View Full Version : Real Strange Problem
As you know, I love to use SSTV mode!
John, KE5RS has a nice widget program that will take pictures you have received, and post them to a hosting site. I have used "intelec.us" for this widget.
The only problem is that both my pictures, and a friend's KE3Y's are NOT accessable to me since I changed ISP to a cable TV/ Internet company.
I also cannot see my avatar, although I am not sure if others are having that problem or not. The avatar is hosted on that site, also!
In short, anything that is being sent from that site to my computer via my cable modem and LAN router are being blocked!
When I first started using this ISP , the picture files being uploaded to the site were being truncated to Zero byte length. Now I doubt that they are even showing up there ! I am totally baffled, and although John, KE5RS worked on the problem, he did not offer any solutions.
Any ideas ? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif 73, and thanks in advance for any help.
Jim AG3Y
KE5FRF
04-21-2007, 08:05 PM
ISP firewall, Jim? I'm not totally sure I understand the problem, and I've never had any problems with an ISP blocking any data, but maybe you need to get in contact with your provider?..Also, the broadband router might need to be configured to forward certain ports for some things to work. I know I've ran into that before.
WD8OQX
04-21-2007, 08:36 PM
I just have to ask to make sure you didn't overlook this but you don't have an ad, script, or site blocker running that might cause this, do you? - If not, then I'll add my vote for a firewall blocking you. It DOES kinda sound like the same type of problem you would get in echolink until you do the port forwarding. (to use it as an example)
Here are two sites that being blocked from sending the information from the picture host. The first is the general webcam page, the second is specifically Travis's webcam page.
http://www.wd7f.com/sstv/
at travis's spot on the screen, I get a blank square with the "broken picture" avatar.
http://www.intelec.us/sstv/
I never receive information from this page.
I also cannot FTP to my own site, which is "geek.intelec.us" 67.19.49.206 , part of Travis's site.
This problem came on rather quickly after I changed ISPs, but not, as I recall, immediately. Now I get NO data from any of the "intelec" pages. I used to have absolutely no problems working with the pages using the satellite service.
BTW, I did have a list of the blocked ports, but surfed away from that page, and cannot find it again. But my question regarding this is: how can I find what ports the intelec site is using?
I do have some training in Novell networking, but that was some time ago, and I am not familiar with the Microsoft tools. Again, your help is appreciated!
(I guess this is a case of role reversal for teacher and student, huh, Heath ? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif )
73, Jim
Jim i'm far from computer savvy, but what screws things up here from time to time is the static IP address, and the sound card don't do what there suppose to, and then throw the modem in not seeing the right thing, #just a thought jim.... mark.. N9FE ps, don't even get me started on the port issue
Sorry, Mark, but I gotsta bring up the "port issue".
I found the information about MYACTV's blocked ports,
They are:
Q. What ports do you block?
A. We currently block:
tcp port 135
tcp port 139
udp port 135
udp port 139
tcp port 1080
Q. Will I be provided with a static or dynamic IP address?
A. Residential service provides a dynamic IP address. #Business class service will receive a static IP address upon request.
Hope these tidbits from the FAQ files will help someone!
73, and thanks for all the input. #I will be contacting the ISP during the week if this doesn't get solved quickly.
BTW, #I should mention I am using the newest Motorola cable modem. #It was commissioned by the installer, not I !
73, Jim
The ISP probably blocked out a range of IP addresses for one reason or another. Usually due to spam bots and malicious attacks.
I'd call them up and talk to them.
Hey jim, jim let us know what you find out, i'm kinda interested now, our local phone company has just now came out of the middle ages,, thank's... Mark.. N9FE
Well, it is difficult to explain, and I am not out of the woods, yet, but let me tell you what has transpired so far.
The net guru at the local cable company thinks that it has to do with the "MAC address" and we played around with cloneing it from my NIC card to the router ( Linksys cable style ) , removing the router from the system and plugging in directly, etc.
I was able to get the site in question to work with the router out of the system, and by having the guru reset the Motorola cable modem, but that is obviously not a permanent situation! I do not want to have to call up the cable company each time I want to access that particular web host and site!
I really don't understand what to do next. Does the web modem have to be reset each time there is a power failure, or it is unplugged? Does the Nic card's MAC address have to be cloned into the router at such times?
I sure hate to go get a different router, because that might introduce another unexpected variable into the mix.
Rather frustrated, I can tell you ! 73, hope I have progress to report next time. Jim
OK, here is what happened.
1. I cloned the MAC from the nic card of my "ham machine" computer into my router.
2. The Cable company Guru reset the Motorola Cable Modem so it recognized the MAC from the router.
3. It was a combination of doing both of those steps in the proper order that is now allowing things to work correctly!
I can only hope that you have a guru at your ISP that is as savvy as the one working for mine !
If you need help on utilities to use, etc. just give me a PM, I will try to help you through it.
All is well with the world ! LA LA LA ! ! ! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
73, Jim
All is NOT well with the world !
My "fix" lasted for about an hour tonight. Now as I write this, I am back to the same situation I had before.
I sincerely believe that the web host for my pictures and avatar is blocking me from accessing the site, perhaps because of a FAP ( fair access policy ) or something similar. I am not familiar with the host because I am essentially being given space on it by a friend, but I am betting that that is the case.
Guess I am going to have to move all of my FTP Widget and avatar stuff to another picture host. Anybody have a favorite?
The "fix" did not work except for about an hour tonight. I am back to square "1" except to know that the MAC probably isn't the problem!
The saga continues! 73, Jim
kf6rdn
04-24-2007, 06:27 AM
Quote[/b] (AB2MH @ April 22 2007,12:14)]The ISP probably blocked out a range of IP addresses for one reason or another. Usually due to spam bots and malicious attacks.
