Cannot Connect to iTunes Store

I have had this issue for 3 days now. I thought it may have just been the latest 10.1.1 d/l... but after reading this, maybe it's a bigger issue.

It's frustrating... I can access the internet for everything else, so why does iTunes not work? I have apps to buy!!

Did anyone receive a resolution to this?

Thanks for the update. It sounds like we are in the same boat. I have checked proxys, firewalls, etc and I can't figure it out. My problems all started when I took the new itunes software. Very frustrating.

I just ran across this same problem on all my Apple devices. I didn't notice until tonight when my AppleTV wanted to do a software update - so I did it. Now my iTunes menu option is gone as well as my Netflix option. The network test in my AppleTV says it can't contact Apple and to check network settings.

Youtube works fine (on the AppleTV), as does the internet radio, Mobile Me, and Flickr. So the network is fine, it's just iTunes that is down I guess.

I have an iPhone 3GS, an iPhone 4, and an iPad all on this same network and while they can do everything on the internet they please, none can connect to the itunes store.

My desktop PC also cannot connect to the iTunes store. iTunes did tell me there was an update, and for kicks I did that with no issues (updated to 10.1.1) - but the iTunes store is still not available on it either.

So either something is going on with the iTunes store, or something is going on with my network or ISP that ONLY affects iTunes connections.

Just updated to iTunes 10 and now i get an error saying that it cannot connect to the iTunes Store. The Network connection timed out. Pretty annoyed due to the need to updat iPhone apps. Apple please fix or provide link to revert to iTunes 9

I'm pretty sure this isn't an iTunes version thing. There seems to be something going on with access to the store itself. (Since my computer is only one of the devices that can't connect - all my iPhones and my iPad also cannot connect) so iTunes 10 I don't think is the problem. I think it's just coincidence that you upgraded and then saw the problem.

Just like I think it's coincidence that I upgraded my AppleTV and that's when I saw the problem. I reverted the AppleTV back to factory defaults and that didn't fix the problem, so it doesn't see this problem is related to updates. At least not on our client sides.

Recently, I began having issues downloading with iTunes. I am able to download small podcasts but cannot download apps, upgrades to my iphone, ipad, or iTunes itself. The downloading starts but always times out! If I take my computer to my son's home and connect to his wifi then the downloading works. We have identical routers. This indicates to me there is an issue with my service provider Roadrunner. However, they cannot identify my problem. Help!! There must be a settings I am unaware of. Apple store people tell me to buy an Apple router.

I am having the same issues. Is this an Apple problem and if so, why isn't Apple just simply responding to this issue? Not much of a Christmas if the iTunes store isn't available to order on. Should I return my iPod since it's crap if I can't even buy songs to play on it?

My problems have passed. I did a few things last night to troubleshoot things and think my issue was either with my provider or just some cache on the network. Here is what I did.

On my iPhone 4, I could not connect to the app store. So I powered off the phone, reboot, and tried again, no go. The app store worked fine earlier in the day at my office so I turned off my wifi on the phone and let it try via 3G. Success! After I logged into the App store I immediately switched back to wifi and it kept working for several more app udates. But that told me that it was either my own network or my ISP and it was just the initial connection that was broken. So I powered off all of my equipment at the house (router, AP, etc...) and when they came back up, all my devices can connect to the app store and my AppleTV is working again just fine.

In my case, I think Apple may have changed some IPs and my equipment still had some cached DNS records that only clear after some time passes or a reboot of the router. My router and network equipment is rock solid so it hasn't been rebooted in over a year. The issue would have passed eventually, but a reboot forced it to flush now and I'm golden at home again.

Apple may have had a glitch recently that caused all of our issues, but things seem to be stable now. I would suggest that everyone make sure their DNS cache is clear on all their devices.

For routers that usually just means rebooting them.

For computers you can run an "ipconfig /flushdns" (Windows) command or the Mac equivalent - or just reboot as well.

For devices (like iPhones/iPods) a reboot should be good.

You should start with routers/firewalls/Wireless APs and then move to your computers and devices. After everything is rebooted and/or flushed, try each device to see if your connection to iTunes is restored.

Had the same Problem!!
Fixed it by going onto my internet security program "Norton"
Then onto Personal Firewall and configure.
Under Programs and then manual program control it should give a list of programs
and if they are blocked or allowed. Scroll down to Apple itunes and changed internet access to "permit all". This should allow you to access the itunes store.
It is an internet security access problem and nothing to do with itunes. It was my settings on firewall that were preventing me from accessing the store. Every time you update itunes it will block access and has to be changed.!!

This problem is related to having your computer, Apple device, etc
(from your current physical location) being unable to resolve/connect to
the following site/domain names and their related IP address(s).

