Can't Get To Forums From Work

[Virtual Imager]

For some reason, I can't get to the forums from my work computer. Although this may be a good thing in terms of my productivity at work, it is making me crazy! I can't get here from links in email notifications... I can't get here from search engine links... I can't even get here from the link on my own homepage or from my bookmark that used to work just fine.. All I get is "The Page Can Not Be Displayed." I've messed arouns with all the settings (I'm in IE both at home and at work), and optiions but can't fix it. I've deleted my Temporary Internet Files... changed security settings, etc. I am on a network at work if that matters...

 

Any suggestions?

 

VI

[borfast]

The only thing I can think of is that the proxy on your network is blocking the forums URL...

[Virtual Imager]

Hey... did you just change your avatar? Like maybe just a minute ago??? Or am I having a senior moment?

 

Well yes, something is blocking it. I just wonder why TCH Forums and nothing else? None of my other bookmarks are blocked. And how do I fix it? I'm sure no one in my office did it intentionally... our tech guy comes in really early in the morning, so I don't see him. I'm not a morning person!

[ThumpAZ]

If you are brave enough I can tell you how to attempt a bypass on the proxy. Let me know if you want to route around it for... testing purposes only!

[Virtual Imager]

I'm brave enough to have you tell me... not sure If I'm brave enough to attempt to actually do it.... especially at work. But let me know what's invoved.

 

-VI

[Head Guru]

I think the proper thing would be to approach the Network Admin or IT Department at your work.

 

If the forum is blocked they probably have a reason to do so. If you bypass their block and get caught it could get ugly.

 

IT guys are cool if your approach them up front and honestly. They will get ticked in a heartbeat if you try to cirumvent their network protocol.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Virtual Imager]

Will do HG... but I don't think it is blocked for any reason.... I think it's just an accident. I'm not on the clock at work. I'm an independent contractor so I'm sure they're not trying to prevent me from 'goofing off." I guess I'll have to get up early and get in there when our tech guy comes in... or maybe I'll just write him a note. I already screwed around with all my settings trying to fix it... I'm sure he'll fix it for me just to get me to leave everything else alone! LOL.

 

Your 2 cents are always appreciated... and always worth much more than 2 cents!!!

 

VI

[MikeJ]

I agree in that your best bet is to talk to your admin. If it's being blocked on purpose going around it could jeopardize your job... because if they blocked it because they are monitoring the traffic, they are likely to see attempts to bypass those blocks.

 

If it was an error, they can correct it and you won't have deal with any workarounds.

 

Although somewhat of a dissimilar situation, I gave a friend a shell account on a Sun server I have because I was helping her learn Unix (which was in this case for her job). A day later she found she couldn't SSH into the box. I checked it out and found her company appeared to have blocked access, so she talked to her admin and they said that they saw the SSH activity and claimed to have blocked it accidently while they were adding some other blocking filters (I think they did it on purpose not knowing who the activity belonged to, but that's another story) and they lifted that block immediately.

 

Bottom line is ask and find out. If they do filter your internet access there, at least you'll know why they did, or better yet it may have been accidental. If not, there could be a problem with your network.

[Larry]

I like my job.. I won't mention who it's with but.. it's with a major isp..

and we got this crazy proxy server.. it blocks just about everything..

 

I'm suprised they havnt blocked the ability to use googles cached viewing

 

all the major webmail sites are blocked (but not my totalchoice squirrelmail!!) Rock Sign

 

.. anything to do with hacking.. (and it so happens spyware help sites are classified this way)

 

oh.. and they limit the speed of our connection to non-company sites to dialup like speeds.. (and this is a internet provider)

 

 

But they pay me every other week.. so I guess I cant complain

[ThumpAZ]

I made the offer to show a bypass only to try and troubleshoot without the extra effort of approaching IT. I know that sometimes the layman is nervous when approaching IT dept's doors... the things they do in those dark little caves would put the fear of God into some folks, LOL. Besides, I was only going to instruct to check and record the proxy settings and then disable proxy temp to see if the site could be accessed.

 

I apreciate you all telling that it might not be the best idea. I am just so used to circumventing everything from the outside trying to get in that I don't even think of what it's like on the other side.

 

Go, talk to them and get their answer... then we will go after the bypass <evil grin>

-GG

[Head Guru]

Glen is now forever known as the dark tipper.

[ThumpAZ]

Sorry bout that. That is the last thing I want to be known as, sort of

 

I just get into so much stuff where I am responsible for getting around safegaurds and locks that I sometimes forget to think of the poor folks trying to secure or optimize a network... and typically at the request of someone who has no idea how or why. They just "read it somewhere" that this or that way is better.

-GG