I cannot access Betfair

[Interesting Ian]

I've been having sporadic problems with my connection over the past couple of days. There have been some problems with NTL my isp. However it is fine at the moment apart from the fact that ever since last night I cannot get www.betfair.com.

I've tried deepnet explorer, Internet explorer, and I even downloaded firefox last night and I can't get it on there either. On the 2 explorer browsers I can the "The page cannot be displayed" message. On firefox I get a message saying "The connection to the server was reset while the page was loading".

All these messages just spring up straightaway without trying to even access the page. In Internet Explorer I've cleared the cookies, cleared the files including offline content, and cleared my history. When I try to access Betfair after doing all this the error page still springs up straightaway.

So I'm completely baffled. Any suggestions as to what the problem might be??

[Dcdrac]

Sounds like somethingis up with their server, how are your browsers setup? are you blocking cookies and popups?

Do you have a friewall running? if so check its setting too to ensure the site is not being blocked.

[Interesting Ian]

Sounds like somethingis up with their server, how are your browsers setup? are you blocking cookies and popups?

Do you have a friewall running? if so check its setting too to ensure the site is not being blocked.

I've been in contact with Betfair and they've said there's no problem with their site. I swiched off my firewall last night to check that I still couldn't get it. I can't.

I block popups and maybe cookies using "pestpatrol", but it's only since last night that I've been unable to access the site. I haven't altered any settings -- so unless the settings have altered themselves . . .

And as I say I only downloaded firefox lastnight. It's the first time it's been on this hard drive. So whatever the default settings are I will have had.

Hang on, I've got pest patrol running. I'll just switch it off to make sure I still can't get Betfair. Nope still can't get it. I just used deepnet explorer and it altered the address to show res://shdocvw.dll/http_404.htm if that means anything at all.

[Dcdrac]

Are you using dial up or Broadband?

That url looks suspicisouly like an old Winsock problem, but if it is it would be affecting everyting.

[Rat]

Are you using dial up or Broadband?

That url looks suspicisouly like an old Winsock problem, but if it is it would be affecting everyting.
That URL is just IE's standard 404 message. It's just what you get if the server can't find the page you're looking for.

II, I assume you are trying to get to the site just by typing in the url, rather than using a bookmark or anything. You get the same thing if you click on the link in your first post?

Cheers,
Rat.

[Interesting Ian]

Are you using dial up or Broadband?

That url looks suspicisouly like an old Winsock problem, but if it is it would be affecting everyting.

Broadband

[Interesting Ian]

That URL is just IE's standard 404 message. It's just what you get if the server can't find the page you're looking for.

II, I assume you are trying to get to the site just by typing in the url, rather than using a bookmark or anything. You get the same thing if you click on the link in your first post?

Cheers,
Rat.

Yeah I can't get it by any means using any browser. Not since last night.

It's worth mentioning that when I do get problems with my connection due to my isp, betfair tends to be the worse affected. But my connection is absolutely fine now (apart from that one site).

[Rat]

The only thing that springs to mind is that your isp is using a transparent proxy. Do you know anyone else with the same isp who can test the site?

Cheers,
Rat.

[Dcdrac]

I was jsut saying i recall form the old dial up nightmares i used to get that the first indication that something was uo with winsock was that i would get urls lke that.

[Dcdrac]

are you using a router? and if so what one?

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7589_7-0.html?forumID=62&messageID=1758069&threadID=158513

[Interesting Ian]

are you using a router? and if so what one?

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-7589_7-0.html?forumID=62&messageID=1758069&threadID=158513


I'm not sure what they are, so probably not. Nothing wireless here anyway.

[Interesting Ian]

The only thing that springs to mind is that your isp is using a transparent proxy. Do you know anyone else with the same isp who can test the site?

Cheers,
Rat.

I've asked this ntl group. Got one response so far. He says:

"Try setting an explicit proxy in IE or Firefox. See
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/trancache.html#ntl
or chetnet for an up to date list. It could be that your transparant
proxy in knackered".


Ummm . .right. Better explore this then.

[jimlintott]

Can you ping it? Can you connect by using the IP address alone? I assume you have rebooted your machine but have you reset your modem device?

Forget pinging, I just tried and they won't respond to pings. Their IP address is 212.62.21.242

I can connect fine.

[Jekyll]

There are specific Modem/Router issues that block only certain areas of the internet, my girlfriend lost access to anything beginning with www. but very little else. Try unplugging everything that sits between your computer and the broadband cable and then plugging it back in.

[Rat]

Indeed. Reset the router, as in pull the power out for 10 seconds or so and then back in. If that doesn't fix it, try using an explicit proxy. Be aware though, that free proxies are generally very shaky and slow. If one doesn't work, try another.

Cheers,
Rat.

[Dcdrac]

Indeed. Reset the router, as in pull the power out for 10 seconds or so and then back in. If that doesn't fix it, try using an explicit proxy. Be aware though, that free proxies are generally very shaky and slow. If one doesn't work, try another.

Cheers,
Rat.

Aha the old pull the power plug ploy........

seems to work for most things ;-)

[Interesting Ian]

I've asked this ntl group. Got one response so far. He says:

"Try setting an explicit proxy in IE or Firefox. See
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips/trancache.html#ntl
or chetnet for an up to date list. It could be that your transparant
proxy in knackered".


Ummm . .right. Better explore this then.

OK it's sorted! But it didn't work at first. I didn't read that page and I have no idea what a proxy is and a fortiori no idea what a transparent proxy is, so I didn't know if I was supposed to choose one of those addresses which has the code for where I lived. I mean I tried midd-cache-1.server.ntli.net first of all because "midd" stands for Middlesbrough, and that's where I live (stockton's about 4 miles away). But that didn't work. So I tried another Middlesbrough one. Still didn't work. Then I just stuck a Northhampton one in, and that did work!

So is it ok using one from a different area? Does this mean no-one on ntl living in my area can access betfair unless they did what I did?

Anyway, I can now start gambling again! :D