Can’t load DIY solar forum

Cheap 4-life

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Joined
Aug 3, 2020
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Anyone else not able to load DIY solar forum? It says servers are down when I try. Been that way for over 24hrs
 
I hope that makes sense to you I was half asleep when I wrote the above.
later floyd
 
This web site should help https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-change-dns-servers-in-windows-2626242
Later floyd
Ps if the https://diysolarforum.com/ web site is the only site affected you may have been caught in a ban this happens when an Ip address or range of addresses are banned and if the Ip address matches xxx.xxx.xxx.(***) 256 ip block, it has been a few years since I dealt with sysop stuff

It is the only site affected. I’m not understanding why are certain Ip address or range of them are banned?
That’s site didn’t help because I’m using an iPad
 
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Appreciate the assistance
 
Did you get into the site?
Later floyd
No, I used the free one you shared above, then nothing would load. I’m going to try a few other dns servers
 
Did you get into the site?
Later floyd
I tried several different dns server numbers. Some of them worked for everything except the diy solar forum.
Do I need to change the IP address? All I changed was the dns server. The site above that you shared does not say that I need to change the IP address.
When we leave the house my wife’s phone allows me to get on the diy solar site. But I can’t get into it on any of our devices when we are home
 
Do you have broadband with wifi at home? or are you just going through your cellular connection? if you are using wifi at home you could try rebooting your dsl/cable modem. That may change your Ip if on an dynamic IP. Are you using a VPN at home?
some sites block VPN's.
Latr floyd
 
This is strange C4Life. Try these tests from DOS command line (or Linux Bash, if you have Linux we'll see the commands in detail again).

Before doing anything clear cache and cookies in the browser you use (all time cache+cookies) and give this command from DOS (only write the commands in the first line, without E:\>, the first command is ipconfig /flushdns AND press enter):

E:\>ipconfig /flushdns

Configurazione IP di Windows

Cache del resolver DNS svuotata.

1) Ping with DNS translation. If this ping test gives you the IP address in the first line (in bold, in square brackets) then it's NOT a DNS problem, so you can stop changing DNS:

E:\>ping diysolarforum.com

Esecuzione di Ping diysolarforum.com [108.178.31.85] con 32 byte di dati:
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=143ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=146ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=143ms TTL=44

If this test doesn't work please try test n.2.

If this test gives you another IP address you are probably getting a wrong IP. Routers often cache IP addresses and if they change the router still remembers the old one. In this case switch router off and on or we can try and add the correct IP in hosts file.

2) Direct ping (no DNS involved).

E:\>ping 108.178.31.85

Esecuzione di Ping 108.178.31.85 con 32 byte di dati:
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=142ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=143ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=144ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=220ms TTL=44

If this ping does NOT give you then answers and the milliseconds (142ms, 143ms, etc) then you cannot reach that IP from your IP. Possibilities:

- The destination server bans your IP; in this case can you change IP? If you have a dynamic IP assigned from your provider you could try resetting the router (switch it off, count up to 5, switch it on). Check your public IP address before and after resetting the router to be sure it changed, use this site or any similar https://whatismyipaddress.com/

- You have a firewall (software one? hardware? on the router?) which blocks that destination. Or an antivirus which blocks the destination for you.

If test n.1 and test n.2 work you can indeed reach the destination IP and the problem could be elsewhere.

3) Traceroute; lets see where packets stop (in linux it's traceroute command):

E:\>tracert 108.178.31.85

Traccia instradamento verso diysolarforum.com [108.178.31.85]
su un massimo di 30 punti di passaggio:

1 2 ms 2 ms 1 ms vodafone.station [192.168.1.1]
2 17 ms 17 ms 20 ms 192.168.51.2
3 18 ms 18 ms 17 ms 192.168.51.1
4 38 ms 17 ms 17 ms 10.177.21.201
5 31 ms 29 ms 28 ms 185.210.48.42
6 31 ms 27 ms 28 ms 185.210.48.43
7 37 ms 35 ms 36 ms voda-it-gw1.cw.net [195.89.99.134]
8 43 ms 39 ms 38 ms ae6-xcr1.mlb.cw.net [195.2.28.225]
(SNIP)
17 146 ms 145 ms 145 ms be2766.ccr41.ord03.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.46.178]
18 142 ms 141 ms 142 ms 38.104.102.102
19 144 ms 142 ms 143 ms border1.ae2-bbnet2.chg.pnap.net [64.94.32.68]
20 160 ms 146 ms 147 ms inapvoxcust-lag.border1.chg.pnap.net [64.74.106.114]
21 190 ms 154 ms 165 ms agg1.c13.r13.s101.chi03.singlehop.net [67.212.190.234]
22 146 ms 148 ms 143 ms aswg1.c02.r13.s101.chi03.singlehop.net [67.212.190.74]
23 146 ms 143 ms 143 ms diysolarforum.com [108.178.31.85]

Traccia completata.

If you see line n.1 it's my router: vodafone.station. If trace stops here it's you blocking the route to that destination. If you reach up to the end there's no problem in reaching the destination.

---

Ok, first lets see what happens with these tests. If they DO succeed it could be a problem with HTTPS. Questions:

- Is the date on your computer correct?
- Can you clean SSL cache on the browser?
- Can you try another browser?

