Just one website won't load

Running a Win 7 desktop on Virgin cable. No problems at all except that one day fantasyfootballscout.co.uk just stopped loading for me after previously working fine, instead it just stays on "connecting" forever. I check it most days, so that's fairly inconvenient. I assumed it was down for maintenance but this is not the case, the site is up - and I can connect to every website except that one.

- Firefox, Chrome and IE all have the same issue
- Turning off my AV+firewall has no effect
- My hosts file is clean
- If I connect my laptop to the same router my desktop uses, the site loads

Any ideas?

Edited by Memski (Tue 29-Nov-11 10:21:25)

can you connect to it via ip address?
ie type 46.38.178.219 in the address bar

No, same problem.

Tracert looks fine though:


Tracing route to 46.38.178.219 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 16 ms 9 ms 13 ms cable.virginmedia.com []
2 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms network.virginmedia.net []
3 39 ms 6 ms 9 ms network.virginmedia.net []
4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms network.virginmedia.net []
5 19 ms 10 ms 7 ms network.virginmedia.net []
6 12 ms 11 ms 11 ms network.virginmedia.net []
7 11 ms 11 ms 11 ms linx.edge3.lon.rackspace.net [195.66.224.116]
8 10 ms 11 ms 11 ms vl911.core6a.lon3.rackspace.net [92.52.76.204]
9 14 ms 11 ms 11 ms 92.52.77.95
10 14 ms 11 ms 11 ms 46.38.178.219

Trace complete.

Try via a proxy such as http://www.daveproxy.co.uk/

In reply to a post by john2007:

Try via a proxy such as http://www.daveproxy.co.uk/

That does work. Thank you.

Does that offer up any clues as to why I can't view it without a proxy? It's almost as if my IP is banned, but I don't see why as I have never interacted with the site in any way other than to read it.

In reply to a post by Memski:

No, same problem.

Tracert looks fine though:


Tracing route to 46.38.178.219 over a maximum of 30 hops

1 16 ms 9 ms 13 ms cable.virginmedia.com []
2 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms network.virginmedia.net []
3 39 ms 6 ms 9 ms network.virginmedia.net []
4 7 ms 7 ms 7 ms network.virginmedia.net []
5 19 ms 10 ms 7 ms network.virginmedia.net []
6 12 ms 11 ms 11 ms network.virginmedia.net []
7 11 ms 11 ms 11 ms linx.edge3.lon.rackspace.net [195.66.224.116]
8 10 ms 11 ms 11 ms vl911.core6a.lon3.rackspace.net [92.52.76.204]
9 14 ms 11 ms 11 ms 92.52.77.95
10 14 ms 11 ms 11 ms 46.38.178.219

Trace complete.

It's not resolving the domain of the destination. You may need to flush your dns cache or something.

Tried it to no effect. Thank you for the suggestion.

Does your browser show any error? Would you be able to upload or provide a link to a screenshot?

Can you access the members part of the site on members.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk?

Could you also try clearing cache and cookies in your browser. Is your laptop a similar config to your desktop (Windows 7 etc)?

Ed Eliot
Technical Director
Fantasy Football Scout

In reply to a post by Memski:

In reply to a post by john2007:

Try via a proxy such as http://www.daveproxy.co.uk/

That does work. Thank you.

Does that offer up any clues as to why I can't view it without a proxy? It's almost as if my IP is banned, but I don't see why as I have never interacted with the site in any way other than to read it.

Guess work. A geographical ban? Do they think your IP is abroad?

Ask the chap who posted from site. He should know.

In reply to a post by john2007:

..... A geographical ban.....

Didn't TT/Tiscali/Pipex etc customers have such problems recently?

In reply to a post by edffs:

Does your browser show any error? Would you be able to upload or provide a link to a screenshot?

Can you access the members part of the site on members.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk?

Could you also try clearing cache and cookies in your browser. Is your laptop a similar config to your desktop (Windows 7 etc)?

Ed Eliot
Technical Director
Fantasy Football Scout

Thanks for the reply Ed,

Browser shows no errors. Here is a screenshot of what happens, it stays like that forever, have tried leaving it for hours:

http://uploadpic.org/storage/2011/QEUh3ZdXMXGNUWskaU...

Have tried clearing cache/cookies. Laptop is running XP but otherwise a similar setup.

Guess work. A geographical ban? Do they think your IP is abroad?

Ask the chap who posted from site. He should know.

My IP is geolocated to my home town, so I don't think that's the case.

Perhaps they don't like you for some reason, and have blocked you via a .htaccess file?

Try booting to "Safe Mode With Networking" or from a WinPE or LiveLinux distro.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

Try booting to "Safe Mode With Networking" or from a WinPE or LiveLinux distro.

Safe mode w/ networking produces the same result.

I wonder if it's worth trying to change my IP? Or my PC's MAC address?

Unless there's a HOSTS entry or a blocklist operating for IE or whatever browser you use or maybe a router blocklist, it's likely that your IP or IP block is banned from the domain/site. Changing IP may solve it but you can only do that if you're allocated a truly dynamic IP.
Booting from the aforesaid Linux or WinPE distro would exonerate or otherwise your system.
Have you contacted the site's webmaster?

Edited by Deadbeat (Tue 29-Nov-11 19:50:09)

Yes, he even posted in this thread. I shall await for his reply!

