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Standard User br1anstorm
(newbie) Mon 17-Feb-25 19:03:52
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Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[link to this post]
 
I'm not a particularly knowledgeable user of computers and the internet, so this a request for advice and help.

I recently changed ISP from Plusnet to Zen, and I now have a Zen FritzBox router with "normal"/default configuration.

I basically use the internet for online browsing and email (no streaming, no gaming...) and it usually works well.

For the past few days I have been trying to access and login to a particular classic-car website which I have visited regularly and often over many years. But I am finding I cannot now do so. I get the "website loading" icon, and eventually a screen message saying "problem loading page" , saying the website is taking too long to respond, and has timed out. The message has the usual advice saying try later, site may be busy, check your browser, and firewall settings etc. I can access all other websites perfectly normally.

When this persisted after several days I tried various checks. These seem to suggest that the problem is with my ISP, Zen.

The website in question is "Pennocks Fiero Forum", www.fiero.nl. It's a site for classic car enthusasts who own Pontiac Fiero cars, so is not a dodgy gambling or porn site!

Just to summarise what I've done so far:
1) I cleared my Firefox browser cache aand cookies and tried again. No joy;
2) I tried a different browser (Edge) on the same computer. No joy - same time-out problem;
3) I tried on another computer in the same household (which also uses the Zen ISP router). Same problem, website wouldn't load;
4) I checked the "Is It Down Right Now" website. That reported that fiero.nl was up and running normally.
5) I unplugged the Zen router, waited, and rebooted it. Stll no access to that website
6) I searched for the website (using Google) on my Android phone. This is where it gets interesting. When my phone was connected, via WiFi, to the internet via the Zen router, the fiero.nl page wouldn't load and i couldn't get access..... However,
7) when I disconnected my phone from wifi and the Zen router and instead accessed the internet via the EE network - my mobile network for both calls and data - the fiero.nl website was immediately accessed and on my phone screen.

To me that seems pretty clear evidence that Zen is somehow blocking access to that website. I have checked the router settings: there are no filters or parental controls activated, all settings are on the standard defaults..

I've tried phoning Zen tech support, but after 30 minutes of music, I have given up.

Can anybody shed light on this - and perhaps confirm my provisional diagnosis that this is indeed a problem with Zen somehow blocking access to this particular website?
Standard User DFScale
(committed) Mon 17-Feb-25 19:17:36
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
In reply to a post by br1anstorm:
To me that seems pretty clear evidence that Zen is somehow blocking access to that website.

No. It is pretty clear evidence that there is no route between Zen and that website. A quite different conclusion.

>sudo traceroute www.fiero.nl
[sudo] password for root:
traceroute to www.fiero.nl (217.148.167.147), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 <snip> 0.479 ms 0.401 ms 0.540 ms
2 lns1-ixn.lon.veloxserv.net (195.191.219.12) 15.188 ms 15.148 ms 15.195 ms
3 100.69.165.42 (100.69.165.42) 15.309 ms 15.301 ms 15.219 ms
4 9-1-39.ear1.London1.Level3.net (212.187.138.237) 15.262 ms 15.217 ms 15.283 ms
5 * * *
6 * * *
7 cr0.nikhef.nl.fusixnetworks.net (37.139.139.4) 22.056 ms 22.333 ms 22.327 ms
8 fusix-cr01nh.wd6.net (37.139.137.223) 22.275 ms 22.556 ms 22.175 ms
9 hosted-by.wd6.net (217.148.190.7) 22.534 ms 22.567 ms 22.719 ms
10 hosted-by.wd6.net (217.148.190.13) 23.440 ms 23.440 ms 23.379 ms
11 www.fiero.nl (217.148.167.147) 22.672 ms 22.919 ms 23.141 ms
Standard User Ancient_Mariner
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Mon 17-Feb-25 20:15:14
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
No problem accessing http://www.fiero.nl./ here via Andrews & Arnold.

Cheers!

Clive

Andrews & Arnold Home::1 FTTP Technicolor DGA0122 Cisco ATA191 for A&A VoIP together with a HUAWEI E5776 with O2 Data SIM


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Standard User br1anstorm
(newbie) Mon 17-Feb-25 20:47:04
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: DFScale] [link to this post]
 
In reply to a post by DFScale:
In reply to a post by br1anstorm:
To me that seems pretty clear evidence that Zen is somehow blocking access to that website.

