Live Technical Support: I have a connectivity problem

Messages:

TELUS eCare 06:18:53 PM Aug 23 2004

Your service request has been received and will be queued shortly.

TELUS eCare 06:19:53 PM Aug 23 2004

Your request has been received by the TELUS Technical Support Help Desk and has been put in a queue until a support analyst is available. Your request is being handled in the order it was received. If you prefer not to wait, simply use the "I have to go ..." box in the lower right of the screen.

TELUS eCare 06:19:55 PM Aug 23 2004

A TELUS Technical Support analyst Jason has been assigned to your request. He or she is looking into your issue. Please wait for a message.

Jason 06:19:57 PM Aug 23 2004

Hi my name is Jason how can I help you?

Michael 06:22:23 PM Aug 23 2004

Hi, Jason. I have a user in New Jersey that can't reach my server. I've done a little troubleshooting and it appears there is a routing problem for traffic between Telus and Comcast. I have some tracert output showing the problem.

Michael 06:22:58 PM Aug 23 2004

The problem appears to be with within Telus' realm.

Jason 06:24:20 PM Aug 23 2004

could you paste them into the chat for me please?

Michael 06:24:37 PM Aug 23 2004

Sure thing.

Michael 06:24:54 PM Aug 23 2004

-- BEGIN Incoming test from comcast user in New Jersey --

C:\>tracert 142.179.109.251

Tracing route to home.mbarrick.net [142.179.109.251]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 * * * Request timed out.

2 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms ge-4-4-ar01.verona.nj.nj01.comcast.net [68.87.47.173]

3 7 ms 9 ms 11 ms pos-7-0-cr01.plainfield.nj.core.comcast.net [68.87.19.253]

4 11 ms 10 ms 9 ms 12.118.102.13

5 12 ms 10 ms 9 ms tbr1-p010101.n54ny.ip.att.net [12.123.3.82]

6 8 ms 8 ms 9 ms ggr2-p300.n54ny.ip.att.net [12.123.3.58]

7 9 ms 9 ms 9 ms so-1-0-0.edge1.NewYork1.Level3.net [4.68.127.5]

8 10 ms 9 ms 10 ms ge-2-1-0.bbr2.NewYork1.Level3.net [64.159.4.149]

9 80 ms 82 ms 80 ms so-1-0-0.mp2.Seattle1.Level3.net [209.247.10.133]

10 81 ms 79 ms 79 ms so-7-0-0.gar2.Seattle1.Level3.net [64.159.1.166]

11 78 ms 79 ms 79 ms TELUS.gar2.Level3.net [65.57.72.10]

12 87 ms 84 ms 83 ms nwmrbc01br01.bb.telus.com [154.11.10.101]

13 84 ms 83 ms 83 ms nwmrbc01gr01.bb.telus.com [154.11.10.94]

14 * * * Request timed out.

15 84 ms 90 ms 84 ms 208.181.240.53

16 * * * Request timed out.

17 * * * Request timed out.

-- END Incoming tests from comcast user in New Jersey --

Michael 06:25:11 PM Aug 23 2004

-- BEGIN Outgoing test to comcast user in New Jersey --

N:\>tracert 68.36.80.34

Tracing route to pcp04686809pcs.verona01.nj.comcast.net [68.36.80.34]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <10 ms 10 ms <10 ms 192.168.0.254

2 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms d142-179 -104-254.bchsia.telus.net [142.179.104.254]

3 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms 208.181.240.54

4 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms vancbc01gr01.bb.telus.com [154.11.4.97]

5 * * * Request timed out.

6 * * * Request timed out.

7 ^C

-- END Outgoing test to comcast user in New Jersey --

Jason 06:25:52 PM Aug 23 2004

and what is the site that in question?

