topic Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site in Broadband

Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:35:36 GMT

Folks, I have been unable to log on to the web-site for ‘Woosh’ bicycles:

https://wooshbikes.co.uk/

I get a message advising that ‘you have exceeded the maximum number of requests today. Please come back later.’ This has been the case for several days.

I have checked with the web-site owner and there is no problem as far as they are aware. I checked my IP address with 'Akemai' and 'whatismyipaddress' and it is not shown as blacklisted anywhere.

I can access the Woosh web-site with my mobile phone using the 4g network, but not if the phone is connecting via my own WiFi.

All other web-sites I try are working OK, I just can’t get past the error message on the Woosh site.

I would be grateful if anyone could advise on how I should proceed or suggest a possible resolution.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Townman — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 18:56:34 GMT

Most odd - I can connect to it

However not everyone’s connectivity is the same. I have a static IP address so I’m on the high touch network which means I go through Plusnet’s data centres before touting to the internet.

Dynamic IP address users (most people) route differently. Also using parental safeguards (different DNS servers) also impact connecting characteristics.

Are you using the Plusnet router? Have you changed the DNS settings?

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

corringham — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 19:41:24 GMT

Have you tried connecting using a different browser?

Alternatively, try clearing the cookies for that site.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Wed, 01 May 2024 08:55:51 GMT

Thanks for the comments folks.

I've tried three different PCs and several browsers to no effect. I've switched on / off the router, but have not yet tried a factory reset.

I'm using a BT Smart Hub 2 which has the Plusnet DNS addresses built-in. My next move is to try my laptop from a neighbour's network. For whatever reason, I suspect my IP address is not being accepted by the Woosh web-site. Why? I don't know.

If that is the case, I don't know if it is possible for Plusnet to assign me to a different IP address. I'll see how I get on when I try to connect from my neighbour's router.

I find very odd that every other web-site I use connects without issue, just this one single site seems to cause me a problem.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Townman — Wed, 01 May 2024 10:27:40 GMT

@Jodel wrote:

I get a message advising that ‘you have exceeded the maximum number of requests today. Please come back later.’

I have checked with the web-site owner and there is no problem as far as they are aware.

I can access the Woosh web-site with my mobile phone using the 4g network, but not if the phone is connecting via my own WiFi.

...

For whatever reason, I suspect my IP address is not being accepted by the Woosh web-site. Why? I don't know.

Revisiting this from a desktop and doing a swift Google search suggests that the vendor's website has access limits on it, something that they are probably not aware of. It is one thing to suggest "We can see no problems" but it is not the same as "there are no problems". There clearly is and it will be something beyond simple - probably a restriction imposed by their website hosting company.

The fact that you can access over 4G narrows down the scope of the issue to your Plusnet IP address, somewhat as you suggest. One possibility is the use of stale IP address geolocation data. You might try the following...

Go to https://whatismyipaddress.com/ to display your (external) IP address and location - write them down
Go to https://www.iplocation.net/ip-lookup to see if there is any variability in the location details - specifically non-UK
Turn off your router and leave it turned off for at least 90 minutes
Repeat 1 and 2 above after restarting the router

There is some possibility that your current IP address is associated with non-UK Geolocation data. This can arise from IPv4 address ranges being transferred to the UK conjoined with poor revision of geolocation data from such vendors and / or the website hosting provider (or user) not updating said data.

Step (3) should cause your sticky dynamic IP address to become non-sticky so that you are allocated a different dynamic IP address.

Should (2) indicate that the IP address is reported as not UK based (by one or more data providers), then that is valuable information to feedback to the site owner.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Wed, 01 May 2024 14:37:40 GMT

Townman,

Thanks for your detailed response. I can connect with no problem from a neighbour's router, so as you say it is probably an issue with my IP address. I won't have a chance to carry out your suggested fix for a few days, but I will update this thread as soon as I can.

Thanks!

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 09:10:52 GMT

Update:

I tried switching off my router overnight to give it plenty of time to 'clear'. Unfortunately, this has not made any difference as I still can't connect to the Woosh web-site.

Using the IP look-up links from Townman, my IP address is showing as located in the UK and doesn't have any evidence of blacklisting.

Can PlusNet manually re-set my external IP address and I'll try connecting again?

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Townman — Mon, 06 May 2024 09:58:42 GMT

Did you get a different IP address?

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 10:14:14 GMT

Townman, sorry I should have said that my IP address didn't change despite switching off the router overnight.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Townman — Mon, 06 May 2024 14:22:49 GMT

What is the A.B. Of your A.B.C.D IP address?

Do you know if you have a static IP address?

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 14:51:29 GMT

Hi, A.B. is: 31.125.X.X

I don't have a static I.P. address as far as I know.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Dan_the_Van — Mon, 06 May 2024 15:27:17 GMT

@Jodel

If you use this site https://whatismyhostname.com/ it will help to indicate if you have a dynamic or static IP Address

Look at Your Hostname:

Dynamic would be something like 0.0.208.46.dyn.plus.net

Anything else is likely to be static example <youraccountname>.plus.net or xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx.plus.net where xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx is the public IP Address in reverse order. So 192.168.1.10 would be 10-1-168-192

HTH

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 15:38:26 GMT

Thanks - tried the link and it looks like I have a static address. Does that help in identifying the issue? Sorry, I'm not too clued-up on the connectivity side of things.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

pvmb — Mon, 06 May 2024 15:50:03 GMT

@Jodel wrote:

Hi, A.B. is: 31.125.X.X

I don't have a static I.P. address as far as I know.

That is exactly the current prefix to my IP address and yet I too can connect to the Woosh website. Seemingly with a dynamic address.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Townman — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:17:21 GMT

Given the profile of the problem it seems to be attached to the IP address. Given its static, the method I described above will not get you a different address.

This needs the help of staff - either to determine why the address is being blocked or to get a different static IP address assigned.

Are you using the Plusnet firewall?

@willcutforth / @MatthewWheeler can you get assistance from NetOps please?

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:27:34 GMT

Hi, I am using the Plusnet firewall - set to 'Low'.

If the fixed IP address can be changed, I'd hope that would resolve the problem given that I've tried the same laptop on a different network / router.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

MisterW — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:35:16 GMT

Hi, I am using the Plusnet firewall - set to 'Low'.

@Jodel thats why you've got a static IP. Is there a reason why you need the Plusnet firewall ?

If not ,the turn the firewall off and then drop and reconnect he PPPoE iession ( or turn the router off and on )

You should now get a different dynamic ip

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 16:37:08 GMT

MisterW, I didn't consciously activate the Plusnet firewall (I don't believe) I think I just set everything up with default settings. I'll try what you suggest and will report back.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

willcutforth — Mon, 06 May 2024 17:28:59 GMT

@Jodel if it doesn't fix it let me know and I will get it raised up for you.

Re: Unable to connect to specific web-site

Jodel — Mon, 06 May 2024 17:32:46 GMT

Hi willcutforth - I've just tried resetting the router via the hub manager page and also tried switching it off / on with no joy. My IP address hasn't changed unfortunately. If there is something you can do at the Plusnet end, that would be great