Some Users Unable to Reach The Pirate Bay(torrentfreak.com)
torrentfreak.com
Some Users Unable to Reach The Pirate Bay
http://torrentfreak.com/comcast-blocked-the-pirate-bay-110512/
26 comments
Confirmed no access at 06:51 PDT, but was able to get through via a proxy server.
By the way – the web experience is just that the page hangs. There's no 404, or 'server can't connect' or any other warning message. This type block is indicative of someone throttling the connection to the server. Likely Comcast hasn't outright blocked the site, they've just made the pipe so small that no one can get to it.
By the way – the web experience is just that the page hangs. There's no 404, or 'server can't connect' or any other warning message. This type block is indicative of someone throttling the connection to the server. Likely Comcast hasn't outright blocked the site, they've just made the pipe so small that no one can get to it.
"pipe so small" - ironically, the symptom you describe are also indicative of the Path MTU problems. Not that this is necessarily the case, but I could not help but notice the wordplay.
The wireshark would show you the TCP three-way handshake successful, then the GET request would go out, get acknowledged, and then nothing.
The wireshark would show you the TCP three-way handshake successful, then the GET request would go out, get acknowledged, and then nothing.
thepiratebay.org doesn't respond to pings from any network as far as I can tell, which is a typical firewall configuration.
Judging by the comments on the article it's not Comcast blocking, but some kind of network configuration issue, as multiple ISPs are impacted (though they could in theory be using Comcast as a carrier).
Judging by the comments on the article it's not Comcast blocking, but some kind of network configuration issue, as multiple ISPs are impacted (though they could in theory be using Comcast as a carrier).
I'm on Rogers in Canada and I can't get through either.
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It is comcast/xfinity blocking. Speakeasy is unaffected. I can access the site from speakeasy, no problem. One of the perks of having 2 ISPs. Try checking it through any open wi-fi connections available to you. Many are probably able to access the site.
How would you explain the multiple people in Australia and other countries not able to access it?
Like I said, it's possible these other ISPS are routing via Comcast, but that's pretty unlikely. More likely is someone has made a config change that's broken the connection for some ISPs.
Like I said, it's possible these other ISPS are routing via Comcast, but that's pretty unlikely. More likely is someone has made a config change that's broken the connection for some ISPs.
I could be wrong, but I expect these broken connections will lead right back to Comcast's blocking.
Comcast are denying deliberately blocking it, from their Twitter customer support team:
"We don't block websites. But did escalate and looking into it"
http://twitter.com/#!/ComcastBill/status/68657127429910528
"We don't block websites. But did escalate and looking into it"
http://twitter.com/#!/ComcastBill/status/68657127429910528
Fascinating. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now, but didn't they deny blocking bittorrent in general before they finally admitted it later and stopped? Do you trust them? Do you think customer relations would be let in on what would obviously be a PR nightmare?
I worked for AT&T and was regularly left in the dark, finding out later on that what I was told to say was in fact not the truth. I'm not putting on a tin foil hat just yet, but I'm suspicious.
I worked for AT&T and was regularly left in the dark, finding out later on that what I was told to say was in fact not the truth. I'm not putting on a tin foil hat just yet, but I'm suspicious.
I'm on Time Warner in California, and I'm not able to access the site either. Likely some other issue.
Flagged as inaccurate -- can someone change the title? It started as a Comcast specific issue, but there is (1) no evidence it was anything aside of a glitch, and (2) it is affecting lots of non-Comcast users now as well.
Edit: this post has been flagged to death. I guess that works...
Edit: And it's back, with a great title. Unflagged. :)
Edit: this post has been flagged to death. I guess that works...
Edit: And it's back, with a great title. Unflagged. :)
Awfully inflammatory headline. When you don't have the proof, it should say: "Comcast users can't reach thepiratebay.org" Journalism, yay!
here's a link that works for comcast users http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://thepirateb...
I don't use the site, but I also don't think comcast should determine which sites you have access to.
I don't use the site, but I also don't think comcast should determine which sites you have access to.
I'm on Comcast and also can't access TPB. Doing a tracert, the packets are lost in inside of TPB network. Thepiratebay.piratpartiet.se is as far as I can reach.
How do you know that Comcast isn't just allowing ICMP and blocking TCP?
If they're intentionally blocking TPB traceroute data cannot be trusted.
If they're intentionally blocking TPB traceroute data cannot be trusted.
You could do a TCP SYN traceroute to verify this (for example, with http://linux.die.net/man/1/tcptraceroute)
The thepiratebay.org doesn't respond to PINGs, so that's exactly what you should see.
