NASA Sites Unaccessable (Split: APOD: 2012 Jan 25)

[DavidLeodis]

I am having problems in not being able to access what should be brought up through some of the links in the explanation and credit of this APOD. I tried many times on and off yesterday and thought it may be a temporary problem. I have however now tried several times today and I am still unable to access those links. In the explanation they are the 'Greeley's Haven', the second 'Opportunity's' and the 'Visible' links. In the credit they are the 'Mars Exploration Rover Mission' and the 'JPL' links. When I run a diagnostic check I get (as an example for the 'Visible' link) "Your computer appears to be correctly configured, but the device or resource (photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov) is not responding".

I wonder if anyone else is having a problem with those links

[Beyond]

I just tried them and they popped right up when i clicked on them, as they did yesterday.

[DavidLeodis]

I just tried them and they popped right up when i clicked on them, as they did yesterday.

Thanks Beyond.

I've just tried them and they are still however not working for me. It seems therefore that it must be a problem at my end. I have cleared my browsing history cache regularly so it should not be a problem with trying to connect through an old failed link. It's strange though that all the other links in the explanation and credit work OK. I'm .

[Beyond]

Well, if you're browser is an IE 8, you could try running in compatability mode,or if you are in compatability mode, you could try running in regular mode for the ones that won't connect. OR, you could download FireFox or another browser and try it. I have IE9, so it does lots of things automatically.

[DavidLeodis]

Well, if you're browser is an IE 8, you could try running in compatability mode,or if you are in compatability mode, you could try running in regular mode for the ones that won't connect. OR, you could download FireFox or another browser and try it. I have IE9, so it does lots of things automatically.

Thanks for your suggestions Beyond, which is appreciated.

I have IE9 but downloading another browser does seem to be a rather drastic way to go. I shall wait to see if I can subsequently access the links. My ISP is AOL. Oddly, when I tried to access the main JPL Photojournal website (one of the links is to a page in that) I could not access that site despite never having any problem in the past! It's all annoying as I use the links in APODs as they often have extra information. My problem seems only to be with some NASA related links. I'm still

[Beyond]

Your having IE9 and the problem you are having, that i don't, confuses me also. I take it that all your anti-bad stuff and programs are up to date?
And that otherwise your computer isn't acting strangely??

[rstevenson]

My ISP is AOL.

A possibility: call AOL tech support and ask them to "watch" while you try to access a non-functioning (for you) link. They should be able to see what's happening and where.

Rob

[bystander]

People were having similar problems with APOD, see Vanishing APOD, and Ann seems to have the same problem with most NASA sites, and her ISP is almost certainly not AOL.

[rstevenson]

I wasn't suggesting it was an AOL problem, merely that an ISP's tech-support should be able to diagnose what's happening better than we can.

Rob

[TNT]

Hmmm...I can access the sites just fine. Maybe there is some special software needed?

[neptunium]

Sometimes websites can be down for a while, or undergoing maintenance. Is it an internet issue?

[DavidLeodis]

Well, if you're browser is an IE 8, you could try running in compatability mode,or if you are in compatability mode, you could try running in regular mode for the ones that won't connect. OR, you could download FireFox or another browser and try it. I have IE9, so it does lots of things automatically.

Thanks for your suggestions Beyond, which is appreciated.

I have IE9 but downloading another browser does seem to be a rather drastic way to go. I shall wait to see if I can subsequently access the links. My ISP is AOL. Oddly, when I tried to access the main JPL Photojournal website (one of the links is to a page in that) I could not access that site despite never having any problem in the past! It's all annoying as I use the links in APODs as they often have extra information. My problem seems only to be with some NASA related links. I'm still

i still cannot access any of the links that I noted I were unable to access in my first post in this thread. I have even tried accessing such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the JPL Photojournal website through other sources but I still cannot access them. I can access such as the main NASA website but not some of the NASA links in the APOD. I miss not being able to access the JPL sites, which I have never had any problem previously. Is there any other way that I can find out how to solve the access problems without contacting the AOL helpline?

[Chris Peterson]

i still cannot access any of the links that I noted I were unable to access in my first post in this thread. I have even tried accessing such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the JPL Photojournal website through other sources but I still cannot access them. I can access such as the main NASA website but not some of the NASA links in the APOD. I miss not being able to access the JPL sites, which I have never had any problem previously. :( Is there any other way that I can find out how to solve the access problems without contacting the AOL helpline?

Is this a desktop or laptop? If a laptop, have you tried it on another network? In any case, install another browser. Even though IE has gotten much better since version 8, it still has some issues. It makes no sense to have just one browser on a computer- if for no other reason than the inability to debug problems like this and know with some confidence if they are on the browser side or network side. I'd suggest Firefox, but Chrome is fine too.

