Re: gnuplot.info unreachable (DNS failure)

Ethan A Merritt <[email protected]> Wed, 10 Sep 2025 20:17:56 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.comp.graphics.gnuplot.devel
Message-ID <CALUAmEvkbxOwo29nZ9jbz9p1rYg9X5+i-ZHTEu18215SuQNM1g@mail.gmail.com>
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Thanks for the pointers.

After poking around in the SourceForge admin pages I found a place to set
up "virtual domains". Both gnuplot.info and www.gnuplot.info are already
listed there. That same page states that https access can be enabled by
request, so I placed a support request with the SourceForge site itself to
enable https access via gnuplot.info and www.gnuplot.info.  We'll see what
happens.

https://sourceforge.net/p/forge/site-support/27031/

 Ethan

On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 5:18=E2=80=AFPM Mojca Miklavec Groenhuis <
[email protected]> wrote:

> On Thu, 11 Sept 2025, 00: 45 Ethan A Merritt, <merritt@ uw. edu> wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 11: 35 AM Juh=C3=A1sz P=C3=A9ter <peter. juhasz83=
@ gmail.
> com> wrote: The error message means that the certificate required to serv=
e
> the site over HTTPS
> ZjQcmQRYFpfptBannerStart
> This Message Is From an Untrusted Sender
> You have not previously corresponded with this sender.
> See https://itconnect.uw.edu/email-tags for additional information.
> Please contact the UW-IT Service Center, [email protected] 206.221.5000, for
> assistance.
>
> ZjQcmQRYFpfptBannerEnd
>
>
> On Thu, 11 Sept 2025, 00:45 Ethan A Merritt, <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 11:35=E2=80=AFAM Juh=C3=A1sz P=C3=A9ter <peter.j=
[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> The error message means that the certificate required to serve the site
>>> over HTTPS is not valid for the domain name gnuplot.info
>>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFj=
CmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeOD=
c4D2Pme$>
>>> (nor www.gnuplot.info
>>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!hZ=
AtTCSEA3UZsTRDYd1Rlg-J8_Oq7DJZg-cJMaMoMBMcyZx3lwvCVqHE401p-ZikRUWZruc71FaDN=
hZkYYE3tw4$>).
>>> If you look at the certificate (offered by Firefox next to the error
>>> message), you can see that it was issued by Let's Encrypt to
>>> secureprojects.sourceforge.net
>>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://secureprojects.sourceforge.net__;!!=
K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_=
jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODadFrph0$>,
>>> and it is valid for a large selection of other domain names, presumably=
 all
>>> projects hosted by SF.
>>>
>>
>> Thank you for your insights.
>>
>> I think you are addressing a different issue - whether the connection
>> protocol is https or http.
>>
>
> Yes, this is not about DNS failure. I don't experience DNS failure, but
> see precisely the same errors/issues as Peter described.
>
> (Nowadays http should actually redirect to https. Modern browsers also
> refuse to show http pages.)
>
> It is not surprising that a certificate issued to SourceForge would not
>> mention gnuplot.info
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjC=
mBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODc=
4D2Pme$>
>> by name because that name is not connected to SourceForge except in that
>> (as I understand it) it currently redirects queries to the actual gnuplo=
t
>> site gnuplot.sourceforge.net
>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.sourceforge.net__;!!K-Hz7m0V=
t54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl=
4ZSgERWeODckxZJT_$>
>> .
>>
>
> Except that it does matter for https. The hosting site needs to know that
> the certificate should also be for gnuplot.info
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCm=
BlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODc4=
D2Pme$>
> and it needs to be explicit whether that is with or without www (or both)=
.
> Either a separate certificate is needed for that, or the certificate used
> needs to be made aware that it needs to cover gnuplot.info
> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCm=
BlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODc4=
D2Pme$>.
> This really needs to be fixed on the hosting site, and usually the person
> in charge of the DNS is also needed in the process of making it work.
>
> Unless the administrators of gnuplot on SF have access to certificate
> settings (means you would also need to create and extend your own
> certificate), then SF support is really needed here to set it up.
>
> The current problem seems to be that the redirection itself fails in some
>> cases, or fails to pass through sufficient information
>>
>
> No. It's really a misconfigured site/certificate.
>
> > You still see the site, correct?
>
> Well ... yes and no, but the more correct answer is probably NO. By
> default you don't see the site because the web browser is protecting you
> from "the malicious site" until you approve an exception and security ris=
k,
> but that is "an advanced use" (it is on purpose made difficult to do that=
).
>
> For completeness I should mention that the issue of connection via IPv6 a=
s
>> opposed to IPv4 was raised earlier, and might be relevant,
>>
>
> It is possible that the site works correctly on IPv4 and fails with IPv6.
> My network right now doesn't support IPv6, so it's hard for me to check. =
It
> is unrelated to certificate issues, but it could hypothetically explain w=
hy
> DNS works for others and not for you if you have IPv6. (By correctly I me=
an
> resolving to the correct website. It still doesn't serve a compliant
> certificate.)
>
> Mojca
>
>>

