On demand download failure Sky+

[emteepeeess]

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All Sky's on demand content, including BBC and ITV, is served from cdn.sky.com 

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I thought that Sky's CDN was served via Akamai beyond that URL. BBC (not sure about ITV) uses Akamai and Limelight. They may be routed through the "alias" URL, but they could easily be separate CDN's within the Akamai space.

[emteepeeess]

Just following up on the Sky engineer's visit ... before he turns up, I thought I'd do some digging into network routing and see if I could see what was going on.

It was clear that the (TP-Link) router was struggling to access the remote server, so I tried my Plusnet router - same problem.

But then I decided to try a different router - and it worked. 

I haven't had time to examine the difference to see why the other two don't work, but this one does. 

So I've cancelled the engineer.

[xenon81]

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@emteepeeess wrote:

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All Sky's on demand content, including BBC and ITV, is served from cdn.sky.com 

---

I thought that Sky's CDN was served via Akamai beyond that URL. BBC (not sure about ITV) uses Akamai and Limelight. They may be routed through the "alias" URL, but they could easily be separate CDN's within the Akamai space.

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cdn.sky.com points to a range of Akamai and Limelight servers where Sky on demand content is hosted for all broadcasters 

The most likely cause of the problems is admrs.sky.com. This is used for adverts within on-demand downloads. BBC (obviously) and ITV don't use it, but most other broadcasters do including C4, C5 and all Sky's own channels. There was a similar problem on Sky Q in the past with downloads often failing when attempting to access that server. 

[Steve0001]

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@xenon81 wrote:

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@emteepeeess wrote:

---

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All Sky's on demand content, including BBC and ITV, is served from cdn.sky.com 

---

I thought that Sky's CDN was served via Akamai beyond that URL. BBC (not sure about ITV) uses Akamai and Limelight. They may be routed through the "alias" URL, but they could easily be separate CDN's within the Akamai space.

---

cdn.sky.com points to a range of Akamai and Limelight servers where Sky on demand content is hosted for all broadcasters 

The most likely cause of the problems is admrs.sky.com. This is used for adverts within on-demand downloads. BBC (obviously) and ITV don't use it, but most other broadcasters do including C4, C5 and all Sky's own channels. There was a similar problem on Sky Q in the past with downloads often failing when attempting to access that server. 

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Thanks @xenon81 . Do you or anyone know how the issue was solved for SkyQ customers?

If it is admrs.sky.com then it seems to block download permissions for certain routers and not others (or downloading over mobile phone networks), even when on the same ISP/phoneline connection. As indicated by others, it doesn't appear to be an ISP issue.

[emteepeeess]

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@xenon81 wrote:

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The most likely cause of the problems is admrs.sky.com. This is used for adverts within on-demand downloads. BBC (obviously) and ITV don't use it, but most other broadcasters do including C4, C5 and all Sky's own channels. There was a similar problem on Sky Q in the past with downloads often failing when attempting to access that server. 

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Thanks. That makes  sense.

Although how that should create a router-dependent problem is curious. 

[emteepeeess]

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@Steve0001 wrote:

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If it is admrs.sky.com then it seems to block download permissions for certain routers and not others (or downloading over mobile phone networks), even when on the same ISP/phoneline connection. As indicated by others, it doesn't appear to be an ISP issue.

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I agree, it doesn't appear to be an ISP issue. Changing a router to a slightly different model, on the same provider and a fixed IP address, made a difference - although it isn't definitive. 

I add the "fixed IP address" bit as a BBC colleague who works in this area did wonder if it was address-dependent.

I'm trying to look into exactly what the difference is between my new router and the old (factory-reset) router. Of course, maybe this is something Sky should have done in the meantime.

[PocketDog]

Yes several of us found changing the router solved the issue also using a neighbours router or their wifi, changing to SKy Q and some including myself fixed it by initialising the download using a tethered phone internet connecgtion then finishing it with our normal home connection. 

We had a range of ISPs that had the issue, including BT, Sky and Plusnet.  

[xenon81]

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@Steve0001 wrote:

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@xenon81 wrote:

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@emteepeeess wrote:

---

---

All Sky's on demand content, including BBC and ITV, is served from cdn.sky.com 

---

I thought that Sky's CDN was served via Akamai beyond that URL. BBC (not sure about ITV) uses Akamai and Limelight. They may be routed through the "alias" URL, but they could easily be separate CDN's within the Akamai space.

