Specific website blocked on Windows 8.1

burnedblack

New Member
Messages
10
This is an odd little problem, but I can't access DeviantArt on my HP Laptop.

A little history:
I bought the laptop new for Christmas. It had Windows 8 64 bit installed, and I immediately upgraded to 8.1, and at that time, I remember browsing the site looking for desktop wallpaper. Since then I upgraded with the Spring update, and any other update Windows gives me, so the laptop is up to date. I use FireFox (up to date) as a browser, and when I recently tried to access the site, I got a 'Connection has timed out' screen. I opened IE, and got a 'The operation timed out' screen.

Things I have tried:

ISP / Router -
The laptop I'm having the trouble with is wireless. Using an older desktop (XP 32 bit SP3 as up to date as it will ever get) that is hardwired into the router, I have no problems accessing the site. Using my cell phone on the same WiFi (Android OS with Chrome browser), I'm also able to access it.
Using an online proxy/anonymizer, I was able to get the site site to on the laptop.

HOSTS file -
Since the 'Connection has timed out' is the same one I get from an ad page the HOSTS file has blocked, I removed it and replaced it with a blank one. No effect on either browser. I should also note that this is the exact same HOSTS file and FireFox version I'm using on the XP machine without issue.

Anti-Virus -
I use Avast's free version, also up to date. I turned it off, again with no effect, and, again, it's the same that's running on the XP.

DNS -
I used the 'ipconfig /flushdns' to no effect. I even tried to use DeviantArt's IP address (199.15.160.100), again, nothing.

I'm seriously at a loss. I'm not a tech wizard, but I'm not completely computer illiterate either.
I ran a scan with my AV, MalwareBytes, and Kaspersky's TDSSKiller with no results on any of them. All other websites that I normally go to are working fine.
I guess my question is which other component of Windows could selectively block a website?
Any advice would be appreciated, Thanks.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Maybe they banned your IP accidentally? I would try sending an email to the site using Contact Us and ask what's up. Maybe they got an attack with a spoofed IP that happened to match yours.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.0 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satelite C55D-A Laptop
    CPU
    AMD EI 1200
    Memory
    4 gb DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Raedon 340 MB dedicated Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built in
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    640 GB (spinner) Sata II
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Touch pad
Maybe I'm not as smart as I thought. Since I'm using a router, wouldn't all the devices using it have the same IP address?

How would I check and/or change the IP address of the laptop to see if that's the problem?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
Maybe I'm not as smart as I thought. Since I'm using a router, wouldn't all the devices using it have the same IP address?

How would I check and/or change the IP address of the laptop to see if that's the problem?

It may be easier to clear the browser cache on the devices that can access it. Make sure they aren't just reading the cached files. Although I just downloaded from DA on the 24th.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.0 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satelite C55D-A Laptop
    CPU
    AMD EI 1200
    Memory
    4 gb DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Raedon 340 MB dedicated Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built in
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    640 GB (spinner) Sata II
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Touch pad
It's not the site being down, because I was able to access it from the XP and Android devices at the same time as it is being blocked on the Win8 one. Right before I typed this I went to Whatismyip on my Android and Win8. Both show as having the same IP address. Android loads the page fine, still nothing on the Win8.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
Yeah, I had already tuned off Smart Screen, and in FireFox I already set it to not follow system settings when connecting. Still no luck getting the page to load. Is there anything else at the system level that would block a website, like a registry setting or something?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Firefox has an add-on called Blocksite which can block certain websites. Also look for any site quarantined by any security program you have installed be it an AV or malware program.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
I only have three FireFox add-ons, and none of them are site blockers. I checked my AV again, but like I said earlier, I had tried shutting it off completely to no effect. I even shut off Windows firewall to see if that may have been the culprit.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
As a test, restart Firefox in Safe Mode using Help > Restart with Add-ons Disabled In the dialog, click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset).
Any difference?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
I tried that, no dice. Part of what's driving me crazy is that things would prevent from loading in IE wouldn't have any effect on FireFox, and vice-versa. The only system wide method that I know of is the HOSTS file, and I've ruled it out.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
Just for grins I would do
nslookup deviantart.com

in an Admin command prompt on as many devices as you can. See if the IPs returned are all the same.
If the 8.1 is different you could try flushing the dns cache 3 or 4 times then logging off, and back on.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.0 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satelite C55D-A Laptop
    CPU
    AMD EI 1200
    Memory
    4 gb DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Raedon 340 MB dedicated Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built in
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    640 GB (spinner) Sata II
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Touch pad

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.0 x64
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Toshiba Satelite C55D-A Laptop
    CPU
    AMD EI 1200
    Memory
    4 gb DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    Raedon 340 MB dedicated Ram
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Built in
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768
    Hard Drives
    640 GB (spinner) Sata II
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Touch pad
Side Note: regarding automatic reply following this thread from Eight Forums as to the last 2 posts sent (as one message) to me.
I use Microsoft Outlook:

" i: This might be a phishing message and is potentially unsafe. Links and other functionality have been disabled. Click here to enable functionality (not recommended) "

Not sure if this was a hiccup or is there really something weird with the links provided!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8.1 Update 1 Pro 64bit
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Pavillion H8-1202
    CPU
    I7-2600 @ 3.4 GHz
    Motherboard
    PEGATRON
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    NIVDIA GeForce GT 520
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC656GR CODEC
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung SyncMaster S22B350
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1080 32 bit color
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 850 EVO SSD 500GB
    Keyboard
    Razer Blackwidow Ultimate 2013
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
I tried the DNS and IP address, neither worked. Sometimes on IE it will take you to a Google search page where I can view the cached version, but when you try the live link, you get nothing.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
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