Getting denied access to loads of sites - OpenDNS issue?

NeilF · 21 Apr 2014 at 19:17

Noticed today I was not able to access certain sites. I was getting a "blocked due to ?????? reason". In the end I changed my DNS to google from 208.67.222.222 (OpenDNS) and all was OK.

Clearly OpenDNS have added some new policy?

For example, the following google news link would not work - http://news.google.co.uk/news/url?s...id=7467904134401359445&sid=en_uk:snc&ssid=snc

Sparx · 21 Apr 2014 at 19:42

I'm using OpenDNS and have no problem loading that webpage.

NeilF · 22 Apr 2014 at 09:21

Sparx said:
I'm using OpenDNS and have no problem loading that webpage.

Odd! I had it start on two machines at home (visiting various sites)! I changed them both to use google DNS and problem went away.

KIA · 22 Apr 2014 at 10:01

Is your ISP filtering website requests?

Steveocee · 22 Apr 2014 at 12:52

Have you done a quick malware/AV check?

NeilF · 22 Apr 2014 at 15:37

KIA said:
Is your ISP filtering website requests?

Checked with Sky, and the answer is no. No filtering enabled. Even enabled it and disabled it again.

Remember one day all was fine. Next I was getting the problem on both my machines at home.

The warning given was reported (at the bottom) as from OpenDNS.

Changed both PC's DNS IPs from OpenDNS to google and all OK.

Steveocee · 22 Apr 2014 at 16:01

Can you ping the sites by hostname and/or IP using the old DNS?

jh30uk · 22 Apr 2014 at 16:27

OpenDNS by default block certain sites, need make a free account and change the settings.

NeilF · 22 Apr 2014 at 16:30

jh30uk said:
OpenDNS by default block certain sites, need make a free account and change the settings.

This was my take on it...

How does the account work though? ie: Your DNS setting just points to their IP address, how does that tell OpenDNS your account ID/preferences?

ps: Given this unwanted behaviour I'll stick with GoogleDNS.

jh30uk · 22 Apr 2014 at 16:32

Wow the site has changed since I seen it last, I had to mess abut to log in and to get to my Dashboard:

I am going to assume if you use it freely without an account you will be set to the Default LOW, I had to change to NONE but you need a FREE account to do so

You can look at it as "not wanted behaviour" or a "good thing" to stop kids looking at pr0n etc.

A free account and 1 setting change fixes it.