Planetside Software Forums

News => Announcements => Topic started by: Oshyan on March 10, 2018, 03:08:19 PM

Title: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 10, 2018, 03:08:19 PM
Hi all, we will be migrating our web systems to a new server in the wee hours of Monday morning, Pacific Time. Migration is scheduled to start around Midnight (12AM) Pacific and should be completed by 8AM Pacific Time. The website will display a Maintenance message during this time, and the forums will likewise be closed to new posts. If you visit the site and see the forums open for posting, then you're seeing it on the new server. Post away!

Although we have done our best to test all services on the new server prior to this migration, there is a small chance there will be something that doesn't work quite right after the switch. If so please let us know in a reply here or email support AT planetside.co.uk and we'll take care of it ASAP.

Update: the migration should now be complete, however there was an error made by our web host during the process, and it caused some problems for some site visitors. If you're reading this message things are probably fine now, but you can read details on Facebook just in case: https://www.facebook.com/PlanetsideSoftware/posts/1636537949748077

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Dune on March 11, 2018, 01:15:58 AM
Thanks for the warning. Good luck.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: mhaze on March 11, 2018, 05:42:28 AM
Indeed, good luck, hope it all goes smoothly
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: luvsmuzik on March 11, 2018, 08:50:10 AM
Will this require a new login? If so, just email me the link now to create a new password....hahaha. I can't blame Win10 for this one at least. Good luck! :)
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 11, 2018, 11:16:51 PM
Nothing will change, all the same data, systems, etc. Just a new server. No worries. :)

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: KlausK on March 13, 2018, 06:58:53 AM
Hm, since you moved to your new server I cannot reach planetside. co.uk anymore.
Right after you started the downtime I saw the "404 we are moving" page,
now your internet address changes to something else when I try to connect.
None of my former shortcuts works. Even the update function in TG`s "Help" menu returns an error.
Any ideas? Does that happen to other users from Switzerland too, perhaps?
This is via Mozilla`s Firefox ESR 52.6.0 (32-bit).
Right now I am connecting via Tor browser.

Hints and help appreciated.

CHeers, Klaus
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Dune on March 13, 2018, 08:32:58 AM
I don't have this problem; 32-bit as well, win 7 and Firefox. All works as usual. Did you try finding it again through the main site http://www.planetside.co.uk (http://www.planetside.co.uk) ?
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: KlausK on March 13, 2018, 09:14:22 AM
Thank you, Dune. But all of planetside.co.uk is affected.
Looks like I picked up some sort of Redirect Virus / Malware thing somehow.
Of course, I have no idea, when where and how. I did not install anything whatsoever in the last two month.
And this shit usually comes with some installer, afaik.
As far as I can see only planetside.co.uk is affected. All the other I frequent work ok.
Darn, I really don`t feel like loosing time on this nonsense. grrrr...

Well, I will run some anti-malware and registry scans today, perhaps I am lucky.
If that does not help, a fresh computer setup is in order.
As long as I can get in here with Tor...

CHeers, Klaus
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Dune on March 13, 2018, 09:45:26 AM
Didn't some websites get a false negative from some virus scanner?
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: luvsmuzik on March 13, 2018, 10:29:31 AM
Wonder if your virus software has a log of restrictions or blocked sites in activity list? Like block, always allow type of thing? I assume you have reset modem and all that other jazz sometimes that has to be done?
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 13, 2018, 04:54:19 PM
Hey everyone. Turns out this issue was on our end (caused by our web hosting company misconfiguring something). Very sorry about this! Details below:

On Monday, March 12th at approximately 6AM Pacific Time our web hosting company made a severe configuration error during a routine migration to a new server. This caused some visitors to our website to be redirected to a domain that we do not own or have any control of. This may have triggered warnings from your web browser or antivirus software regarding possible scam or malware activity. This is not the result of any malware on our website, but rather it is due to the configuration issue which misdirects some of our website visitors to a completely different website.

