Newbie based in China

[Ronaldo]

Originally Posted by chew13

[=SHORT ANSWER=]
Yes, you should.

[=LONG ANSWER=]
Yes, you should, here's why:

Say, if you request http://forum.sammyboy.com in your browser, your browser will inform your OS, which in turn will contact the DNS server you are using (usually your ISP's), and it will search its cache to see if it has the IP address of this URI. If the DNS server has the IP in its cache, it will send a reply back to your OS, which sends to your browser and your browser will make the request for http://216.65.64.110, thereby contacting the server listening on IP 216.65.64.110. The server on 216.65.64.110 will then return the requested page to your browser.

Now, if the DNS server does not have the IP in its cache, or had been configure to ignore or filtered certain URI/IPs/range of IPs, then what you get in your browser will be a DNS error/DNS not found.

If the DNS server does not have have any filter rules, it will resolve the URI by making a request to a root DNS server/registrar DNS server, which in turn points it to the DNS server which the URI is registered with and returns it to your browser, which then make the request for http://216.65.64.110, thereby contacting the server listening on IP 216.65.64.110. The server on 216.65.64.110 will then return the requested page to your browser.

Ok, enough of the boring technical part. Back to the software, basically what it does is to run as a DNS server and caching server in your system, so thereby effectively bypassing your ISP's DNS server and whatever control they put in there as it becomes your OS's first point of contact instead of your ISP's DNS server. Another advantage is to cut down the latency time it takes to resolve all the URI especially when you have a narrow uplink pipe or extremely heavy connections. This software will solve the problem of DNS resolving issues fast, and that is exactly what it does best!

Usually I will recommend that you guys install this as it really speed up the time it takes to start your download (be it webpages, files or emails). It will not speed up your download speed though, as that is still dependant on your downlink from your ISP. No use installing all those useless internet accelerators or need to tweak your MTU unless you are still running Win95 or still on a Pentium 2 machine.

Best regards,
Chew


[DISCLAIMER] - Being a lowly educated fellow who had never even completed Polytechnic, the above techinical explanations are done to the best of my knowledge to whoever that may find them useful. If there are any mistake that anyone who will like point out, or give alternate explanations, you are welcome. However, do not flame me or start a childish shouting match. Thank you!

Chim!!!
Although I dont understand a thing... It seems impressive with all the technical terms...

[Sinoview]

Originally Posted by chew13

Try installing TreeWalk DNS, do a reboot, and see if that solve the problem, if not let me know and I will see what I can do.

Many thanks for your advise.

I have download and installed the TreeWalk onto my notebook. But cannot see the effect of it. How do I know if I have installed it correctly and it's working as specified.

Cheers

[chew13]

Originally Posted by Sinoview

Many thanks for your advise.

I have download and installed the TreeWalk onto my notebook. But cannot see the effect of it. How do I know if I have installed it correctly and it's working as specified.

Cheers

1) Make sure you are connected to the net.

2) Go to Start -> Programs -> TreeWalk -> tools -> check config
It will popout a text file named netinfo.txt. In this text file, do you see something like this?

* DNS server(s) list..........: 127.0.0.1 192.168.2.1

DNS server....................: 127.0.0.1
* Reachable (ICMP ping).......: Yes
* Number of hops to host......: 1
* Rountrip time (millisec)....: 0

DNS server....................: 192.168.2.1
* Reachable (ICMP ping).......: Yes
* Number of hops to host......: 1
* Rountrip time (millisec)....: 0

If you have the 127.0.0.1 (that stands for localhost), your configuration is right.

2) Go to Start -> Programs -> TreeWalk -> tools -> check server
It will run a few tests and if it is not working it will warn you. If the tests are successful, it will pop up a text file named testdns.txt and shows you the results. You can see the respond time that it takes to perform the name resolutions and other infos.

3) Launch your broswer and hit a few sites, like google.com, forum.sammyboy.com etc.

4) Go to Start -> Programs -> TreeWalk -> TreeWalk control panel

Look at the left bottom of the control panel, do you see the words 'Service is running'? If yes, it is working.

Now click on Stats, and it will perform a dump on the culmulative results in a file named named.stats and it will contain something that looks like this:

+++ Statistics Dump +++ (1092984944)
success 913
referral 0
nxrrset 3
nxdomain 1013
recursion 1961
failure 103
--- Statistics Dump --- (1092984944)

[-=Final Note=-]
From time to time, like once every 2-3 months, do an update on the root dns list. Go to Start -> Programs -> TreeWalk -> config -> Update root-hints from ICANN

Hope this helps. Can you get connected on ICQ and send emails yet?

Best regards,
Chew