--=20
Ethan A Merritt
Department of Biochemistry
University of Washington, Seattle

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<div dir=3D"ltr">Thanks for the pointers.=C2=A0<div><br></div><div>After po=
king around in the SourceForge admin pages I found a place to set up &quot;=
virtual domains&quot;. Both <a href=3D"http://gnuplot.info">gnuplot.info</a=
> and <a href=3D"http://www.gnuplot.info">www.gnuplot.info</a> are already =
listed there. That same page states that https access can be enabled by req=
uest, so I placed a support request with the SourceForge site itself to ena=
ble https access via <a href=3D"http://gnuplot.info">gnuplot.info</a> and <=
a href=3D"http://www.gnuplot.info">www.gnuplot.info</a>.=C2=A0 We&#39;ll se=
e what happens.<div><div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://sourceforge.net/=
p/forge/site-support/27031/">https://sourceforge.net/p/forge/site-support/2=
7031/</a></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>=C2=A0Ethan</div></div><br><=
div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_container"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"g=
mail_attr">On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 5:18=E2=80=AFPM Mojca Miklavec Groenhuis=
 &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">mojca.miklavec.lists=
@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=
=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding=
-left:1ex"><div class=3D"msg4374360140472394798">





<div style=3D"font-size:1px;color:rgb(255,255,255);line-height:1px;height:0=
px;max-height:0px;opacity:0;overflow:hidden;display:none">
On Thu, 11 Sept 2025, 00:=E2=80=8A45 Ethan A Merritt, &lt;merritt@=E2=80=8A=
uw.=E2=80=8Aedu&gt; wrote: On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 11:=E2=80=8A35 AM Juh=C3=
=A1sz P=C3=A9ter &lt;peter.=E2=80=8Ajuhasz83@=E2=80=8Agmail.=E2=80=8Acom&gt=
; wrote: The error message means that the certificate required to serve the=
 site over HTTPS</div>



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See <a href=3D"https://itconnect.uw.edu/email-tags" target=3D"_blank">https=
://itconnect.uw.edu/email-tags</a> for additional information.  Please cont=
act the UW-IT Service Center, <a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_bla=
nk">[email protected]</a> 206.221.5000, for assistance.
      </div>

