UPDATE: Comcast Internet trouble in West Seattle (and beyond)? No, it wasn’t just you

7:37 PM: No official word from Comcast yet, but its Internet service seems to be having some trouble, not just in West Seattle but elsewhere in the metro area, and in the Bay Area too. We started hearing about it via Twitter a short time ago and it seemed widespread enough to mention here. Also via Twitter, you can see the Comcast support account responding to messages from users.

10:09 PM: Readers report service returning to normal – see comments – and @ComcastWA on Twitter also reported areas “coming back up.” No explanation from Comcast of what went wrong (aside from acknowledgment of what users had reported, that it was a DNS issue).

11:34 PM: GeekWire quotes Comcast as saying its people are “working through a root cause analysis to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

wswhiner June 1, 2015 (7:40 pm)

Internet is out near high point. Cable is still on.

Stu June 1, 2015 (7:47 pm)

It’s a DNS issue.
Change your DNS to 8.8.8.8 (that’s Google’s public DNS) and it’ll work.

BofP June 1, 2015 (7:53 pm)

Thanks for the tip, Stu. Worked for me. Plus it’s super fast because there’s almost nobody else online!

marco June 1, 2015 (7:55 pm)

Haha, thanks, Stu – that’s why I have no issue. I’ve used Google’s DNS for a while now.

Chad June 1, 2015 (7:55 pm)

Stu, you rock. I changed my DNS and all is well.

Katy June 1, 2015 (7:57 pm)

Took me 15 tries to load this page. Comcast is awwwwwful!

helping hand June 1, 2015 (7:58 pm)

To change the DNS on a mac, open your network preferences, click “advanced” click the DNS tab, then click the little + icon at the bottom. put in 8.8.8.8 and then click save

Cat June 1, 2015 (7:59 pm)

Horrible in and out near Fauntleroy!!

Andrew June 1, 2015 (8:01 pm)

Mine seems to be working. It’s been sluggish for most of the day but am able to connect.

AJ June 1, 2015 (8:04 pm)

What Stu said. After rebooting my modem, rebooting my computer, then an excruciatingly slow Google search for a solution, changing my DNS is what worked for me.

cj June 1, 2015 (8:06 pm)

After 3 resets mine is working again on Fauntleroy by the park. When I went to WSB front page though I got the list with no images, but now they are fixed too.

miws June 1, 2015 (8:06 pm)

Mine’s been mostly fine here in Highland Park/S. Delridge.

Had a site I was clicking through about 10-15 minutes ago hang a bit, and earlier this afternoon FaceBook was slow, but that’s about it.

Mike

BurienM June 1, 2015 (8:07 pm)

What is DNS and what is 8.8.8.8?

Sue June 1, 2015 (8:09 pm)

Mine’s working, but probably explains why I was having some delays in streaming over internet a little while ago (telling me I had no internet connection, and things intermittently sluggish).

A June 1, 2015 (8:11 pm)

Great tip. Thanks!

P. S. Don’t even try to call Comcast at this point. You’ll get a “the number you have called is not a working number” message.

Zeitgeist/33 June 1, 2015 (8:11 pm)

Now this is community at work. Thank you, WSB, Stu and Helping Hand! Super simple fix and we’re back in action!

cliows June 1, 2015 (8:13 pm)

thanks for tip on google….may save me tomorrow for my work if CC is not fixed by then. WSB you rock

ChefJoe June 1, 2015 (8:14 pm)

Stu is correct… it’s almost always a DNS issue with Comcast. If you can set multiple DNS servers 8.8.4.4 is another Google DNS and there’s always using the DNS server of a Comcast competitor for “variety”.
–
Happy that CLink strung some fiber through Seaview lately and have an appointment to give them a shot for fiber 40mbit internet for $30 (plus $8 modem rental…). Would like to get rid of that rental hassle using PPPoE and a Tomato-Shibby router but “business models”.

Justin June 1, 2015 (8:15 pm)

Thanks Stu! You rock

Egi June 1, 2015 (8:17 pm)

Thanks for the information. I was beginning to think it was my phone. Shut down the wifi and surfing now with 4G

Mat June 1, 2015 (8:21 pm)

I really hope there is a day I can tell Comcast to go shove it because there is a good alternative.

carole June 1, 2015 (8:23 pm)

Got online with pc, sluggish. My android will only connect via 4g, not wifi.

