Cannot connect to a site I know isn't down

[AxiomUk]

This problem started the other day. I cannot access the Steam page (www.steampowered.com), and I've been told countless times by people that the site isn't down. All I get is a 'failed to connect' error every time, and I've not changed anything regarding the setup of the computer. I don't get this on ANY other site, just that particular one.

What are the potential causes of this problem, and how would I go about fixing it?

 

[anarchywrksbest]

Could be a DNS problem. Try this: http://69.28.175.115/

 

[AxiomUk]

Doesn't do anything... what should it do?

 

[Turner]

Goes to the same page you linked to.

Have you tried a different browser?

 

[kcwong]

Or perhaps some software on your computer blocked the site?

 

[Sadan01]

Check for spyware on the machine, especially if using Microsoft Internet Destroyer... Sorry, I mean Internet Explorer. Spyware has been known to block sites (generally ALL sites however).

Check your hosts file. It is located in \Windows\System32\drivers\etc and is called HOSTS.

Open it up in notepad and you should see something like this:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost

If there is anything else besides the "localhost" reference, backup the file and remove all except what appears above. Also, make sure the "localhost" entry DOES exist (with the 127.0.0.1 loopback address).

 

[AxiomUk]

Checked the hosts file, it only had the local address similar to the example, nothing else.

I've tried several spyware removal programs, they all come up with nothing. I've run virus scans, nothing. I've tried different browsers, they all have the same problem. I'm not sure what the problem is at all...

I've found that I can ping the site in the command prompt console, but cannot connect to it in any way, shape or form.

 

[Sadan01]

Try using the TRACERT command to do a trace route to the website.

The command line arguments are:

Usage: tracert [-d] [-h maximum_hops] [-j host-list] [-w timeout] target_name

Options:

    -d                 Do not resolve addresses to hostnames.

    -h maximum_hops    Maximum number of hops to search for target.

    -j host-list       Loose source route along host-list.

    -w timeout         Wait timeout milliseconds for each reply.

If you get an error, such as error 65, type in this: net helpmsg 65
or whatever the error number may be.

 

[AxiomUk]

No errors found... but it won't open the page in any browser at all...

This is really confusing me. Technically, I can't see ANY reason for it to do this. The page used to work fine, no problems. I haven't installed anything new on this PC in weeks.

 

[Sadan01]

Did it trace route completely to the steampowered website - IP 69.28.175.115 ?
There were no missing nodes in between your computer and the destination?

I am at a loss to explain why this website does not work but all others do. Unless there is a cookie on your computer it is looking for that is corrupt or something like that. I'll see what else I can come up with...

I am sure someone else on these forums has experienced this and can provide a solution. Experience has taught me that there are many technical savvy people on here.

 

[kcwong]

Let's try another direction. When you try to access the site, it doesn't work - in what ways?

Are you using Internet Explorer? Go to Internet Options, Advanced tab, select Browsing node, find the option Show Friendly HTTP error messages. Uncheck it and press OK. Then try to access the site again.

Tell us what you saw in your browser window.

 

[AxiomUk]

@Sadan01

There were no missing hops, it arrived at the IP in the end. It did 15 hops, and ended at the www.steampowered.com IP.

@kcwong

With IE, I get no initial 'cannot connect' error message now, but eventually get "The page cannot be displayed". Firefox gives me a "The connection was reset" error.

 

[Meleager]

How about whiping offline content? (Tools -> Internet Options... Delete All Ofline Content). You will need to log back into to CFC when you come back.

 

[Furiey]

Just thought I'd say that it's not just one person that can't access it. I can't connect to it either, same message as AxiomUk. I've seen something similar in the past with a site blocking access from this side of the Atlantic, but letting users on the US side in. No idea if it could be that, and anarchywrksbest is over here as well, so it probably has nothing to do with it.

 

[AxiomUk]

Wiped all the offline content as you said, and still a no-go. This is starting to disturb me. It's not only the browsers, the same happens in Steam regarding update news and the Steam update news... I can't see any of them.

 

[Meleager]

Try shearching on google and following the link (long shot)

 

[AxiomUk]

Tried that. Still absolutely zero progress. Oh, I use ICS (Internet connection sharing), but this problem has only come up once before and was fixed by disabling it for a few moments and re-enabling it. However, now I find that even if I disable it and re-enable it, I still make no progress, so I don't think it's the same problem this time.

 

[Meleager]

Do you have any fire walls? Or is IE or any form of parental lock preventing you from getting to the site?

 

[AxiomUk]

Don't use IE, never used parental lock, and I've tried disabling all firewalls already with no progress.

 

[Turner]

Have you tried going through a proxy?