Bad Request (Invalid Hostname) -- DNS error or gnarly something else?

[Matt_T_hat]

OK the thing I would like examined for comment is a pair of BMP files in a zip.

First let me explain what you are looking at.

The screenshots show My IE6 and a DOS window.

The DOS window has run ping against the domain that is showing as faulty.

The domain is www.mad-den.co.uk also pinged mad-den.co.uk with same results then to check pinged scarlet.mad-den.co.uk

They all reside on a single hosting account located in the US (For us UK peeps the exchange rate means a years top hosting on a PHP server can cost less than a pint of beer).

The second screen shot shows another IE6 window viewing the location of scarlet.mad-den.co.uk (a folder in mad-den.co.uk)

Now the message: Bad Request (Invalid Hostname)
It's not the first time I've had this issue test.ntfs.net showed it while ntfs.net worked fine. I understand that hosting in that case was simply.com I contacted the site owner who could see no problem.

It's not spyware I am sure as I run Adaware 6 and have Panda Internet security plantinum (firewall, AV and spamfilter). Panda were one of the first to add scumware to the virus list.

I have seen other versions of this error on sites I know well.

The "Google error" was common. The Apatche (or whatever the spelling is) Server error on Windows IIS sites and sometimes for iFrame adverts. And general variations on the theme.

The worst of this kind was when Blogger.com (who google own) comment and feed back system started resolving to another website.

There is a java exploit that effects all browsers meaning a site could hijack a named known window. But this does not seem to be the issue.

9/10 pumping refresh for 30 seconds fixes the problem.

I found reference to this error here: http://forums.devshed.com/archive/t-115310 but there was no conclusion drawn.

I also understand that verisign DNS started to redirect failures to thier search page... this leads to a security issue.

Beyond this I am at a compleate loss.

[dglienna]

try Hijack This!

[Matt_T_hat]

Originally Posted by dglienna

try Hijack This!

I use it regularly. I'm the IT techie the other IT techies call when there is an IE slowdown, Hi-Jack, Spyware mega-infection, or dialer problem. Which is strange because I'm the VB guy.

[dglienna]

try opening it using the IP address.

[Matt_T_hat]

Originally Posted by dglienna

try opening it using the IP address.

There is some merit to what you say. The address still pings after all yet after 10 minuets the issue has passed and I am encountering it at several locations accross the internet.

It has to be Me, ISP or DNS

It is not me as stated already.

I doubt it would be the ISP as other users have yet to report this issue.

that leaves a strange DNS issue.

[dglienna]

if you type in an IP address, and you can't get to it, it isn't DNS. If it is DNS, then call the ISP, and ask them which ones to use. I had a client that had problems sometimes, and we found out that the ISP had changed the secondary DNS server's IP address.

[Matt_T_hat]

Originally Posted by dglienna

if you type in an IP address, and you can't get to it, it isn't DNS. If it is DNS, then call the ISP, and ask them which ones to use. I had a client that had problems sometimes, and we found out that the ISP had changed the secondary DNS server's IP address.

So if I wanted to specify a DNS of my own could you recomend one or two?

(By the way I encountered the "google" error on a domain name set as my home page. The two screen shots are aproximatly four second apart. The google page is the first and the correct reselution is the second.)

[Matt_T_hat]

http://secunia.com/internet_explorer...rability_test/

Found this via a link at slashdot!

[Matt_T_hat]

That was a hard fella to post as you can see from the attachment.

All taht F5, Enter, F5, Enter rinse repeat to break free I'm supprised I only posted the one reply.

[dglienna]

go to any isp's website, and read what they say to use for dns when setting up email. you can use any, but should use the one that your isp suggests.