Other things to try: make sure you aren't running antivirus software (always good advice). If you feel you absolutely need it, disable it temporarily for testing. Turn off your firewall- not likely to be the problem, but again, it's a variable you can discard.

Best suggestion? Get rid of AOL. As an ISP, they cause nothing but problems. They run aggressive blacklisting of wide IP ranges, which often results in all sorts of non-problematic content being blocked- sometimes for 30 days or more at a stretch. You can keep your AOL email and buddy list for free, even if you use another ISP.

[DavidLeodis]

i still cannot access any of the links that I noted I were unable to access in my first post in this thread. I have even tried accessing such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the JPL Photojournal website through other sources but I still cannot access them. I can access such as the main NASA website but not some of the NASA links in the APOD. I miss not being able to access the JPL sites, which I have never had any problem previously. Is there any other way that I can find out how to solve the access problems without contacting the AOL helpline?

Is this a desktop or laptop? If a laptop, have you tried it on another network? In any case, install another browser. Even though IE has gotten much better since version 8, it still has some issues. It makes no sense to have just one browser on a computer- if for no other reason than the inability to debug problems like this and know with some confidence if they are on the browser side or network side. I'd suggest Firefox, but Chrome is fine too.

Other things to try: make sure you aren't running antivirus software (always good advice). If you feel you absolutely need it, disable it temporarily for testing. Turn off your firewall- not likely to be the problem, but again, it's a variable you can discard.

Best suggestion? Get rid of AOL. As an ISP, they cause nothing but problems. They run aggressive blacklisting of wide IP ranges, which often results in all sorts of non-problematic content being blocked- sometimes for 30 days or more at a stretch. You can keep your AOL email and buddy list for free, even if you use another ISP.

Cheers Chris.

It is a laptop. My antivirus software and other things are running and are constantly being updated. Will it be OK to run another browser, as that is something that I have never done in case each browser interfers with the other? It's very odd that until the APOD in question I have never had any problem accessing such as JPL. I access the internet through IE9 and though AOL is my ISP I only use AOL for email.

PS. I assume you mean "make sure you are running antivirus software" not "aren't".

[geckzilla]

I think he meant what he wrote.

[Chris Peterson]

Cheers Chris.

It is a laptop. My antivirus software and other things are running and are constantly being updated. Will it be OK to run another browser, as that is something that I have never done in case each browser interfers with the other? It's very odd that until the APOD in question I have never had any problem accessing such as JPL. I access the internet through IE9 and though AOL is my ISP I only use AOL for email. :?

PS. I assume you mean "make sure you are running antivirus software" not "aren't". :)

I mean don't run antivirus software. In my experience, it causes vastly greater problems than it fixes. Even the best has a dismal detection rate, and if you're running XP or later and keeping it up-to-date, your likelihood of having any problems is quite small, unless you are lacking any modicum of common sense when browsing! But like I said, if you want to run it, turn if off temporarily just to see if the problem goes away. Some of the website filtering options can be very aggressive, or rely on incorrect blacklists.

You can install multiple browsers without any problem. One will be recognized as the default, meaning it's the one that will open automatically when you click on a web shortcut, or when another app opens it. But you can choose which. Otherwise, they're completely separate apps- just like you can edit documents in Wordpad, Word, or OpenOffice without any of those apps interfering with each other.

If you have a friend with wireless, or a nearby library, you might try your computer there. That will tell you if the problem is related to AOL or if it's something local to your computer.

[DavidLeodis]

Thanks geckzilla and Chris.

I must admit I've always understood that the recommendation was an antivirus software package is always run, never not run! I have Norton 360 security software. I shall in due course install another browser so that I have IE9 and the new one.

Edit added a few minutes after posting. I have tried switching off my Norton antivirus and after switching that back on I switched off my Norton firewall (both for a very short while) but I was still unable to access the same sites that I could not previously access (I could still access the sites that I had no problem accessing).

[DavidLeodis]

I have now installed Firefox but I still cannot bring anything up from the same links that I could not when I use IE9. I still get a message that access to those webpages cannot be made. The webpages that can be brought through links in the APOD when I use IE9 are also brought up with Firefox. I give up!

I really miss access to such as the JPL Photojournal. I hope it is not a permanant problem but it's worrying that I cannot access such as the JPL website when I try other than through an APOD link.

[Chris Peterson]

I have now installed Firefox but I still cannot bring anything up from the same links that I could not when I use IE9. I still get a message that access to those webpages cannot be made. The webpages that can be brought through links in the APOD when I use IE9 are also brought up with Firefox. I give up!

