notbob wrote:
>
> On 2007-03-16, Skyhooks > wrote:
> > Is it just me, or is there some sort of problem with the chat server(s)?
>
> (sigh) One last time.
>
> The problem is not the chat server, it's the DNS (Domain Name System)
> servers. It's hard for people to remember the octal number IP
> address, 64.233.187.99. But, it's easy to remember Google.com. Soooo,
> DNS servers takes names like Google.com and translate them to the
> harder to remember but technically correct IP address number, which is
> then used to locate and connect to the target server internet address
> (IP). There may also be more than one numbered IP address for one
> name or more than one name for one numbered IP address.
>
> For example:
>
> Name: google.com
> Address: 64.233.167.99
> Name: google.com
> Address: 72.14.207.99
> Name: google.com
> Address: 64.233.187.99
>
> If you put one of the above numbers in the URL window of your web
> browser, you will get Google.com. Simple, eh?
>
> Such is the case for the rfc chat server, whatever dot penguinpowered
> dot whatever. All those variations of the name resolve to an IP
> address number:
>
> IRC:
> Server: irc.penguinpowered.ca
> Port: 6667
>
> Using the M$DOS command, nslookup, you get:
>
> C:\> nslookup irc.penguinpowered.ca
>
> Name: irc.penguinpowered.ca
> Address: 209.160.36.31
> Name: irc.penguinpowered.ca
> Address: 66.38.196.98
>
> Same goes with all those irc(somenumber).penguinpowered.ca variants:
> Name: irc1.penguinpowered.ca
> Address: 66.38.196.98
>
> Name: irc2.penguinpowered.ca
> Address: 209.160.36.31
>
> OK, let's recap. yada.penguin.yada is just a name which must be
> resolved (translated) to a number by overworked DNS servers. Quite
> often, all those DNS servers talking to each other and sharing all
> those domain names get all confused and drop a name or two here and
> there (just like rfc). In fact, whenever you have problems reaching
> any website, more often than not, it's not the target website/server
> that is down, it's those pesky DNS servers that are down or confused
> or just having a bad day.
>
> So, yada.penguin.yada sometimes is hard to reach. But, if you put in
> the IP address *NUMBER*!!, the whole DNS system is completely ignored
> and bypassed and you can go directly to the penguin chat server. See?
> So, once again I implore chatty kathy to put the IP address "numbers"
> on the rfc website and for you folks trying to access the chat room to
> use the IP address number (209.160.36.31) instead of the domain name
> (irc.penguinpowered.ca).
>
> My irc client, xchat, has 209.160.36.31/6667 in the server name (the
> /6667 is the port number. See above). I *never* have a problem
> reaching the chat room. It always brings up the chat server
> instantly.
>
> Whew! If you don't get it by now, may the fleas of a thousand camels
> infest your butter bell.
>
> nb

NB,

I had problems accessing chat with both the irc2 server and the
direct-IP (209.160.36.31)! I finally got into chat with the irc1
server. Seems there might be some gremlins playing around someplace
(?). I still can't access the irc2 or the direct-IP this morning. No
problem with the irc1 server (knock on wood).

Sky