# Fur Affinity - DNS Updates



## Dragoneer (Jun 10, 2008)

Just a small note to go along with the outage: FA's primary DNS addresses were updated. For many, these changes have already taken affect and will be readily visible. However, in some instances DNS changes_ can take up to 72 hours to propagate_ throughout the world. It's rare that it will take that long, but in the instance the main site is not accessible you can try to flush your DNS cache to see if it pulls the new address.

*In Windows 3.11*


Unplug all cables from computer.
Open nearest window.
Release the computer back into nature.
Go to nearest store, open wallet, dispense product, receive new computer.
 *In Windows 98, XP*


Click *Start *then choose *Run*
In the text window type in "*CMD*"  (without quotes) then click OK.
Type in "*IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS*" (without quotes) then hit enter.
Try to access FA again.
*In Windows Vista*


Press *Windows Key + R*
In the text window type in "*CMD*"  (without quotes) then click OK.
Type in "*IPCONFIG /FLUSHDNS*" (without quotes) then hit enter.
Try to access FA again.
*In OSX Leopard*


Open the *Terminal *application located in Applications > Utilities
Type in "*dnscacheutil -flushcache*" (without quotes) then hit enter.
Try to access FA again.
 *In OSX 10.5.1 and Older*


Open the *Terminal *application located in Applications > Utilities
Type in "*lookupd -flushcache*" (without quotes) then hit enter.
Try to access FA again.
 If you still can not access the site that means your DNS has still not updated. Try again later.


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## Lukar (Jun 10, 2008)

Small question... What's a DNS? ?_?


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## Beastcub (Jun 10, 2008)

Lukar said:


> Small question... What's a DNS? ?_?



um yeah ditto

also i am seeing the "FA temp offline" thing where as before it said "site could not be found" or something along that lines ...so do i have to do anything to ma computer to see FA or is that all there is to even see currently 0_o


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## Dragoneer (Jun 10, 2008)

Lukar said:


> Small question... What's a DNS? ?_?


A DNS is a "Domain Name Server" which is basically like a giant phonebook which translates numbers into word. Instead of having to memorize IP addresses (e.g. 66.112.210.116) to go to a website you can use "www.furaffinity.net" to go to it instead. Because our move changed our IP address we had to update the DNS server so the new IP address knew to point to the website.

Imagine having to memorize and type in 66.112.210.116 every single time you wanted to go to FA. Yeah. Not fun.


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## Asnkoe (Jun 10, 2008)

Ah well, everything will be back to normal sooner or later.


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## Ribbonpaws (Jun 11, 2008)

I followed the steps above,etc... still no site for me... awe..


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## Dragoneer (Jun 11, 2008)

Ribbonpaws said:


> I followed the steps above,etc... still no site for me... awe..


It may still take a day or two for your DNS to update then. :| It's an issue at your ISP, sadly.


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## Ribbonpaws (Jun 11, 2008)

that makes me sad... ill try again tomorrow


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## Dragoneer (Jun 11, 2008)

Ribbonpaws said:


> that makes me sad... ill try again tomorrow


You could always try to change your DNS to OpenDNS. It may have the new updated information, and it's easy as can be to set it up. 

http://www.opendns.com/


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## Lt_Havoc (Jun 11, 2008)

Oh, hell, that means I have a bazzillion submissions in FA by tommorrow that I have to go through....

Also, how should that OpenDNS thinige work? I dont like messing around with my network prefrences.


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## Ribbonpaws (Jun 11, 2008)

i dont like messing with that sortive thing.... i usually end up messing with my internet somehow and then not having a connection at all


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## Dragoneer (Jun 11, 2008)

Lt_Havoc said:


> Also, how should that OpenDNS thinige work? I dont like messing around with my network prefrences.


OpenDNS is really easy. If you follow the instructions it's a cakewalk, and if anything doesn't work... just remove the info after. If you're not comfortable with editing the network settings you'll just have to wait until your internet service provider updates their DNS.


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## luckynumber (Jun 15, 2008)

I've tried all this and still can't connect from home.
OpenDNS's instructions don't match up with what they claim my router should display, and just changing the settings on my own computer does jack squat.


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## Eevee (Jun 15, 2008)

Anyone STILL having trouble:

Windows: Start > Run > cmd > ping furaffinity.net
Other: open a terminal > host furaffinity.net

The first line should tell you in square brackets (or not, for *nix) what your computer thinks FA's IP is.  If it says 66.112.210.116, your problem is unrelated to this thread.  If it says anything else, your ISP is just dumb and hasn't rechecked FA's IP yet.


