Network Error

[kandastol]

Hi I am having some problems accessing 9gag.com. I am using singtel broadband, and chrome.

I went through a period when I was redirected to salesforce.com, then to when it downloaded some suspicious file. Now I am being sent to a server identified as mingle-cycle-time-staging.thoughtworks.com, or so chrome tells me.

I have noticed that I can access 9gag without problems when my vpn is turned on, but never when it is off. Is it a 9gag problem, or is there a virus in my router? My sis on a macbook also gets the same problem.

I access the site on chrome. There is a 2013 post on a similar issue, but given that I just registered the system didn't allow me to bump.

Do you have any idea what's going on? Or can anyone help?

 

[tungsten2]

No problem accessing to 9gag.com. Using Singtel also.

 

[ykgoh]

Is there any error reported by the web browser or the web server? Or simply timed out?

The difference between browsing with or without VPN is that with VPN, the 9gag web server will see your request coming from an IP address from your VPN provider. Whereas, if you connect directly without VPN, 9gag will see your remote address as Singtel IP address.

It may be that somehow your Singtel IP address is being blocked by 9gag or something in between?

Also, you may wish to check if there's some security policy or restrictions in your own home router firewall whether it is blocking 9gag.

 

[kandastol]

Hi ykgoh and anyone in the know,

Hmm I'm quite sure my firewall doesn't block the website. I don't get error messages right now. The suspicious file just downloads. In the past chrome would warn me about the server not matching where I wanted to go (e.g. being sent to mingle-cycle-time rather than 9gag).

If 9gag is blocking my IP, it wouldn't make sense that I keep getting directed to different things. Initially it downloaded some suspicious file, then it started sending me to salesforce.com, and then others. Now its back to downloading the same suspicious file.

I find this behaviour to be very very odd.

Is it possible that my router/modem is infected? If so, any suggestions as to how I might be able to clear it?

I have done full scans with AVG and windows defender but nothing was found on my comp. 9gag fails on my tablet and my sister's macbook too, so quite sure its not an issue with my computer.

Sorry for the long post. Would really appreciate any help!

 

[kandastol]

Ok anyway, I restored my router's factory settings to default, and then updated the firmware. Which is probably what I should have done in the first place.

Anyway it's fixed. If anyone else encounters this problem maybe this will work for you.

yay