I need to learn to read properly!!!!
Forget what I said above, the problem is obviously local to your desktop. Given that, it's almost certainly a firewall/blocklist type issue. Many firewalls aren't fully disabled when simply turned off and depending on complexity, a full uninstallation and reinstallation might be the easiest way to cure it.
Check if something like SpywareBlaster or PeerBlock etc isn't installed and blocking it. It's also worth checking any ad blocking software that might be installed.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

I need to learn to read properly!!!!
Forget what I said above, the problem is obviously local to your desktop. Given that, it's almost certainly a firewall/blocklist type issue. Many firewalls aren't fully disabled when simply turned off and depending on complexity, a full uninstallation and reinstallation might be the easiest way to cure it.
Check if something like SpywareBlaster or PeerBlock etc isn't installed and blocking it. It's also worth checking any ad blocking software that might be installed.

The only filtering software I use is Spybot and ESET. I removed them both but it doesn't change anything (have re-installed them now, obviously).

FantasyFootballScout connection error!!!

I have exactly the same problem, thought it was just my computer.

Site wont load on computer but works perfectly on iphone going through the same router.

Worked perfectly a few weeks ago, now won't connect to web page.

and it also wont connect using computers from my work......

Wierd???

In reply to a post by Memski:

The only filtering software I use is Spybot and ESET. I removed them both but it doesn't change anything (have re-installed them now, obviously).

Can you ping the site?
What does a Traceroute tell you?

Connected the website, they say they have

"...moved to a new load balancer in the last few weeks and we have had one or two si,ilar reports..."

Looks like possibly their own website blocking certain traffic?

They are getting back to me.

Post deleted by MrSaffron

HI there

I got this problem as well, been driving me mad trying everything I can think of, caches, peerblock etc etc and nothing solves it, it first happened end November, then ok for a few weeks, then again since mid December, my suspicion is always VM but their "helpline" useless as always, hope someone can come up with a definite clear solution soon, I need those team predictors desparately!!

DNS is not the issue. Per a screen shot that Memski posted here, the browser clearly states 'Waiting for reply...'. This means it has managed to connect, but for what ever reason, the TCP session is then being screwed up.

If was to guess at what this issue is, it feels like an MTU problem/mismatch. I can't be sure though. If I do 2 traceroutes with packet sizes 1500 and 1501, I get this:

Text

1 23 45 67 89 1011 1213 1415

# traceroute -nI 46.38.178.219 1500 traceroute to 46.38.178.219 (46.38.178.219), 30 hops max, 1500 byte packets...  7  92.52.76.246  30.004 ms  32.120 ms  34.588 ms 8  92.52.77.95  36.878 ms  38.965 ms  41.214 ms  9  46.38.178.219  41.885 ms  41.925 ms  41.949 ms# traceroute -nI 46.38.178.219 1501 traceroute to 46.38.178.219 (46.38.178.219), 30 hops max, 1501 byte packets...  6  195.66.226.116  22.364 ms  24.576 ms  26.999 ms 7  92.52.76.204  30.588 ms  32.935 ms  35.315 ms  8  92.52.77.95  37.863 ms  40.063 ms  42.362 ms 9  * * * 10  * * *11  * * *

This is suggesting that the server does not like fragmented packets, and fragmentation is linked with MTU mismatches. I get the same result with www.google.com, never had any issues there. And www.bbc.co.uk seems perfectly happy with large fragmented pings.

Though one very weird result of the above (which I have just noticed as of writing) is that hop 7 is actually a completely different IP address depending if the packet size is 1500 or 1501 - anyone ever seen that before? This anomaly (if indeed it is one) resides clearly in the realm of RackSpace hosting (their network).

I'm not suggesting this is the issue btw, but everything else so far in this thread has been ruled out, and I have seen no mention of MTU, so figured I'd throw this out there anyway incase anyone has further ideas.

Got reply from them yesterday:

This is very strange - we have had a few users say this - you're the fourth case now.

We did move to a new load balancer solution around the time you're experiencing problems - that could be the cause.

I've sent your case to Ed - our tech director - and he'll doubtless come back with some tests for you to carry out.

I'll be in touch soon.

Apologies for the issues you've faced.

So let you know when I hear soemthing back.........

I have 2 computers at home. both connected to the same router and Virgin broadband

The computer that DOESN'T connect to website runs on Windows7

The computer that DOES connect to website runs on Windows XP

Is the answer that simple?

I have been having a similar issue with another site which is behind a Rackspace cloud load balancer. The site is www.blueinc.co.uk. When I try to connect, I am getting around 4k downloaded and then nothing.

I've contacted Rackspace about this and they have told me that it must be something wrong with my PC but I do not think that this is unique to me. It works fine on my laptop and phone, just not on my PC (64-bit, Windows 7, Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller network card).

Can any of you that have the same issue as this access the site above? Also, what network card do you all have? I'm wondering if there is a particular architecture that Rackspace cloud load balancers do not like.

In reply to a post by branners:

I have been having a similar issue with another site which is behind a Rackspace cloud load balancer. The site is www.blueinc.co.uk. When I try to connect, I am getting around 4k downloaded and then nothing.

I've contacted Rackspace about this and they have told me that it must be something wrong with my PC but I do not think that this is unique to me. It works fine on my laptop and phone, just not on my PC (64-bit, Windows 7, Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller network card).

Can any of you that have the same issue as this access the site above? Also, what network card do you all have? I'm wondering if there is a particular architecture that Rackspace cloud load balancers do not like.

Works fine on my PC (win7 64bit, though Enta). I switched it to 100 items per page to increase the load a bit.