Exactly. its down from my comcast connection, tmobile 3g and also from 3 different VPS i have
Just because you're on Comcast doesn't mean you can 'confirm' that they are blocking TPB. People from other ISPs around the world are having issues too.
The article has been updated to say this is a general problem, not a Comcast problem.
I'm on AT&T and it's not loading for me, right now.
Maybe we were too quick to place blame on Comcast/Xfinity? Then again they could have a peering agreement with at&t? Chicago nap is run by ameritech, MAE east no idea, NY nap is sprint, SF nap pac bell, but who runs MAE west?
Curiouser and curiouser.
Still working on Speakeasy and a local open wi-fi that seems to be on Verizon on my end.
Still working on Speakeasy and a local open wi-fi that seems to be on Verizon on my end.
I'm on AT&T as well and I can confirm it's not loading...
Assuming this is really an attempt to block user's access to .torrent-files then it is a futile one. There are many other Torrent trackers serving the same files (or at least files that point to the same files), technical means to circumvent such blocks and, last but not least, many other ways to get the same material without using BitTorrent.
I feel like Captain Obvious writing this, but apparently it's not clear to those advocating and implementing such measures.
However, there's always a chance that some legislation exists that allows to block access to sites very quickly upon complaints from allegedly discriminated parties. Not being from the US I don't really know, but it seems to be that that would be a worrying sign of an upcoming culture of information censorship.
And if it is, then I wonder if there are representatives in the country that would defend the Internet user's rights. Perhaps I am totally misinformed, but from what I've read it would be hard to find a politician in the USA that is not endorsed by one big company or another. If that is so, can one expect their help on behalf of the people?
I feel like Captain Obvious writing this, but apparently it's not clear to those advocating and implementing such measures.
However, there's always a chance that some legislation exists that allows to block access to sites very quickly upon complaints from allegedly discriminated parties. Not being from the US I don't really know, but it seems to be that that would be a worrying sign of an upcoming culture of information censorship.
And if it is, then I wonder if there are representatives in the country that would defend the Internet user's rights. Perhaps I am totally misinformed, but from what I've read it would be hard to find a politician in the USA that is not endorsed by one big company or another. If that is so, can one expect their help on behalf of the people?
To tell you the truth, I don't know of any other good sites that have stuck it out. Is there some resource for this? At one time Mininova et. al. were viable, if not superior, alternatives, but if I recall, several of these sites went offline or legit late 2008.
BtJunkie.org indexes a lot of them
Easy solution for bypassing the block
(edit: or routing issue) :
My post: http://wp.me/pJEJe-yr
Direct link for those already familiar with what's going on: https://www.torproject.org/
I can confirm that this solution works. Am on Xfinity and browsing TPB right now.
Direct link for those already familiar with what's going on: https://www.torproject.org/
I can confirm that this solution works. Am on Xfinity and browsing TPB right now.
Any proxy will work, you don't have to go to the trouble of setting up TOR. It's just massive overkill to access a single site, especially when you don't care about anonymity.
Absolutely true. But it still is an easy, 1 step, free fix for those not familiar with using a proxy. Thanks. And anonymity as a bonus is certainly not a downside. Besides, why bother using it for just one site? I'll be using it now (with noscript and a few extras) to access any and all torrent-related sites. Might as well nip it in the bud now rather than later.
Now we just have to be concerned about tracker-blocking, if they were to choose to do so. As of now it's not an issue of any real concern, as most piratebay-related trackers have been unreachable anyway.
Now we just have to be concerned about tracker-blocking, if they were to choose to do so. As of now it's not an issue of any real concern, as most piratebay-related trackers have been unreachable anyway.
IIRC, magnet URLs were invented so bittorrent doesn't have to rely on centralised trackers
Trouble? Download the Tor browser bundle and launch it. It's just about the easiest solution imaginable.
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This is most probably just some network routing oddity, rather than an active attempt to block by Comcast.
I guess its been established that this is not a DNS issue. But I just wanted to point out that using Speakesy, no matter what DNS I use, speakeasy's own or OpenDNS, I CAN reach TPB.
I'm not entirely sure if this makes a difference. I just wanted to add that information since I had not mentioned it before. This information may or may not be helpful. In case it is, here it is.
I'm not entirely sure if this makes a difference. I just wanted to add that information since I had not mentioned it before. This information may or may not be helpful. In case it is, here it is.
Same here. I'm on Comcast and I use OpenDNS and TPB is not reachable. While I've had my issues with Comcast, I've been more or less happy with them ever since I switched to their business class service (faster speeds and no hard set bandwidth limits for them to complain to me over). If they're blocking TPB, they're blocking other things. I don't want my utility service to block how I use the utility.
