Need help, weirdest web glitch I've ever come across...

[Vinny]

I've been a member of an online gaming guild for 6 years, been among the leaders the entire time, I've logged onto the site no less than 10,000 times as I have 5,000 posts.

About a month ago, on my laptop at home, I used SmartFTP to upload a new signature .jpg to the sites image folder to use on the site.

After that, I couldn't log onto the site on my laptop from firefox, IE, or safari. So I try my desktop, same thing, can't get on from all three. Get the "Server has timed out" error.

So I go to my parents and try their computer (we both have Verizon FiOS) same thing can't get on. So I'm thinking maybe its Verizon... nope

I go to work, we have comcast, try to log on with firefox and IE, server timed out. Our computer crashes, I get us a brand new out of the box computer, can not log on STILL on the fresh retail box (still same IP of course)

So I finally get in Ventrillo with some guildmates and was lucky enough to have 3 of the leaders on, they check, no IP addresses currently banned from the site.

I try a proxy server, and I can get on.

What on earth is the deal? Did I break the internet?

I really cannot even come up with a guess as to how 5 different computers, 3 IP addresses, even 2 different zip codes, all can't log on to this site, a site I've visited, LITERALLY, 10,000 times.

I'm open to ANY ideas here, any at all! Give me your craziest conspiracy theories, anything!

Thanks in advance!!!

~Vinny

[Force Flow]

A few possibilities:

1) there was a glitch on the server, either downtime or a locked process. You'd have to inquire with your hosting provider about this one.
2) DNS caching issue. To clear your DNS cache, go to Start > Run > type "cmd" and hit enter. Type: "ipconfig /flushdns" and hit enter (without the quotes)
3) Your server changed IP addresses. See #2 for solution if the record propigated correctly. Again, something you should talk to your hosting provider about. If they're a good provider, you should've been notified ahead of time of the IP change.

[RJTech]

Its not your pc or any other pc or the network u want to log on.... its a problem with your logon using that IP address...

[Vinny]

Ok, i just tried the flushdns... still no luck "the connection has timed out"

As for the IP address, that was my first guess, but we own the site, its not like a proboards or something, it's our own site, paid for by us (forget the hosting company) and programmed/designed by our own members... and, I had them look in the administration panel and there are NO IP addresses in the block/ban list at all. And I can't even get to the log in... I can't get to the front page let alone the forums.

And as for hosting provider, do you mean for the site, its hosting, because it doesn't sound like you mean my ISP... because as I said, I tried on both Verizon FiOS and Comcast broadband... two ISP's that I have logged on to this site with 10k times.

Any other ideas? Seriously I'm grasping at straws here, I don't know what the heck could be causing this.

I'm going to try to get in Vent again with the guy who designed the site, see what he can come up with, but any other ideas would be great!!!

~V

[Force Flow]

hosting provider = the company hosting your website


Depending on what management interface you're using, there's two or three places that usually block IP addresses. FTP access, general website access, and administrative panel access. Make sure that the correct one is being looked at.