DNS Question (xpost from Open Source forum)

[Wutangrza]

Sorry for xpost, but this forum probably has a better chance of having some answers.

So I've heard about the whole 67.202.81.137 DNS switch thing to get on PSN, my question is, does anyone know what exactly that DNS server is doing to the packets? I run my own squid proxy, and I figure why route my traffic somewhere I don't know a thing about if I can just trick out squid myself. Also seems like this could help with inevitable ban evasions (I mean everyone has to know they're coming right?)

Anyway, if anyone knows what exactly that DNS server does (I'm guessing it just greps out your reported firmware and replaces it with 3.55), but does anyone know more technical details? Thanks!

Also, what file is it that contains my recently played list or whatever? Ideally I'd like to configure my own proxy server from my same external IP and clear out any evidence that I've been running snes9x and other homebrew every time before I connect to PSN.

I guess I could just run wireshark on my squid proxy server, and attempt to login to PSN and capture the traffic, but the only problem if I do that would be Sony would see that "wutangrza" (not my actual PSN ID) had previously logged on with FW 3.50 and is now attempting to do it with 3.41. I'd like to avoid having that happen if at all possible, which is why I'd like to know the technical details of what 67.202.81.137 is doing. Anyone know the guy that runs that DNS server?

[RatAndDragon]

IIRC it worked by telling the PS3 that one of the Sony validation servers was at a different address, and the server at that address would always reply to the PS3 with "Yes, you have the latest firmware version" when the console asked.

This technique no longer works, Sony have changed the PSN validation sequence and (again, IIRC) everything now takes place over SSL so we can't see what's going on, let alone mimic it.

[Wutangrza]

Then what of http://psx-scene.com/forums/f188/[secret]-enable-3-50-psn-content-3-41-a-73038/#post627551 ?

edit: Oh... That simply enables me to play PSN games on 3.41, like Braid and others, that's not going to let me Netflix or NHL GameCenter Live on 3.41 is it...

[d0zs]

when ps3-updatelist.txt gets requested upon logging in, it'll modify the values to 0 or a lower firmware version:

# US
Dest=84;CompatibleSystemSoftwareVersion=3.5500-;
Dest=84;IncrementalUpdateVersion=0000b437-0000b437;ImageVersion=0000b99c;SystemSoftwareVersi on=3.5500;CDN=http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2010_1207_ca595ad9f3af8f1491d9c9b6921a8c61/PS3PATCH.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;
Dest=84;ImageVersion=0000b99c;SystemSoftwareVersio n=3.5500;CDN=http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2010_1207_ca595ad9f3af8f1491d9c9b6921a8c61/PS3UPDAT.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;

it only works right now because 3.55 just came out. it'll most likely stop working in a few days just like in the past.

an example proxy server i made to bypass fw in visual basic here

[bitsbubba]

I'm watching netflix with the DNS trick right now

[Wutangrza]

when ps3-updatelist.txt gets requested upon logging in, it'll modify the values to 0 or a lower firmware version:


it only works right now because 3.55 just came out. it'll most likely stop working in a few days just like in the past.

an example proxy server i made to bypass fw in visual basic here

Perfect, thanks man!

[Wutangrza]

http://fus01.ps3.update.playstation....updatelist.txt

# US
Dest=84;CompatibleSystemSoftwareVersion=3.5500-;
Dest=84;IncrementalUpdateVersion=0000b437-0000b437;ImageVersion=0000b99c;SystemSoftwareVersi on=3.5500;CDN=http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2010_1207_ca595ad9f3af8f1491d9c9b6921a8c61/PS3PATCH.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;
Dest=84;ImageVersion=0000b99c;SystemSoftwareVersio n=3.5500;CDN=http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2010_1207_ca595ad9f3af8f1491d9c9b6921a8c61/PS3UPDAT.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;

Then from your code

 workspace.Text = Replace(workspace, "http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2010_0907_6ba866514589155ab094099a9f358ffd/PS3PATCH.PUP", "http://home.comcast.net/~someone/PS3PATCH.PUP")
            Text3.Text = btm(1)
            Text3.Text = Replace(Text3, "http://dus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/update/ps3/image/us/2010_0907_6ba866514589155ab094099a9f358ffd/PS3UPDAT.PUP", "http://home.comcast.net/~someone/PS3UPDAT.PUP")

