Browser can't access website

[iMacGirl27]

Hi guys,

my main browser is firefox but it seems that I can't access this website: http://www.sudsandlight.com/ it is showing the following error message:

"Unable to connect

Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at www.sudsandlight.com.

* The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few moments.

* If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network
connection.

* If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the Web."



I tried other browsers : safari, netscape, opera, but still above error. Maybe somebody would have an idea to point me out where to start? I have a PC so it works there...

Thanks in advance

[Photek]

the site works fine here... so it must be your set up...

Is this the only site you cant access from your Mac?
How do you connect to the internet? (Wireless, Wired)
Can your PC see the site?

[JDV]

I can also access the site from FireFox with no problems, and the site doesn't seem to have any peculiar coding that I could discern which might cause problems. This leaves the problem most likely with your computer. If you have a firewall enabled, you might disable it (temporarily) to see if that is causing some odd problem.

Joe VanZandt

[iMacGirl27]

Photek,

1) There are a few that I encounter that I can't have access but that's ok, this particular website (sudsandlight) i do wnat access...

2) my iMac is wired (iMac 24")

3) My PC desktop when I use it can see it fine....(my PC and iMac are not connected in a router or anything like that, they are independent)


JDV,

My iMac is like a few months ago when I bought, I am not really mac literate yet or anything so basically I have not done any tweaking or anything especially as far as firewall...I don't even know where to look for it in my iMac yet....Could you help me step-by-step on how to disable my iMac firewall?

Thank you!! Look forward to the answers

[JDV]

If your firewall is enabled it will show up in the "Sharing" preference pane; you should see three tabs: "Sharing", "Firewall" and "Internet". When you click on the appropriate tab, you should see whether the firewall is enabled or not. If it is, disable it--again, just as a test; you can turn it back on if it turns out not to make any difference.

Joe VanZandt

[tlarkin]

The firewall should most likely be blocking incoming requests and not really out going.

What other sites do not work? Are your PC and Mac both connected to independent internet connections, or are they sharing the same connection, how exactly is it set up?

[iMacGirl27]

JDV,

thanks for checking on this...

I went to check on if the firewall is enabled or not as advised from the preference area....under "Firewall" tab, the only one checked was "Network Time", not sure what that means....The items on the "Advanced" section are also unchecked...So would that mean, it is not the Firewall that's causing me not to access the website?


tlarkin,

appreciate your reply!

1) I did a check and it seems that this website : http://www.loadingvault.com/ using my iMac here can't access it...but when using a pc, I can access it...

2) I don't use my PC anymore, it is always powered off. I only use it when I go to a school website that does not support mac which was medialab.com...it is only my iMac that does have internet connection...if I have to use the pc, I have to unplug the ethernet from my iMac, wait for a few minutes and plug it to the pc and vice versa...I dont have a reuter since I dont intend to use my PC anymore...

[iMacGirl27]

Just wanted to post a follow-up just in case others have a solution for me?

Thank you!

[Photek]

Quote: Originally Posted by iMacGirl27 Just wanted to post a follow-up just in case others have a solution for me? Thank you!

I suspect it may be your DNS Servers or some part of your network setup is getting in the way...


is it possible for you to go to your PC and check you have the same DNS on that as you do on your Mac... if you dont... put in the PC ones and see if that works..

[tlarkin]

All of those sites load fine for me on my iMac and I just tested them right now. This is at your home right? I know that one of the sites you listed my web filter at work blocked it, but since I work in the IT department I of course have a bypass. Which made me think some how it was being blocked by your work if it was a work computer.

[iMacGirl27]

Photek,

not really familiar with DNS but I am sure it has something to do with some internal configuration somewhere if you guys can access those websites...I don't have my PC and iMac networked. If I want to access one with internet, I would have to unplug my internet connection and plug it in for use by the other...Could you then tell me more about this DNS? I got my iMac up and running out of the box, no tweaking or any fancy configuration from my part, so has to do with the default setting...

tlarking,

Yes, my iMac is at home, it is not a work computer. I am thinking it is one of the default settings since I have not done any tweaking. I tried all types of browsers but I can't access it. Another website I can't access is www.about.com, I usually go there but I can't access it using Firefox (my firefox is updated btw) or any other browsers....

