Can't log on to one web site. They said ask Apple

dddog wrote:

Thank you, but does this explain the fact that I can access from my iPhone's cellular network (wifi turned off). This problem has been going on for at least six weeks (I've been trying to log on on and off for weeks) and I am just now getting around to dealing with it because I want to look up recommendations.

Web Client —— {“cloud” of CDN disparate servers serving content for the CDN’s various customers, with your incoming connection into one CDN server selected by one or more usually-undocumented factors} —— Consumer Reports web server(s)

This all depends on which CDN box you get to; working or not-working.

You can try connecting to a different CDN server (maybe clearing local caches and cookies in the browser (undoubtedly already tried), maybe restarting your router might get a different IP address, using a different network path via Wi-Fi Hot Spot or such, etc), but do read the message. That message states that the CDN is getting an HTTP 403 response from CR. It states this is a server load error or a configuration error. Which probably means some CDN server needs a kick, or needs to age out of the active pool, or whatever has happened within the network path to the web server here.

ps: If you have an add-on VPN client or add-on anti-malware installed here, remove that per the vendors’ instructions, restart, and try again. That stuff is in the network path, and can or does alter local network routing.

Part of the Consumer Reports web content delivery network (CDN) service CloudFront can’t get to the Consumer Reports website.

Caching services are used to cache web content from the website, to reduce server load, and to blunt denials of service.

Requests from the Consumer Reports CDN to the Consumer Reports web server(s) are getting HTTP 403 “forbidden” errors.

CDNs usually have lots of servers involved, often geographically distributed, and which means a problem with a subset of the caching servers can be hard to replicate as different accesses can reach different (working) caching servers.

There were some denials-of-service running on the ‘net earlier today too (I’m aware of several websites that got wobbly, including at least one Amazon zone), and it wouldn’t surprise me to see one of the caching services or potentially the Consumer Reports web servers a little wobbly, too.

If this were a block at the CDN (it’s not) then changing DNS or restarting the router (to get a different IP address) or such might be useful. But this is an internal error within the Consumer Reports website configuration. (that much is obvious from the error message shown.) But you’re not getting the HTTP 403 “forbidden” error here (from the CDN), it’s the CDN that’s getting the 403 from the Consumer Reports web server “behind” the CDN.

Which means it’s a problem with the Consumer Reports website.

Not with your browser.

By all appearances, the Consumer Reports web services are malfunctioning.

Either Consumer Reports will sort it out, or the CDN will sort it out. Somebody hopefully notices the CDN getting 403 errors. Not much anybody out here can really do about this, absent a different path to report this into Consumer Reports, or maybe finding a different path into a different (and working) part of the CDN.

You could have a problem with the DNS servers. Go to the System/Network/Advanced/DNS preference pane and try a new set of DNS servers.

I use Open DNS which are:

208.67.222.222

208.67.220.220

I've had no problems with them.

FWIW, I have no problem reaching the site with any Apple device on WiFi or Ethernet. Maybe try rebooting your router.

Please restart the Mac in Safe Mode ( Safe Mode Reset ) and restart normally and then re-test.

Were you trying to open the site, or log in with a user password? I can reach the site with Safari and Firefox on both macOS Mojave and Big Sur, but I do not have a CR account so I cannot test the login screen.

Are you running any anti-virus software or so-called "cleaning" apps?