Q: iTunes song preview time is cutting off.

Do you also have to sign-up for free account on the Open DNS website in order for these server addresses to function properly?

If I were you  and not computer savey I would leave everything as and wait until the current case with Apple is closed.  I did feed all the DNS data to them, that should enable them to make a fix/change that will have a positive impact on many itunes users.  Good luck.

Vinny

Thanks for the fix!!!.

Tried everything until i saw your help. This was the only thing that worked to play previews and the the internet connections are now super fast.

I was having this problem with Verizon Fios and Win 7 64 bit.

I did the following and so far so good:

1. In the Network and Sharing Center click Change adaper settings
2. Right click Local Area Connection and then Properties
3. Don't have TCP/IPv6 so I selected with TCP/IPv4 and Properties
4. Click radio button Use the following IP address: and add your IP and Gateway info which I got this by running "CMD:ipconfig"Under Use the following DNS server addresses add the following:
5. Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8 and Alternate DNS server: 8.8.8.4 (these are Googles Public DNS)

The above info may be redundant info but hey, can't hurt!  All itunes previews are working and playing for the full minute and a half.

Lemee know if it works for you.

Greg

I'm a Comcast cable internet customer and was having the same issue with iTunes previews cutting off. In addition, if I used the simultaneous download feature, most of my downloads would get errors and I'd have to go back and re-download each individually.  All my machines are Windows 7 64 bit systems and are running the latest version of iTunes.

After reading GibbyOH's post about DNS servers, I went into my router's settings and changed the DNS selection feature from "obtain from provider" to manual settings and then tried some servers from OpenDNS, Google, and Norton DNS.  OpenDNS and NortonDNS both fixed the problem and I got mixed resutls with Google.  I decided to go with NortonDNS as my final settings.  I've been running that way for 2 days and the problem seems to be fixed for both song previews and downloads.  As a side benefit, it seems like my web pages load faster when doing normal browsing with Internet Explorer 9.

Here's the link to Norton for anyone interested:

https://dns.norton.com/dnsweb/huConfigurePc.do

Hope this helps.

hi folks, I actually gave in and made the change myself this morning (now using OpenDNS), I am Verizon FIOS and this walked me thru it

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/38869/how-to-setup-your-verizon-fios-router-with- opendns-or-google-dns/

I do still intend to help Apple get to the bottom of it and reply to my open case, ...

Vinny

Does anybody know if theres an advantage to configuring the static dns on the router vs. the Windows control panel? Is it either or? Right now I have it set up with the at the control panel which has solved my iTunes timeout problem. 

The only advantage I could see would be that the router would enable more electronic items whereas the Windows is only changing your single computer, but I'm not an expert in IT

I tried your suggestion & so far it has worked. Fingers crossed ! It has been an unpleasant & very frustrating few months . Apple should hire you ! Thank you for posting ,it has helped me

Yes GibbyOH has bailed a lot of unhappy people out!

Also have Verizon FIOS and changed to Google DNS. So far, so good! No cut offs! No misunderstandings though, I still think Apple has done a horrible job at handling this situation. Some people, no matter how helpful good/clear instructions might be, are still very weary of messing with their router settings. Quite frankly, they shouldn't have too! Mad props to everyone in this thread that attempted to help people out.

So here is where I am at, I have started working with Apple and Akamia to locate where this issue is coming from but as it is a DNS issue the problem may not be on their side. If you are having this issue I advise that you open a trouble ticket with your ISP (ie Verizon FIOS, Comcast, etc). It could very well be that their DNS servers are mishandling the data. It is not unheard of for a big ISP to configure access info into their DNS for services and websites that their users go to often to minimize data traffic. If they configured DNS info for Akamia URLs and Akamia made changes to the servers those URL site on, then the ISPs would be trying to send you to the wrong servers.

I think it's awesome that people are finding solutions here. I don't want to be the wet blanket but I changed my DNS quite a while ago. It worked fine for 2 months and then it stopped again. Then it started working again. It may well be DNS (seems like it is) but if you're goign to stay with Apple be prepared to do this more then once.

And I'm sorry but I have to say it -- this is absolutely ON APPLE. Can you imagine if suddenly every Kindle user had to change DNS settings to get their books? Or if I had to reconfigure DNS everytime I did something on Facebook or some other network? The bottom line is that MOST people -- myself included - are absolutely not comfortable reconfiguring DNS for any number of reasons.

What made Itunes so great was the idiot proof ease of use. This is music -- it's supposed to be easy and painless. I may have to spend hours on technical support to get something fixed for work but I absolutely don't have to do it for this. It takes ONE extra step now for me to get my Amazon music to my Ipod and until this is fixed (and not by me spending time with my local tech support), I'm done with Apple and Itunes.

I have to agree, it is definitely apple.  I can watch and listen to Netflix and Amazon anywhere without interruption. Why not ITunes?

barbpf,

I understand what you are saying, but from a techincal standpoint they only have so much control over these things. They are relianent on your service providers DNS to make sure that data is getting to the correct place. Let me give you a quick example of what I mean. If tomorrow your ISP wanted to prevent you from getting to yahoo.com they could by simply create a DNS record in their system that told your computer to go to a different IP address then the one where yahoo.com is. Now would that be yahoo's falt that you could not get to there website because your ISP is telling you the wrong IP address to go to. I would say not. DNS is a big confusing system of directories, even for me and I work IT. When the wrong data is published in a DNS server then anyone asking for info from that server is going to go to the wrong place.