[tlarkin]

If you open up your system preferences, and hit the network icon, then under the TCP/IP tab look at the DNS settings.

If there is a set of numbers there then your computer is getting proper DNS, and it should be from your ISP unless you are going through a router.

[iMacGirl27]

Since Im running Tiger, the "Renew DHCP lease" is under my TCP/IP tab not in the Ethernet tab, is that right?...Would it be safe to do so? What does it do, what will happen?

[LanaSB]

Hi guys, I have joined this forum just because I found this thread. I am having the same problem, can't access multiple websites. Connected on Airpot, via a wireless connection, through an AT&T router.
No firewall setup, DNS server matches is listed. I'm running Leopard. Tried Camino, Firefox, Opera, Safari - those sites won't open in any browser. Most websites are either online shops, online business services or some torrent sites, same applies to redirections. Below is the link that wouldn't open on my Mac at home, but I can open it on my PC at work:
http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1534887-8151398?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zappos.com%2Freturn_and_price_protection.zhtml&sid=Two%20Lips%20Shoes|1356974612
Strange thing is that I can open the Zappos, but not the redirection link.
This is really annoying as I sometimes come across 3-5 blocked links in an hour! Is it my computer's settings or my provider's issue?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[tlarkin]

for grins can you create a new user account and see if it works in the new user account.

[LanaSB]

Quote: Originally Posted by tlarkin for grins can you create a new user account and see if it works in the new user account.

Hi tlarkin,

I have just created a new account, tried connecting to 3 different networks, with no luck at all!

I have taken screenshots of my DNS settings on all of the 3 networks, but can't attach them here.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated! This is really becoming a very frustrating issue...

[LanaSB]

Guys, I have just resolved the issue! Wanted to share my experience and the solution I have found.

Turned out it was PeerGuardian blocking my outgoing connections! I had to reconfigure the settings and now EVERYTHING is working fine!

iMacGirl27, if you have PG installed, you may want to check your settings.

My PG version is 1.5, if you've got the same version, go to File - List Manager and check mark Allow Standard for every list. Funny thing, I was playing with these settings and ended up not being able to access Google! Somehow it is listed under the Adds, Spyware list. After I checked Allow standard on that list, Voila, my Google was back...

Now I don't have any problems accessing webpages. Hope my advice might be helpful.

[iMacGirl27]

Thank you guys for all your help!

LanaSB, wow, your trick worked like a charm! Yes I do have peerguardian installed (mine is 1.4.2 version) and followed your instruction, now all those websites that I normally can't access I can now! Yes!

Ok one more thing, this website called medtraining.org when I logged in (it's an educational website from my school) says : "The Web Browser you are using is not currently supported by this application. Please use Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 or higher to access this site. We hope to support additional browswer versions in the near future."

I might be shooting for the moon here, but I'll still give it a try and asked you guys: Is there a workaround this situation? or this is one of those sites that I won't be able to view EVER unless I use a PC??

*cross finger that someone has an answer**

Thank Youuu again !!

[tlarkin]

so you are in fact running some sort of web filter or safe guard....

As for IE, if you have an intel mac you can use a product called "cross over" which will allow you to install IE 6 on your mac. I did so for a client a long time ago and it worked. Haven't done it since though.

[JDV]

This is a kind of object lesson; the use of a 3rd party product like PeerGuardian is not something that one can foresee in trying to help troubleshoot a problem. If LanaSB had not mentioned, no one would have thought to suggest it. The moral of the story is just that you need to supply as much information as possible when requesting help, particularly if you have made modifications to the stock OS. I'm very pleased this problem was solved for you!

Crossover definitely works for IE 6, but I'm not too sure it will work on later versions of IE; on the other hand, most sites don't require the latest version of IE (yet!), so you should be OK if yours is an Intel-based Mac.

Joe VanZandt