how can I tell if my server is using cogent?
 

I have a 10mps server with rackshack and want to find out if it's using Cogent. Is the best way to find out by doing a tracert to a domain on the server and see if it goes through the cogent network?

Any help would be appreciated :)

Darrell

traceroute?

go to windows command prompt

start --> 'cmd'

tracert yourdomain.com

look at the route it takes, if it shows cogentco.com more than likely you're on cogent... to double check, do a whois and tracert on all the domains in the tracert to make sure they arent tracert'd or owned by cogentco...

traceroute!

We have the same bandwidth plan at Rackshack and it only uses Cogent as a failsafe backup network and I would do a tracert to confirm it also.

We just moved to our own box with them we called and confirmed ahead that it was not cogent and did a tracert to prove it to ourselves.

We were previously on another provider which we found was just reselling Rackshack bandwidth from their box within Rackshack.

Thanks for the quick replies :)

The domain amateurfacialsluts.com is on the server and it looks to me from doing a tracert that it's not Cogent. If someone wouldnt mind confirming that for me that would be great. Thanks.

For me it shows Time Warner Telecom

Advanced switched can blend bandwidth in many ways. What a lot of companies do is switch you connection over to cogent when it gets busy, just for certain connections by location, or to balance out the end of the month spending.

It's not hard to bury cogent where the connection is not ever seen.

You just have to trust your isp, it's good idea to have this anyways, since they can cheat your bandwidth in many more ways then sneaking in cogent.

Basically anyone who says they use a cogent backup is blending them especially rack shack, they even prove it by showing you how much cogent is being used on their public mrtg. Unless there network goes down for thousands of customers everyday they are throwing Cogent in when they want.

Their mrtg shows about 60 megs a day through Cogent yet they don't offer one pure cogent plan???

Nothing against rackshack, they where mentioned so I used them for the example.

Your better off finding a friend that runs servers so you know you are getting the truth even if it's not what you want to hear.

-Chaze

TRACE ROUTE CANNOT PROVE THAT YOU ARE NOT ON COGENT.

This example is over simplified, but will work for most cases.

When you trace route TO a server, it only shows you the inbound routes. the traffic LEAVING your server is an entirely different matter. you need to see what the outband traffic is doing... Inbound traffic is free. All Tier1 providers will send whores to do your bidding for your inbound traffic. its all about the outbound for your site speed...

Example:

my Site X has 2 providers, it uses UU net (probably the best network currently) on the inbound... so all data going TO your server (http requests, trace routes etc) are going through UU net...

FROM the server to you however, they use cogent, so what happens is since all your trace routes will show the fastest IN BOUND route to your server... what you really need to do is log into the server, and check your outbound routes to your home computer... and do it often, b/c they could be mixing their cogent with other providers.

http://www.fixedorbit.com/AS/13/AS13749.htm

Sin_Vraal you were right, I did a tracert from within the server and out and it runs through cogentco.com

Thanks again for your replies.

i have a 10mbit server there on there page for the cheapest package it says " Un-metered (Cogent Only) 10 mbps Network Connection!"

the other just say " Un-metered 10 mbps Network Connection! " chances are its a cogent

Rackshack offer a Unmetered 10mbit server plan, which is cogent-only

"Un-metered (Cogent Only) 10 mbps Network Connection!"

They do, the 10 mbps plan is Cogent only: http://www.rackshack.net/english/10mbps_series.asp