We corrected the error as soon as possible, but unfortunately due to the nature of the configuration issue which caused it, it will take up to 48 hours be fully resolved. Additionally, since the issue was the result of a DNS misconfiguration, we cannot simply take down our website or do anything else to address the issue besides simply wait for the correct DNS information to be mirrored across the global Internet.

It does not affect all visitors, those of you who have successfully connected to our main website or forums within the last 24hrs should be unaffected. For anyone else we unfortunately have to recommend that you not visit our website (planetside .co .uk) until Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 10PM Pacific Time. This is approximately 34 hours from the time of this posting, since 14 hours have already passed following the correction of the error.

We deeply regret any issues caused by this problem. We will be working with our web hosting company to ensure that they address whatever circumstances allowed this error to be made and that they do everything possible to prevent such mistakes in the future. We at Planetside Software will also be creating new procedures and system checks to help ensure correct configuration in the future. We appreciate your patience and understanding while this issue is addressed. We will post an update when we are confident that all visitors will arrive at the correct website.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Dune on March 14, 2018, 03:05:18 AM
Too bad the affected users can't read this  :P Funny enough, I was in the middle of checking all new posts when it suddenly didn't refresh anymore and the updating had started.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Upon Infinity on March 14, 2018, 03:32:17 AM
Quote from: Dune on March 14, 2018, 03:05:18 AM
Too bad the affected users can't read this  :P Funny enough, I was in the middle of checking all new posts when it suddenly didn't refresh anymore and the updating had started.

I was affected and can now read it.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: KlausK on March 14, 2018, 04:24:34 AM
OK, let`s hope for the best. Tried this morning before I read this. For now, I still get redirected.
CHeers, Klaus
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: archonforest on March 14, 2018, 04:56:06 AM
I was also redirected to an interesting website...first I thought I landed on an updated MakeHuman site... :D but the modells were just too real... :P
Thx God nobody were watching my screen.... ;D
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Hannes on March 14, 2018, 05:26:57 AM
Well, I got lost as well (thank god to a chocolate website  ;D), but after I actualized my bookmark after I could reach the forum via the main Planetside website, everything's fine now.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 14, 2018, 05:29:27 PM
Yes, we did post it to social media where we hoped more people would be able to see it. It's really a frustrating issue because it affected our main website in entirety, which means we couldn't warn people through the website. Bit of a paradox, for lack of a better word, heh.

Anyway, it seems to be largely resolved now, so that's good.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: KlausK on March 14, 2018, 07:18:22 PM
Now I can reach the main website, but only through this address >>https://planetside.co.uk<<
It`s the >>s<< that makes the difference.
As soon as I click another link from there (to the forum or the documentation) I get redirected again via the same shitty marketing service "liftglyn.com". The links on your website use the (old?) format >>http://www.planetside.co.uk<<. This is somehow hijacked by the redirect thingie.
I can use >>https://planetside.co.uk/forums<< to get there but it looks like this: see attached picture.
And of course, every link on the forum website is re-directed (because of the (old) www.planetside.co.uk format) again.

Perhaps this helps in troubleshooting if it does not solve itself somehow soon.

CHeers, Klaus

edit: I just now noticed that the only link using the (old) format on the Main Planetside Website is the link to the forum. All the others are http>>s(ecure) links and work as expected.


***sent through Tor - the friend in need ;)


Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 15, 2018, 07:33:01 PM
Thanks for the extensive notes on what you're seeing. We hadn't made mention of it yet, but we are indeed in the process of transitioning to HTTPS and also standardizing on no-www at the same time. There will be some old links for a little while, though they should all still work. We'll be setting up global redirects, etc. to handle things more seamlessly soon.

As far as the www and non-www differences, evidently DNS resolution is separate for each (the www is considered a subdomain), and so it's possible for www to go one place and non-www to go to another (just as forums.planetside.co.uk goes to the forums and not our main site). So this issue should resolve itself with time just as it partially did already. But again we'll be putting overall redirects in place to send all traffic to non-www (and HTTPS), so that should also help.