The following table is presented to help explain/clarify this issue:

Site/Domain name | IP Address
phobos.apple.com | 17.250.237.43
deimos3.apple.com | 206.169.246.144
albert.apple.com | 17.149.240.64
gs.apple.com | 17.151.36.30
itunes.apple.com | 206.169.246.171
ax.itunes.apple.com | 206.169.246.139

If ANY of these sites/IP address are unresolvable (via PING for example)
then the ability/usability of Apple's iTunes (and the Store) will suffer.

To have yourself verify that (if) you can connect to these sites, you'll
need to open up a MSDOS/Command prompt window
and then type "ping" (without the quotes) and one of the (above) listed sites.

For example you would type the following at your command prompt:
ping phobos.apple.com (then press the return/enter key)
which (should) give you results like this:
pinging phobos.apple.com.akadns.net http://17.250.237.43 with 32 bytes of data:

Note: Anyt response other than "reply" (like Request timed out)
indicates a problem resolving the site's name to an IP address
and (generally) has NOTHING to do with your (normally functioning) computer
as this is dependent on the ISP (Internet Service Provider) that you are
using to connect to the Internet (like Sprint, Insightbb, etc) with.

The 'key' here is that it's the ISP's responsibility to (properly) resolve
the site's name to (one or more of) Apple's sites.

If (however) Apple (itself) is (currently) experiencing a DDOS attack
(Distributed Denial Of Service) upon one (or more) of it's sites, then THAT
would explain a possible cause of the problem.

However I stress THAT is NOT the problem since I can connect from my Insightbb
(ISP provider) at home but (currently) can not connect at work via their ISP.

This is (also) WHY the "tag" of the FQDNSN (Fully-Qualified DNS Name)
is listed as http://akadns.net since that is the ISP/Router resolving the DNS name!

I hope that this has helped shed some light as to WHo's problem this REALLY is,
and will help to stop the Apple-User 'finger-pointing' game in it's tracks! 😉

Your's The Lan_Man! 😉
William Cull
Technology Specialist
University of Louisville

So, what exactly can I do when I am not a Technology Specialist???

I really admire the detailed explanation above, but personally I am just a simple user with a new hard drive, who would like to listen to the music I baught on iTunes, but can't anymore, because the computer won't connect to the store anymore...

PLEASE, there must be a DUMMY-WAY to resolve???
Where is the army of iTunes Specialists, ready to help their customers???

Message was edited by: Vani Hopf

There is no "Dummy" way to resolve this since the problem is with the provider
of DNS to IP resolution services (a.k.a. Akami DNS.NET) [.akadns.net] since that is the ISP/Router resolving the DNS name for the iTunes store!

I'd blame the equipment that Akami uses to host/store/forward
the DNS/Name requests to Apple's (iTunes/Store) IP's that Apple's servers use.

Basically, since (even) Apple doesn't act as an ISP DNS Hoster,
then they (as well as numerous other companies) are at the mercy of the provider's
equipment that they subscribe to (utilize) for a presence on the Internet.

I'm aware the this 'problem' has existed for some time now,
and (I believe) has become WORSE now that they have opened up a Macintosh store
to go along with their (regular) iTunes store since they are BOTH served by the
same validation/authentication server DNS/Host name sets.

It could (just) be that there is too much traffic
(uh customer requests for apps, updates, podcasts, music, etc)
for Akami to be able to handle without the requests getting 'lost'
(uh network time-outs) and (therefore) having your iTunes/Devices respond with
the message that they are 'unable to contact the store'
and leaving me/you/us out on a limb! ;-(

My 'suggestion' (since this has worked for me MOST of the time) is to setup
your DNS provider to be "OpenDNS.com" rather than utilizing your current ISP.

If you don't know HOW to do this, they provide (on their web site) numerous
configuration/guidance pages to help you get your device setup properly.

My suspicion is that this isn't going to be getting ANY better until Apple
either complains LOUDLY enough to Akami,
OR manages to change to another DNS/Hosting provider service. ;-(

Good luck, You're goona need it! 😉

Thank you!!!
I can understand you and tried it with opendns.com
...
didn't work at first, BUT I realized, that the iTunes version my mac-store had put onto my new internal harddrive was just 4.7 or so.
Replaced it with a backup of iTunes 9, which I had on another disc,and
VOILA!
Things are running fine again.

In any case THANK YOU SO MUCH for writing simple-user-understandable!!!

Message was edited by: Vani Hopf

I'm having the same porblems (past 4 hours) and it's driving me nuts as i've just upgraded to itunes plus and was hoping to get all my old tracks back that I once lost!