Router preventing access to paypal?

Hi all,

I can not access the paypal web site - not on http, not on https. The page doesn't even load. On very rare occasions, once in month or so, it works for some very strange reason - for example, just now as I wanted to copy-paste the exact error message for you to read here, I tried to go to paypal, and of course this one time that I need it not to work, it worked, so at the moment I can't tell you the error message... go figure. Normally, most of the time, it does not work.

This is the same on all three computers we use here; they all go through the same router, a linksys wrt54g.

The worst thing is that it used to work fine, and I can not see or remember anything that I would have changed that could have caused this somehow - although it is quite possible that I did.

When I connect the computer to the net directly (without the router), it works without problems. So the problem clearly lies within the router, right?

I have looked through absolutely all settings that the router has and offers, and tried a few different ones, but nothing helps.

The problem is browser independent. Disabling firewall does not solve it. It has nothing to do with https, it is only paypal; any other https page works fine.

I just noticed that http://www.paypal.com is leading me to http[B]s[/B]://paypal.com[B]/nz[/B], since I live in New Zealand. Could it have anything to do with that redirect? I'll try to go to https://www.paypal.com/nz directly next time it doesn't work, see if that helps.

This is really frustrating! Any ideas much appreciated...

Thanks,

Matt

 

Could it be that Zone Alarm (which I still have on these computers, but am planning to switch to a different firewall soon) has closed some port that paypal needs, and even leaves it closed when I turn it off?

If so, how do I find out, and fix it?

Thanks,

Matt

 

Just got kicked out of paypal after successfully logging into my account there.

Opera's error message:

"Could not locate remote server. You tried to access the address https://www.paypal.com/nz/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_wp-standard-overview, which is currently unavailable. Please make sure that the web address (URL) is correctly spelled and punctuated, then try reloading the page."

Tried loading https://www.paypal.com/nz; no joy.

Is there any reason why this could have to do with my provider? Although, when connecting the computer directly to the modem, it works; at least it did it the one time that I tried that. Maybe that was just coincidence, one of those cases where it does work, and it actually has nothing to do with the router?

How do I find out if the problem could be on the other side of the modem?

This is really frustrating.

Matt

 

You got probably problem with redirection on the server side of the connection.
ZoneAlarm detecs it and prevent connection to pas.
Which version of ZA are you using?
Have you lokked in the ZA forum?
Check ZA settings for the site.

PS: Redirection (crosscripting) is as a rule suspected.

 

@plodr:

I have several browsers on all of those computers and tried them all - no difference, it's not about the browser. I wish it was, that would be easy to fix.


@draak:

> You got probably problem with redirection on the server side of the
> connection.

I don't believe that's what it is, because as I said if I connect the computer directly to the modem (instead of going via the router), it works. Unless the router and the redirect together create a problem somehow?

I have tried about all settings there are in the router, whatever I do, nothing changes - 95% of the time, I can't load paypal.com, 5% of the time I can for no apparent reason.

!! Hey, could there be some timeout involved somewhere - as in, the connection without the router is *just* fast enough not to trigger it, but if I add the router's delay to the equasion, it almost always isn't and the timeout gets triggered?

> PS: Redirection (crosscripting) is as a rule suspected.

What do you mean by that?

It's the most recent and updated version of ZA. Haven't looked in the ZA forums because I don't think the problem can actually be caused by ZA, since I still can't connect to paypal even with ZA switched off entirely. Unless it closes some port, and leaves it closed even when I switch ZA off.

> Check ZA settings for the site.

I checked, there is no setting for the site that I can see anywhere.

I still have no idea how to further investigate this. If I don't find a better solution soon, I'll have to try a different router from a friend and if it works buy a new one, although I find that pretty unacceptable.



Matt

 

Greetings, Mariku.

I guess that's possible, but wow! The odds against that happening would be astronomical. As you mentioned, the only way to check that scenario would be to apply a different router.

Had a friend not too long ago who had somewhat similar problems with Paypal, and he wound up having to go through his ISP to solve them. No idea what occurred or what the solution was, but it might be worth a shot to get your ISP support onboard, see if they can come up with something.

 

I did actually talk to my ISP already; they just said - logically - try without the modem, and if it works then, the problem lies not with us.

It did work without the modem, so I ruled out the ISP. But I am beginning to think now that maybe it just worked coincidentally the one time I tried without modem, and it actually is an ISP problem.

I will have to try a few more times without modem to check if that was a coincidence. I don't know if I should be happy or not if it is on the ISP's side, because I dread dealing with "customer service" and avoid it whenever I can.

Maybe that's the main aim of customer service centres? To discourage customers from confronting providers with problems?

Hm.

Matt

 

Hi,

Crosscripting is tecnically executing some code (script) on the other server than you have conected to. It's regularly used by the clever guys to infect your computer with a explooit.
So just a stupid question what kind of AV are you using. Is your ZA firewal free, paid version or suite?

2 yers ago I heve to switch from ZA for all my computers because the boot time of my work computer.(Anything between 8 to 20 mininutes - as of september 2010 it's still not solved. )

In the suite I was able to fine tune permissions for url. If you are shure that your computer is clean then can you play with the permissions for the site.
Should you have more than one entry for paypal delete them all. And set the firewal to the most restrictive possibility. I know: It's hel for time being but....

 

Sorry guys,

I hit the return to early (grrr...)

You can try good old ping to the site. (Try this for sure when you can not connect to the site.)
Try one or other trace utility to see the hoops.
If you are not sure that your computer (and your local netwerk) is clean then:

Check if remote management of your router is disabled.
You have probably already changed default pasword of your router? (If not ....)
Got to the security forum and follow instructions...

I hope that this helpt

 

2 real left field suggestions.
1) From a command prompt on each computer run - ipconfig /flushdns

2) Upgrade firmware on router.