that server were moved to new hardware and IP space a couple weeks ago.

    You've implied that everything has been moved, and if so there is probably not much point to this suggestion - but if you post a ticket through our website or by emailing our support email address (just add support to @ our domain name), and let us know the domain name, a technician can tell you exactly what the problem is. Most likely you're not using our dns servers, and neglected to follow the instructions to update the IP address.

    WHT is probably not the place to continue this support discussion.

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by MediaServe-Troy View Post
    The IP you are pinging is invalid at this time. Sites on that server were moved to new hardware and IP space a couple weeks ago.
    ...
    Most likely you're not using our dns servers, and neglected to follow the instructions to update the IP address.
    Um..., yep that'd do it.
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  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by plumsauce View Post
    The problem can occur if host headers are required. In that case you *must* use the hostname instead of ip. This is always the case if using a shared ip. In your original post you talk about moving the website to another host a year ago. Is there even a web server that is supposed to be responding at the address you are trying? If so, then you need to try your wget with the host header that is expected by the site. Otherwise the test demonstrates nothing.
    .
    Unless things have changed since I installed Apache2 a month ago, the above it true. But their is a "default" website setup for when you connect to the server without a hostname. AKA direct by IP address. In the case of Mediaserve, when it was working, and when I connected by IP address, I got the default "Thanks for installing Apache" page.

    So the above wget should have worked, but it will just return an genetic Apache page.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
    Posts
    43
    I'll mention one more thing here in our defense. Porch - you haven't mentioned the domain name of your site, but I have looked through our hosting plans assigned to the server in question, and found the domain name which now has the MX pointing to CrystalTech.

    I recall sales forwarding a voicemail asking about some email problems with your domain. I just looked at the account, and I myself posted this ticket, 11 days ago on October 12th, to the owner of the account (some info redacted):

    We had a voicemail from someone asking about email issues with [Domain Name Redacted].

    Technical support questions need to be submitted to our online helpdesk at [URL redacted] or by emailing [Email address redacted].

    The problem is you're not using our dns servers, and we from time to time move sites between servers. The IP you should be using now for your mail server dns record is [IP Redacted]. That should resolve any email issues you're having.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Porch View Post
    Unless things have changed since I installed Apache2 a month ago, the above it true. But their is a "default" website setup for when you connect to the server without a hostname. AKA direct by IP address. In the case of Mediaserve, when it was working, and when I connected by IP address, I got the default "Thanks for installing Apache" page.

    So the above wget should have worked, but it will just return an genetic Apache page.
    But, as mediaserve explained to you, no one home, nothing is listening on the ip.

    In any case, you could have discovered that using

    telnet 174.36.111.188 80

    no connection? no listener, because there is no dependency on the host name for the tcp connection itself to occur. wouldn't even matter what type of web server was behind the ip. just that there is a listener on the port.

    The bottomline is that your headline and the suppositions made in the opening post were based on inadequate information. Only if someone reads to the bottom of the thread does the truth come out that you were trying to connect to a server with outdated information. As a result you made certain presumptions about the health of mediaserve which have proven to unfounded in the final analysis.

    Is it important what Apache2 did when you installed it last month? No. What is important is that you trashed a business without justification.
    edgedirector.com
    managed dns global failover and load balance (gslb)
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    uptime report for webhostingtalk.com

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
    Posts
    43
    Porch - check your PM inbox. I've just sent you a URL by which your email users can retrieve any emails left on the server, and though you've now pointed everything elsewhere, I'll leave the site up for 10 days from now to give them time to do so.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by MediaServe-Troy View Post
    When you call our sales line, our automated attendant message specifically states that technical or billing questions MUST be submitted to our online help desk. The sales department does not provide technical support.
    With nobody answering the support tickets, Everyone was desperate. So they just delete the messages asking for help?


    The IP you are pinging is invalid at this time. Sites on that server were moved to new hardware and IP space a couple weeks ago.

    You've implied that everything has been moved, and if so there is probably not much point to this suggestion - but if you post a ticket through our website or by emailing our support email address (just add support to @ our domain name), and let us know the domain name, a technician can tell you exactly what the problem is. Most likely you're not using our dns servers, and neglected to follow the instructions to update the IP address.

    WHT is probably not the place to continue this support discussion.
    Ah, bingo. That is it. When the website was moved a year ago, they also moved the DNS hosting. Whoever is in charge of checking that email account, was asleep on the job.

    I do wonder, if the server had been moved a few weeks ago, how did the email just die a few days ago?

    So it looks like the downtime is our fault. I apologize for the accusation saying you are going out of business.

    Thank you for your response.

    Now I have to write a really awkward email.
    Last edited by Porch; 10-24-2009 at 12:05 AM.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
    Posts
    43
    Porch, not too keep dragging this out, but I feel that since you've made some insinuations here that I feel are unfounded, I'm on the defensive and have to prove that we've gone to great lengths to help you with this issue.

    Now that I figured out the domain name of the site in question, I've found this ticket as well, posted on October 13th:

    Don,

    We provide support through our online help desk. If you call and leave a message on our sales line, when the phone system clearly states you have to submit technical support or billing questions through the online help desk, it won't help you get anything resolved quickly.

