Suddenly unable to access SL websites

[Evil Stacy]

I have not been able to access the marketplace or SL.com since Wednesday. I get a time out error each time. I've tried it over many devices here at home with all the same result. Once I am away from home and using a different IP, I am able to access it. I'm unsure what to do. Is my IP banned from those websites suddenly? Is it somehow linked to my router?  I am still able to log into the game, just can't access the sites. I've tried many suggestions when searching the problem online, with no result. Any help is greatly appreciated. 

[Rolig Loon]

Have you tried using a different web browser or clearing the cache in the one you have been using?

[Evil Stacy]

Yes, I've tried a few different browsers and cleared all cache with the same issue. 

[belindacarson]

have you rebooted your modem

[animats]

Internal Server Error - Read

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Reference #3.75253717.1596825659.2db91401

 

That's from trying https://marketplace.secondlife.com

Sometimes it succeeds, but when it does, from watching the network info in the browser web console, the time to load the first HTTP item, the main page, can be as long as 10 seconds. Then all the other stuff (images, etc.) comes in quickly. Something is wrong server side.

[Evil Stacy]

I have rebooted with no luck there either.. I am currently using Opera browser which has a built in VPN and I am able to access the websites that way but only on that browser. The others such as Chrome, Edge, etc still does not work. 

[Nick0678]

Try another dns on your pc first and if it works you know what to do.

176.103.130.136

176.103.130.137

[Evil Stacy]

I don't know anything about dns or how to go about it. 

[Rolig Loon]

Here's how .... https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns/docs/using  . Quite a lot of people use the free Google DNS servers, which are the focus on that site, but you can follow those instructions for installing others like the ones that Nick mentioned.  You don;t need to remove anything that is currently in your router.  Just add the new addresses.

[animats]

Still having a problem, or did it go away?

[Evil Stacy]

Still trying to figure it out, have yet to try the dns but feel that's not the problem since other viewers work fine. I dunno, I'm stumped. 

[Lindal Kidd]

44 minutes ago, Evil Stacy said:

that's not the problem since other viewers work fine.

Other viewers?  How are you attempting to access the Marketplace?  If you are doing so from within the SL viewer, using the built in browser, please try using an external web browser.  If that works, I suggest setting your viewer preferences to use your regular external browser, instead of the built in one.

[Evil Stacy]

if you would have read above, I said that  I am currently using Opera browser which has a built in VPN and I am able to access the websites that way but only on that browser. The others such as Chrome, Edge, etc still does not work. I just meant to say browsers not viewers. 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Evil Stacy

[Lindal Kidd]

Right you are.  I'd read that, but forgotten it.  Sorry, I thought I had an idea.  But nope!

[steeljane42]

14 hours ago, Evil Stacy said:

if you would have read above, I said that  I am currently using Opera browser which has a built in VPN and I am able to access the websites that way but only on that browser. The others such as Chrome, Edge, etc still does not work. I just meant to say browsers not viewers. 

If VPN works for the MP then it's most likely your ISP's doing, although it could be a manual filter list on your router and/or PC (in case if you're not the only user).

Try to ping MP manually: press win+r (assuming you're using windows), type cmd and press enter, in window that pops up enter: tracert marketplace.secondlife.com , then press enter and see if it actually does reach the destination of stops before. If it's the latter, then check where does it stop, if it's around your ISP's hops (the first few), then akamai's IP you resolve is blocked (MP is pretty much hosted in the cloud for a while now, while regions and login system are not). In this case you might want to call your ISP, give them the IP address that you can't access and ask why do they block it.

P. S.

If you're comfortable with windows and will find out that it is indeed the blocked IP, you can lookup alternative IPs for the marketplace and temporarily edit the hosts file. However if you don't know what are you doing, then better don't touch it.

[Evil Stacy]

I tried that out and it appears to start timing out on 5. I have no idea what any of that means, so I dunno of that is helpful or not. Says something about over a maximum of 30 hops. 1- 4 gives some numbers.

 

[steeljane42]

41 minutes ago, Evil Stacy said:

I tried that out and it appears to start timing out on 5. I have no idea what any of that means, so I dunno of that is helpful or not. Says something about over a maximum of 30 hops. 1- 4 gives some numbers.

 

Usually 1-2 hops are your own network (modem and/or router), then the next few are your ISP's local hops, then hops between your ISP and major traffic exchange points and so on, until it does reach the destination. The fact it stops so close to the start means that the traffic to the said destination (akamai's server for MP) doesn't even leave your ISP's network. Intentionally or not (could be blocked IP, misconfiguration on their hardware and so on) is what you'll have to find out yoursef by calling/emailing your ISP's support.

Opera's VPN works (like any other VPN would) because traffic from you first goes to the VPN server, then from there to whatever IP it resolves for the MP. Suggestion about alternative DNS from above might work as a temporary fix too as it will resolve different IP for the MP that might be accessible for you (or it might not be). But it's not really a fix, more like a workaround in hopes that the actual issue will be fixed.

To make it easier with your ISP's support you can just tell them IP address you can't reach so they'll check it out from their side. Win+r, type cmd and enter, type ping marketplace.secondlife.com and press enter again (it'll time out, but you'll see the IP anyway), then tell about your problem with reaching this IP to your ISP.

 

[Evil Stacy]

It didn't time out I don't think, I don't see time out anywhere with the ping. Or at least it doesn't say time out anywhere, not sure if it would or not.  I did get the IP though. I'll give them a call. Thank you, I appreciate the help.