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I know this has been asked before, but I don't find an answer that addresses my particular issue. I would like to know how to use IP trace software (like Magic NetTrace) to figure out who is blocking my Internet provider, AT&T in my case.
Last Friday I couldn't access sites I use all the time for genealogy research, like ancestry.com, rootsweb.com, familysearch.org from either my computer or my wife's computer.
I know enough about networking to have tried all the normal things, so I won't waste your time going over those. Suffice it to say, I was able to access these same problem sites with the same computer just fine using my Sprint mobile Netgear AirCard.
So, my problem was related to using my normal Internet provider AT&T Uverse. I spent almost 2 hours on the phone with AT&T support to no avail. As far as they were concerned everything was working fine. Finally they suggested I contact the network administrator at the sites I couldn't access. Yeah, right...
After I told AT&T I had an easier solution, I would just switch Internet providers, they said I should wait and see if I could get to the sites the next day. Low and behold - all the sites (12 that I knew of) did work fine the next day.
Getting back to my original question, when they weren't working I did try several IP tracers, including installing Magic NetTrace. It appeared to me something wasn't going through a server(s) in Denver, CO. Keep in mind I live in Indiana and most if not all the affected sites were in Utah.
Can someone give me some things to look for using an IP tracer the next time this happens? I know just enough about networking to be dangerous...
btown
Posted 2016-05-08T13:19:43.567
Reputation: 1
Did you try changing your DNS settings to Google's DNS (
8.8.8.8) or OpenDNS? This will bypass the AT&T DNS servers and should allow access to the sites that aren't loading. – Burgi – 2016-05-08T15:39:40.990Since you aren't specific about what you already tried, this response will have to be extremely general. Since you tried all the normal things, that leaves only the abnormal things. Try those, and let us know the results. – fixer1234 – 2016-05-09T05:12:17.860
Yes, I did try Google, OpenDNS and AT&T DNS servers. Didn't make any difference. – btown – 2016-05-09T14:18:45.693
Here's the things I tried which didn't help. I normally use Chrome but tried Firefox and IE, ipconfig /flushdns, cleared browser cache, tried different DNS servers, pinged direct IP address from command prompt, checked downforeveryoneorjustme.com, turned off firewall, tried my wife's PC. Keep in mind all those sites worked on the same PC using a different Internet provider (Sprint Netgear Aircard) and all the sites were working the next day. I just want to get prepared for the next time this happens. – btown – 2016-05-09T14:28:17.007