Weird

[dgscott]

For about two weeks I have been unable to access the IAP site from home -- I've tried three different computers and four different browsers, but I keep getting a message that I can't connect. I've tried entering the address directly, clicking through from three different search engines. Nothing. Zippo, nada. I don't have any trouble connecting to any other sites.

I can connect at work, but can't get through from home.

Weird, huh?

Doug

 

[Monty]

Try deleting all the cookies and see if that helps.

 

[srf1114]

You most likely have a virus that has tampered with your host file. By modifying the host file on a Pc you can redirect DNS queries from one site to others. You can also make websites completely inaccessible.

For instance with a modified host file. You can tell your PC to never do a DNS lookup on the URL www.penturners.org, or you can tell it to always use a certain IP address for it. If that IP is bad, then you'll get the address not found. Even worse the IP address could be point to a site that looks legit, but is really malicious.

Make sure you AV software is up to date and run a full scan.

 

[alphageek]

I would recommend this (assuming that you are running windows at this point:

open a windows cmd prompt:
*press win-R
*in the box type cmd and hit enter

in the new box that opens type:
tracert www.penturners.org

The output will tell alot about why its failing.

 

[dgscott]

Thanks for the thoughts. But. Three macs, all running Kapersky anti-virus. I'll try the cache/cookies approach.
Doug

 

[turbowagon]

Do you happen to have a wife who works in IT who thinks you're spending too much time on the IAP?

 

[ve3bax]

Thanks for the thoughts. But. Three macs, all running Kapersky anti-virus. I'll try the cache/cookies approach.
Doug

you can check your host file on a mac too...

open a terminal window and type

nano /private/etc/hosts

that will open the host file in a simple text editor (nano)... you may need to sudo to root to do this if so

sudo nano /private/etc/hosts

it will then prompt you for your root password

--Dave

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the thoughts. But. Three macs, all running Kapersky anti-virus. I'll try the cache/cookies approach.
Doug

Why are you running anti-virus software at all on your Mac? It's completely unnecessary and Kaspersky is probably blocking the site. Disable it and give it a whirl.

(BTW, the only people who recommend anti-virus software for the Apple OS are the anti-virus manufacturers.)

 

[srf1114]

Actually there is good reason to run anti Virus for the Mac. Their are now 4 known viri that affect the Mac Platform ( of course their are 100k+ on the WinDoze Platform).

However you can still pass windows viruses on to other users from a Mac. If you forward an attachment such as a word doc that has a macro in it for instance. I also use Anti Virus on the Mac to clean viruses off my PC disk and Flash drives. since the virus cant function on the MAc they have no defense from an AV scan on the Mac. A decent virus on the PC can hide from scanners if the scan software and virus are both running off the boot disk.

I would still try disabling the anti virus to see if that is blocking you, but I would doubt it is.

 

[Haynie]

Do you happen to have a wife who works in IT who thinks you're spending too much time on the IAP?

This is what I first thought. Some sort of net nanny control that blocks pen making and tool sites.

 

[dgscott]

Do you happen to have a wife who works in IT who thinks you're spending too much time on the IAP?

I don't think she's as worried about the time as she is the money! A more expensive habit than heroin, this penmaking.

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. I'll try each of the approaches and let you know how I do.
Doug

 

[alphageek]

Ohhh.. You're on a mac Even better normally!

You can do the trace there too... Just open a terminal window and do
traceroute www.penturners.org

 

[rej19]

Maybe your past due on your dues

 

[jeff]

PM me your home IP address. There's a small chance that the subnet you're on is on our block list. We have had users who get banned and then hammer the site trying to register multiple accounts. Same deal with spammers. So we block them and sometimes an innocent victim is on the same network and has a problem.

The tracert will also help. Send me the output from that as well.