This should all be settled out soon. It was just made significantly more complicated and problematic by the misconfiguration by our web host.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Hannes on March 16, 2018, 05:34:46 PM
There are still some issues. Ulco wrote me a mail, that he still had problems to access the forum, which I had as well. He said, you fixed something, but it's still strange:
Whenever I try to log in, I first get a screen like in the image below, but on the second attempt it works. Weird...
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: KlausK on March 16, 2018, 06:45:55 PM
Hi, at last i can reach the forum again with Firefox and Pale Moon Browser.

Also I can confirm what Hannes wrote: that logging in to the forum does not work flawlessly.
When I use the >>Please login or register<< field top left of the forum main page I get a site which says >>an error occured<< after putting in my account data.
Or: clicking >>Login<< in the menu bar on the main page a login site appears. Filling in the form with username and password gives me a >>404 Page not found<< from Planetside (what Hannes posted).
Now to actually login I removed the part of the website address only to have >>http://planetside.co.uk/forums<< left in the address bar and voila! I am logged in.
So there must be something wrong here for sure.

Hannes, I noticed yesterday when I tried to upload a picture related to my message I only could actually see it when I was logged in in to the forum.
Otherwise (NOT logged in) it is still not visible. The same happens with your attached picture now.
CHeers, Klaus
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: luvsmuzik on March 16, 2018, 09:26:56 PM
And now my login is acting funny, but following KlausK link advice, I just logged in first time today. Don't worry about it, I am sure it will settle down soon for me.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Dune on March 17, 2018, 02:19:25 AM
Something is still wrong, I'm sure. I login and get a page where it says; Unable to verify referring url. Then I login again; I get a 404 page. Then I deleted all in the address line except the main address/forum, and I am sent to the logged in site. Weird.

Strangely the address is now https://planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=unread (https://planetside.co.uk/forums/index.php?action=unread), while it used to show much more, with a session number, login, and member number.

And when I click on read all unread messages (top line under my name), it's pretty slow to react.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 18, 2018, 02:36:51 AM
While there may still be configuration issues, as far as we can tell things are setup correctly on the forums now. So those of you having problems please try doing the following.

First, log out of the forums if you are logged-in currently.
Then, clear your web browser cache.
Next, delete any cookies you have for planetside.co.uk and/or the forums.
Finally, go to this URL and enter your login info: https://planetside.co.uk/forums/

Let us know if you still have problems when you follow that sequence. If that works for you, you may simply need to update any bookmarks or auto-complete URLs for the forums as they have changed to use HTTPS (secure) and to not use www.

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Hannes on March 18, 2018, 06:04:14 AM
Works for me. I followed your instructions, updated my bookmark (again), and now I can log in without any problems. So far... ;)
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Hannes on March 18, 2018, 06:29:27 AM
...but doesn't work on my mobile phone... >:(
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Dune on March 18, 2018, 09:50:24 AM
Works for me too. Thanks Oshyan!
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: j meyer on March 18, 2018, 01:37:26 PM
And for me aswell. Thanks.
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 20, 2018, 04:13:11 PM
Glad to hear it's working for most!

Quote from: Hannes on March 18, 2018, 06:29:27 AM
...but doesn't work on my mobile phone... >:(

What do you get on your mobile Hannes?

- Oshyan
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Hannes on March 21, 2018, 09:15:52 AM
Quote from: Oshyan on March 20, 2018, 04:13:11 PM
Glad to hear it's working for most!

Quote from: Hannes on March 18, 2018, 06:29:27 AM
...but doesn't work on my mobile phone... >:(

What do you get on your mobile Hannes?

- Oshyan

Don't worry, Oshyan. It seems to be an issue with my actual browser. When I use Chrome it works...
Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: lat 64 on March 21, 2018, 02:20:52 PM
Whew! glad it was not a home-computer invasion.
I was getting redirects or such to a fake Apple help site. I said bad words and yanked the power cord out of the wall. I waited a few hours and then I ran antivirus check.
Today it's working on this forum and main web site.


Title: Re: Website + forum scheduled downtime
Post by: Oshyan on March 21, 2018, 06:58:37 PM
Glad to hear it all. We are pretty confident it's all sorted out now. *phew*

- Oshyan