why is web access different from other tcp??

I'm trying to connect to a web page on a machine across a satellite link.
I can telnet and ftp to the target machine, so I know tcp connections work.
However, whenever I try to connect to the web server on the same machine
(httpd), I get an error "Error unknown - unknown error with URL". I'm
specifying the IP address of the server machine, not it's hostname.

If I connect a computer directly to the server machine's ethernet hub, I
can access the web server with no problem.

What is causing this problem??

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On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 13:51:23 -0600, Dan Miller wrote:


> I get an error "Error unknown - unknown error with URL".
> I'm specifying the IP address of the server machine, not it's hostname.

The message would be coming from the web server, so it sounds like you are
connecting, but the web server is telling you the it doesn't like the url.
It could be a configuration issue with the web server. Is there some
reason why you're not connecting using the host's name instead of the ip
address?

Dan



>
> If I connect a computer directly to the server machine's ethernet hub, I
> can access the web server with no problem.
>
> What is causing this problem??
>
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Perhaps there is a (transparant) proxy between you and the web server
when you are going over the satelite link. And that proxy is either
fubar or otherwise does not like what it is seeing.

rick jones
--
denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, rebirth...
where do you want to be today?
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway...
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...

Rick Jones <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in news:afkXf.5701$cc3.198
@news.cpqcorp.net:

> Perhaps there is a (transparant) proxy between you and the web server
> when you are going over the satelite link. And that proxy is either
> fubar or otherwise does not like what it is seeing.
>
> rick jones

No, there's no proxy servers in this system...
I've found that I can actually connect to the same server by specifying the
IP address of the satellite-side ethernet interface, but I don't want to do
that because we usually don't have routes to the satellite interfaces, only
to the ethernet networks.

However, if telnet and ftp work, I know that routing isn't the issue, it
must be something related to the http server (httpd) itself... but I have
no idea what!!




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Dan N <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news(E-Mail Removed) ldomain:

> On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 13:51:23 -0600, Dan Miller wrote:
>
>
>> I get an error "Error unknown - unknown error with URL".
>> I'm specifying the IP address of the server machine, not it's
>> hostname.
>
> The message would be coming from the web server, so it sounds like you
> are connecting, but the web server is telling you the it doesn't like
> the url.
> It could be a configuration issue with the web server. Is there some
> reason why you're not connecting using the host's name instead of the
> ip address?
>
Well, the remote networks ("remote" meaning on the side of the satellite
network which is away from the public network) typically have small
networks attached to them, and there are large numbers of these remote
networks, so there hasn't been much advantage in putting all the names
into the master dns table (which we also, often don't actually have
access to in our customers' systems; it's hard enough to get them to put
the routes themselves into their server).

In any case, it's simpler here to not have names involved, so I know that
the problem is not a dns problem.

Incidentally, we've seen that this problem does NOT occur in all
systems!! sometimes we can connect to httpd via the ethernet interface
and sometimes we can't!!

Another thing I noticed was this; I hooked up an IP sniffer on our hub-
side network, and I found that actual message that I'm getting from httpd
is "tcp disconnect" ... Does this mean anything specific in this
context??

I think I'll check and see if httpd is generating any log files which
might be useful to me...

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On Sat, 01 Apr 2006 08:38:01 +0800, Dan N <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 13:51:23 -0600, Dan Miller wrote:
>
>
>> I get an error "Error unknown - unknown error with URL".
>> I'm specifying the IP address of the server machine, not it's hostname.
>
>The message would be coming from the web server, so it sounds like you are
>connecting, but the web server is telling you the it doesn't like the url.

Try that on my webserver and you'll get "Splat!", 'cos web access by
IP is only used by non-valid users, in my experience.

I use virtual servers so the creeps crawling for proxies are easily
denied access.

The issue is not TCP, but perhaps a web server security technique you're
seeing?

Grant.
--
Memory fault -- brain fried

On Fri, 31 Mar 2006 19:06:54 -0600, Dan Miller wrote:

> In any case, it's simpler here to not have names involved, so I know that
> the problem is not a dns problem.

Sure, but the error message you're getting back says it doesn't like the
url, which means it might not like seeing the ip address. I assume you're
using apache. If it's using 'virtual hosts', then it will need an actual
name, not just an ip address. It can be configured to use a default page
for any name it doesn't recognise, but it may not be configured to do so.

> Incidentally, we've seen that this problem does NOT occur in all systems!!
> sometimes we can connect to httpd via the ethernet interface and sometimes
> we can't!!

Have a look at how you're addressing it. I've seen instances where you
need to start the url, particularly if it's an ip address, with "http://".

> Another thing I noticed was this; I hooked up an IP sniffer on our hub-
> side network, and I found that actual message that I'm getting from httpd
> is "tcp disconnect" ... Does this mean anything specific in this context??

It probably means exactly that, the web server is closing the connection.
>
> I think I'll check and see if httpd is generating any log files which
> might be useful to me...

Definitely worth looking at. My guess is that it's a configuration issue
with the web server. You've got connectivity to the host (telnet, etc.),
you seem to be connecting to the web server, but it's sending you back an
error message. You might want to look at the web server config file as
well. Have a look if it's denying certain addresses and whether it's
using virtual hosts.

Dan



>
> ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet
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> via Encryption =----

Dan Miller wrote:
> I'm trying to connect to a web page on a machine across a satellite link.
> I can telnet and ftp to the target machine, so I know tcp connections work.
> However, whenever I try to connect to the web server on the same machine
> (httpd), I get an error "Error unknown - unknown error with URL". I'm
> specifying the IP address of the server machine, not it's hostname.
>
> If I connect a computer directly to the server machine's ethernet hub, I
> can access the web server with no problem.
>
> What is causing this problem??

The HTTP request contains the URL used to get at the page.
The server is free to use it in any way it feels fit, including
disliking plain IP addresses.

It seems that the server is reached OK and it hangs the connection
at you, as it does not like to be addressed with the bare IP.

The mechanism is utilized for virtual servers, where you can
address the server at one IP with many different DNS names.

--

Tauno Voipio
tauno voipio (at) iki fi

Tauno Voipio <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:jVrXf.169$(E-Mail Removed):

> Dan Miller wrote:
>> I'm trying to connect to a web page on a machine across a satellite
>> link. I can telnet and ftp to the target machine, so I know tcp
>> connections work. However, whenever I try to connect to the web
>> server on the same machine (httpd), I get an error "Error unknown -
>> unknown error with URL". I'm specifying the IP address of the server
>> machine, not it's hostname.
>>
>> If I connect a computer directly to the server machine's ethernet
>> hub, I can access the web server with no problem.
>>
>> What is causing this problem??
>
> The HTTP request contains the URL used to get at the page.
> The server is free to use it in any way it feels fit, including
> disliking plain IP addresses.
>
> It seems that the server is reached OK and it hangs the connection
> at you, as it does not like to be addressed with the bare IP.
>
> The mechanism is utilized for virtual servers, where you can
> address the server at one IP with many different DNS names.
>
Thank all of you for your inputs regarding virtual servers and other
issues!! I'll research this further with our http configuration, and see
what I can find.

Dan

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