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.