can't access photo.net

[Dennis Gallus]

After being a paid subscriber for 9 years, I have not been able to use my laptop (a Samsung) to access photo.net through my ISP (Clark Information Systems, a local enterprise in Sierra Vista, AZ). I get the "unable to connect" window for a month now. Meanwhile, if I use my iPad and connect via Verizon data instead of the household wireless, I connect to photo.net instantly.

I went to my ISP office and asked if they had blocked the site. The secretary used her connection and said that the site came up instantly, proving that they had not blocked photo.net.

Some on-line entries suggest that photo.net might be blocked by "Cyber Patrol", a parental safeguard program. I have never used parental control, or firewall blocks, and can find no evidence that Cyber Patrol is operating in the background on my machine.

I'm frustrated. Anybody have any ideas?

Best regards,
Dennis

[Captain Slack]

Can you access photo.net from your iPad via the wireless? If so, it's a problem with your computer. Most likely your web browser. Have you tried connecting with a different one? If that works, then I'd clear your cache and cookies. I've had sites not come up probably for no good reason and had it come back after clearing out all the browser's cache.

[LarryD]

Try to clear the cache, cookies and history on your browser then retry. Also another browser may work I am using Chrome and Firefox with no problem.

[Dennis Gallus]

Captain Slack and Larry,

Thanks for your replies. I've tried what you have suggested, some of which I had already tried before:

I tried accessing photo.net using my wife's PC and IE on wireless to the ISP. No joy.

I cleared history and cookies on my own laptop's browser (Firefox) and tried again. No joy.

I tried connecting with my iPad on wireless. No joy.
Then I tried using my iPad and Verizon data, and connected instantly.

To me, this means that the ISP is blocking photo.net, despite their denial. I think that I'll go visit them again and talk to a techie, not the receptionist.

Thanks again,
Dennis

[PFMcFarland]

Dennis, it could be that Photo.net hasn't renewed their certificate in the new standard, so your ISP is blocking it. I get that with Google Chrome sometimes; the address displayed will start with a btts slashed through instead of http, and Google says it's not private, and I could be exposed to hackers. Maybe Verizon is more interested in charging for your data usage, than protecting your interest.

PF