Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Singnet sucks man .... DS users not supported

For those that mattered, Nintendo just launched a FREE internet wifi connection gaming service. Yes you read it right. FREEEEE :)
So if you got Wifi at home, just fire up your Nintendo DS with the latest Mariokart .. and start racing with people worldwide wirelessly. Oh just one caveat - If you're a Singnet user, you are out of luck.

I called them tech supportees thrice.

First time, this guy over the phone claimed "we do not block anything Call this number to check with Nintendo for support." I was pleasantly surprised. Guess what, the number doesn't work. No matter, I have trouble with the shitty speedtouch 570 (modem + wifi router) they gave for free, so I decided, why not bite the bullet and buy a new modem and router. Yup .. spent some hundreds to get a 3com ADSL dual link Home connect and a Belkin 54G. Wooo!!! ... feels nice to get new toys. But guess what, it still doesn't work.

So I decided to try logging into my ADSL with my pacnet account user id and password (incase you readers are unaware, once you have an active ADSL line, you can log into it using any ISP's ADSL username and pwd). Guess what, then my gamestop.com website starting loading normally, and I can connect using my DS!!!

So much for doing hardware testing for these so called tech support.

Then, I called them back a 2nd time. This guy over the phone exclaimed "What is nintendo?" Bad sign. Then I said "Well, it is a portable gaming handheld, like PSP". He then says "What is PSP?". Very bad SIGN!! Then I said " you know? like game boy?" And he says he doesn't know what those things are, so sorry not supported. WTF?!?!!? Win liao lor. How come previous guy knows then?? He kept reiterating that "we cannot support what we don't know sorry". I mean this guy did not even ask me what NintendoDS was or what it actually does. He just says no help. I aksed to speak with customer service manager so I could escalate this, but he claimed "manager not around, call back around 2".

Well, then I called back a few minutes later to speak to another person who is more open. She took down all the issues I had and told me she will escalate the problem to tech support and get back to me in a few days. Yup and she took my cellphone number.

Sigh ... so much for good customer support. Singnet is the first establishment that I am supporting that is the closest to "government run". I have always been with Pacnet, UOB, (no DBS for me) and Citibank. And you know what? Once bitten twice shy. I am sticking with M1 no matter what. And I will drop Singnet once the contract expires.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dude, I've got that problem too, I've been trying to get the thing to work all day. SingNet gave me a 2Wire 1800HG.

Looks like Mario Kart does DHCP, then connects to 192.195.204.216 port 80 (http), something happens it doesn't like, releases DHCP and tells gives you an error 52200. Is this what you're getting?

I'll hassle SingNet tomorrow too...

Yee-wei Chai said...

yeah .. and it is most likely not due to your router or modem. I've tried with 3 brands of modems and 3 brands of routers, and the pacnet login versus singnet login was the only change that will make or break the Wifi Connection.

I get error 52200 too. I could see the Wifi logo comes on then off. For the Pacnet login, the wifi logo just remains.

Call them to let them know that we're not idiots, and we're not alone.

Unknown said...

Its possible that your router is not supported. Head to www.nintendowifi.com and check out the supporting routers. The DS does not support all rounters.

Why not upgrade to broadband? My starhub matched linksys wireless router worked fine with my DS.

See you on line my handle is Porro.

Yee-wei Chai said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Yee-wei Chai said...

Design Translator:

dude, you think I would not have that covered? My wireless router is rated 5 stars on nintendowifi. I have access to 3 broadbands methods- singnet ADSL, Pacnet ADSL and Starhub cable. Only one that didn't work - Singnet. And by the way, I think you have your internet terms a little messed up. ADSL is broadband. Cable is not the only broadband option. I am using ADSL. I'll gladly switch to cable (or Pacnet) if 1) you pay for my switching fees 2) pay for the cable installation 3) pay for the penalty to Singnet for cancelling their service. :)

Anonymous said...

Hi,

I have fixed the problem (I'll post on another forum too, my username is Gatchers).