After that we can try and see browsers development tools logs (open dev console with F12, we are interested in Console LOG and Network LOG).

jes
 
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Since CFL is using an ipad, (not sure what others devices he has at home) and never did much with a pad when I had access to one. I think web based dns tools would be best. https://dnschecker.org/online-traceroute.php this site has a fairly complete set of web based tools.
I hadn't used traceroute in about 11 years. Thanks for reminding me of the command. (jes ,italianuser)has more experience with this than I do. I believe he does IT work for a living.

later floyd
 
This is strange C4Life. Try these tests from DOS command line (or Linux Bash, if you have Linux we'll see the commands in detail again).

Before doing anything clear cache and cookies in the browser you use (all time cache+cookies) and give this command from DOS (only write the commands in the first line, without E:\>, the first command is ipconfig /flushdns AND press enter):

E:\>ipconfig /flushdns

Configurazione IP di Windows

Cache del resolver DNS svuotata.

1) Ping with DNS translation. If this ping test gives you the IP address in the first line (in bold, in square brackets) then it's NOT a DNS problem, so you can stop changing DNS:

E:\>ping diysolarforum.com

Esecuzione di Ping diysolarforum.com [108.178.31.85] con 32 byte di dati:
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=143ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=146ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=143ms TTL=44

If this test doesn't work please try test n.2.

If this test gives you another IP address you are probably getting a wrong IP. Routers often cache IP addresses and if they change the router still remembers the old one. In this case switch router off and on or we can try and add the correct IP in hosts file.

2) Direct ping (no DNS involved).

E:\>ping 108.178.31.85

Esecuzione di Ping 108.178.31.85 con 32 byte di dati:
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=142ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=143ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=144ms TTL=44
Risposta da 108.178.31.85: byte=32 durata=220ms TTL=44

If this ping does NOT give you then answers and the milliseconds (142ms, 143ms, etc) then you cannot reach that IP from your IP. Possibilities:

- The destination server bans your IP; in this case can you change IP? If you have a dynamic IP assigned from your provider you could try resetting the router (switch it off, count up to 5, switch it on). Check your public IP address before and after resetting the router to be sure it changed, use this site or any similar https://whatismyipaddress.com/

- You have a firewall (software one? hardware? on the router?) which blocks that destination. Or an antivirus which blocks the destination for you.

If test n.1 and test n.2 work you can indeed reach the destination IP and the problem could be elsewhere.

3) Traceroute; lets see where packets stop (in linux it's traceroute command):

E:\>tracert 108.178.31.85

Traccia instradamento verso diysolarforum.com [108.178.31.85]
su un massimo di 30 punti di passaggio:

1 2 ms 2 ms 1 ms vodafone.station [192.168.1.1]
2 17 ms 17 ms 20 ms 192.168.51.2
3 18 ms 18 ms 17 ms 192.168.51.1
4 38 ms 17 ms 17 ms 10.177.21.201
5 31 ms 29 ms 28 ms 185.210.48.42
6 31 ms 27 ms 28 ms 185.210.48.43
7 37 ms 35 ms 36 ms voda-it-gw1.cw.net [195.89.99.134]
8 43 ms 39 ms 38 ms ae6-xcr1.mlb.cw.net [195.2.28.225]
(SNIP)
17 146 ms 145 ms 145 ms be2766.ccr41.ord03.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.46.178]
18 142 ms 141 ms 142 ms 38.104.102.102
19 144 ms 142 ms 143 ms border1.ae2-bbnet2.chg.pnap.net [64.94.32.68]
20 160 ms 146 ms 147 ms inapvoxcust-lag.border1.chg.pnap.net [64.74.106.114]
21 190 ms 154 ms 165 ms agg1.c13.r13.s101.chi03.singlehop.net [67.212.190.234]
22 146 ms 148 ms 143 ms aswg1.c02.r13.s101.chi03.singlehop.net [67.212.190.74]
23 146 ms 143 ms 143 ms diysolarforum.com [108.178.31.85]

Traccia completata.

If you see line n.1 it's my router: vodafone.station. If trace stops here it's you blocking the route to that destination. If you reach up to the end there's no problem in reaching the destination.

---

Ok, first lets see what happens with these tests. If they DO succeed it could be a problem with HTTPS. Questions:

- Is the date on your computer correct?
- Can you clean SSL cache on the browser?
- Can you try another browser?

After that we can try and see browsers development tools logs (open dev console with F12, we are interested in Console LOG and Network LOG).

jes
Yeah, thanks for taking the time to help. What you wrote might be above my pay grade.
 
Like said above, sounds like your home broadband service IP address (WAN side) has been blocked.
Like Italianuser says use https://www.whatsmyip.com to find your WAN IP.
Look it up in some of the "am-I-blocked" checker sites.
Using a VPN on the affected device(s) will solve this as will using the cellular network like you found.
Longer term see if your ISP's tech support can get you of the block list.
Cause: someone with a similar WAN IP triggered the blocking of an IP range that your WAN IP is in.
 
Oh my, sorry C4Life! I found a 1 minute video where it shows how to launch a PING command and I also see a Traceroute command:


So, if you think it's possible, you could use PING and Trace Route commands shown in the video, for PING test you could write in the input field:

diysolarforum.com

and as second PING test:
108.178.31.85

For Trace Route test you just insert this address in the input field:
108.178.31.85

And post all results you get.

Unfortunately, to resolve a connection problem the first step is diagnosis 😬 If you can make these test ok, otherwise you might have to call some tech-guru-friend in your area! (or wait for me to come on holiday where you are 🥳)

@floydR yes, you guessed right, actually Lithium IT LOL
 
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