NVG510 problem: no responses from nameserver [ Edited ]

[alekdavis]

Got a brand new Motorola NVG510 and having exactly the same problem as reported here: Motorola NVG510 owners - any DNS problems? In short, the symptoms are the following: when accessing a page, I often get an error that the server does not exist; I refresh (sometimes once or twice), and the same page loads fine; sometimes, parts of the page (frames) do not load, or a bunch of images do not appear; a few refreshes normally fix the problem. Modem's DNS log shows the same pattern of repeating errors:

2011-12-15T15:03:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.157.1'
2011-12-15T15:03:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: nameserver '68.94.157.1' is now responding
2011-12-15T15:03:57-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.156.1'
2011-12-15T15:04:01-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.157.1'
2011-12-15T15:04:01-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: nameserver '68.94.157.1' is now responding
2011-12-15T15:04:20-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.157.1'
2011-12-15T15:04:20-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: nameserver '68.94.157.1' is now responding
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.157.1'
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: nameserver '68.94.157.1' is now responding
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.157.1'
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: nameserver '68.94.157.1' is now responding
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: Timer expired. Retry on nameserver '68.94.156.1'
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.157.1'
2011-12-15T15:05:39-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: nameserver '68.94.157.1' is now responding
2011-12-15T15:06:07-08:00 L3 dnsmasq[2109]: no responses from nameserver '68.94.156.1'

I called and chatted with AT&T support (spent a couple of hours), but both reps I talked to (including 2nd level support) did not seem to understand the problem. The second rep said that issues like this should be reported to Motorola, since AT&T only handles configuration (which is weird; after all, I bought the modem from AT&T). Nevertheless, I went to the Motorola site, and this device is not even listed there.

So what do I do? I found sugestions from a number of users having the same problem who recommended connecting another router to the modem, but this defeats the whole purpose of having a single device.

Anyone had this issue and found a solution (like firmware, or configuration)? Thanks.

[raateach]

I am seeing the same problem tonight with my new NSG510 trying to resolve DNS requests to the two ATT

DNS (default) server addresses.  It is not sufficient to say "talk with Motorola"; the name resolution is failing

on the ATT supplied DNS server addresses.  This is not a Safari problem; this is a general problem with

any program on my mac making bind calls to translate IP names to IP numbers.

How does one get the attention of someone inside ATT that understands the network well enough to

address this issue.  It is a maintenance nightmare to change the DNS addresses stored in each host on my network.

To avoid this is one reason DHCP was invented so the DNS server addresses come without client configuration.

ATT is supplying the DHCP servers for their customers.  Again, we need ATT tech support to address this issue.

Thanks,

[x0rg]

Same problem!

AT&T, please fix this and VPN issues!!! I still can't connect to the VPN at work since I switched from DSL to U-Verse and got NVG510.

[pidgeon92]

I am having the exact same problems with my iMac using the Motorola modem. I click on links, and contantly get the "can't find server blah blah blah" error. I go back a few minutes later, and it might load all the way, might load partly, or often still won't load. I am also having problems with Flash videos, like watching the Daily Show or the Colbert Report. I'll go to the site, and where the video should load, I'll get an error message that I don't have Flash installed. I'll just keep refreshing the window until the video loads. Sometimes it will pop up within a minute or so, often it takes several minutes and several refreshes.

I used to have this same problem with my older 2Wire modem from AT&T, but it resolved itself at some point. I just installed this new modem a few weeks back, and it's been nothing but problems ever since.

[pidgeon92]

I did some more research, and came up with a solution. I don't know how it would be changed in Windows, but simply changing the DNS server number on the ethernet settings on my iMac did the trick. On a Mac, go to

System Preferences

Network

Advanced

DNS

Listed under DNS servers is the faulty default server.

Click the + button below the DNS servers field, then change the server to 204.194.232.200, which is an alternate AT&T server. I also added a Google public server address 8.8.8.8.

I haven't had any problems in the last few hours since I made this update.

[x0rg]

Yeah, but this doesn't fix VPN Thanks, though.. I want AT&T to fix their DNS issues.

[todd.diemer]

I've got the same issues, brand new NVG510, firmware version ending in 48.

We need to start making some more noise here... It seems that AT&T isn't listening to a product they plan to mass produce and mass market to customers.

After reading all of the issues on here, I'm on the verge of switching to Comcast after less than 1 day of service.

[x0rg]

AT&T, hello? Please, fix the DNS and VPN problems in NVG510.

[alekdavis]

A couple of links on related topic.

Mark Gibbs at NetworkWorld describes the same issue: Motorola's NVG510 DSL modem... not very good.

Ron Berman offers several suggestions addressing verious issues with NVG510: Motorola NVG510 help page for AT&T U-Verse users. Ron's post should be called "The unofficial guide to Motorola NVG510". Kudos to the gentlemen: he's single-handedly deals with what both AT&T and Motorola should be held responsible for. Btw, the suggestion to just fix the DNS settings in the OS seems to work, but it's a clunky workaround. For me in particular, it's a pain, because on my business laptop, Google's DNS would not work when I'm connected to the corporate network. So every time I come from work I need to reset it. Pain in the {word filter evasion}!!!

[alekdavis]

A workaround for toggling the DNS settings: http://serverfault.com/questions/380524/how-to-automate-dns-server-reconfiguration-for-tcp-ipv4-and-...

[xcaptkirk]

They need to do something about this it is getting really old and frustrating.