server connection errors - again!

Discussion in 'NOD32 version 2 Forum' started by sagittarius, Nov 24, 2004.

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  1. gunnarj

    gunnarj Registered Member

    Joined:
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    BlackSpear asked:
    I am on dialup and use both Access4less (Hawk Communications) and AllVantage ISP's. The dial up numbers I use work fine first time every time, and the connection and speed are fine.

    However, I have always had the update server errors in the 1 year plus that I've been using Nod32. I do get updates, but the Event Log is always filled with update connection errors before the update succeeds.

    Current example from the log is here:

    Time Module Event User
    12/30/2004 17:07:59 PM Kernel The virus signature database has been updated successfully to version 1.961 (20041230). hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:34 AM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:34 AM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:32 AM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:30 AM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:28 AM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:27 AM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:24 AM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/30/2004 7:33:23 AM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 17:07:48 PM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:44:11 AM Kernel The virus signature database has been updated successfully to version 1.960 (20041229). hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:09 AM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:09 AM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:08 AM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:06 AM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:05 AM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:03 AM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:01 AM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:00 AM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:16 PM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:16 PM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:14 PM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:13 PM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:11 PM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:10 PM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:08 PM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 12:12:08 PM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 11:49:09 AM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/28/2004 11:49:09 AM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/28/2004 11:49:08 AM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/28/2004 11:48:48 AM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 11:48:29 AM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 11:48:09 AM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 11:48:08 AM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 11:47:49 AM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:40 AM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:40 AM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:38 AM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:36 AM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:35 AM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:33 AM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:31 AM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/28/2004 7:46:30 AM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/27/2004 19:04:33 PM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/27/2004 17:04:16 PM Kernel The virus signature database has been updated successfully to version 1.959 (20041227). hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:36 PM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:36 PM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:33 PM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:32 PM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:29 PM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:26 PM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:24 PM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/27/2004 13:02:23 PM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:23 PM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:23 PM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:21 PM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:20 PM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:18 PM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:17 PM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:15 PM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 13:14:15 PM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:31 AM Update Function: gethostbyname, parameters: , return value: 11001 hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:31 AM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:29 AM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:27 AM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:25 AM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:22 AM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:20 AM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/26/2004 9:13:19 AM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp


    Hoping for a fix for this down the road,

    Thanks,
    gunnarj
     
  2. seakiwi

    seakiwi Registered Member

    Joined:
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    Posts:
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    I've noticed the same thing. I am also on dialup but this is not a dial up issue, as my connection is always alive and working fine at the times these updates fail.

    My logs show many more errors than successful update connections. I would also be interested to know why this is.
     
  3. Phil_S

    Phil_S Registered Member

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    Posts:
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    Location:
    UK
    These indicate a failure of the DNS hostname to IP address translation on your machine. I suspect the most likely cause on a dialup connection is that NOD is trying to update when you are not connected, or immediately you dial in and before your connection is fully established.
     
  4. seakiwi

    seakiwi Registered Member

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    This might be true for one or two of the instances showing in my log, but not for most of them. Even though I'm on dialup I am connected 24/7, barring the occasional disconnect. So, for the most part, NOD will find an existing live connection every time it attempts to update.

    Like gunnarj, this has pretty much been a 'normal' pattern since I first got NOD. It's not really a big deal, but I am curious as to why it happens that way so often.
     
  5. jayt

    jayt Registered Member

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    Location:
    PA - USA
    I was having a lot of server connection errors too when I had it set to "Chose automatically". I now have it set to u6.eset.com (which I understand is a USA server). I haven't had any problems since changing it to that setting.
     
  6. Marcos

    Marcos Eset Staff Account

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    Posts:
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    We do not suggest to select a particular update server. When it gets overloaded, you won't be able to download updates. In my opinion, setting the server to automatic selection and getting 1-2 server connection errors in the log with the definitions finally updated from another server is better than risking not getting updates at all. We intentionally use 5 update servers so that if a connection to some of them fails, you'll get an update from another one within a few seconds.
     
  7. seakiwi

    seakiwi Registered Member

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    That's one of the points I am making. At the times when my logs show update errors - in most cases the update has tried a number of servers and they have all failed. My logs show many instances of an update attempt which has tried 4-5 servers with no success. It is usually a couple of hours later before a successful update occurs. Plus, for some reason, there are times when NOD tries the same server multiple times then gives up, instead of moving on to the next one.

    Screenshot attached for your information.

    EDIT: OK, on closer inspection of my screenshot, the above is incorrect. NOD is set to check for updates hourly, and now that I look at it, it is only trying ONE server at each scheduled update. If it can't connect it's not even trying another server. I thought the whole point of 'choose automatically' was so that it would try the next server in the list until it got a successful update. This doesn't appear to be working as I thought.

    The part of your post that I highlighted in bold above, is not happening.
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Dec 31, 2004
  8. Phil_S

    Phil_S Registered Member

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    Location:
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    Seakiwi, your log is different from Gunnarj's in that you are not showing gethostbyname errors or total update attempt failures, at least in the portion of your log that you have shown us.

    In fact your log seems to indicate that your copy of NOD is performing perfectly well on your machine. It is downloading updates when they are available, but there are a lot of occasions when attempts to connect to a particular server has failed. On each occasion, it must have been able to contact the other available servers as no mention is made of connection failures to them, or a total update failure at the same time as the individual server error, in the log that you have posted.

