My iMac refuses to connect to a specific website!

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My iMac refuses to connect to a specific website!

I am on my last shred of patience...

I'm trying to access a specific website (www.deviantart.com). It was working PERFECTLY FINE yesterday and now suddenly, for NO APPARENT REASON I cannot access it at all. At first when I tried to get to the site the message "Gateway Timeout: can't connect to remote host" would pop up and now it just says "Website Unavailable." I already checked and the website is not down apparently, I'm the only one having this STUPID problem!

I've done everything I can think of! I tried accessing it on different computers (both Mac and PC's)!

I've tried accessing it through my iPhone!

I've restarted my modem 2 TIMES! (Unplugging the power for 30 sec then plugging back in)

I've run a diagnostic on my internet service to see if something was wrong with the connection!

I've uninstalled Sophos because apparently that could've been the problem (It WASN'T)

And I even called a friend to see if she can access the website from her computer at home. Guess what? SHE CAN!

The ONLY WAY I can access this site is through those "proxy bypass sites" and 60% of the time they're either super slow or things don't load properly!

I've done everything I can think off and nothing is working and now I'm getting really ****** off! Someone please tell me how I can force this problem to go away because I don't know what else to do except rip my modem out from its wires and smash it against the wall!

I'm using a mid 2011 iMac and have updated as high as OSX Yosemite! Someone PLEASE HELP!

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.4), Intel Core i5

Posted on Jul 2, 2015 5:32 AM

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Answer 1

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 2, 2015 7:09 AM in response to LVCP

Are you connecting to the Web through a proxy?

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Answer 2

LVCP Author

Level 1

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Jul 2, 2015 7:46 AM in response to Linc Davis

I don't know what that means. I haven't been using any special settings if that's what you mean. I pull up my router address, put in my wifi password and I connect to the internet.

UPDATE: I've checked out DeviantArt again and I'm able to access the page but now everything looks extremely jacked up! The graphics are showing up all wrong, nothing it loading properly! I'd really like an answer on how to force my computer to connect properly because no one else is having this problem!

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Answer 3

Jul 2, 2015 7:52 AM in response to LVCP

Sounds like a DNS issue. Domain Name Servers take the name of a website and convert them to the actual IP address that is used. DNS is usually supplied by your ISP, but sometimes the DNS servers they employ can cause issues.

Check this out and see if it helps:

My Browser Does Not Display a Web Site Correctly: How Do I Fix This Problem?

Tom

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Answer 4

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,838 points

Jul 2, 2015 7:54 AM in response to LVCP

LVCP wrote:

I don't know what that means. I haven't been using any special settings if that's what you mean. I pull up my router address, put in my wifi password and I connect to the internet.

UPDATE: I've checked out DeviantArt again and I'm able to access the page but now everything looks extremely jacked up! The graphics are showing up all wrong, nothing it loading properly! I'd really like an answer on how to force my computer to connect properly because no one else is having this problem!

You need to determine if the if the site is connected via a proxy, if you don't know what that means then you need to educate yourself. One good place to start is Wikepedia. Here is an article that will explain proxy servers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_server

Based on that then you can begin looking for specifics.

Good luck.

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Answer 5

LVCP Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2015 7:59 AM in response to rkaufmann87

I am not looking for homework nor do I have the TIME to read through a series of paragraphs where I barely understand anythings it saying. I just know the simple basics: how to hook up to the internet and when to spot when there's a problem. I have a severe problem that I need a solution to. I don't know what the problem is and I doubt I'll understand it any better than reading through paragraphs and paragraphs of confusing information on Wikipedia. I need a SIMPLE answer to my problem.

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Answer 6

KiltedTim

Level 10

195,891 points

Jul 2, 2015 8:01 AM in response to LVCP

Simple solution: Call your internet service provider's help desk.

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Answer 7

LVCP Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2015 8:26 AM in response to Tom Nelson1

Thank you for giving me a real answer but unfortunately that did not work. The website is still not showing up like it should and nothing I've done so far is forcing it back to normal. I know it's not the website itself because, like I mentioned before, my friend tried it on her computer and it shows up just fine.

This is what the site looks like, it is NOT supposed to look like that at all!

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Answer 8

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 2, 2015 8:26 AM in response to LVCP

Back up all data.

From the menu bar, select

 ▹ System Preferences... ▹ Network

If the preference pane is locked, click the lock icon in the lower left corner and enter your password to unlock it. Then click the Advanced button and select the Proxies tab. If any proxy options are selected, make a note of them and then deselect them. You don’t need to change the bypass or FTP settings. Click OK and then Apply. Test. The result may be that you can't connect to any web server. Restore the previous settings if that happens.

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Answer 9

LVCP Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2015 8:37 AM in response to Linc Davis

I went to System Preferences --> Network and Advanced setting but I didn't have anything check on the list. There was an item at the very bottom called "Use Passive FTP Mode (PASV)" I assume that what you were talking about? If so, I didn't bother it so I don't know what I can do with the instructions you gave me. Should I select a few things? Maybe that'd force the site to appear normally?

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Answer 10

LVCP Author

Level 1

0 points

Jul 2, 2015 8:43 AM in response to Tom Nelson1

Okay so I revisited the site you linked me to and realized that I mistyped a number in one of the instructions given. At first it didn't work, the site was still acting wonky then some minutes later, the site appears to be normal again. I don't know if it was a combination of what you gave me or me messing around with the settings but the site did start acting normally after doing what you told me to do so thank you for giving me a solution to my problem! I think.

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Answer 11

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,838 points

Jul 2, 2015 9:29 AM in response to LVCP

LVCP wrote:

I am not looking for homework nor do I have the TIME to read through a series of paragraphs where I barely understand anythings it saying. I just know the simple basics: how to hook up to the internet and when to spot when there's a problem. I have a severe problem that I need a solution to. I don't know what the problem is and I doubt I'll understand it any better than reading through paragraphs and paragraphs of confusing information on Wikipedia. I need a SIMPLE answer to my problem.

We are all volunteers here just attempting to help you. When we get replies like the one you gave me we are not as inclined to want to.

I agree with KiltedTim, call your ISP for help.

Good luck sir.

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