Michael 06:26:55 PM Aug 23 2004

Trying to reach the server at my location 142.179.109.251

Michael 06:29:20 PM Aug 23 2004

I am connected just fine, can get out most anywhere and am receiving traffic from lots of other locations. Forexample I can reach and be reached from Group Telecom just fine:

-- BEGIN Outgoing test to Group Telecom (partial) --

N:\>tracert www.riverside.bc.ca

Tracing route to riverside.bc.ca [66.38.134.91]

over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 <10 ms <10 ms 10 ms 192.168.0.254

2 10 ms 30 ms 10 ms d142-179 -104-254.bchsia.telus.net [142.179.104.254]

3 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms 208.181.240.50

4 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms vancbc01gr01.bb.telus.com [204.174.217.36]

5 10 ms 21 ms 10 ms vancbc01br01.bb.telus.com [154.11.10.89]

6 10 ms 20 ms 10 ms sttlwa01gr02.bb.telus.com [154.11.10.62]

7 10 ms 20 ms 10 ms bpr2-so-4-0-0.SeattleSwitchDesign.savvis.net [208.173.50.77]

8 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms gt-group-telecom-services-corp.SeattleSwitchDesign.savvis.net [208.173.50.74]

9 10 ms 20 ms 20 ms POS7-0.WANA-PACNW.IP.GROUPTELECOM.NET [66.59.190.45]

10 10 ms 20 ms 20 ms 216.18.31.138

11 20 ms 10 ms 20 ms 216.18.26.70

...

-- END Outgoing test to Group Telecom (partial) --

Jason 06:29:55 PM Aug 23 2004

to help make this easier could you try tracing to one of those customers (saves us time if we can see both sides)

Michael 06:30:22 PM Aug 23 2004

Did. That's what the second tracert I pasted was.

Jason 06:31:14 PM Aug 23 2004

I have no doubt that you can reach most things, but the more info and tests we have on issues like this the faster we can fix them

I'm just taking a look here I will be a few minutes

Michael 06:31:39 PM Aug 23 2004

OK

Michael 06:34:06 PM Aug 23 2004

[At this point I use the “I have to go…” box and have dinner. Note how the technician continues to ask questions after I have exited using their procedure.]

I have to go now... I'm closing the window now.

Jason 06:35:04 PM Aug 23 2004

[The first thing he asks for is the second thing I sent him, which he already asked for above at which I reiterated that I’ve already sent the information]

do you have an example of an IP address from a NJ comcast subscriber?

Jason 06:44:11 PM Aug 23 2004

[Then he asks for the pointless, since the traffic is crapping out well before my server]

for testing purposes we will need you to allow icmp echo replies and udp timeout replies..

if you don't know how to do this can you connect one machine direct to modem?

Jason 06:50:14 PM Aug 23 2004

[The he tells me what I already told him. My server is accessible from other locations.]

after further testing all trace routes sent from anywhere in the world have the same results (i have run traces from work another Telus account and a Belgium isp) and all those locations can view your website as well if there is a routing problem we will not be able to diagnose it properly with out more information including the ip's of some people experiencing this we will need you to allow all icmp echo requests and UDP time out requests please advise us when we you have this so we can continue

TELUS eCare 06:59:48 PM Aug 23 2004

The analyst has requested to close this service request. If you are satisfied that the issue is resolved, please click yes, otherwise click no.

[This is when I come back to the computer. I get a flash of the messages sent while I was logged out and then a form telling me that Jason wants to close my issue. I comment back that I have no idea if the issue is resolved because I never got a chance to read what he wrote while I was logged out and the only way I can read the messages is to refuse the close the ticket.]

TELUS eCare 07:07:23 PM Aug 23 2004

A TELUS Technical Support analyst Jason has been assigned to your request. He or she is looking into your issue. Please wait for a message.

Michael 07:10:04 PM Aug 23 2004

[Now I am getting testy]

I am not in the least bit satisfied with this result.

Michael 07:16:07 PM Aug 23 2004

After I initially sent the message at 6:25:11 PM clearly marked "Outgoing test to comcast user in New Jersey" as part of the explanation of the problem you asked me to "try tracing to one of those customers". I reiterated that I had already sent that. Then you asked for a sample IP, which is clearly noted in the tracert I already sent. This doesn't instill any confidence in me that you are paying any attention at all.

[Five minute lag as Jason digests this]

Jason 07:21:19 PM Aug 23 2004

i was asking for more examples I'm sorry i was not clear

[Nice save, Jason]

and regardless the really important part would be we need you to allow icmp echo's and udp timeout reply's

[A few minutes while I turn off the appropriate setting on the firewall]

Michael 07:25:14 PM Aug 23 2004

OK, you should be able to ping my address now. I'm afraid I don't have any other examples as this is the only person who has reported the issue to me.