    You haven't even mentioned the domain name of the email you're trying to get help with. I'm assuming it may be [domain redacted]. Furthermore, you closed this ticket - which means if I hadn't seen it come across my phone and remembered it, I wouldn't have even seen it to answer it, since it was already closed out.

    The most likely cause for email problems is that you are not using our dns servers. We move sites to different servers from time to time for load balancing purposes or hardware issues.

    Right now, [domain redacted] points to the IP address [ip redacted], as you can see here:

    [Links to iptools.com redacted]

    That is not our IP address, so I assume you are hosting the website elsewhere. (Why you would point the website elsewhere but still want to use our email I'm not sure - it's something we do not support or encourage, though it can be done obviously.)

    Email routing is controlled by a MX record, and an MX record is supposed to point to a hostname, not an IP address. However, the [domain redacted] MX record points to the IP [ip redacted].

    [More iptools.com links redacted]

    So, firstly this is an invalid MX record, which is not guaranteed to work at all. Secondly, it points to a server other than the one [domain redacted] is on now on this end. The IP for [domain redacted] on our end is now [ip redacted].

    My recommendation would be to point the A record for mail.[domain redacted] to the IP [ip redacted], and then update the MX record to use mail.[domain redacted] instead of an IP address. Then in mail clients, use mail.[domain redacted] as the mail server name.

    I would investigate having your hosting and email reside at the same company. If you're not using our hosting, why use our email? It only makes things more confusing.
    So, in summary:

    1. Your domain's MX record was invalid in the first place. (Apparently it was working, but it was nonetheless invalid - an MX record points to a host, not an IP address.)

    2. We did respond to your voicemail through the help desk October 12th.

    3. You (unless you're not Don) opened a ticket on October 13th, and then immediately closed it - but I happened to notice it come across my cell phone, looked it up and re-opened it, and then responded with all kinds of detailed information to help you resolve the problem.
    Last edited by MediaServe-Troy; 10-24-2009 at 12:14 AM.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Feb 2002
    Location
    Dallas, Texas
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    Quote Originally Posted by Porch View Post
    With nobody answering the support tickets, Everyone was desperate. So they just delete the messages asking for help?
    Wrong on both counts. We DID answer your tickets, as I've demonstrated, and we even opened a ticket ourselves on your account in response to your voicemail, also as demonstrated.

    Ah, bingo. That is it. When the website was moved a year ago, they also moved the DNS hosting. Whoever is in charge of checking that email account, was asleep on the job.

    I do wonder, if the server had been moved a few weeks ago, how did the email just die a few days ago?
    We left the old server up for a time to allow for dns transition with no website downtime. You would have continued connecting to the old server, although incoming email would have dwindled - in fact you started inquiring about the email issue before we took the old server offline.

    So it looks like the downtime is our fault. I apologize for the accusation saying you are going out of business.

    Thank you for your response.

    Now I have to write a really awkward email.
    Thank you, apology accepted.

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by Porch View Post
    I do wonder, if the server had been moved a few weeks ago, how did the email just die a few days ago?
    The IP you are pinging is invalid at this time. Sites on that server were moved to new hardware and IP space a couple weeks ago.
    A likely scenario is that the email was *still* going to the old server. After the move, mediaserve might have left the server up for a transitional period. Then, when the server was finally turned off, poof, no email.

    So, you also need to followup and check the dns for that particular domain. You may also find that the internal dns at the office needs updating. Finally, you need to find out if there are any hosts files sitting around that were applied "just in case" that someone forgot about. Maybe a few people had problems with dns resolution and those workstations had hosts files configured to keep them quiet. If you are using active directory/dhcp in the office, you'll have to check there too.

    ps. I see mediaserve was also answering the bit about the overlap.
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  24. #24
    First let me say if I could edit the top post and say everything is fine and to read the second page, I would.

    There seems to be some confusion on how I checked to see if the server was up. I didn't include everything I did for brevity. I did poke and probe 174.36.111.188 on port 80, 25, 110, and everything I did pointed to the fact the server was down. My wget example above was just one test I used.

    I am not Don. Don has been sick for going on 2 weeks now. I am trying to sort out this mess the best I can. I can only go on what he told me. When he gets better, I will bring to his attention your reply below and figure out why he did not get the message.

    I know it's not the proper communication channel and I know you get lots of tech question over the phone when you should not, but responding to a VM about email being down with a email/ticket update, would have got me fired. A simple call back of "We got your vm, please check the ticket system as we sent you a lot of good information." would have stopped this entire thing dead cold before it got out of hand.

    I discovered all the MX record problems a few weeks ago, and had fixed a few as of last week with plans to fix more this weekend. Most of the IT staff are volunteers (including me), and making money to eat comes before changing a working DNS config.

    I can't say much more until Don gets better and I can see what he says about all this.

    I do very much appreciate your response. You guys are back on my recommended list.

  25. #25
    The moderators will sometimes change a title under exceptional circumstances or add a note to a post if you ask nicely. There have been instances in the past where similar circumstances have led to the same solution. Just open a ticket using the support desk link at the top of the page. A moderator will review the request and thread.
    edgedirector.com
    managed dns global failover and load balance (gslb)
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    uptime report for webhostingtalk.com

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