'ipod software update server can not be contacted' HELP!!!!

Hope you get the answer to this question, I can't find an answer anywhere.

I'm having exactly the same problem. The help line told me to uninstal itunes and all of its components (quicktime et al) completely and to download and reinstal a fresh version of 7.5. I did this but it made no difference at all. I've also tried all of the other suggestions but with the same effect. It's all the more frustrating because an older version of itunes (i.e. before 7.4) worked perfectly with an old ipod 3G. The 80Gb Classic looks like just another useless Christmas present and is likely to get just about as much use!

Basically, it means that iTunes is trying to contact the servers that support iTunes and can't. This can be because the servers are swamped (I just experienced this trying to update my iPhone since the new release came out just today) or because there are network problems somewhere in the great Internet in the sky.

The recommendation to change iTunes software was typical customer support reading the script stuff. The right answer is, "All lines are busy. Please hang up and try again later."

The popularity of these devices (and times of year when many people try to hit the server like major updates, major gift holidays, etc.) make Internet traffic spikes that can cause these kinds of issues.

the iphone software update server could not be contacted

I am also facing the same problem. Can someone assist us with getting through this problem. It's very disappointing that after spending so much money it doesn't work properly.

By the way I am using WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER EDITION (It's 32-bit) I tried all the possible options, but no good. Please Help!!!!

SAME HERE, SINCE MY LAST UPDATE, THAT'S WHEN I PURCHASED MY iPod CLASSIC 160GB JAN.'08,. I JUST HOPE Apple OR WHOEVER IS/ARE RESPONSIBLE IN RUNNING THIS BUSINESS SHOULD FIND THE ANSWER A.S.A.P. MY iPod IS DOING SOME MUL-FUNCTION AND I TRIED ALL POSSIBLE SOLUTION GIVEN BUT FROM 'iPOD SOFTWARE UPDATE'.

I am having a similar problem downloading an update for my iphone so I called
apple support and it appears that my problem is that I am behind a firewall
and that the tcp port for updates via itunes is 3689 which is blocked by
my company's firewall. i will have to wait til i get home...
hope ths helps someone
Brian

forgot to mention that I can reach the apple itunes store with no problem...
strange.

Message was edited by: dealyb

I have an iPod 30Gb which updated to 1.3 without problem on WinXP, and another which doesn't update on Win2K. Win2K doesn't have a built-in firewall and I don't have any third-party firewall installed on it. So the port issue you just mentioned shouldn't be at stake.

So, to get to the bottom of this, I just wasted a couple hours trying a host of things. I fired up Wireshark (freeware protocol network analyzer), here's the bottom line:

1. While running the built-in iTunes "Network Diagnostics", Wireshark does show that iTunes communicates with the following remote services:

www.apple.com.akadns.net
a227.da1.akamai.com
phobos.apple.com

The result of that test says connection active: no, Connected: no, etc. Red dot on the middle test.

2. When I click on the Update button in iTunes' iPod section, Wireshark doesn't show any HTTP request, or any other type of remote request, for that matter. This means iTunes simply never accesses the update site.

3. I don't think any port is blocked in Win2K (although I read somewhere that disabling some Windows services can close some ports). Another block could be made router-side (either local router or ISP), but as I've already mentioned, iTunes has no trouble accessing the update site on my XP machine, and they're on the same router; the only difference is, the Win2K laptop is plugged into an Ethernet cable, the XP laptop is on wireless.

So, where the explanation given to dealyb is valid because of the company's firewall, it doesn't seem to apply to me.

More investigations needed. If anyone wants to pick up from there and provide additional data... This is exceedingly annoying.

Message was edited by: spiff06

Hey Guys,

I realise the majority of you who are having the problem seem to be using Windows so i can not help out there.

For Mac however:

I went into System Preferences > Network > Assist Me (Bottom of Window) > Named a new location > I connect to my local area network (LAN) > It checked for my ethernet connection (Continue) > New Location

Basically, from something I read previously in trying to fix the problem, it was some sort of DNS issue, now, I have not worked out how to flush DNS settings since switching to Mac OS, but creating a new network location seemed to do the same job. If someone knows how to flush settings and if that would do the same job. Please post it.

* For the record, I did this with an Ipod Touch, but it should be the same thing. *

Thanks,

Hope it helped

Message was edited by: Trent Lewis

Message was edited by: Trent Lewis

Hey guys, there's a simple way to fix this:
on the toolbar go to Help>Check for Updates. iTunes will tell you that you are working offline, click connect (I had to click the button a couple times). iTunes will now connect to the internet. Try doing what you wanted to do in the first place, and viola! It should now connect!

The funny thing is, I was actually on the phone with Apple tech support when this happened and the guy had no idea how to fix it (he had me changing firewall settings). Oh well!