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<div dir=3D"auto"><div><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" =
class=3D"gmail_attr">On Thu, 11 Sept 2025, 00:45 Ethan A Merritt, &lt;<a hr=
ef=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote=
:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.=
8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"lt=
r"><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"lt=
r" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed, Sep 10, 2025 at 11:35=E2=80=AFAM Juh=C3=A1s=
z P=C3=A9ter &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" rel=3D"norefer=
rer" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:</div><blockq=
uote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1p=
x solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><div></div><div>The er=
ror message means that the certificate required to serve the site over HTTP=
S is not valid for the domain name <a href=3D"https://urldefense.com/v3/__h=
ttp://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JL=
q8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODc4D2Pme$" rel=3D"noreferrer" targe=
t=3D"_blank">gnuplot.info</a> (nor <a href=3D"https://urldefense.com/v3/__h=
ttp://www.gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!hZAtTCSEA3UZsTRDYd1Rlg-J8_Oq7DJZg-cJ=
MaMoMBMcyZx3lwvCVqHE401p-ZikRUWZruc71FaDNhZkYYE3tw4$" rel=3D"noreferrer" ta=
rget=3D"_blank">www.gnuplot.info</a>). If you look at the certificate (offe=
red by Firefox next to the error message), you can see that it was issued b=
y Let&#39;s Encrypt to <a href=3D"https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://secure=
projects.sourceforge.net__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-x=
o6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODadFrph0$" rel=3D"noreferrer"=
 target=3D"_blank">secureprojects.sourceforge.net</a>, and it is valid for =
a large selection of other domain names, presumably all projects hosted by =
SF. </div></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Thank you for your i=
nsights.</div><div><br></div><div>I think you are addressing a different is=
sue - whether the connection protocol is https or http.</div></div></div></=
blockquote></div></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Yes, t=
his is not about DNS failure. I don&#39;t experience DNS failure, but see p=
recisely the same errors/issues as Peter described.</div><div dir=3D"auto">=
<br></div><div dir=3D"auto">(Nowadays http should actually redirect to http=
s. Modern browsers also refuse to show http pages.)</div><div dir=3D"auto">=
<br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D=
"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(2=
04,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><=
div> It is not surprising that a certificate issued to SourceForge would no=
t mention <a href=3D"https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-=
Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jC=
e9wWKl4ZSgERWeODc4D2Pme$" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">gnuplot.info=
</a> by name because that name is not connected to SourceForge except in th=
at (as I understand it) it currently redirects queries to the actual gnuplo=
t site <a href=3D"https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.sourceforge.ne=
t__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMe=
Oq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODckxZJT_$" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">gnup=
lot.sourceforge.net</a>.</div></div></div></blockquote></div></div><div dir=
=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Except that it does matter for https.=
 The hosting site needs to know that the certificate should also be for <a =
href=3D"https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koo=
fFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5loEhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERW=
eODc4D2Pme$" target=3D"_blank">gnuplot.info</a>=C2=A0 and it needs to be ex=
plicit whether that is with or without www (or both).</div><div dir=3D"auto=
">Either a separate certificate is needed for that, or the certificate used=
 needs to be made aware that it needs to cover <a href=3D"https://urldefens=
e.com/v3/__http://gnuplot.info__;!!K-Hz7m0Vt54!koofFjCmBlGlxmtOCelbImz1v5lo=
EhcR-xo6w0JLq8fvwUwklPYjMJSMeOq-e-_jCe9wWKl4ZSgERWeODc4D2Pme$" target=3D"_b=
lank">gnuplot.info</a>. This really needs to be fixed on the hosting site, =
and usually the person in charge of the DNS is also needed in the process o=
f making it work.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Unless=
 the administrators of gnuplot on SF have access to certificate settings (m=
eans you would also need to create and extend your own certificate), then S=
F support is really needed here to set it up.=C2=A0</div><div dir=3D"auto">=
<br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote class=3D=
"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(2=
04,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><=
div> The current problem seems to be that the redirection itself fails in s=
ome cases, or fails to pass through sufficient information</div></div></div=
></blockquote></div></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">No.=
 It&#39;s really a misconfigured site/certificate.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><=
br></div><div dir=3D"auto">&gt; You still see the site, correct?</div><div =
dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Well ... yes and no, but the more =
correct answer is probably NO. By default you don&#39;t see the site becaus=
e the web browser is protecting you from &quot;the malicious site&quot; unt=
il you approve an exception and security risk, but that is &quot;an advance=
d use&quot; (it is on purpose made difficult to do that).</div><div dir=3D"=
auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid=
 rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_qu=
ote"><div>For completeness I should mention that the issue of connection vi=
a IPv6 as opposed to IPv4 was raised earlier, and might be relevant,</div><=
/div></div></blockquote></div></div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D=
"auto">It is possible that the site works correctly on IPv4 and fails with =
IPv6. My network right now doesn&#39;t support IPv6, so it&#39;s hard for m=
e to check. It is unrelated to certificate issues, but it could hypothetica=
lly explain why DNS works for others and not for you if you have IPv6. (By =
correctly I mean resolving to the correct website. It still doesn&#39;t ser=
ve a compliant certificate.)</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"a=
uto">Mojca</div><div dir=3D"auto"><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><blockquote cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid=
 rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
</blockquote></div></div></div>
</div></blockquote></div><div><br clear=3D"all"></div><div><br></div><span =
class=3D"gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gm=
ail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><span style=3D"font-family:monospace"><span=
 style=3D"color:rgb(0,0,0)">Ethan A Merritt
</span><br>Department of Biochemistry<br>University of Washington, Seattle<=
br>
<br></span></div></div>

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