VM's DNS servers blocking/not resolving random sites

[robatwork]

Following my message here:

Solved: Quick question - can you access noip.com? - Virgin Media Community - 5336531

I've also found this on other, seemingly random sites. They can't be pinged or resolved to an IP.

If I manually change one of my PC's DNS servers (to 8.8.8.8 for example) I can get to the site fine. So conclusion is VM has problems with its default DNS servers 194.168.4.100 and 194.168.8.100

Of course this is made more difficult by the fact I can't change the DNS servers on the hub 3.

My question really is - what's up with the VM DNS servers?

(I've tried a few different public DNS servers as an experiment. All of them find sites that the VM ones have forgotten)

[Adduxi]

VM's DNS servers do have some issues now and again, but generally they are fine.  As you already know, just setting the DNS manually resolves the issue.   This is one of the many reasons for getting your own router   🙂

Also just make sure your websafe and childsafe settings are off on your account, as these can block sites.

[robatwork]

Having been lurking round various tech forums for many years, this one seems to have lots of knowledgable enthusiasts, and also some VM CS staff who can recommend engineers etc. which is also helpful.

What it seems to lack is any technical input from VM staff who actually know how their infrastructure works at a technical level and can impart that knowledge to their customers.

Maybe they're here but petrified to post something technical which could be interpreted as criticism of their employer. Shame, as when RB started Virgin the ethos was completely different.

[VMUser1812]

There are certainly some ex-VM/NTL/BY employees on here who do post from time to time. However the emphasis is on ‘ex’ employees, how much the underlaying infrastructure may have changed since they left is debatable!

One last thing, Virgin Media has never, never had anything, really to do with Richard Branson (I assume that’s who you mean when you refer to RB). Back in the day TeleWest and NTL merged (technically Telewest purchased NTL, even though the latter was by far the larger of the two - legal and right’s issues), the combined entity then merged with Virgin Mobile and rebranded themselves as Virgin Media. They paid RB or the Virgin Group a sum of money to use the ‘Virgin’ brand name and logos; the Virgin group had a shareholding in the company but Branson himself never had any control over or say in the running of it. Back in 2013, the whole lot was sold to an Anglo-American company called Liberty Global - they are the one calling the shots and deciding policy. Possibly when the deal with the Virgin Group expires (is it 2032, I seem to vaguely recall), the company will rebrand again.