    In other words, what I am saying is that if you were suffering total update connection failures your log would show an error conncting to each server in turn, followed by an update failure message, like this:

    12/29/2004 8:42:09 AM Update Update attempt failed (Server connection failure.) hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:08 AM Update Error connecting to server www.nod32.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:07 AM Update Error connecting to server u6.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:06 AM Update Error connecting to server u5.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:05 AM Update Error connecting to server u4.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:04 AM Update Error connecting to server u3.eset.com. hp
    12/29/2004 8:42:03 AM Update Error connecting to server u2.eset.com. hp

    Errors attempting to connect to one particular server, although not desirable, are nothing to worry about as long as you have NOD configured to choose automatically. I also get them from time to time, particularly with u5.eset.com. I suspect the reason is the higher load placed on that server as explained by Bandicoot below.

    NOD's log doesn't tell you when it silently succeeds (i.e. it checks but no update is available) only when it actually updates, when it fails or when it encounters an error. Unless you are actually getting update attempt failure messages in your log as opposed to server connection errors, the check for an update has succeeded on one of the servers, even though NOD is warning of an error encountered with one or two of the others.

    Perhaps an addition to the log would be a welcome feature for the wishlist, so that NOD would report something like, "Update connection to uX.eset.com succeeded, no update available at this time". It would make the log a lot bigger, but would overcome worries about individual server errors.
     
  9. jayt

    jayt Registered Member

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    Location:
    PA - USA
    Well, be that as it may, I received an update on Dec 25th, 27th, 29th, 30th, and 31st without any error connecting to server.
     
  10. gunnarj

    gunnarj Registered Member

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    Posts:
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    Phil_S said:
    ....

    This could be the cause in my case of the event log errors.
    So, when I start to connect (dial-up) the Nod32 update attempt goes into effect before my ISP has actually connected yet.

    Although not a big problem, is there perhaps a way I could make Nod32 wait a few more seconds before attempting the update?

    Right now the only two tasks I have scheduled for update are 1.) at dial-up connection and 2.) repeatedly, every 2 hours.

    Maybe if I jiggle with the tasks somehow I could fix this?

    I have now forgotten what the default automated tasks are, as I changed them along the line; along with the two mentioned above I have log maintenance scheduled once a day also.

    Can someone let me know the preferred automated tasks for a dial-up user, and in what order they should be?

    Thanks Phil and everyone for your advice and help.

    gunnarj
     
  11. seakiwi

    seakiwi Registered Member

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    Personally I would like to see this feature added. Making the log 'a lot bigger' wouldn't really be a big problem, as one can always clear the log entirely every so often to keep it to a manageable size if necessary.

    Thank you for your explanation. I was assuming that where I saw multiple server errors in a row, followed by a successful update at a later time, that those first attempts had failed - but from what you are saying, they probably did make a successful connection eventually, but there was no update available. If the logs did in fact indicate that, I think it would make things much clearer. The way they read now, one could be forgiven for thinking they were seeing many update failures.
     
  12. Bandicoot

    Bandicoot Eset Staff

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    Location:
    California
    Hello everybody,

    Just an update on the post I made on 27th December. The changes have been implemented regarding u2 and u5 servers. This will take effect as of the next VSD update (maybe today). So if the people experiencing these 'errors' have NOD32 set to <Choose automatically> (in case they had changed it to a specific server only) and let's see how it goes. I'm optimistically looking forward to a deluge of favourable reports!........well, you have to be positive, don't you?! :doubt:

    Bandicoot.
     
  13. arrowsmithmidwest

    arrowsmithmidwest Registered Member

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    Location:
    Midwest
    i dont believe it is dialup related either, i believe it could also be DNS somewhere along the line, my isp is westnet but i also believe it is not isp related.
    I will change my server to U3, then if still making errors, change to U2. etc etc.

    will report.
     
  14. arrowsmithmidwest

    arrowsmithmidwest Registered Member

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    Location:
    Midwest
    I am on ADSL here. If i specifically set the server to:
    U3, it worked fine.
    U2, it still updated but i was always getting error messages, saying cannot find update server.

    if that helps.
     
  15. redwolfe_98

    redwolfe_98 Registered Member

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    i don't know if this is "normal", but now, the only update-server-options that i have are: u1a.eset.com, u3.eset.com, u4.eset.com, and u5.eset.com.. before, i had a u2.eset.com, and a u6.eset.com.. i have my updater set to use u3.eset.com, but "choose automatically" seems to work ok, too..

    it seems that all of the update-servers that i have to choose from are in amsterdam.. (none in the u.s.)

    can anyone confirm that this is "normal"?
     
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2005
  16. Marcos

    Marcos Eset Staff Account

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    I don't know how you figured out all servers are in Amsterdam becauses neither of them is located in Netherland. 2 of the default update servers are located directly in the USA, the rest is in Europe.
     
  17. sagittarius

    sagittarius Registered Member

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    thanks for the update Bandicoot ... for some reason I haven't been getting email advice of new postings, so only checked today on the offchance.

    Things seem to have settled down for nearly all my users, I only have a couple who regularly get the error message, but it seems they are still getting the updates, most likely at the next attempt.

    looks like you've hit the nail on the head with this one :D
    sagittarius
     
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