First Alert Spam Database Offline FOREVER

[Echo]

All it says in the FAQ is "make sure Port 4050 is available." I have tried everything I can think of to make that port available and still I get the same error message every.single.time I download or process mail.

What is the point of paying for First Alert if it is never going to work?

[rusticdog]

If you go here, it details how to create a debug file. If you can send me that it would be appreciated.
http://forum.firetrust.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=522

You can email that to me at forum@firetrust.com


Has FirstAlert ever worked for you ? If it has/does then I can't imagine it being a Firewall problem.

[rusticdog]

Techies tell me one of the FA servers was removed (presumably from a glitch) which could explain it. I've not had any errors today at least, but will continue to keep my eye on it.

[Echo]

Yes, FirstAlert only stopped working a couple of months ago or so. Sending the debug file. Thanks.

[rusticdog]

OK great, the logs unfortunately don't tell me much, just confirming what you've already said. This flavour of MailWasher was always very light on logging anything related to FirstAlert, but at least now it's ruled out some of the more obvious things.

If you click Start >> in the Search/Run box type CMD and press Enter >> then in the CMD Window type ping soap.first-alert.net and press Enter >> what IP address do you get back ?

Also then, next type TELNET soap.first-alert.net 4050 and press Enter, do you get a black screen ?

Screenshots below...

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[rusticdog]

Oh, and anything you can think of that might have happened a couple of months ago, if the above does fail. New router ? different firewall/security software installed etc...

[Echo]

The IP address for the ping is 219.213.221.161. Average time 33 ms.

For TELNET I get: 'TELNET' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I did get a new router, but I am pretty sure I had the problem before that.

[rusticdog]

With the IP address you get, 219.213.221.161 are you sure it's not 209.213.221.161 ?

[Echo]

I beg your pardon, it is 209.213.221.161.

[rusticdog]

Not sure you should be getting the 161 back as the result. In the interim while I ask the techs to check some things for me, can you take a look in your HOSTS file and check there is no added line in there that is asking soap.first-alert.net to resolve to 209.213.221.161

Instructions here on viewing this HOSTS file http://antivirus.about.com/od/windowsba ... tsfile.htm

[TrustFire]

I beg your pardon, it is 209.213.221.161.

This is what I receive:--

• 

  FirstAlert_Ping.png (44.59 KiB) Viewed 12308 times

[rusticdog]

Yeah, 165 is what I'd expect. I've since found out that 161 is playing games, so hopefully the techs get that sorted soon.

So we just want to be sure there's no HOSTS file alteration (that could have been suggested previously as a fix) so that MW won't be keep trying to connect to the dodgy server.

[Echo]

Well, hell, the file properties are not giving me the option to change the file type. Still researching this problem.... any ideas?

[Echo]

Okay I figured that out - and there is NO hosts file. Working on that now.

[Echo]

Okay FINALLY - here is the hosts file:

# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handle within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost