Hilton Honors Site driving me mad

[NM]

hiltonhhonors is where the account information website redirects to, and where I was having the big issues with DNS resolution failing. hiltonhonors.com was fine for me.

The IP address returned for both hiltonhonors.com and hiltonhhonors.com are liable to be different for each user. Such is the joys of load balancing via a third party.

Ahh, yes, I missed the hidden h.

From my connection that works, www.hiltonhhonors.com resolves to 206.165.29.88. From the connection that does not work, the same name resolves to 125.252.192.88. This broken one is using lon-resolver.telstra.net for name resolution services.

 

[NM]

I just sent this email to [email protected]:

I have noticed there is a problem accessing the Hilton Honors web site from some places on the internet. The problem appears to be associated with internet load balancing for the www.hiltonhhonors.com web service. Access is successful from the USA and many other countries, but when using the DNS name resolution services of Australia's largest ISP (Telstra using DNS server lon-resolver.telstra.net), the IP address returned for www.hiltonhhonors.com will not permit the user to view most parts of the HHonors site, including My Profile, HHonors Activity and My Way sections. Accessing these links results in an error similar to this:

An error occurred while processing your request
Reference #99.4c0fc7d.114831641.1ef5365

I have tested this using the same PC via several different ISP services, and found that when the site name www.hiltonhhonors.com is resolved to 206.165.29.88 the connection functions correctly. However, when using Telstra's DNS service, www.hiltonhhonors.com resolves to 125.252.192.88 and the error message above is received when clicking on the links mentioned previously.

I assume this is a problem with the configuration of the global server load balancing that appears to be provided to Hilton by Akamai (www.akamai.com). Many people in Australia are reporting the same problem when using Australian-based ISP services, many of which appear to resolve the www.hiltonhhonors.com name to an IP address that does not function (125.252.192.88).

This problem has been ongoing for several months now, so I thought it prudent to provide to you the information I have found while investigating this problem for myself and others. A temporary workaround is to either point to a USA-based DNS service for name resolution, or to modify the local HOSTS file to force resolution of www.hiltonhhonors.com to the known working IP address of 206.165.29.88.

Please forward this email to the Hilton Honors IT support group so they can investigate further. I am happy to provide further information if required, but will be travelling outside Australia for the next three weeks (staying at Hilton hotels, of course)

Regards,
NM (HHonors Diamond # xx_xx_xx_)
Email: xx@xx_.com, Ph +61 xx_ xx_ xx_ or +1 xx_ xx_ xx_x

I suspect that because they can't replicate the problem, they have been assuming its the end user's problem. Lets hope this prompts them to actually resolve the problem.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Thanks NM.

Up until the other day I had assumed it was only an Australian problem. However I too had problems accessing (from NZ) with the same error message. Since then I've been able to log in today.

 

[oz_mark]

Thanks NM

Let's see if they can resolve this one. At least I have a workaround of using the site from work at the moment.

From home it will work sometimes, and then not.

Cheers

 

[Mal]

I just sent this email to [email protected]:

I suspect that because they can't replicate the problem, they have been assuming its the end user's problem. Lets hope this prompts them to actually resolve the problem.

Good luck!!

I sent a very similar email to them, and after the first few "Click Start, Run" 1st level etc type responses they gave up and so did I!

Still, the more people who let them know the more chance someone will see the issue and go "Hey, I think there's an issue here. Let's fix it!"

Note this discussion has been going on for months now.... See this FT thread where I discussed the 125.252.192.88 IP address issue http://web1.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=535427

My email was something like:

Hi.

Over the last few days I have had issues accessing the following Hilton sites from Australian IP Addresses.

www.hiltonhhonors.com
secure.hilton.com

This is from several ISP's, different computers and IP addresses.

It is possible that the load balancing servers that serve this part of the world could be experiencing issues.

The symptoms I am seeing is the following:


Connect to www.hhonors.com

It redirects to http://www.hiltonhhonors.com/ ( 125.252.192.88 )

This returns an error like:
"Service Unavailable - DNS failure. The server is temporarily unable to service your request. Please try again later."
or
"An error occurred while processing your request."


Accessing secure.hilton.com (While trying to make a reservation) redirects to 125.252.192.237. This server also appears to be having difficulties and responds extremely slow, doesn't load images correctly and returns javascript errors.

To test further, I obtained another DNS resolution for the secure.hilton.com website from a DNS server based in the United States (72.246.120.237). I then modified my local host file to redirect secure.hilton.com to that IP address.

This works as fast as I am used to.


So, could you please investigate this issue from a technical point of view.

 

[straitman]

The last few days all has been OK for me at the Hilton sites EXCEPT

My HHonors balance is different at the Hilton site vs the HHonors site:?: :?:

HHonors is correct:!: :!:

Hilton site is incorrect:evil: :evil:

No response from Hilton at this time.

 

[kpc]

Can someone please explain to me in simple layman's terms what the (temporary) work around is so that I can enter my HHonors account to see if my HHonors points from my Hilton Brisbane stay during Ozfest 3 have posted? Thanks from a not IT-savy poster!!

 

[Mal]

Assuming you're using Microsoft Windows - in particular Windows Xp:

Click on the Start button.

Run.

type in the following:

notepad %windir%/system32/drivers/etc/hosts

Should launch Notepad with a file called hosts.

Scroll down to the bottom of the file.

Enter the following on a new line:

206.165.29.88 www.hiltonhhonors.com

File..Exit. Yes you want to save.

Hopefully HH website will now work for you.

 

[kpc]

Assuming you're using Microsoft Windows - in particular Windows Xp:

Click on the Start button.

Run.

type in the following:

notepad %windir%/system32/drivers/etc/hosts

Should launch Notepad with a file called hosts.

Scroll down to the bottom of the file.

Enter the following on a new line:

206.165.29.88 www.hiltonhhonors.com

File..Exit. Yes you want to save.

Hopefully HH website will now work for you.

Thanks Mal...that's why I will stick to my day job! Works well now with your fix but alas my points from Hilton Bne have yet to post

 

[Mal]

Nice to see it worked.

BTW, *when* the HH issue is resolved by Hilton, and the problem goes away, you should remove that line from your HOSTS file.

If HH change their servers around and you still have that line in your HOSTS file you could experience similar issues to what you were seeing before with broken links etc and a no-workee website.

 

[oz_mark]

I think you need to give it a few more days yet. The site recognises I stayed there, but no points yet for it, and this is consistent with my Hilton experience.

I still don't know what the efolio it yabbers on about is though

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Efolio is a record of your stay, payment and points. It isnt available from all hotels yet, including Australian ones. Usually appears instantly on checking out, so well before you see the actual points.

 

[oz_mark]

Efolio is a record of your stay, payment and points. It isnt available from all hotels yet, including Australian ones. Usually appears instantly on checking out, so well before you see the actual points.

I generally see a record of my stay a day or two after checking out but doesn't say much other than I was there. The points are generally a few days after that. I guess the first appearance is what they have implemented of the efolio for Aust.

 

[NM]

Received a response to my email:

Thank you for your email.

We would like to thank you for your feedback regarding the Hilton HHonors web site. We are constantly striving to better the web site in any way that we can. Feedback from our valued members is beneficial in this process. I will make sure this is forwarded to our web site department.

Once again I would like to sincerely thank you for taking the time to forward your feedback to us. Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance to you.

Best regards,
xx_xx_x
Hilton Reservations and Customer Care
P.O. Box 9003
Addison, TX 75001-9003
P. 1.800.548.8690
F. 1.972.788.1818
E. [email protected]
www.hiltonfamily.com

So I await a further update.

 

[straitman]

I have received a very similar email from from HHonors to the one that NM received.

Thank you for your email.

I sincerely apologize for the problems you have encountered with our website. At this time, we are unable to provide any technical information to help you with this situation. We will work to resolve this issue and correct the error as quickly as possible.

The technical problem that you reported will be forwarded to the appropriate department for review. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Please try our website again at a later time. If you continue to experience problems, you may forward any information or questions to our office for manual processing. If you need immediate assistance, please contact our office at 800-548-8690 or 972-788-0878 if you are calling from outside the U.S.

Please let us know if you have any further questions regarding your HHonors account.

Sincerely,

xx_xx_x

Thank you for your loyalty and have a great day!

Hilton Reservations and Customer Care
P.O. Box 9003
Addison, TX 75001-9003
Phone 1.800.548.8690
Fax 1.972.788.1818
Email [email protected]
Website www.hiltonfamily.com

Currently the site works perfectly for me on some days and is unusable on others :!:

 

[oz_mark]

Currently the site works perfectly for me on some days and is unusable on others :!:

I would take this as a sign that there is some sort of load balancing going on, and not all the servers are affected by the problem. Just depends which one you end up on.

FWIW, I also have this problem.

 

[serfty]

Again, thanks to Mal for that temporary workaround. I have fine tuned my HHonors Gold options and am now ready to emboark on my 5 LOTFAP stays within the next 10 days.

 

[oz_mark]

Thanks Mal...that's why I will stick to my day job! Works well now with your fix but alas my points from Hilton Bne have yet to post

Alas and alack, while the site itself appears to be working (for the moment) my Hilton BNE points are nowehere to be seen....Anyone had them post yet, or are we still waiting?

 

[serfty]

Alas and alack, while the site itself appears to be working (for the moment) my Hilton BNE points are nowehere to be seen....Anyone had them post yet, or are we still waiting?

Me neither ... it's been over two weeks now.

However, there have been reports on FT that they are taking longer to post but eventually do, so I'm giving another week.

 

[JohnK]

Alas and alack, while the site itself appears to be working (for the moment) my Hilton BNE points are nowehere to be seen....Anyone had them post yet, or are we still waiting?

The FF points have not posted from my stay last month either !

OT but may be the same type of problem. When I checked in on the Saturday I wanted to join Hilton Honors and the person checking me in said that it would be ready by the time I check out on Sunday. When I checked out on Sunday it was not done and another person said she will get me signed up to Hilton Honors and send me the membership details through the post. I have not received anything 10 days later.

Maybe the staff are having problems using the Hilton Honors site as well.