OT: Can anyone access http://www.rentacoder.com?

[SilverNodashi]

I'm trying to figure out if it's just me, or something on the South African internet. I cannot access http://www.rentacoder.com - I keep on getting a 504 Gateway Timeout.

Can anyone else access this website?

[Dave A]

It seems they're having server problems. Nothing wrong with the URL and DNS by the looks of things.

[SilverNodashi]

well, the funny part is that I haven't been able to access the site for the past 2 weeks from ADSL, and also thought it's a server problem on their side,
until I tried accessing from my Linux server in the USA, via SSH. Unfortunately lynx & links doesn't support their site very well, so I can't really login.

And I was able to access it from dialup from our farm this weekend without a problem.

[Moneymaker]

Loads fine from here in Aus.............

[Dave A]

Huh-I was testing via Telkom ADSL. I'll try via V3g tonight.

I've had wierd problems like this before with transparent proxies on some of the ISP services.

[SilverNodashi]

so it's a problem on the SA ADSL network then

[bullfrog]

Try using this proxy: cache.telkomsa.net:8080

It's one of the saix transparent proxies and it works for me. I couldn't access the site before I used the proxy but I can now.


I think one of their transparent proxies are having issues, but this one seems to work for now

Good luck!

[SilverNodashi]

thanx, I tried cache.saix.net before without any problems, but cache.telkomsa.net worked

[Dave A]

Let me gently ease a log onto the fire here.

I've had a similar problem accessing cPanel on a New York server via ADSL - and yet I can access it via V3g. However, I have no problems accessing the front end of this particular site via ADSL.

Now SoftDux raises this access problem with a site for international coders.

I wonder how much of this is someone tweaking a few settings locally on the default transparent proxies to inhibit accessing certain foreign IT resources?
I say "certain" because on ADSL I have no problem connecting to cPanel via ADSL for another one of my overseas hosted sites (a server in Texas I believe).

Or am I being a conspiracy theorist here?

[SilverNodashi]

Let me gently ease a log onto the fire here.

I've had a similar problem accessing cPanel on a New York server via ADSL - and yet I can access it via V3g. However, I have no problems accessing the front end of this particular site via ADSL.

Now SoftDux raises this access problem with a site for international coders.

I wonder how much of this is someone tweaking a few settings locally on the default transparent proxies to inhibit accessing certain foreign IT resources?
I say "certain" because on ADSL I have no problem connecting to cPanel via ADSL for another one of my overseas hosted sites (a server in Texas I believe).

Or am I being a conspiracy theorist here?

Not quite. From time to time I get a call from a client saying they can't access cPanel, Webmail, or even SMTP / POP3 from our American hosted servers, at which point I tell them to contact their ISP, and them "magically" it works shortly after that. I also know of many incidents where certain ISP's block email to & from other ISP's, making their clients believe the blocked ISP's service is crap....

[bullfrog]

I don't think it's being blocked on purpose though, but rather a configuration setting along the line. It happens sometimes and is almost always a hassle to find out where something is blocked.

Edit: But then again reading softdux's post above is making it sound like it could be.

[SilverNodashi]

I know of 3 particular ISP / hosting companies, who have blocked email to & from various different clients on our USA servers to / from their networks. And every time it's the same problem as well. Fortunately I used to know one of the techs at one of these ISP's, who told me that it's being blocked on the firewall. I don't see that as a mistake. One doesn't block SMTP & POP3 access to another network by mistake. Mweb did this a few years ago where you couldn't access websites on their network unless you're a Mweb client. I believe a lot of their hosting clients quickly either moved their website, or made a scene about it, since they're loosing business

[Dave A]

I also know of many incidents where certain ISP's block email to & from other ISP's, making their clients believe the blocked ISP's service is crap....

Fortunately I used to know one of the techs at one of these ISP's, who told me that it's being blocked on the firewall. I don't see that as a mistake. One doesn't block SMTP & POP3 access to another network by mistake.

That's sort-of my point. It's the lack of obvious common denominators at a tech level that gives me a sense that some of these blockages might be hand-picked.

[Dave A]

Well - I've just tested access over Vodacom 3G and no problems accessing the site whatsoever.

[daveob]

I also had a similar problem from adsl a few months back. I phoned Ian at RAC and he said use https instead of http

Worked like a dream !!

btw - there are other sites that do the same type of thing - you can try getafreelancer.com and odesk.com