Charter Implements SiteFinder-Like DNS

paulbiz writes "Charter Cable's DNS servers have just started resolving all invalid hostnames and pointing them to their own error page. The About page states: 'This service automatically eliminates many of the error pages you may encounter as you surf the web. No software was installed on your computer for this service to work.' It has an 'opt-out' page, but when you use it Charter simply sets a cookie that makes their page redirect errors to Microsoft Live Search instead!" One more reason to use OpenDNS, where you can actually opt out of the custom error page.

Run your own DNS resolver!

[Anonymous Coward]

That's precisely the reason why I run my own resolver. Also, if I were a customer of those morons, they would get a nice letter demanding to restore their service to proper working or else they'd get no more money.

Have any of these survived?

[daeg]

I've read about various ISPs doing this from time to time, but have any of them actually stuck around for more than a month or so? The stories are usually followed up by a hasty retraction shortly after the launch.

Charter customers (I pity you): make your voice heard!

Although the recommendation to switch to OpenDNS has the same flaws from what I have read. They, too, redirect unknown domains to their "organic search" page. I'm not sure how trees and cows help your search, but I suppose supporting an open, free DNS system is better than letting Charter continue to rake in money at your expense.

WOW does this too...

[Anonymous Coward]

WOW / Wild Out West Cable (in Columbus, OH) has been doing this forever. they have their own site setup for it - seek-aid.com. I complained and at first they denied it existed. They finally admitted it but basically told me to deal with it. The "opt-out" sets a cookie which ignores the site and redirects you to Windows Live search -- yeah, BIG difference...

I use OpenDNS at home and my websites load a LOT faster (ones that aren't cached anyway).

ISPs are stupid and evil.

Re:Standard?

[davmoo]

The FOSS community should start to pro-actively patent, copyright and trademark anything they can, so no corporation can mess it up.

The problem with this is FOSS rarely innovates. The community is usually playing "follow the leader", and duplicating software that is already available on the commercial market.

I swear I'm not purposely trying to be a negative ass, that's just how it is. 99 percent of FOSS comes in to being because someone wants a free (beer/speech) equivalent to a closed source and costs money commercial package.

Re:Issue?

[paeanblack]

Well... It's Charter's network, so I guess they can do what they want, eh?

That depends on how they are selling it. Would that argument hold up if they were blocking http traffic from comcast.com, verizon.com, etc?

Accurate DNS would probably be an assumed necessity for consumer-level "internet access". If they are actively and intentionally shipping bogus DNS info, there could be some opportunity for lawyers to get some billable hours in.

Re:Standard?

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah, things like DNS servers, web servers, etc. are all MS designed! Get a life, get a clue and get the facts. Most of the Internet is run on stuff that was CREATED by FOSS developers and MS, et. all acquired later. In fact anyone familiar with MS knows they buy or "borrow" most of their good ideas from someone else.

Re:Issue?

[Waffle Iron]

Well... It's Charter's network, so I guess they can do what they want, eh?

They can do what they want after they've dropped out of the exclusive franchising agreement they have with my city. Until then, they enjoy government protection from market competition, and they should be subject strict oversight to prevent them from taking advantage of their monopoly entitlement to harm consumers.

Re:And this is different to OpenDNS how?

[Waffle Iron]

It's different because you're not already paying OpenDNS $29.99/month for the privilege to see their ads.

Re:Standard?

[Anonymous Coward]

> The problem with this is FOSS rarely innovates.

Come on, you can do better.
Take for example the GNU-tools who spread on most Unices because they were _better_ than their CS-counterparts.

Besides that the whole internet was built on (natural) FOSS.

And then companys with an innovative image (read apple) litterally build on FOSS.

It's just that most software is rarely innovative and FOSS is no exception to that.

Re:Run your own DNS resolver!

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah. Why don't you just tell them that so I can't send mail anymore without going through their shitty servers, asshole?

In East Tennessee, I'm currently able to do both inbound/outbound SMTP and inbound/outbound DNS, and I'd like to keep it that way.

I only allow relaying for 127.0.0.0/8 and SASL authenticated clients on my local networks, and my DNS servers are configured to only return responses to non-bogon clients for authoritative zones.

There's no reason to punish me just because you don't have enough time to wade through your stupid inbox. Maybe you should get a life.

-kayditty [slashdot.org] (slashdot is trying to keep me from posting for some stupid shit like "karma" -- whatever the fuck that even means)

Re:And this is different to OpenDNS how?

[fmobus]

it differs in the fact that OpenDNS is clearly an opt-in service.

Re:opendns? over my dead...

[FishWithAHammer]

Phishers change their websites faster than some people I know change their clothes.

Re:Run your own DNS resolver!

[cortana]

If you care about privacy then you will be using PGP, S/MIME or another end-to-end encryption system.

If you really don't trust your ISP to not read your mail then using your own server is not enough--they (or anyone else whoses systems your mail goes through) can use something like tcpdump to capture all your mail and other traffic.

Re:An academic, not practical, complaint

[Fastolfe]

And now we're back where we started, with our provider's DNS servers responding with A records for non-existing domains.