I can now connect to the Nintendo Netowork through SingNet with my DS.

I traced the problem with Ethereal.

This is what is happening:

The DS is trying to connect to conntest.nintendowifi.net (yes, .net, not .com).

It tries to do a simple HTTP GET - if you bring up the page in a web browser, you'll see it says 'This is test.html page'.

ALL the connection test is trying to do, is try to get a response from this page QUICKLY.

A traceroute shows that the route via SingNet is very slow - greater than 200ms. This is why it haw a problem - the DS is just expecting to get a response quickly - if it doesn't get it, it's assuming there is no net connection.

I think the logic is that it's trying to test for a dialup connection here...

Anyway, the fix is to use a DNS server which resolves conntest.nintendowifi.net to a much faster local page - say www.singnet.com.sg, which has a ping time of around 20ms.

Using my 2Wire HomePortal 1800HG router I can do this via

http://192.168.1.254/management and select 'DNS resolve' - you can enter conntest.nintendowifi.net as a host name and enter, say 165.21.20.180 (www.singnet.com.sg) as the IP.

Bingo - the DS passes the connection - everything else seems fine so far, I've played several games - no lag, no problems.

Obviously with a different router you have a different way of putting in DNS entries - or maybe not at all, in which case I recommend downloading a DNS resolver on your PC (or use XP), adding an entry for conntest.nintendowifi.net and pointing your DS to that.

We also need to call SingNet and ask them to cache conntest.nintendowifi.net or improve the routing to this address.

Hope that helps!

Gatchers

Anonymous said...

If I wasn't clear with the above, if we can get SingNet to cache, or improve the route to conntest.nintendowifi.net, then you don't have to worry about adding your own DNS entries for it. It'll just work.

Yee-wei Chai said...

Well done gatcher!! Thanks so much for this info. I am posting your message at the forums that I go to now as well to make sure singnet gets the idea.

I called them last night and asked me to send email to csshelp@singnet.com.sg. Flood their mailbox now and let them know that we're not kidding.

Yee-wei Chai said...

Just an update guys .. I have spoken to Singnet 2 weeks ago ... and they even asked me to send them an email regarding the issue with all the technical details provided by gatcher. I got no idea why the fuck isit taking it so long for them to fix this issue. Just trying pinging the address conntest.nintendowifi.net and I get the error "blocked by filter". Pple who think it is becos of your router why your DS is not connecting - it most likely is not. It is purely Singnet that is the problem. So the only way to solve it is not to replace your router or modem, but your ISP. Pacnet users and Starhub users can rest easy - u are on DS friendly networks. Singnet still sucks.

Yee-wei Chai said...

Ok Guys, I have emailed Singnet about this issue again, and they actually called me back to follow up on this issue. And guess what, they say I am an isolated case cos NO ONE contacted them about this problem. they say so far, I AM the ONLY PERSON THEY HEARD COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS.

I am getting rather miffed about this cos hey guys wake up, if you guys got a problem with this and refuse to call Singnet to let them know that a few hundred or tens of thousand of us have this problem and expect 1 or 2 of us to do the job for you, they are not going to care. Here's the email helpdesk@staff.singnet.com.sg and the support number is Tel: 1800 - 8486933 (8am - 12mn). Email and let them know about this. I am not on Game Axis so if someone could post this message to them and ask everyone to get their asses off regarding this issue it would help tremedously.

Remember, whining about it and not doing anything about it will not solve the issue. Wake up fellow Singaporeans. Stop acting like lazy donkeys and start calling or emailing them.

The thing they want me to help find out for them now are 2 things which with my limited technical skills I am unable to.
1) What is the port this server "conntest.nintendowifi.net" is using for gaming and communication.
2) What is the IP address of the server.

If anyone could help out, please please please do something about this!!!

Anonymous said...

Hi

Gatchers, I have tried to find a DNS resolver for both my mac and my windows 98. All resolvers just find an IP and do not let me change it. Any suggestions? My router is a Belking Pre-N, and there are no settings that I can change on it. Any help would be appreciated

sifmeister

Anonymous said...

