Forum Server Move - DNS Cache - an explanation and troubleshooting instructions

[rkinsey]

DNS (Domain Name Service) is the service that translates IP addresses (61.9.195.193) into a name (nissanpatrol.com.au) so that we humans dont have to keep memorising numbers. These servers are all over the world and it is one part of how the internet works.

If you have saved the forum as a favorite or a bookmark and you try to access the forum on Friday, some of you may find that you wont be able to access the nissanpatrol.com.au site as your DNS Cache is pointing to the wrong IP address for the Forum.

To help troubleshoot and resolve this issue follow the steps related to your operating system on your computer (Sorry, I dont have instructions for Smart devices) to "Flush" your DNS Cache.

Here are step by step instructions - http://www.whatsmydns.net/flush-dns.html - These cover operating systems Windows 98/NT/2000/Vista/XP/7 MAC OSX (all versions) and Linux.
This may help those of you who might have some problems over the next few days.

If you are having any trouble or want some advice, please PM me and I will be more than happy to help out and point ypou in the right direction

Cheers,

Rob

[Cuppa]

Will running the relevant (to OS) command suggested in the link wipe all bookmarks?

[lorrieandjas]

Will running the relevant (to OS) command suggested in the link wipe all bookmarks?

Hi Cuppa - no mate. All it does is flush the cached (held in memory rather than having to look up) name to IP mapping.

Jas

[rkinsey]

Will running the relevant (to OS) command suggested in the link wipe all bookmarks?

In a nutshell Cuppa, it clears a list of IP addresses, and their relevent Internet address, that your web browser has saved so that the process of connecting to any website is faster as your computer will look at this cache first and then conenct to the website. If it had to get this information from the DNS server at your ISP every time you tried to open a webpage, it would take a lot longer to load the website. (Then multiply that by the thousands of people trying to connect to thousands of websites all at the same time.....) The DNS server would have a heart attack!!

You only need to do this if you are having trouble connecting to the Website after it has been moved tonight. If you have to Flush your DNS cache, once you start connecting to websites again either from your bookmarks or by typing in their address in your browser, the DNS cache will start to populate again.

Cheers,

Rob

[Sir Roofy]

If we have trouble in the favorites bar we can just
go back to web search ???

[Cuppa]

Thanks Rob, so it's different to using the 'Empty Caches' command in the Safari's 'Develop Menu'? (Which also clears all saved passwords)

Cuppa

[rkinsey]

If we have trouble in the favorites bar we can just
go back to web search ???

Hi Roofy,

If you were having trouble connecting to the website, say you were getting a "404 - Not found error", no matter where you initiate the connection from, either Google, Bookmarks or any other "Link" it will still give you the error because your web browser is still looking at the DNS cache file. Clearing this will start the process all over again (which happens in the background and only takes milliseconds)

[rkinsey]

Thanks Rob, so it's different to using the 'Empty Caches' command in the Safari's 'Develop Menu'? (Which also clears all saved passwords)

Cuppa

Yes cuppa.

That just clears the cookies, passwords, form data and stuff like that that is asscociated with the browser itself.