No. It is pretty clear evidence that there is no route between Zen and that website. A quite different conclusion.

>sudo traceroute www.fiero.nl
[sudo] password for root:
traceroute to www.fiero.nl (217.148.167.147), 30 hops max, 60 byte packets
1 <snip> 0.479 ms 0.401 ms 0.540 ms
2 lns1-ixn.lon.veloxserv.net (195.191.219.12) 15.188 ms 15.148 ms 15.195 ms
3 100.69.165.42 (100.69.165.42) 15.309 ms 15.301 ms 15.219 ms
4 9-1-39.ear1.London1.Level3.net (212.187.138.237) 15.262 ms 15.217 ms 15.283 ms
5 * * *
6 * * *
7 cr0.nikhef.nl.fusixnetworks.net (37.139.139.4) 22.056 ms 22.333 ms 22.327 ms
8 fusix-cr01nh.wd6.net (37.139.137.223) 22.275 ms 22.556 ms 22.175 ms
9 hosted-by.wd6.net (217.148.190.7) 22.534 ms 22.567 ms 22.719 ms
10 hosted-by.wd6.net (217.148.190.13) 23.440 ms 23.440 ms 23.379 ms
11 www.fiero.nl (217.148.167.147) 22.672 ms 22.919 ms 23.141 ms


OMG... @DFScale, I fear you've lost me completely there. I vaguely grasp what "traceroute" might try to reveal - but I simply don't understand, and can't interpret, that sequence of entries on your list.

I'm puzzled and confused. How and why is it that "there is no route between Zen and that website"? I have never before heard of such a situation. Is it unique to Zen (and if so why?). Is there a rational explanation? Is this permanent? Does this mean that I will not be able to access that website at all unless/until I change ISP?
Standard User Pheasant
(eat-sleep-adslguide) Mon 17-Feb-25 20:54:45
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
Open a complaint with Zen. They should be able to check and resolve in a day or two.
Standard User astanden
(member) Mon 17-Feb-25 21:11:30
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
http://www.fiero.nl./

Works fine for me on Zen with a FritzBox.

iMac (Retina 4K, 21.5-inch, Late 2015) 3.3 GHz Intel Core i7 16GB Ram 2TB Fusion drive
iPad Air (4th gen) 64GB
iPhone 15 Plus 256GB
Zen Unlimited Fibre 2 80/20
AVM FRITZ!Box 7530

AOL=>Freeserve=>Zen=>O2=>BT FTTC=>Zen FTTC
Standard User Woolwich
(experienced) Mon 17-Feb-25 21:43:23
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
Works fine - and very quick to load - from my Zen connection.
Standard User Scottish_Pete
(member) Mon 17-Feb-25 21:43:28
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
Works fine for me on Zen, but not using a FB.

Scottish_Pete

Zen Big Deal Fibre 2 connected to Local Exchange
TBB SPEEDTEST
My BQM
Standard User br1anstorm
(newbie) Mon 17-Feb-25 21:46:20
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: astanden] [link to this post]
 
In reply to a post by astanden:
http://www.fiero.nl./

Works fine for me on Zen with a FritzBox.


This makes the situation I have encountered even harder to understand.

I've taken @pheasant's advice and submitted a help request to Zen. Let's hope they can not only explain, but actually solve, the problem.
Standard User DFScale
(committed) Mon 17-Feb-25 21:50:03
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Re: Does Zen block access to certain websites?


[re: br1anstorm] [link to this post]
 
In reply to a post by br1anstorm:
@DFScale, I fear you've lost me completely there. I vaguely grasp what "traceroute" might try to reveal - but I simply don't understand, and can't interpret, that sequence of entries on your list.

I'm puzzled and confused. How and why is it that "there is no route between Zen and that website"? I have never before heard of such a situation. Is it unique to Zen (and if so why?). Is there a rational explanation? Is this permanent? Does this mean that I will not be able to access that website at all unless/until I change ISP?


The only interpretation you need is that there are many hops on the route to a website. So, while it might be understandable that you think Zen are blocking the site, there are more players than just Zen who could be doing this. And not necessarily deliberately.

Beyond this, if you can do a traceroute yourself [does windows or apple have an equivalent?], you can see whether you are getting out of Zen with the request. And if you put a complaint in, you can attach the traceroute to the complaint.

It means that you won't be able to reach that site until someone fixes the break in the route. It would be melodramatic to change ISP for this.
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