MargeC June 1, 2015 (8:23 pm)

Thank you Stu! I’ve been having a down-up-down-up-down experience with Comcast for the last three hours – your DNS fix (changing it to 8.8.8.8) worked!! It’s a miracle. Now I don’t remember what it was before I changed it – will I ever have to change it back?
I tried calling Comcast but just got a busy signal.

Jd June 1, 2015 (8:26 pm)

Can you permanently leave your DNS set to 8.8.8.8?

Betty June 1, 2015 (8:26 pm)

Spot on Helping hand, thanks!

Alison June 1, 2015 (8:28 pm)

Thanks Stu!

John on Vashon June 1, 2015 (8:29 pm)

Sporadic here to. Leave it to WSB to know about it!

Ashley June 1, 2015 (8:30 pm)

Hey Stu, thanks for the tip! That solved our problem. :)

SC June 1, 2015 (8:31 pm)

This has to be more than a DNS issue. Comcast can no longer find my account when I call them…

Betty June 1, 2015 (8:33 pm)

To Stu as well thanks, how to change DNS on iPad?

SJ2 June 1, 2015 (8:34 pm)

Thanks Stu!!! You rock!

Toni Reineke June 1, 2015 (8:37 pm)

How do you do it, WSB? Yours is the only site I can actually visit! (though with no photos showing)

Ron June 1, 2015 (8:37 pm)

Same issue out in Puyallup, checked IPConfig /all, no DNS servers, repointed DNS to 8.8.8.8, back up and running until Comcast figures out why they’re not issuing servers with DHCP.

Katrina June 1, 2015 (8:39 pm)

Is leaving your DNS set to a public Comcast DNS server ok? Wouldn’t that be a problem for security?

Betty June 1, 2015 (8:41 pm)

Got iPad changed thanks again, Helping hand and Stu!

Jason June 1, 2015 (8:43 pm)

For ipad

Settings
Wifi
Tap exclamation point next to your network
Tap DNS
Enter 8.8.8.8

Mike June 1, 2015 (8:43 pm)

unplug your cable modem let it sit for about 15 seconds, pug it back in and wait a LONG time for Comcast to cycle through all their checks to connect up again. Took about 4 minutes for Comcast to finally allow my modem to be connected again after plugging it back in.

When is Google or Wave bringing fiber here again?

Gary June 1, 2015 (8:44 pm)

My north seattle comcast was dead (8:00pm), but after 8.8.8.8 dns fix I have 59.30Mbps!
Thanks..

Stu June 1, 2015 (8:44 pm)

On iPad, iPhone:
go to:
settings
wi-fi, click on your network
Change DNS to 8.8.8.8

Comcast’s DNS:
https://www.whatsmydns.net/dns/usa/comcast.html

Google DNS:
https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/

Lorraine June 1, 2015 (8:44 pm)

does anyone know how to do this on an iPad?

david June 1, 2015 (8:49 pm)

Thanks for the heads up. Just hung up the phone, been on hold for 30 minutes with Comcast and still never spoke with anyone…

Zoey Salsbury June 1, 2015 (8:50 pm)

I recommend Open DNS to fix this problem for now! They have instructions for how to fix it for all your devices, or even your router so all your devices are automatically fixed.

It’ll keep working even after the Comcast fix, and maybe even be faster!

https://store.opendns.com/setup/#/

kumalavula June 1, 2015 (8:52 pm)

if only I’d been able to connect to
the internet an hour ago to be able to check the blog, I wouldn’t have felt so much in outer space and detached from the rest of the world that’s been having the same
annoying connectivity issues and customer
service problems with comcast, now pretty much synonymous with the devil in
this household!

