Tech support: some websites won't load

Hi, I want to die. I have spent three hours troubleshooting a problem that appeared this morning. My internet works generally great, but some sites (tumblr and eurogamer to name a few) won't load. Well the obvious answer was some kind of DNS problem, but after changing DNS servers and trying to connect to the sites ip address directly it doesn't seem like it.

I can connect to both sited by using a proxy (hidemyass) without any problems. I'm using a Mac but the same thing happens on my 7 machine wired or wireless. I have restarted my machines, I have restarted my router, reseted it to default settings and updated it's firmware. I have reseted my browser, tried different browsers...

Everything has worked fine with the same setup for months (changed ISP maybe 3 months ago)

I'm really, really, really frustrated at this point.

In short few websites refuse to load (tumblr, eurogamer) here is what I have already tried:

• Different browsers: Mac Safari, Chrome, Firefox; Win 7 IE
• Reset browser: cookies, cache, history etc.
• Changed DNS servers: tried both OpenDNS and GoogleDNS
• Tried connecting via ip, no dice
• Restarted, reseted and updated my router/wifi box (D-Link DSL-2740B C2)
• Tried using a proxy (hidemyass) which works
• Tried different devices: Mac, PC, iPhone
• Called ISP: they basically said because I get internet it's not their problem and offered their paid helpline

The only thing I can think of is just buying a new router but that's pretty expensive and if that doesn't work my well being is going to be seriously threatened. Please help?

Hey man.. yeah these kind of issues are balls.. a few things...

do you have mobile devices on the network? I suggest seeing if you can get to the sites at the same time as when you can't get to them on the PC.

I also suggest revisiting this part heavily "Changed DNS servers: tried both OpenDNS and GoogleDNS" on both your router and computer change the DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 4.4.4.4

Theres also a host file.. it's almost like manual redirect.. look it up and check that out.

Check your LMHOSTS and HOSTS files on the Windows machine. Make sure it doesn't look like some sort of malicious software modified it.

Usually only 1 entry will exist in them.

EDIT: Missed @phyrlord's last line.

Try doing traces: tracert tumblr.com in command line and look at the difference between pages you are able to see and ones you can't see

Sounds like a routing issue, if it works with a proxy (as a proxy will redirect the route)

I also recommend a tracert to see where it is stopping (I don't see a reason to do one to somewhere you can route to unless you just want to see what it should look like, but if you already know comparing the two is pointless).

Now... if it doesn't stop, or stops on the first hop, then it's something on your computers. Could be AV or Firewall software if that is the case, however unlikely that may be. Could also check it in safe mode to see if it the same way if that is the case.

@cornbredx: @cornbredx: @cornbredx: @nictel: @tycobb: @phyrlord: Thanks guys. I just came home from work and the problem seems to have disappeared... I feel kind of silly. I spent like an hour googling stuff at work and bothered all you with this. I don't have a fucking clue what that was about.

Just to close the book here:

I forgot to mention, my iPhone didn't work either. I also did the DNS thing on both. Don't know anything about a host file, but I'd expect that wouldn't effect my Mac nor iPhone

I'm kind of bummed that I didn't do this. I saw it on some forum, but that was when I still though it was a simple DNS problem. I'll keep this in mind if the problem ever come back... I'm glad everything works now, but I'm slightly disappointed that I didn't find out why it was happening.

Thanks again for donating your time to help @cornbredx@nictel@tycobb@phyrlord

@zaccheus: If it comes back try flushing your DNS-cache.

@zaccheus: np. It was probably a routing issue with the ISP that they corrected.

Happens all the time, and always hard to pin down (as it could be the ISPs servers/routers or it could be the route that those domains go through and it can even be only limited to certain areas).

Tracert is usually your best bet in those cases as at least you can pin down where it stops. =)

@charlie_victor_bravo said:

I did that also... Damn I did a bad job with the first post. I was steaming mad as that point after trying all this stuff and googling for hours.

Well that's a bit troubling, I take your word for it. I hope it never happens again.