I can’t log on to OK Cupid

Now, this might not ordinarily seem newsworthy, except that I can’t reach OK Cupid, either.

That, of itself, also isn’t newsworthy. What is newsworthy is the reason behind it, which has to do with corporate greed and very poor behavior on the part of some very big companies.

Two very big companies, to be exact. Level 3 Communications, an enormous and giddily spam-happy ISP, and Cogent Communications, an enormous and less spam-friendly ISP.

Cogent is pricing bandwidth very aggressively, and Level 3, they don’t much care for that. So Level 3 has ended its Tier 1 peering agreement with Cogent.

Essentially, in quick and hopefully not too technical terms, it means that two of the biggest carriers of Internet traffic are not speaking to each other right now. What that means is that the Internet has been split; for many end users, there is no way for people on one side of the divide to reach Web sites on the other, and vice versa. For example, right now most RoadRunner customers cannot reach OK Cupid.

Level 3 has been known to do this sort of shit before; in fact, there’s an article on Slashdot about it. Cogent is dealing with the problem by offering current Level 3 customers free connections to the Cogent network, on account of Level 3 being a bunch of mewling, lice-infested, pus-oozing filthy bastards and all.

Cogent Communications has released a statement about the issue. I can’t read it, because I’m on the wrong side of the divide and can’t reach Cogent’s servers.

By all accounts I’ve seen, Level 3 is being a bunch of right bastards here.

So if you’re having trouble reaching certain Web sites, that’s why.

Edit: Less than ten minutes after posting this, OK Cupid became reachable. Clearly, I should have complained sooner!

2 thoughts on “I can’t log on to OK Cupid

  1. Cogent’s Statement

    Cogent Network Status/DNS Server Status Description:
    Date: 10/06/2005

    Level 3* has partitioned its part of the Internet from Cogent’s part of the Internet by denying Level 3’s
    customers access to Cogent’s customers and denying Cogent’s customers access to Level 3 customers. Level 3
    terminated its peering with Cogent without cause (as permitted under its peering agreement with Cogent)
    even though both Cogent and Level 3 remained in full compliance with the previously existing interconnection
    agreement.

    Many Level 3 customers can still exchange traffic with Cogent customers because the Level 3 customer is multi-
    homed, i.e. it also has a connection to Cogent or to one of the many other networks with which Cogent has a
    peering relationship. As described below Cogent is offering a solution to Level 3 customers that are not multi-homed.

    Cogent will offer any Level 3 customer, who is single homed to the Level 3 network as of October 5, 2005,
    one year of full Internet transit free of charge at the same bandwidth currently being supplied by Level 3.
    Cogent will provide this connectivity in over 1,000 locations throughout North America and Europe.

    Cogent is committed to an open Internet. The existing interconnection facilities between Level 3 and Cogent
    remain intact. Cogent hopes that Level 3 will reactivate these connections, restoring a full level of service
    to their customers.

    *Level 3 is a communications services company headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. Like Cogent, it operates one
    of the largest communications and Internet backbones in the world.

    For more information on Cogent’s offer of free Internet transit, please call:
    NORTH AMERICA: 1-877-875-4432
    EUROPE: +33 (0)1 49 03 19 30

  2. Cogent’s Statement

    Cogent Network Status/DNS Server Status Description:
    Date: 10/06/2005

    Level 3* has partitioned its part of the Internet from Cogent’s part of the Internet by denying Level 3’s
    customers access to Cogent’s customers and denying Cogent’s customers access to Level 3 customers. Level 3
    terminated its peering with Cogent without cause (as permitted under its peering agreement with Cogent)
    even though both Cogent and Level 3 remained in full compliance with the previously existing interconnection
    agreement.

    Many Level 3 customers can still exchange traffic with Cogent customers because the Level 3 customer is multi-
    homed, i.e. it also has a connection to Cogent or to one of the many other networks with which Cogent has a
    peering relationship. As described below Cogent is offering a solution to Level 3 customers that are not multi-homed.

    Cogent will offer any Level 3 customer, who is single homed to the Level 3 network as of October 5, 2005,
    one year of full Internet transit free of charge at the same bandwidth currently being supplied by Level 3.
    Cogent will provide this connectivity in over 1,000 locations throughout North America and Europe.

    Cogent is committed to an open Internet. The existing interconnection facilities between Level 3 and Cogent
    remain intact. Cogent hopes that Level 3 will reactivate these connections, restoring a full level of service
    to their customers.

    *Level 3 is a communications services company headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. Like Cogent, it operates one
    of the largest communications and Internet backbones in the world.

    For more information on Cogent’s offer of free Internet transit, please call:
    NORTH AMERICA: 1-877-875-4432
    EUROPE: +33 (0)1 49 03 19 30

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