iTunes Could not contact the iPad software update server because you are not connected to the internet I did a full restore on my iPad the other day and right before the end with error 6 on iTunes saying it couldnt contact the update server (even though it did it the first 3 times fine) and now my iPad can only boot into DFU mode... If I try to restore now I just get an error saying: "iTunes Could not contact the iPad software update server because you are not connected to the internet". I ping gs.apple.com, it just times out. I have looked in my hosts file, nothing in there. I have even tried it on a machine thats never even gone near my iPad before and it still does the same...

I have tried several different VPNs incase my ISP is blocking the connection, still no. I have tried Google DNS servers, still no. Any ideas?

Both machines I have tried are Macs running the very latest version of iTunes both on Mountain Lion. The iPad is 4th gen by the way. I should also mention, theres no firewall enabled on either machine and my router has never caused a problem with such things before.
Did this happen on March 11?
Many of Apple's login services went off line for several hours. 
If it happened because of that, they might fix it for you for free.