[Mthras]

Hi,

I bought a new PC recently, installed Win10, and everything works fine. Now I want to use emule again and it also works fine, but:

I can't open TVU or STF anymore! My browser (Firefox) always says "timeout" after a while... (tried the Win10 Edge browser and it can't open those sites either)
All other sites open normally. Since it's only those two sites related to evil filesharing I think it's some default blocking done by windows or my ISP?
A friend uses the same ISP though and he can access those sites and it never was a problem with my old computer (Win7). I checked my router if something is fishy there but it's all good.

So does anybody know this problem? I know these sites are online so I assume it must be some piece of software somewhere blocking my access, but I am gratefull for any tip I get to check out.

Thanx

[xilolee]

Hi! :-)

Not sure about what sites you're writing about, but usually you need to change DNSs (in your router settings or in your TCP/IP properties) or to try a VPN.

[Mthras]

xilolee, on 25 December 2017 - 10:36 PM, said:

Hi! :-)

Not sure about what sites you're writing about, but usually you need to change DNSs (in your router settings or in your TCP/IP properties) or to try a VPN.

The sites are TV Underground and Sharethefiles.

I tried different DNS IPs under network settings with no effect, and my router doesnt have DNS settings. My old PC (dead) could open those sites with the same router and config.
Building a VPN seems a bit much to access two sites that should open without problems anyway... My friends can open these sites without any shenanigans.

Unfortunately I don't have another device here to countercheck if the problem resides with my new PC or with the router or beyond (ISP).

[hrmwrm]

when 1 is down, they both are down. usually just for maintenance. i access stf every day, no troubles of late.
maybe borrow a friends lapyop or a friend and laptop and have them try from your connection.
are you using the old shortcuts, or have you googled the site and tried coming in from a search?

[Mthras]

hrmwrm, on 26 December 2017 - 07:21 AM, said:

when 1 is down, they both are down. usually just for maintenance. i access stf every day, no troubles of late.
maybe borrow a friends lapyop or a friend and laptop and have them try from your connection.
are you using the old shortcuts, or have you googled the site and tried coming in from a search?

I had folks confirm that the sites were online at the same moment I tried, and I tried so often over the last ten days so I can safely rule out maintenance...
Not using bookmarks, typing the sitename, and again, tried so often it can't be typos.

Yea, trying my connection with another device is what I'm gonna do next to narrow it down. Let's see how that goes...

This post has been edited by Mthras: 26 December 2017 - 06:47 PM

[fox88]

Did you try to ping the sites?

[Mthras]

fox88, on 26 December 2017 - 12:04 PM, said:

Did you try to ping the sites?

Good one, haven't thought of that.

Result: Timeout for both sites.

Any other site pings back normally.

this is weird... any thoughts?

Still have to test this with another device, maybe I can borrow something tomorrow.

[xilolee]

Using HOSTS or adblockers? :-P

[Mthras]

xilolee, on 26 December 2017 - 04:06 PM, said:

Using HOSTS or adblockers? :-P

Firefox has an adblocker but I don't think that it would block those sites completely, let alone block a ping from the commandprompt, and why only those two sites? Na, I don't think adblockers are the problem.

I'm not sure, what do you mean if I use HOSTS?

[fox88]

Some routers have built-in ping function.
That could tell if it was Windows or ISP.
There should be no difference pinging by name or by IP; otherwise it might be DNS issue.

In Windows you could do disable protection software like firewall and antivirus before pinging the sites.

[hrmwrm]

https://sharethefile...forum/index.php
this doesn't work for you?
i was just pointing out that tvu and stf are on the same server, so that when one goes down, they both go down. so does phantom.
do you have trouble with russian sites any where else?

This post has been edited by hrmwrm: 27 December 2017 - 06:44 PM

[Mthras]

hrmwrm, on 27 December 2017 - 06:41 PM, said:

https://sharethefile...forum/index.php
this doesn't work for you?
i was just pointing out that tvu and stf are on the same server, so that when one goes down, they both go down. so does phantom.
do you have trouble with russian sites any where else?

I know...
as stated above, I am ruling out maintanance... I tried so often, for a few weeks now and I had someone confirm the sites were online while I was testing, so there is that.