Don't quit just yet... here's something else to try. Connect to one of the failing sites using a proxy, like Pagewash.com. That will take you into it via a completely different route. If something is going on at your ISP, this should get around that. (Proxies like this are also a good way to get around restrictions some sites try to place on out-of-country viewers- very common with British and Canadian media, for instance).

[rstevenson]

... (Proxies like this are also a good way to get around restrictions some sites try to place on out-of-country viewers- very common with British and Canadian media, for instance).

And US media. It seems to be related to licence restrictions.

Rob

[DavidLeodis]

I have now installed Firefox but I still cannot bring anything up from the same links that I could not when I use IE9. I still get a message that access to those webpages cannot be made. The webpages that can be brought through links in the APOD when I use IE9 are also brought up with Firefox. I give up!

Don't quit just yet... here's something else to try. Connect to one of the failing sites using a proxy, like Pagewash.com. That will take you into it via a completely different route. If something is going on at your ISP, this should get around that. (Proxies like this are also a good way to get around restrictions some sites try to place on out-of-country viewers- very common with British and Canadian media, for instance).

Thanks Chris. I have now used Pagewash and it worked!

I was able to access such as the JPL Photojounal website when typing the url in Pagewash. On using Pagewash to get the APOD of January 25 2012 through the APOD archive I was also able to access all of the links in that APOD that I could not previously (and still cannot directly using IE9 and Firefox). I assume Pagewash is safe (my Norton security states it is a safe site) and that it should be used in the 'Switch to secure (SSL) mode'.

Your help Chris is greatly appreciated.

[Beyond]

I have now installed Firefox but I still cannot bring anything up from the same links that I could not when I use IE9. I still get a message that access to those webpages cannot be made. The webpages that can be brought through links in the APOD when I use IE9 are also brought up with Firefox. I give up!

Don't quit just yet... here's something else to try. Connect to one of the failing sites using a proxy, like Pagewash.com. That will take you into it via a completely different route. If something is going on at your ISP, this should get around that. (Proxies like this are also a good way to get around restrictions some sites try to place on out-of-country viewers- very common with British and Canadian media, for instance).

Thanks Chris. I have now used Pagewash and it worked!

I was able to access such as the JPL Photojounal website when typing the url in Pagewash. On using Pagewash to get the APOD of January 25 2012 through the APOD archive I was also able to access all of the links in that APOD that I could not previously (and still cannot directly using IE9 and Firefox). I assume Pagewash is safe (my Norton security states it is a safe site) and that it should be used in the 'Switch to secure (SSL) mode'.

Your help Chris is greatly appreciated.

Looks like pagewash washed those troubles right out of your hair

[Chris Peterson]

Thanks Chris. I have now used Pagewash and it worked!

That is pretty strong evidence that the problem is with AOL. I'd call their tech support and see about getting things fixed. You shouldn't have to regularly use a proxy just to access major sites!

[Beyond]

Thanks Chris. I have now used Pagewash and it worked!

That is pretty strong evidence that the problem is with AOL. I'd call their tech support and see about getting things fixed. You shouldn't have to regularly use a proxy just to access major sites!

Another thing to check is your modem. Some places are up grading their equipment and it may be borderline for your modem. I used to have a problem with watching videos at a certain site. It started when they upgraded their equipment and got progressively worst until lately, i couldn't really watch it, because it kept stopping so much. Sometimes i had to unplug the modem for a bit, but sometimes that didn't help and the video would still just freeze. When my IE9 would try to bring it back, the video would just disappear. I found out through my cable company -Charter-, that they used to use DOC SIS 1.2 modems. They have now upgraded their system for DOC SIS 2.0 Modems. I just changed my modem to a DOC SIS 2.0, and for the first time in a long time, got to watch a certain sites half hour video all the way through! So it just could be that the sites you are not accessing, may have upgraded. If your modem isn't at least a DOC SIS 2.0, that very well could be your problem. Charter is now replacing all their DOC SIS 1.2 modems with DOC SIS 3.0 modems to allow for future changes, but they are renting them for $10.00 a month. I bought my DOC SIS 2.0 at Walmart for under $70.00.

[Chris Peterson]

Another thing to check is your modem.

It it was the modem, the connection would still fail with a proxy. In either case the modem connection is between his computer and AOL. The fact that he can connect through the proxy means that the sites are being blocked in AOL's servers (in theory, it could be above AOL in the network, but that's unlikely, since that would be pretty near the backbone, and lots more people would be affected).