topic Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem in Sky Q

Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Me123321123 — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 19:31:09 GMT

This is a problem which occurs frequently and always with programmes which have adverts. Downloading BBC or similar content is fine, sometimes the programmes start downloading, then they fail and they ONLY fail when switching from adverts to the main content. So for a SKY FIlm - once you get to the beginning of the film after many attempts, it will download the film. The latest was from FBI International when it got to 35 minutes in and the advert finished, it continued to play for a few minutes without the screen changing, then jumped to the end and said download failed, wouldn't let me rewind, quite or anything. This has been going on for years and I've tried all the fixes from the old thread but they don't work. I did get slightly better - when I spoke to Sky they said they were trying to fix the problem and would let me know when it was fixed.... That was so long ago I can't actually remember when.

Sky blame my ISP, my ISP says it's a problem with Sky which affects some customers. Great...

Anyone managed to solve this yet?

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Me123321123 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:22:09 GMT

And I just updated the Software to the latest version on my Q Box - same behaviour...

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

cuke — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:14:54 GMT

@Me123321123 and your ISP is?

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Me123321123 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:29:27 GMT

@cuke - my ISP is Rapid Rural.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

cuke — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:46:10 GMT

Thanks, I'd be asking them why their service isn't working correctly when Sky's own, and many other ISP's, work fine.

They need to supply a reason so you can then post it here.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Me123321123 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:03:26 GMT

@cuke I have tried and this is a fault which doesn't affect all customers for this ISP.

Does anyone know how other ISPs have solved the problem?

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

ftballman — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:11:32 GMT

I wish I had a solution for you but just to mention I had this exact issue when on 4g broadband. On investigating at the time it was said it was due to the way my IP address was changeable - it would therefore change during the interuption in the download where ads were inserted and then most times cause the download to fail.

It's a very frustrating and unpredictable problem and 1 of those where it's very tough to get anyone to take the blame.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

AJT23 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:48:07 GMT

I have this problem with RR. I can download onto a Mac or iPhone without issue. A tech told me it was a response time issue but I'm struggling to believe that it's a ping time issue.

they did something to my Q last night and now I can't even start the download. Nothing happens when I try.

I had another point to point solution previously and it was fine, so it's not all p2p that have issues.

spoke to the ISP and they've pointed out that it is a known issue across numerous isps.

netflix / Amazon work fine.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

simon194 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:12:17 GMT

@AJT23 wrote:
I have this problem with RR. I can download onto a Mac or iPhone without issue. A tech told me it was a response time issue but I'm struggling to believe that it's a ping time issue.

they did something to my Q last night and now I can't even start the download. Nothing happens when I try.

I had another point to point solution previously and it was fine, so it's not all p2p that have issues.

spoke to the ISP and they've pointed out that it is a known issue across numerous isps.

netflix / Amazon work fine.

The root cause of the problem is Sky's advert servers, the ones that insert in adverts into the downloaded content, timeout and cause the error. I haven't had it happen for a while but it has been going on for a few years now.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

AJT23 — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:30:24 GMT

Tks. Any workarounds as it's a pain in the backside. I could at least start the download til a Sky tech updated something yesterday. .

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

cuke — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 13:29:35 GMT

However any ISP worth their salt should be able to give a reason why their hardware is causing an issue with Sky and work with them to resolve it.

Yes there are those that have a unusual setup, such as 4g or satellite connections, that might not be compatible with Sky's servers, but it is up to those companies to work with their customers and Sky to resolve it.

If I was told this by any CS of the, possibly hundreds, of various companies I've dealt with as a IT Technician then I'd drop them like a stone.

If this is an issue only affect you then this needs to be raised to level beyond the 'grunts' that answer the phones.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Me123321123 — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 08:31:22 GMT

So my ISP says that this is a issue which affects a few customers but not all, it does not appear to be down to IP address switching and is very unclear what they can do about it. I guess it's one of those faults which each side can blame the other.

In the end it will probably push me away from Sky onto another streaming service.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

notagain — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 09:36:17 GMT

Change your DNS servers to Cloudflare, most ISP's DMS servers are the week point, they are basically the inetnet phone book so when your TV or sky box or computer goes to an address its broken down into domains and sub domains, anywhay DNS servers are week points and most ISP's run them overloaded making it hard to dial into the site you want to get to at times like a engaged number as an analogy

Googles DNS is okay but slower than Cloudflares whch have a massive world wide network of servers and withstood the biggest Denial of service attach ever recorded with 71 million requets per second hitting them! It will speed up your browing to. Just change either the Sky box or better your routers DNS so all your devices benifi. Change to 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 that cured this issue for me pretty much. It also gave me much fatsre DNS lookups. You can use 1.1.1.2 and 1.0.0.2 to block malware and 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3 to block malware and pornography.

https://blog.cloudflare.com/introducing-1-1-1-1-for-families/

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

AJT23 — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:22:33 GMT

All

as outlined above I changed the Q box DNS to 1.1.1.1

Works perfectly.

thanks to the genius help!

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Me123321123 — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 00:07:44 GMT

@notagain - set primary DNS to 1.1.1.1 and secondary to 8.8.8.8 and so far so good.

Thanks and all also let my ISP know.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

StuartJeff — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 11:14:25 GMT

I have further information regarding this issue whilst diagnosing for some of our customers - Rapid Rural

When a sky program is requested for download on the SKY Q interface the request goes to your configured DNS Server and ask for ondemand.cdnselector.skycdp.com which is on a round robin between two CDN (content delivery networks) 1. Akamai Networks and the 2. Limelight (Edgio). This is where the problem starts becuase either one of these two content delivery networks could hold a blacklist for your plublic ip address or range of addresses from your ISP.

In a specific test case we have been able to isolate any traffic going to the Limelight (Edgio) as creating a "failed download" while any requests that go to Akamai as completing succefully and the download working normally. We have taken this testing further and forced DNS resolution of ondemand.cdnselector.skycdp.com to the results for Akamai and this results in no failed downloads.

In our findings we have found that the Content delivery network Limelight (edgio) is blocking IP's from our ISP network and this is causing the failed downloads.

@notagain By changing the DNS server you are adjusting the likleyhood of the CDN you will hit and in some cases works but will not fix it perminantely and will eventually route to the blacklisted route and gives a failed download.

The solution we are working on is to get our IP addresses whitlesisted with Limelight (Edgio) which will results in no more failed downloads!

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

AJT23 — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 19:13:39 GMT

This sounds promising. Have you had any luck. My move to 1.1.1.1 works some of the time, but not all.

At least the issue is now clear!

Thanks

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

StuartJeff — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:11:00 GMT

Still awaiting a response from Limelight the CDN following a packet capture of the failure on their side.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

AJT23 — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:16:34 GMT

Tks.

Re: Download Failed - Remote Network Problem

Charlesholden — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 19:05:36 GMT

I've found that requesting a download to the box via the Sky Go app seems to work.