So I also have to have it point to different PUP files? And if so, which ones are those?

edit: Thinking about it, I could just run a webserver on my machine that is also running the squid proxy, edit /etc/hosts to point http://fus01.ps3.update.playstation.net/ to 127.0.0.1 and then just place a modified ps3-updatelist.txt in /var/www/update/ps3/list/us/

So I guess the only question left is, do I also need to actually place those *.PUP files on my webserver, and which ones would I need to place there? I'm going to give it a try by just editing the acceptable FW versions and replacing the target of the *.pup files to 404's and seeing what happens. I'm hoping that it won't even try to go grab anything once it sees that my firmware version is "compatible".

[d0zs]

oh whoops sorry i left that in there. no you don't need to change the location of the pup. i was testing something earlier with a modified pup and must've accidentally saved it

this works:

'BYPASS FIRMWARE
If BypassFirmware = 1 Then
    workspace.Text = strdatas$
        If Left(workspace, 2) = "# " Then
            On Error Resume Next
            Dim str As Variant
            Dim btm As Variant
            Dim fixit As String
            
            btm = Split(workspace, "/PS3PATCH.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;")

            str = Split(workspace, ";CompatibleSystemSoftwareVersion=")
            fixit = Left(str(1), 6)
            str(1) = Replace(str(1), fixit, "0.0000")
            workspace = str(0) & ";CompatibleSystemSoftwareVersion=" & str(1)

            str = Split(workspace, ";SystemSoftwareVersion=")
            fixit = Left(str(1), 6)
            str(1) = Replace(str(1), fixit, "0.0000")
            workspace = str(0) & ";SystemSoftwareVersion=" & str(1)
            
            str = Split(workspace, ";ImageVersion=")
            fixit = Left(str(1), 8)
            str(1) = Replace(str(1), fixit, "00000000")
            workspace = str(0) & ";ImageVersion=" & str(1)
            
            str = Split(workspace, ";IncrementalUpdateVersion=")
            fixit = Left(str(1), 17)
            str(1) = Replace(str(1), fixit, "00000000-00000000")
            workspace = str(0) & ";IncrementalUpdateVersion=" & str(1)
            
            str = Split(workspace, "Dest=")
            fixit = Left(str(1), 2)
            
            workspace.Text = Replace(workspace, "Dest=" & fixit & ";", "***")
            workspace.Text = Replace(workspace, "Dest=" & fixit, "")
            workspace.Text = Replace(workspace, "***", "Dest=" & fixit & ";")
            
            Text3.Text = btm(1)
            
            strdatas$ = workspace.Text & Text3
        End If
End If

[Wutangrza]

Just an FYI, I was able to use my "code-free" solution to get on PSN on 3.50, here's how.

Ran a webserver with apache and squid. Edited /etc/hosts on the webserver to include this line:

127.0.0.1 fus01.ps3.update.playstation.net

Then simply mkdir -p /var/www/update/ps3/list/us and create a file called ps3-updatelist.txt in it that contains the following:

# US
Dest=84;CompatibleSystemSoftwareVersion=0.0000-;
Dest=84;IncrementalUpdateVersion=00000000-00000000;ImageVersion=00000000;SystemSoftwareVersion=0.0000;CDN=http://127.0.0.1/update/ps3/image/us/2010_1207_ca595ad9f3af8f1491d9c9b6921a8c61/PS3PATCH.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;
Dest=84;ImageVersion=00000000;SystemSoftwareVersion=0.0000;CDN=http://127.0.0.1/update/ps3/image/us/2010_1207_ca595ad9f3af8f1491d9c9b6921a8c61/PS3UPDAT.PUP;CDN_Timeout=30;

To any "noobs" reading this, this isn't a magic new trick, it's just a different way to go about doing the DNS trick (and will work if that guy's server ever blows up or something). Unfortunately, just like the DNS trick, it also won't work on FW < 3.50.

[d0zs]

yup that's how the original method worked by replacing the ps3-updatelist.txt

also the bypass is back to not working again...must've happened within the hour