[SOLVED] I can't access my web site anymore! I'm desperate guys!

[MT Brain]

Hi everybody!

I'm new to this forum and hope you can help me with my problem. A few days ago, I was working on my web site www.knowingme.org (IP: 213.203.223.93) and uploading stuff to the server. From one moment to the next (actually, right after I downloaded a few files from the server to my laptop using the same FTP client), the connection just died. I haven't been able to communicate with my web page from our home network since. Thunderbird, Core FTP, Firefox, IE - there's just no communication between our network and the server. I tried it from my roomies' computers (all connected to the same router/modem/ISP) - same result!

Thing is, all my friends can access my site just fine, everybody can! As a matter of fact, even I myself can access it through my browser if I use a proxy. If I use the wireless LAN that the guys above us have, I can also access my site.

I contacted my ISP (Videotron Canada) and they told me that they'll never selectively block a site, and they could access it just fine, too.

So the communication problem lies between our network and the server. I ran a traceroute:

1 1 ms 1 ms 2 ms 192.168.123.254
2 15 ms 7 ms 14 ms 10.18.32.1
3 9 ms 7 ms 12 ms 24.200.227.53
4 7 ms 8 ms 9 ms 24.200.250.82
5 11 ms 12 ms 7 ms ia-cnnu-bb04-ge13-1-0.vtl.net [216.113.122.14]
6 34 ms 33 ms 33 ms ia-cnnu-bb04-pos5-0-0-cpe074.vtl.net [216.113.122.74]
7 36 ms 37 ms 35 ms sl-crs1-chi-0-4-0-1.sprintlink.net [144.232.26.69]
8 43 ms 40 ms 43 ms sl-st21-chi-12-0-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.19.142]
9 32 ms 31 ms 31 ms chi-sb1.CHI.US.net.DTAG.DE [62.154.15.161]
10 30 ms 31 ms 34 ms nyc-sc1.NYC.US.net.DTAG.DE [62.154.15.162]
11 121 ms 119 ms 120 ms 217.239.40.33
12 123 ms 128 ms 123 ms 217.239.37.61
13 122 ms 121 ms 121 ms 62.154.43.130
14 119 ms 120 ms 119 ms ae-2-0.edge2.dus1.de.inetbone.net [193.159.226.67]
15 117 ms 123 ms 122 ms ae-1-1.bbr1.dus1.de.inetbone.net [213.203.192.186]
16 115 ms 124 ms 114 ms core1-dus1.ibone.ch [213.203.217.42]
17 * * * Zeitüberschreitung der Anforderung.
(...)
30 * * * Zeitüberschreitung der Anforderung.

(it's German, "zeitüberschreitung der anforderung" means "request timed out")

I tried all other kinds of stuff, but nothing helps. I'm stumped, guys. It's driving me up the walls. I've spent days trying to fix this crazy problem, and I'm really at the end of my wits. Does anybody have a suggestion? What on Earth is happening here? Why me? :-)

Hope you can help me,
Matthias.

[MT Brain]

Some additional info: I run Windows XP, we have a SMC 7004br router. I ran another traceroute from the wireless LAN network, here's what _should_ happen:

1 2 ms 3 ms 4 ms 192.168.0.1
2 10 ms 9 ms 9 ms 10.18.32.1
3 8 ms 13 ms 10 ms 24.200.227.53
4 12 ms 8 ms 8 ms 24.200.250.82
5 11 ms 8 ms 9 ms ia-cnnu-bb04-ge13-1-0.vtl.net [216.113.122.14]
6 34 ms 33 ms 46 ms ia-cnnu-bb04-pos5-0-0-cpe074.vtl.net [216.113.122.74]
7 39 ms 37 ms 33 ms sl-crs1-chi-0-1-0-2.sprintlink.net [144.232.26.11]
8 40 ms 36 ms 38 ms sl-bb22-chi-13-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.26.49]
9 38 ms 34 ms 40 ms sl-st21-chi-13-0-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.20.91]
10 64 ms 41 ms 35 ms 62.156.128.145
11 37 ms 37 ms 37 ms nyc-sc1.NYC.US.net.DTAG.DE [62.154.15.162]
12 121 ms 122 ms 123 ms 217.239.40.33
13 142 ms 137 ms 129 ms 217.239.37.61
14 122 ms 123 ms 124 ms 62.154.43.130
15 116 ms 118 ms 115 ms ae-2-0.edge2.dus1.de.inetbone.net [193.159.226.67]
16 120 ms 147 ms 128 ms ae-1-1.bbr1.dus1.de.inetbone.net [213.203.192.186]
17 118 ms 117 ms 123 ms core1-dus1.ibone.ch [213.203.217.42]
18 120 ms 121 ms 124 ms c7.ibone.ch [213.203.223.93]

[Jolt]

Are your friends on the same ISP as you?

Have you checked your registry/hosts file for any reference to your site?

[Jolt]

Also, check if your router is blocking that address.

[MT Brain]

Nope, I asked numerous friends in Germany and Canada, they use many different ISPs. I know that the guys above us use the same ISP, though, and they can access the site. Plus, when I talked to the ISP, they could access it, too. Basically, everybody can but people connected to our home network.

How do I check my hosts file? I don't think the router is blocking the address, I went through every menu item it has several times and couldn't find anything.

Also, I don't think the problem lies with my computer cos my three roomies can't access the site either. Also, the connection just died from one minute to the next.

Thanks!

[Jolt]

There is a chance that your IP was blocked. This has happened to me countless times with my hosint provider, and I've had to hound them to unblock my IP. They may not have done it intentionally but a piece of software may have done it.

This could be the case here, as you cannot connect with your own IP but can via a proxy.

To check your hosts file, navigate to the correct directory below, and open the file with notepad (or similar)
Windows NT/2000/XP Pro c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
Windows XP Home c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

[MT Brain]

As in, blocked by my web site's provider? If so, that would be the IP I get displayed when I go to www.whatismyip.com, right?

[Jolt]

Yes and yes!

[MT Brain]

Hmmm, the hosts file seems fine:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# Dies ist eine HOSTS-Beispieldatei, die von Microsoft TCP/IP
# für Windows 2000 verwendet wird.
#
# Diese Datei enthält die Zuordnungen der IP-Adressen zu Hostnamen.
# Jeder Eintrag muss in einer eigenen Zeile stehen. Die IP-
# Adresse sollte in der ersten Spalte gefolgt vom zugehörigen
# Hostnamen stehen.
# Die IP-Adresse und der Hostname müssen durch mindestens ein
# Leerzeichen getrennt sein.
#
# Zusätzliche Kommentare (so wie in dieser Datei) können in
# einzelnen Zeilen oder hinter dem Computernamen eingefügt werden,
# aber müssen mit dem Zeichen '#' eingegeben werden.
#
# Zum Beispiel:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # Quellserver
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x-Clienthost

127.0.0.1 localhost


I contacted my web site's provider, thanks for the tip - I hadn't thought of that! Judging from the tracert, your suggestion makes perfect sense, Jolt. Maybe that's it...

[Jolt]

Yeah, I hope that is it....if not just post up and we'll have a think!

[MT Brain]

That did it! My provider had really blocked access from my IP because of too many attempts to connect. Thanks a million!!

[Jolt]

No problem buddy!

[johnwill]

I think I'd ream the provider! That's pretty low class!

[Jolt]

john, it happens a surprising amount - I worked on a mod team for a while and I would be blocked daily because I'd type in the email password wrong...once...I swear these people re fools