This smells like software blocking and it's beginning to annoy me.

DNS can be ruled out aswell because when I ping the sites by their name it resolves the IP address correctly, but then the ping itself fails.

[Mthras]

OK, finally had some time to do some testing:

I borrowed a laptop and tested my connection. The results are the same, mentioned sites won't open (timeout), regardles of browser. Pinging them doesnt work either, although DNS seems to work.
Took that laptop back to my friend and with his internet connection it opens the sites normally.
To really exclude that my router is responsible, I tested another router and it's the same thing.

If I am not mistaken, I have ruled out all local sources for this problem, or am I missing something?
Just to make sure, I called technical hotline of my ISP and they assured me that they are not blocking anything and I believe them, because they (German Telekom) are known to be neutral and friends of mine use them and don't have any problems.

So, I am at the end of my rope here, this is truly annoying and outlandish...

... please help

This post has been edited by Mthras: 02 January 2018 - 02:16 PM

[xilolee]

Try avira phantom vpn: 500 MB/month for free.
Just to make a try.

This post has been edited by xilolee: 02 January 2018 - 02:52 PM

[Mthras]

xilolee, on 02 January 2018 - 02:52 PM, said:

Try avira phantom vpn: 500 MB/month for free.
Just to make a try.

If I test this and it works, would that confirm 100% that I am ISP blocked, that the problem is not on my end?

[fox88]

Maybe tracing route could help to find trouble spot.
Not necessarily ISP; sites could be using IP filters.
In that case proxy might be the simplest way to circumvent the limitation.

[Mthras]

fox88, on 02 January 2018 - 04:29 PM, said:

Maybe tracing route could help to find trouble spot.
Not necessarily ISP; sites could be using IP filters.
In that case proxy might be the simplest way to circumvent the limitation.

I had the same thought that maybe the sites themselves are blocking me, but what I dont't understand is how that would work? I have a normal private connection so I get reconnected every 24hrs and it assigns a new IP.

Also even if a proxy or a VPN will probably enable me to get on those sites again, I still would not exactly know where the limitation originates and why it is in place, and that drives me crazy!

Though I may give up in the future.
Never built a VPN or used a proxy before so going through that for a person with limited time is ... you know ...

Well, thanx to y'all for all the input so far!

EDIT: On second thought, how much would I be able to narrow it down using a proxy or VPN or would that really just circumnavigate the problem?
It seems to me that the question of the day is wether the limitation lies with me, the ISP, or the server I'm trying to reach.
I'm ruling out local by now and ISP seems highly unlikely.

This post has been edited by Mthras: 02 January 2018 - 07:56 PM

[xilolee]

From a command prompt (it should work even on a non-elevated one) launch this command:

type C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts | more

If you get the default HOSTS content, the culprit is not the HOSTS.
Default hosts content for windows 8.1 (taken from MS support... It isn't much different than other MS OSs):

Spoiler

# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host
# localhost name resolution is handle within DNS itself.
#       127.0.0.1       localhost
#       ::1             localhost 

If you can see a small number (less than 10) of lines that start without #, post them here.
If you see hundreds or thousands of lines, someone or something (a program that you are using?) modified the HOSTS.

This post has been edited by xilolee: 02 January 2018 - 09:25 PM

[fox88]

Mthras, on 02 January 2018 - 10:41 PM, said:

what I dont't understand is how that would work?

Very simple, an IP filter will do.

Proxy could be configured in browser settings.

[Mthras]

fox88, on 03 January 2018 - 03:12 PM, said:

Mthras, on 02 January 2018 - 10:41 PM, said:

what I dont't understand is how that would work?

Very simple, an IP filter will do.

Proxy could be configured in browser settings.

I found the location of the limitation, used the tracert command (If only I'd tried that earlier, you suggested it even ), a mate used it too and we compared:
I get stuck one IP before the target, so it's definetly them (tvu, stf) blocking me.

Now I'd like to know how, and above all: Why? What have I ever done to them except click their juicy emule links?

Can you be a bit more specific about the IP filter? Because as mentioned above my IP changes daily.

At the end of the day I am left with two options: Contact admin or navigate around.

This post has been edited by Mthras: 05 January 2018 - 02:11 PM