GW June 1, 2015 (8:55 pm)

This is an ongoing theme with Comcast…. it’s been down 4 or 5 times over the past month. Are they actively working on something, or is this just Comcast being Comcast (i.e. evil and horrible)?

bibs June 1, 2015 (8:57 pm)

Mine has been in and out all day (wfh). Continually dropping, me having to disconnetc or do hard reset on all equipment. But we have always had pretty consistent comcast trouble (Internet and cable) For the last couple years. New equipment, installation, etc.

mouseman June 1, 2015 (9:04 pm)

It’s baaaaack! ! !

cliows June 1, 2015 (9:10 pm)

so if we added the 8.8.8.8 to our DNS, do we need to remove that at some point, does anybody know?

Kelly M June 1, 2015 (9:10 pm)

There is a group called Upgrade Seattle who is working on making internet a public utility in Seattle so we won’t be at the mercy of evil, horrible Comcast. Check them out: http://www.upgradeseattle.com/

West Seattle Expat June 1, 2015 (9:22 pm)

Hah! I’ve been having trouble connecting here in the Bay Area, and I come here and find out it’s not just me! Thanks, WSB!

joel June 1, 2015 (9:25 pm)

direct tv – never goes out and cheaper – all around better service and price

kate June 1, 2015 (9:25 pm)

ah man, if only i’d thought to load WSB instead of attempting to mess around with comcast themselves.

anyway, just got a text from them that service is restored (we’re located in N Delridge) and it does seem to be…

ChefJoe June 1, 2015 (9:36 pm)

GW, about once a year there’s a sudden rush of “comcast out” reports and, most of the time, it’s the DNS server that Comcast serves out to customers. DNS servers translate “google.com” into the IP address for their servers.
.
There is no harm with running with a non-comcast DNS server continually except for the possibility of being slightly slower.

208.67.220.220 is a fast OpenDNS server around here and 205.171.3.25 is a CenturyLink DNS server around here too. Some routers will even allow multiple DNS servers to be entered and will run down the list when needed.

Cam June 1, 2015 (9:43 pm)

Back on for me in the Alaska Junction.

M June 1, 2015 (9:44 pm)

Looks like it might be normal now. Comcast status now normal (admiral area)

lvbebe June 1, 2015 (10:27 pm)

I’m visiting my parents in the Bay Area and we had issues earlier today/this evening – we had assumed it was just us! Thanks for the update!

Trickycoolj June 1, 2015 (10:42 pm)

Nada in High Point as of 10:40. I hope I don’t have to go crawl under my desk and power cycle everything… Again.

WSB June 1, 2015 (10:53 pm)

Sorry to hear that. Did suspect it would be a situation for hedging the bet with “most if not all.”

Mike June 1, 2015 (11:11 pm)

For Chef Joe – isn’t that CL deal $85 per mo because they require a phone + internet bundle? Anyone else figured out a way around Comcast’s price increase after one year of discounted service (34.99 to 74.99 per mo)?

ChefJoe June 1, 2015 (11:42 pm)

Call Comcast and tell them the rates are higher than you want to pay and they’ll usually work to get you back to a promo rate.

Mike, I think it may be because of the new fiber (red tags on lower wires on phone poles) but they are offering $29.something at my address with options of $70 for 100mbit and $110 for a gig with no bundle. Actually having phone disconnected because we’re all cellular, including the alarm system.

sam-c June 2, 2015 (9:43 am)

I am with BurienM.

I read this, and am still a little confused on why changing it worked out for everyone. Isn’t your internet still running on Comcast’s network? lines cables or whatever?

http://www.networksolutions.com/support/what-is-a-domain-name-server-dns-and-how-does-it-work/

ChefJoe June 2, 2015 (11:00 am)

sam-c, it’s possible that the server was just taken offline but there’s a phenomenon/hack called DNS poisoning whereby someone trying to visit, say, usbank.com would be directed to a faked/imposter usbank.com that captures what you type as a login/password . Normally DNS servers get their data from another DNS server (as the lookup table gets updated and propagated several times a day) so it’s certainly possible that one corrupted/suspect DNS server could affect others and a proper response would be to take them offline until they can be corrected.

Or, it could be some completely different reason.

bolo June 9, 2015 (11:38 am)

Comcast offering $5 credit for this outage, until June 11, application form available until june 11:
https://secure.xfinity.com/customerexperience/credit-request

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