Jason 07:29:00 PM Aug 23 2004

okay I'm able to trace fully to you now

Jason 07:30:48 PM Aug 23 2004

would it be possible to run a trace from that other site and see if it still shows the same results

basically the trace route you sent me before showed the packets going into and out of our router then headed towards your machine.

those last lines of stars where caused only by your router or firewall dropping the packets or not replying

Michael 07:31:09 PM Aug 23 2004

What about the other side of the coin? How come I can trace to GroupTelecom (third example sent 6:29:20) but the trace back to the problem user fails after 154.11.4.97 (example sent 6:25:11)

Michael 07:32:09 PM Aug 23 2004

I'm afraid I can't get the user to re run the trace at this point. NJ is three hours ahead of us and they are long gone at this point.

Jason 07:32:50 PM Aug 23 2004

that 154 hop is the last hop before your modem when we tested it we could see the traffic entering the router and then leaving the dsl port but nothing came back

Michael 07:35:37 PM Aug 23 2004

[He’s got it backward. “Can he read?”, I wonder. A little correction is in order ]

No, that one is going *out*. The trace in has 208.181.240.53 as the last hop. Additionally I had the user try an telnet in on ports other that are open (25 and 2300) and they got no response.

C:\>telnet 142.179.109.251 2300

Connecting To 142.179.109.251...Could not open connection to the host, on port 2

300: Connect failed

C:\>telnet 142.179.109.251 25

Connecting To 142.179.109.251...Could not open connection to the host, on port 2

5: Connect failed

Jason 07:37:56 PM Aug 23 2004

sorry i mean the 208 is the router closest to you and the 154.11.4.97 is the end point distribution router

[Do you beep when you back up like that?]

I have sent that to our technicians already to investigate I'm just waiting there reply

silly question but was that customer pingable to you?

Michael 07:39:45 PM Aug 23 2004

I just tried the tracert, not a ping. [not like there is a big difference]

Jason 07:42:02 PM Aug 23 2004

I'm just running another few traces here

please click accept on the thing that comes up (the formatting will be a lot easier on us this way)

[At this point Jason runs the same tracert I sent him in the first place from my computer]

Michael 07:45:50 PM Aug 23 2004

Did you get what you needed from that? It seems like it hung here. Try it again if you need to.

Jason 07:46:18 PM Aug 23 2004

same thing still yea this is odd..

[Whoa! He’s clueing in. It only took an hour and a half!]

Michael 07:47:42 PM Aug 23 2004

Yeah. If you compare it to the tracert I did to the www.riverside.bc.ca (on the Group Telecom network) I get responses at hops well after the 154.x range, outside of Telus.

Jason 07:49:24 PM Aug 23 2004

yea I'm going to run another trace to something so i can get a look at a normal one from your machine

[At this point he runs a tracert to www.yahoo.com, basically redoing what I sent him with the tracert to www.riverside.bc.ca]

Jason 07:51:32 PM Aug 23 2004

we are checking out that router right now

[HUZZAH! He’s done exactly what I sent him in the first place and figured out exactly what I told him in the first place.]

Michael 07:52:28 PM Aug 23 2004

OK, great. Thanks.

Jason 07:58:29 PM Aug 23 2004

we have identified a problem,

i have no estimated time of repair but it is being investigated and will be resolved

[Yup, nearly two hours later, they have found the problem. Two hours to get the problem I was reporting through the support monkey’s skull]

Michael 08:02:00 PM Aug 23 2004

OK, thanks. Just as an FYI, the user that reported it to me said that it's now been 3 days since she last got through. [and, BTW, my users shouldn’t be reporting your problems to me and I shouldn’t have to lose two hours of my life to beat a problem report through your thick, monkey skull]

Jason 08:04:07 PM Aug 23 2004

I will advised the technicians working on this thank you for your patience

[I amn’t as patient as you will thought I be. I need a stiff drink.]

Michael 08:06:01 PM Aug 23 2004

I do not require any further assistance. Please close this incident.

[But you can bet your tukus I’ll be checking in the morning to see if it is really fixed]