How can I access a website that times out unless I go through an anonymous proxy server?

September 26, 2008 8:07 AM

Suddenly, I can access a certain website from this computer only through an anonymous proxy server. How can I change this?

I have not logged in through the proxy as I'm not sure if that's kosher, but I can see the log in page. Otherwise I get a server taking to long to respond message. I've cleared cookies and flushed DNS entries and tried firefox and IE. (do you know Andre T?)

posted by skinnydipp to Technology (7 answers total)

I have not logged in through the proxy as I'm not sure if that's kosher

I'm confused, what do you mean by "kosher?" Secure?

Are you trying to get to this site without going through the anonymous proxy server, because you are concerned about the proxy sniffing at your authentication credentials on your way in or something?

It could be that the site has an httpd server configuration that is only allowing connections from certain IP ranges or something (which the proxy falls into), which I guess would make getting to it from anything but that IP range impossible. But I feel like I don't have enough info to figure out exactly what is going on here...can you tell us more? Why would this site be restricted? Would it be likely to only allow access through a proxy, for privacy/security issues?
posted by dubitable at 8:19 AM on September 26, 2008

Response by poster: I'm confused, what do you mean by "kosher?" Secure?

I've never used an anonymous proxy server before, the one I used displayed ads on the log in page. I'm also not sure if the admins of this website would tolerate anonymous surfing (if they could tell, I have no idea about these kinds of things)

I can access the site from other computers that are not on this network.
posted by skinnydipp at 8:25 AM on September 26, 2008

by this network, do you mean your employer's network, school network, your home network?
posted by B(oYo)BIES at 8:50 AM on September 26, 2008

Response by poster: It's my employer's network. I could access the site previous its admins changing the server and ip. There have been no changes to my network here at work.
posted by skinnydipp at 9:13 AM on September 26, 2008

Response by poster: Probably your bosses are tired of having their employees screwing off during working hours, and have started blocking screw-off sites in the corporate firewall

This isn't the case.

Or you could, you know, get back to work and stop screwing off.

My boss is awaiting a solution.
posted by skinnydipp at 10:44 AM on September 26, 2008

Then the thing to do is find out where the blockage is, and for that you need to do a tracert. Because someone is blocking the traffic, and getting the problem fixed requires figuring out who it is.
posted by Class Goat at 11:21 AM on September 26, 2008

Is there any reason you may be banned by the website operator?

I've blocked IP addresses (and subnets) of spammers and other undesirables in the past. Usually by putting a "drop packet" rule in the firewall.
posted by MiG at 2:05 PM on September 27, 2008