apt-get cannot conect to server

[oxy]

Hi all,
similar posts around refer to wrong proxy configuration, wrong
/etc/apt/sources.list files etc. None seems to be my case. Look:

# apt-get update
Err http://security.debian.org etch/updates Release.gpg                                                                                       
  Could not connect to security.debian.org:80 (1.0.0.0), connection timed out
Err http://download.virtualbox.org etch Release.gpg                                                                                           
  Could not connect to download.virtualbox.org:80 (1.0.0.0), connection timed out
Err http://ftp.de.debian.org etch Release.gpg                                                   
  Could not connect to ftp.de.debian.org:80 (1.0.0.0), connection timed out
Failed to fetch http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/dists/etch/Release.gpg  Could not connect to ftp.de.debian.org:80 (1.0.0.0), connection timed out
Failed to fetch http://security.debian.org/dists/etch/updates/Release.gpg  Could not connect to security.debian.org:80 (1.0.0.0), connection timed out
Failed to fetch http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/dists/etch/Release.gpg  Could not connect to download.virtualbox.org:80 (1.0.0.0), connection timed out
Reading package lists... Done
E: Some index files failed to download, they have been ignored, or old ones used instead.

Its a debian etch connected to internet and resolving names, having no the following
/etc/apt/sources.list file:

deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ etch main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/ etch main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib non-free
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ etch/updates main contrib non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian etch non-free

My apt-get:

# apt-get --version
apt 0.6.46.4-0.1 for linux i386 compiled on Feb 26 2007 16:19:57
Supported modules:
*Ver: Standard .deb
*Pkg:  Debian dpkg interface (Priority 30)
 S.L: 'deb' Standard Debian binary tree
 S.L: 'deb-src' Standard Debian source tree
 Idx: Debian Source Index
 Idx: Debian Package Index
 Idx: Debian dpkg status file

The only major change i've done lately is to conect to different networks
using different host/domain names. (seems no real reason for problems)

I have no /etc/apt/apt.conf or /etc/apt/preferences file in my system.

Any help? Thanx in advance ...

[smolloy]

Has this problem been happening for long? Sometimes servers go offline for a while, but if you wait for a while (a few hours or a day), then they should be back up.

[oxy]

yes, the problem has been happening for over a week already.
I can ping to the servers.

[smolloy]

So the problem isn't with the servers -- it must be with your system.

The only major change i've done lately is to conect to different networks
using different host/domain names. (seems no real reason for problems)

What do you mean by this?

[oxy]

there was no change in apt-get version or config file,
no new kernel installed ...
... no major change in the system

[smolloy]

But what did you mean by connecting to different networks with different host/domain names? Just ssh'ing to different servers?

[oxy]

When connecting to a different network, i use a different IP address.
If it's a fixed IP network (no DHCP), i also use
a different host name and a different domain name.

Interestingly, my iceweasel (firefox) also stopped working
without any update or change in configuration,
but konqueror still works fine.

[oxy]

i connected to a different ISP and everything works again.
Sth for the gurus to explain and eventally correct.

Why firefox n epiphany couldnt resolve names if the system
could (and konqueror too) and with the new ISP they can?

Both ISP where home dhcp providers, but in different countries.
The ISP were firefox n epiphany resolve names is the one through
which i installed the system. The system was not changed in the
meantime.

?????????????????????...............

[smolloy]

The only thing you changed was your ISP? Nothing else?

Hmmm...... Very odd.

[iwanabeguru]

Hi

I think i know what is your problem.

I don't know konqueror but maybe it uses its own dns cache.

You said you have chaned ISP , and different ISP's have different name servers.
With fix ip adresses the dns information don't upgraded so you need to configure manually your new dns servers in /etc/resolv.conf file.

Try a nslookup to one of the popular sites of your country or google.

nslookup www.google.com