---

cdn.sky.com points to a range of Akamai and Limelight servers where Sky on demand content is hosted for all broadcasters 

The most likely cause of the problems is admrs.sky.com. This is used for adverts within on-demand downloads. BBC (obviously) and ITV don't use it, but most other broadcasters do including C4, C5 and all Sky's own channels. There was a similar problem on Sky Q in the past with downloads often failing when attempting to access that server. 

---

Thanks @xenon81 . Do you or anyone know how the issue was solved for SkyQ customers?

If it is admrs.sky.com then it seems to block download permissions for certain routers and not others (or downloading over mobile phone networks), even when on the same ISP/phoneline connection. As indicated by others, it doesn't appear to be an ISP issue.

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I don't know what Sky did, one day the problem suddenly stopped, but It was definitely related to the ad server as channels that don't use it were never affected. 

[Oddie2004]

I have been using the same router for years and never even bothered to change it when they sent me a new one as the broadband and download speeds are still excellent but have had issues since before xmas 2022 with failed downloads,not being able to find programmes by searching,or catch up etc.

Have had numerous conversations with ViewerR who have told me the tech team is still working on it.It appeared to get better for a few weeks but now the same old problems so waiting for a response from ViewerR who do not really have a clue what they are doing anyway.

[Lozza1958]

@emteepeeess

I had a engineer come to me on Friday. He had to call a colleague to find out what it could be. To be fair he was here a long time and did try everything possible.  He did blame the router at one point, but as I'd already called the provider first, and they said there is nothing blocking sky in the router. He did manage to get it to start download eventually,  but the minute he left it went back to Fail. I've this morning managed to download on my phone from SkyGo. There was an option to send message to box, which I tried and yet again nothing. I'd be very interested to hear your experience after your engineer visit 😊 

[emteepeeess]

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@Lozza1958 wrote:

 I'd be very interested to hear your experience after your engineer visit 😊 

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As I mentioned earlier, I cancelled the engineer visit after I changed my router and it now works - sorry

[Lozza1958]

@emteepeeess 

I'm glad you managed to get it working.  I've called Sky again and been through a rebuild and reset, still nothing. Another engineer will be coming next week.......fingers crossed 

[Oddie2004]

Still getting failures,broadband connection error and various other b/s from sky.Why would an engineer be able to sort anything out.I am surprised they would even send one.Spoke to Sky on Saturday who were absolutely useless and just told me to repeat everything I had done before.It may be just affection Sky+HD customers.I do not know if it is affecting Q but not really bothered.I have an old tv which is not even HD so should really change it.Sky offered me a new q box free but I  explained to them my tv does not have the ports to connect which they seemed unable to understand.

I know I should really change either the TV or get Glass but have had no issues until this year and loathed to change tbh.

[Oddie2004]

Same problems rear their ugly head again.

Since beginning of the week same old problems again.

Spoke to Priority team today and sending engineer on Tuesday

Today Sky Witness and Comedy showing no programmes available to download in catch up.

S5 EP3 of FBI nowhere to be found which is obviously related to the above.

Absolute joke and then Sky wanted to charge me for an engineer visit for something that is not my fault.Now doing it for free.

Annoyed is a mild view of how I feel considering this has been going on since before Xmas 2022 intermittently.

[emteepeeess]

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@Lozza1958 wrote:

@emteepeeess 

I'm glad you managed to get it working.  I've called Sky again and been through a rebuild and reset, still nothing. Another engineer will be coming next week.......fingers crossed 

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Would be very interested to know what heppened when the engineer called.

My new router works fine, at least most of the time, but I do get the occasional FAILED which can always be remedied by re-requesting the download. 

An old friend of mine said that some routers can be a little slow in their TCP protocol "3-way handshaking" (although well within spec), and he's known servers that have been incorrectly configured (or behind too many switches) reject the initial TCP handshaking if the client is too slow in responding.

He also says that CHAP  (a challenge protocol used for authentication) can also fail for a similar reason (because a badly configured server refuses the connection if the client's repsonse to the challenge is too slow).

Add these details in case anyone is interested.