I'm not a networking guy, but could a level 1 ISP implement an extra bounce somewhere that isn't getting routed correctly?
Or to play the conspiracy theory card -- the government is tapping the line and it's not able to receive a reply correctly.
Or to play the conspiracy theory card -- the government is tapping the line and it's not able to receive a reply correctly.
Rogers users up here in Canada-land are having the same problem as Comcast users. I have no direct TPB access right now.
I thought it was just more regular TPB downtime except this time it's continued for several days.
Funnily enough, I can get through to the site just fine at work.
It's bad enough Comcast throttles your internet, limiting legit ways of watching video...
I'm in Hungary and it's blocked.
Miami Florida - Comcast - No Access. :(
I'm on Cox and it's working for me...
Confirmed. I'm on Comcast in MA and it's not loading for me.
OH NO! I CAN'T DOWNLOAD MY PIRATED SOFTWARE AND MOVIES!
I have 157 torrents running. I have licenses for all of them. Well, except http://contemporary-home-computing.org/1tb/archives/2698 (an archive of Geocities) which I consider to be historical and, since it was posted online noncommercially anyway, I don't think it's hurting any content creators to torrent it.
When are you guys going to wake up and use newsgroups? BitTorrent is a huge liability if you ask me. If you're caught and sued, it's for distribution — not downloading.
The first rule of newsgroups is you don't talk about newsgroups. I feel like they stay under the radar partly out of their mainstream obscurity.
On a serious note, though, what do you know about the legal issues around downloading through Usenet? Have there been prosecutions or lawsuits?
On a serious note, though, what do you know about the legal issues around downloading through Usenet? Have there been prosecutions or lawsuits?
For the most part, Usenet operators (e.g. EasyNews, GigaNews) would end up being the ones targeted.
1. Most of them seemingly don't keep any logs of who downloads what, so the most info they have on you is: address, name, credit card, volume downloaded per month.
2. All of the prosecutions thus far for file-sharing have been for distribution. The pre-BitTorrent lawsuits were over files shared on Napster, LimeWire, Gnutella, etc. The more recent lawsuits over BitTorrent downloads are due to the BitTorrent technology which has you uploading and downloading at the same time, thus by participating in a torrent you are aiding in the distribution of it.
3. In addition, some Usenet providers provide NNTPS connections, thus (virtually) eliminating the ability for someone (i.e. ISP) to inspect what you were downloading from the server.
4. It might be possible to get sued for downloading something from Usenet, but the likelihood of extreme damages awarded by the court is pretty small. The most likely reason that someone would be sued in this fashion would be to prod them into taking a $2k-$3k settlement offer to avoid the hassle (and cost) of defending the case in court. If someone were to battle such a case through court, it would likely turn out in their favor (though IANAL). Though the cost of getting to that point would likely be higher than the settlement amount. So basically, such cases would be even more like Mafia shake-downs than they are now.
Though, none of this speaks to the recent push to criminalize copyright infringement. I have no clue if that would only cover downloading, distribution or both (or what the penalties would be).
1. Most of them seemingly don't keep any logs of who downloads what, so the most info they have on you is: address, name, credit card, volume downloaded per month.
2. All of the prosecutions thus far for file-sharing have been for distribution. The pre-BitTorrent lawsuits were over files shared on Napster, LimeWire, Gnutella, etc. The more recent lawsuits over BitTorrent downloads are due to the BitTorrent technology which has you uploading and downloading at the same time, thus by participating in a torrent you are aiding in the distribution of it.
3. In addition, some Usenet providers provide NNTPS connections, thus (virtually) eliminating the ability for someone (i.e. ISP) to inspect what you were downloading from the server.
4. It might be possible to get sued for downloading something from Usenet, but the likelihood of extreme damages awarded by the court is pretty small. The most likely reason that someone would be sued in this fashion would be to prod them into taking a $2k-$3k settlement offer to avoid the hassle (and cost) of defending the case in court. If someone were to battle such a case through court, it would likely turn out in their favor (though IANAL). Though the cost of getting to that point would likely be higher than the settlement amount. So basically, such cases would be even more like Mafia shake-downs than they are now.
Though, none of this speaks to the recent push to criminalize copyright infringement. I have no clue if that would only cover downloading, distribution or both (or what the penalties would be).
It's easy to only download using a bit torrent client.
Welcome to China. Soon police will be beating up and imprisoning non-violent political protesters for spreading dissent. Oh, wait.
I'm in a chat with a Comcast rep now, who claims that if they were blocking the page there would be a branded error message. There's just nothing. Maybe (hopefully!) this isn't what it looks like.