Hey guys,

Previously, I tried to connect my DS over my SingNet 10mb line, but I always got an error code. I checked my speedtouch.lan config, and it doesnt even detect the DS that is trying to connect to it.

After reading your post, I looked up my Speedtouch 585. However, it does not have a DNS Resolve option, but I tried using the Parental Control - Address Based Filtering, and configured it to redirect "conntest.nintendowifi.net" requests to the singnet website. This time, my Speedtouch.lan panel actually showed -- and recognised -- the "NintendoDS" device (just like it would detect a wireless laptop). However, after a few seconds, the connection drops with the DS error 53000.

What I see on the DS when it is trying to connect is this:
1) I click "Test Connection"
2) the little connection icon is green
3) the little blue spinner spins for about 15 revolutions
4) the little connection icon goes orange (bad)
5) error code 53000

any advice?

Yee-wei Chai said...

hey guys .

I have all but given up on singnet. I have been on the phone with them at least 5 times or more ... they sincerely expressed interest to help, but never got anywhere. They over the phoen tell me "nope I am an isolated case" .. yah right. I even offered to loan them a DS to test but they refused. It has been months and I just find it disgusting that they are advertisisng themselves as "great for online gaming" ... *Pui*

What a bunch of crockers ... I think if we could organize a bunhc of maybe 5-10 of us DS gamers to head down to Singnet technical support office and demand that they solve the issue for us or else we will stay until they do. But then again they could easily clal the cops and have us arrested. I think that'll definitely make the DS issue out into the public. Guys what u think? :) Drop me an email if you are interested in such actions. ywchai@mac.com. I'll be glad to organize;)

Yee-wei Chai said...

Update .. got a call from Singnet today and they informed me that the DS should connect now. I just checked on some forum confirming the report too. Well, so much for the wait. They said Nintendo US was trying to fix the problem for them and they just fixed it between their network people and nintendo US.

Anonymous said...

hihi i am using singnet too and having problem to connect using a Nintendo usb dongle, can some one teach me how to congif the dns?

Eileen Tan said...

I still cant connect, i'm using a speedtouch 585. Singnet stinks!

Anonymous said...

The thing is to forward all connections to conntest.nintendowifi.net to a local ip address. Here are instructions for Speedtouch 570 + Singnet.

1. Go to the router homepage (speedtouch.lan, 10.0.0.138 or 192.168.1.1)

2. Under Advanced > DNS click NEW to create a new entry. Hostname put "conntest", Address put "165.21.20.180". Apply.

3. Go to the "DNS Server Configuration" tab. Domain name put "nintendowifi.net" and check "activate server"


This is the only workaround I found for those using the Speedtouch 570. Apparently Singnet has something preventing us from accessing conntest.nintendowifi.net - thats why the DS seems like it cannot get a wifi connection when it actually did.

Anonymous said...

Hi

i jus called singnet and they told me to contact nintendo.
btw i am using a speedtouch 585
i have redirect the conntest.nintendowifi.net to 165.21.20.180(www.singnet.com.sg) but still got error. the error code is 53000.
pls help

Anonymous said...

Hi guys. As an ISP (internet service provider) Singnet will only support up to the limit of internet connection. For singnet helpdesk, They only support for your wireless N wired connection (only for desktop N laptop/notebook). Ninetendo or PDA are not included. You guys can either give a call to Ninetendor's vendor Or the Modem's vendor (for PDA, can try 1626). it's not that Singnet Helpdesk doesnt want to help but They dont have the configuration N it's not in their job's scope to do the configuration other than desktop, laptop/notebook. other than that you have to find help alternatively.TQ

Anonymous said...

ohhh plsssss....

as most ppl who done their research on the singnet/ds problem have reported that it is a routing problem from Singnet. Nothing to do with the wireless config!

It is not getting to conntest.nintendowifi.net fast enough thus resulting in time out!