I don't like PragerU, but really? My ISP has apparently IP-blocked their website.

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[–][deleted]  (46 children)

[deleted]

    [–]magnora7 6 insightful - 2 fun6 insightful - 1 fun7 insightful - 2 fun -  (8 children)

    What ISP is it?

    [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (7 children)

    I didn't really want to say, for privacy concerns: I don't want anyone contacting them unsolicited. That's what I'm mostly afraid about. I really don't want anyone harassing them or anything. If I just post it for everyone to see, being the internet, someone will inevitably attempt to contact them — and, being the internet, it won't be a constructive interaction. I don't see why I should take that risk.

    All I'll say is that it's not Comcast, they don't even provide service where I live.

    [–]magnora7 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

    Well, no one can really do anything about any of it unless they know the name. It's like there's a murderer loose but you won't tell us his name, so we don't know who to avoid

    [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    I don't want to be responsible for someone harassing them. I'll probably be more public eventually, since I don't think they're going to work with me, but not right now.

    [–]Jesus 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    Harassing them? Okay.

    [–][deleted]  (3 children)

    [deleted]

      [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

      It's rare, but it does have a name. It matters because I don't want anyone harassing them. If that happens the ISP can point to my post and blame me for it — and it's not the corrupt CEO who has to deal with all the messages, it's a working person, probably working for minimum wage or not much more, who just wants to get a paycheck and go home.

      [–][deleted]  (1 child)

      [deleted]

        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

        Thanks for understanding.

        [–][deleted] 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

        My internet connection cut for a few minutes right after posting this. It was probably just a coincidence, but don't be surprised if I suddenly disappear from the internet.

        [–]Algebruh 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

        Have you thought about a reputable VPN for getting around this shit without resorting to tor? My old ISP would throttle the shit out of the most random websites and even Proton's mediocre free tier cut Steam download times in half. Hopefully your ISP gets some competition in the near future.

        [–][deleted] 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

        I actually have Proton's free VPN because I already had a ProtonMail account and that was the easiest one I could test with. All the blocked websites work over ProtonVPN, though there are two issues: 1. some websites don't function properly, and 2. I don't know how safe VPNs are for passwords, so I only use it for websites I don't need to login to (such as prageru.com).

        I find it unlikely there will ever be broadband competition, and satellite internet (which we do have here) is total shit, because you're paying double the price for half the speeds. Perhaps we may get a wireless ISP sometime eventually, but I don't know how effective it would be — and I live in a small town so we're often ignored.

        [–]Algebruh 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

        That's a damned shame. I get some competition in my small town because of some of the orgs here. Have you considered something like https://calyxinstitute.org/ ? I don't know how good it is but I've considered it as a backup, some dipshit is always digging up or knocking down lines.

        [–]Staf 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

        Pretty sure if they're doing stuff like that they can lose they're 230 protections. Also why are you using ISP DNS and not a 3rd party?

        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

        Blocking websites is entirely legal since net neutrality was repealed. Section 230 isn't even enforced: they let Twitter, Facebook, and Google do whatever the fuck they want with no repercussions, so why would they do anything about an ISP?

        And don't assume I'm using my ISP's DNS server. I hate it when people assume things about me, especially when all you had to do was open the link I provided and see I tested out multiple DNS servers. My primary DNS server is DNS.watch, though I've used OpenDNS, Google's DNS, Cloudflare's DNS, and Quad9 as well.

        Just, please, stop assuming things about me without actually looking into the issue at hand. It really, really pisses me off. It's the number one way someone can frustrate me. Yeah, I know you don't want to open the post, but if you don't want to read it then don't assume you know what it says.

        [–][deleted]  (25 children)

        [deleted]

          [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (24 children)

          I usually use DNS.watch, but I haven't been able to get through with OpenDNS, Google's DNS, Cloudflare's DNS, or my ISP's default DNS. I use the DNS specifically on my computer, not the router, but setting it on the router has no effect either.

          [–][deleted]  (19 children)

          [deleted]

            [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (15 children)

            It still shows the IP addresses for my manually-set DNS: DNS.watch. I checked on my laptop (which doesn't have it manually set), but it's Linux and I don't know how to find the DNS server IP there, so I just used whatsmydnsserver.com which lists 3 addresses: 1 from my ISP, then 2 from Google. I went back to my main computer and tested that website and it lists two: 1 from my ISP, then the primary server I manually set.

            [–][deleted]  (13 children)

            [deleted]

              [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

              I'm able to access it over my laptop with these settings, but not my Windows computer. Perhaps this has to do with how Linux and Windows handle DNS servers? Perhaps Windows is less secure, thus my ISP can view what's being requested?

              [–][deleted]  (5 children)

              [deleted]

                [–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (4 children)

                After talking with asterias, I was able to install a client to encrypt my DNS traffic, which allowed me access to every blocked website, including prageru.com. This reveals that this is not an IP-block, but rather much worse: my ISP has been looking at my unencrypted traffic.

                Thanks a lot, though, man!

                Original comment

                [–][deleted]  (3 children)

                [deleted]

                  [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

                  I tried this with different DNS servers (DNS.watch and Quad9) but they won't work on my laptop, which is odd since Google's DNS worked on it (though not on my Windows PC as I said earlier).

                  [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

                  Sorry for the spam but I did some more testing and while Google's DNS temporarily allowed my Linux Laptop access that is no longer the case.

                  [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

                  I've noticed that right after I restart my modem I'm able to access blocked websites for a very short period of time. So it probably has nothing to do with the OS or DNS server.

                  [–]asterias 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

                  Maybe your modem has been attacked through some vulnerability? Maybe its DNS settings have been hijacked? Can you login into its settings and see the DNS values?

                  Concerning your ISP, maybe it's not some wrongdoing on their part but a case of hacking. Maybe you could ask at their technical support desk if there's something wrong with your modem.

                  [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

                  I checked their default DNS servers and they're both owned and operated by my ISP. Also: the issue persists when I use other DNS servers, even when I manually set them on my PC.

                  [–]hajamieli 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

                  Google will be spying on you if you use their DNS servers. That's also one way how they find out about new sites to index, if they're not linked to from elsewhere. Use 1.1.1.1 instead, it's faster and unaffiliated and they won't spy on you.

                  [–][deleted]  (1 child)

                  [deleted]

                    [–]hajamieli 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

                    Unaffiliated with Google and other indexing purposes, they provide the service as an advertisement of their server capacity.

                    [–][deleted]  (1 child)

                    [deleted]

                      [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

                      I don't have any hosts entries for them. I added one temporarily, but it didn't fix my issue so I removed it.

                      [–][deleted]  (1 child)

                      [deleted]

                        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

                        They host their DNS servers themselves, so I won't give the IP addresses over security concerns. (I really don't want anyone contacting them because I don't want to be blamed for some kid sending death threats or some shit)

                        [–]sproketboy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

                        I don't want to complain that much about it

                        Then you're a coward.

                        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

                        I just don't want my saidit activity to be constant bitching. It's not like complaining about everything on some social media website will solve anything. But you know what will? Not bitching and actually doing something. The cowardly option would be to bitch all day long about this and that, under the protection of anonymity, and never get off your ass.

                        [–]sproketboy 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

                        Phone your ISP and complain you chickenwit.

                        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

                        I can't do that if I'm talking to you.

                        [–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

                        https://www.smartydns.com/knowledge-base/how-to-hide-browsing-history-from-isp/

                        A VPN is the best solution, but not free. A proxy is free, but will likely only obscure traffic from the ISP (meaning if they put enough effort into it they can mitigate to a degree). If you wish to know more, I can provide some links.