Can't acces 3drpilots.com from mobile, must use wifi

erikgraham · Jan 3, 2017

Does anyone else have this problem...

I can't access this site on my phone unless I am connected to a wifi network. Same problem for Phantom pilots.com. I am able to nav to mavicpilots.com using mobile data, but most of the sister sites seem to have the same issue over mobile data. (I've tried using both an Att and Verizon iPhone)

The message I get when using mobile data is:

Safari cannot open the page because the network connection was lost.

Bill003 · Jan 4, 2017

Me too

SARDG · Jan 4, 2017

For a long time, in the afternoons mostly, 3drpilots is not accessible on my PC hooked to my home network. It's as though I am not connected to a network at all, but I clearly am and can surf to any other site at will. This may happen for 2 or 3, 20-30 minute periods each day. I never tried to connect only with cell on a device at that point. Dunno... but it'seems very strange behaviour.

Jubalr · Jan 4, 2017

Might be an Apple (safari) issue. I visit the site a lot on Android tablets and phones and have never seen an issue yet with WiFi or cell access.

Baodownnow · Jan 4, 2017

Same problem here! I believe it's a bug on the iPhone 7 iOS 10.2 .. it used to work going here w mobile data but after I update the os it stops working ..

erikgraham · Jan 4, 2017

Interestingly enough, I'm accessing the site right now on Verizon mobile data.

Not sure what changed.

Baodownnow · Jan 4, 2017

See attachment

erikgraham · Jan 4, 2017

Just tried to acces usIng an AT&T phone mobile data (iPhone). The problem is back.

Very frustrating.

mikeo · Jan 4, 2017

I haven't spent much time troubleshooting it, but i've seen this issue too. It appears to be random in the afternoon/evening (PST) and doesn't matter if it's a mobile device or full computer. I've seen a similar issue on another board I frequent and the admins tracked it down to the virtual server that was hosting the board was consuming all the allocated (paid for) resources in the afternoon/evening once people started to goof off at work and head home. I don't want to be the n00b telling the admins how to run the site, but looking in to traffic analysis and capacity utilization may reveal a pattern.

I don't know the admin crew here, so if someone wants to flag my post so they see it I don't mind. I'm just trying to help, not cause problems

erikgraham · Jan 5, 2017

mikeo said:
I haven't spent much time troubleshooting it, but i've seen this issue too. It appears to be random in the afternoon/evening (PST) and doesn't matter if it's a mobile device or full computer. I've seen a similar issue on another board I frequent and the admins tracked it down to the virtual server that was hosting the board was consuming all the allocated (paid for) resources in the afternoon/evening once people started to goof off at work and head home. I don't want to be the n00b telling the admins how to run the site, but looking in to traffic analysis and capacity utilization may reveal a pattern.

I don't know the admin crew here, so if someone wants to flag my post so they see it I don't mind. I'm just trying to help, not cause problems

I sent a note to the admins.

clackey · Jan 5, 2017

Sorry for the issues guys. We have seen this intermittently for a while but it just started becoming a bit more prevalent lately. We are preparing to move this site to another server which appears to have resolved many of these issues. When you are having trouble with 3drpilots.com please access mavicpilots.com and let me know if you can get to that site ok. That is the same server we'll be moving 3dr are shortly.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

C.

PdxSteve · Jan 5, 2017

I believe it's a DNS issue with certain cell carriers. I've had this happen with a few sites (not just this one) and switching the DNS in my phone to googles public DNS 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 solves it for all sites as google doesn't discriminate except for illegal sites. Here's how to do it on android: DNSet - Android Apps on Google Play

Edit: AFAIK, you can't change it on ios (except for wifi) without jailbreaking the device (as with all good stuff when it comes to ios)

Using googles public DNS servers also tremendously speeds up the web in general.

Jubalr · Jan 5, 2017

PdxSteve said:
I believe it's a DNS issue with certain cell carriers. I've had this happen with a few sites (not just this one) and switching the DNS in my phone to googles public DNS 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 solves it for all sites as google doesn't discriminate except for illegal sites. Here's how to do it on android: DNSet - Android Apps on Google Play

Edit: AFAIK, you can't change it on ios (except for wifi) without jailbreaking the device (as with all good stuff when it comes to ios)

Using googles public DNS servers also tremendously speeds up the web in general.

Agreed. That's probably why I have never had an issue. I use their DNS servers on all my connected devices.

mikeo · Jan 5, 2017

PdxSteve said:
I believe it's a DNS issue with certain cell carriers. I've had this happen with a few sites (not just this one) and switching the DNS in my phone to googles public DNS 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 solves it for all sites as google doesn't discriminate except for illegal sites. Here's how to do it on android: DNSet - Android Apps on Google Play

Edit: AFAIK, you can't change it on ios (except for wifi) without jailbreaking the device (as with all good stuff when it comes to ios)

Using googles public DNS servers also tremendously speeds up the web in general.

I use google's public DNS via my DHCP server (router) at home, so I know I've been using 8.8.8.8 and/or 8.8.4.4 to look up the site and I was still getting shut out. I'll try the mavicpilots.com suggestion the next time 3drpilots.com doesn't work and see if I have issue there or not. If I get really bored I'll do some remote troubleshooting, but most of the time I run in to issues is when I shouldn't be checking the site anyway...

mikeo · Jan 5, 2017

@clackey I'm seeing the issue right now (17:36 PST) and 3drpilots.com is having issues while mavicpilots.com is working correctly. I am seeing the mobile-specific splash page when going to mavicpilots.com that I've never seen going to 3drpilots.com so maybe the issue is with mobile device detection?

SARDG · Jan 5, 2017

I haven't checked my DNS on my home router, but gee, everything else is accessible all the time. If I get another hiccup at 3drpilots, I'll check mavicpilots.

mikeo · Jan 5, 2017

mikeo said:
@clackey I'm seeing the issue right now (17:36 PST) and 3drpilots.com is having issues while mavicpilots.com is working correctly. I am seeing the mobile-specific splash page when going to mavicpilots.com that I've never seen going to 3drpilots.com so maybe the issue is with mobile device detection?

I just did some more testing, and from what limited access I have externally (as a user) it appears that the mobile site redirection is failing and timing out on access to the site. Any mobile browser, or any browser that identifies itself as mobile, is getting a timeout (remote server has stopped responding) while non-mobile browsers are given the full site.

SARDG · Jan 6, 2017

mikeo said:
I just did some more testing, and from what limited access I have externally (as a user) it appears that the mobile site redirection is failing and timing out on access to the site. Any mobile browser, or any browser that identifies itself as mobile, is getting a timeout (remote server has stopped responding) while non-mobile browsers are given the full site.

When I can't get it, I can't get it on any browser (IE, FF, Chrome) on my desktop connected to my home network, yet have no problem with any other site.

mikeo · Jan 6, 2017

Well, if everything is moving to the system that hosts mavicpilots.com soon it probally isn't worth the effort for us to keep testing. It's in my nature to want to fix things, but I'm going to give up and wait for the site transplant.