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## Akkateerel (Jun 15, 2008)

ah okay i see my problem... it says something with 216.196.etc.
then what do i have to do in that case? do i just have to wait?


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## Dragoneer (Jun 15, 2008)

Akkateerel said:


> ah okay i see my problem... it says something with 216.196.etc.
> then what do i have to do in that case? do i just have to wait?


Unfortunately, yep. You can try to access the site by putting 66.112.210.116 into your address bar, but it may not work well given we require other .furaffinity.net subdomains.

If you don't want to wait you can contact your ISP to see if they can update the DNS on their end.


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## net-cat (Jun 15, 2008)

Actually, you can also add them to your hosts file. I think we have instructions on how to do that someplace...


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## Akkateerel (Jun 15, 2008)

yay, problem fixed!
i just edidet the old host file and insert the new IP where the old one was  now i can visit FA again


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## Surgat (Jun 15, 2008)

net-cat said:


> Actually, you can also add them to your hosts file. I think we have instructions on how to do that someplace...



Got a link?


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## yak (Jun 17, 2008)

*Windows*: start -> run -> type "notepad c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts"
**nix and others* - you know where your hosts file is.

Remove all FA related entries from there. There is no reason once so ever to keep those entries there unless you want to save microseconds off of DNS lookups.

But if you feel you absolutely have to, add there the following:

```
66.112.210.116    furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    [url]www.furaffinity.net[/url]
66.112.210.116    data.furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    static.furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    avatars.furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    s1.data.furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    s2.data.furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    s3.data.furaffinity.net
66.112.210.116    s4.data.furaffinity.net
```


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## WoulfeMaelstorme (Jun 17, 2008)

I'm with fuzzy. Now what? I just got registered here, mainly to get such info.


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## WoulfeMaelstorme (Jun 17, 2008)

*slaps forehead* Just made a stupid newb move and didn't bother to check page 2 of the thread here. Strike previous question. In addition, I'm likely just plain screwed via Comcast. They have yet to get anything done I have requested and thus had to do it meslf.


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## WoulfeMaelstorme (Jun 21, 2008)

OK, fate is just plain working against me again. It seems I have come across a problem with this DNS stuff not mentioned here yet. I can access FA on my mate's comp but not on mine. To answer a pointless question. We both live within the same household and use the same service provider. Aye I have tried all the steps above. Nothing. So now what?


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## Dragoneer (Jun 21, 2008)

WoulfeMaelstorme said:


> OK, fate is just plain working against me again. It seems I have come across a problem with this DNS stuff not mentioned here yet. I can access FA on my mate's comp but not on mine. To answer a pointless question. We both live within the same household and use the same service provider. Aye I have tried all the steps above. Nothing. So now what?


http://forums.furaffinity.net/showpost.php?p=441327&postcount=20

That would be the primary fix at this point.


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## WoulfeMaelstorme (Jun 23, 2008)

Hmm, that is actually one of the things listed above and no it doesn't work. The only result I get from that step is a box saying exactly this:

Cannot open the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.txt file.
Make sure a disk is in the drive you specified.

Appreciate your patience on this. Probably be wearing quite then by now.


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## somawolf (Jun 29, 2008)

all of this just make me dizzy!! XD


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## yak (Jun 29, 2008)

WoulfeMaelstorme said:


> Hmm, that is actually one of the things listed above and no it doesn't work. The only result I get from that step is a box saying exactly this:
> 
> Cannot open the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts.txt file.
> Make sure a disk is in the drive you specified.
> ...



The file name is not "hosts.txt", it is just "hosts".


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## WoulfeMaelstorme (Jul 2, 2008)

And that is exactly what I typed in. Bugger if I know why Windows threw the message back at me with ".txt" at the end. This is really starting to  tick me off. This should not be happening


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## yak (Jul 2, 2008)

WoulfeMaelstorme said:


> And that is exactly what I typed in. Bugger if I know why Windows threw the message back at me with ".txt" at the end. This is really starting to  tick me off. This should not be happening



Then open notepad, and open the hosts file from the file->open menu.


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## Rafeal (Jul 2, 2008)

Oy... I hate SWB/ATT... they seem to hate me!


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## Rika (Jul 2, 2008)

I guess my problem has nothing to do with this. I've tried all of it and nothing has worked...I just have a picture of fender stomping a computer...that's exactly how I feel right now...


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## yak (Jul 3, 2008)

Please see this thread http://forums.furaffinity.net/showthread.php?p=463536


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