I'd call them up and talk to them.
I would agree with this, doesnt sound like any PORTS are being blocked, as you mentioned you dont see your avatar (that'd just be port 80 "web service" - httpd)
Either ISP blocked that IP range OR the host you are pulling from has your ISP blocked.
I don't think you've "gone over" a limit, as I cant recall ever NOT seeing your avatar. An over limit usually makes everything in your account blocked, typically is used by ISPs so someone doesnt host a high traffic site on them. (such as a commercial, porn or pirate site.)
jim: from what you have said it sounds like the router and the modem are not seeing the same thing, maybe not, but it shure sounds like it, you can do a hard reset on both modem and router and try again, but hey atleast you have a tech willing to help you, around here you have to go through about 4 or 5 people before you get any kind of real help, and then you have to leave them a messege and they get back to you, usually at the end of the day.. mark
Yes, you are right about the willing tech. The technical support at the local cable company has been absolutely fantastic! I could wish that all companies big and small could have as willing a staff as Antietam Cable has.
The only problem is that we still have no clue as to what is going on. As noted above, the "fix" lasted for the evening, and now I am back to square "1"! I can work around the Avatar problem by moving the host for it to another picture host, or even uploading the picture to QRZ, although I would rather not do that since it is a photo and not just a cartoon or drawing.
But the problem of not being able to use the widget program, or see my buddy's webcam is a bit more of a problem. Although admittedly not of earthshaking importance, it is irritating that the one webcam I would most like to see is the very one that I am NOT seeing right now! GRRR
Well, hang in there, and maybe the actual solution, rather than a temporary fix, will be revealed!
73, Jim
Here is the latest: I turned on my computer the other day, and I was seeing the "intelec.us" site ! I contacted my friend and he said he didn't do anything, and neither have I . It just "came back" ! ! ! I have not a clue as to what is going on.
Well, instead of being at "square 0" I am still stuck on "square 1". Any pictures I try to upload to the site with the "KE5RS, FTP Widget" are still being truncated to zero byte length. I doubt that the problem is going to be solved until I get a different computer running XP. It could be whatever JavaScript files I am running on this 98 SEII machine.
But in the meantime, I am just happy to be seeing the site again! I would love to know what stopped my access to the site, and what re-started it!
BTW, I moved my avatar to MY OWN website hosted by my Cable ISP. I'd appreciate it if someone would tell me if they aren't seeing it!
73, Jim
Latest greatest info.
I purchased a 3Ghz Win XP Pro machine and have been happily loading it with all sorts of ham radio related software.
It is working just great, but my problem with "intelec.us" is still with me. After my previous post in which I reported that the site had returned to me, I had it for about 5 hours, and then it went away again!
It has been nearly 10 days now, and I haven't seen it in that entire time.
BTW, I am now uploading picture files periodically to my own FTP Widget site. It is as follows:
http://members.myactv.net/~jimstan/
I try to remember when I am running SSTV to turn on the Widget. Have a look and see what I am receiving in Hagerstown.
I still would like to get Travis's site to show up on my computers, though.
73, Jim
I know I am answering my own question here, but I am attempting to keep you all informed of any progress that is being made on this issue.
After some careful analyzing, I figured out that I can reach the "intelec.us/sstv/" web page by disconnecting my router from the LAN, and just hooking one computer directly to the cable modem ! # This works for as long as I keep the router out of the picture, and immediately reverts to not working when I hook the router back up!
I am going to try a different brand of router in the next week or so ( a D-Link rather than a Link-sys ) and I will let you know the results. #
But for some strange reason, the blockage to the site(s) seems to be a direct result of the router.
BTW, I downloaded the latest firmware revision, and attempted to see if that would make any difference. #It didn't.
More info when it becomes available.
73, Jim
n2ize
05-15-2007, 07:36 AM
It sounds to me like there is a setting on that router that needs to be changed. Did you check it's firewalling rules ? Does it have built in content protection, parental controls, etc ?? If so check them and/or try turning them off and see what happens. Try running a "traceroute" from your computer with/without the router connected and see if you could find out where the bottleneck occurs.
KD6NIG
05-15-2007, 02:17 PM
Sounds like an odd problem. It almost sounds like your FTP program is connecting and trying to send the file, but the send is somehow interrupted. Is there some kind of timeout setting on the FTP program? You may try increasing it a bit if there is.
I had some issues with FTP on my personal linux box a few days ago, and found out it was because of a setting on the box end. I'm slowly uploading more to my sites now because they increased the allowable monthly bandwidth. Didn't know I had a problem till I tried to upload, hadn't done so since the last reboot.
I know some FTP servers support a "shorthand" method of connect (passive) where it doesn't wait for acknowlegement before sending either. If thats the case, you may want to disable that also.
Probably not related to your problem, but what makes me suspect something like this is the fact that it appears the connection is being made and the file created, just the data itself isn't making it.
Well, after a long time of messing around with a router that allows the site to come through one day and then blocks it the next, only to allow it to come through a few days later, I finally gave up. The "solution" to the problem was to get rid of the Linksys router, and get a D-Link instead.
Doing this has also eliminated a problem of losing my internet while I was transmitting. Seems the Linksys might have been suffering some RF ingress problems, too.
Well, you get what you pay for. The D-Link is a much more expensive router, but at this point, it appears to be working perfectly!
I don't expect to post anything more on this subject, unless something goes very unexpectedly wrong!
Thanks for all your suggestions. I sure don't understand what is causing the problem, and what the "real" solution would be, but sometimes it is just more expediant to replace one piece of equipment with another.
73, Jim
AAAHH HHAAA good to know, file that one in the old memory banks.. thanks jim.. Mark
You're welcome, Mark. Been over a week since my last post, and everything is still "hunkie-dorie" ! ! !