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Can't Access a Specific Website?  Here's the solution.

Can't access a specific website from your computer even though every one else can see it?  Going nuts trying to find out why?  Welcome to my world.  I just spent 8 hours searching the net trying to figure out why and a solution.  Here it is:

I'm not incredibly techie so this is just my understanding of what's going on and the solution that worked for me.   Hopefully this will help out someone else who can't access a specific website:  

The problem:  The reason you can't access a specific website if you are using a cable or broadband connection is because your router is set to obtain your IP address automatically.  Usually this isn't a big deal, but if your cable company did something funky recently to the way they cache'd the DNS or are working from an old cache, it can result in you not being able to access a certain website.

I haven't figured out why the way they cache the DNS should affect you being able to see the site you want and I don't really care, but apparently that's the reason for your troubles now.

The solution:  Set up a Static IP address.  Luckily, this is pretty easy and painless.

Step by Step Instructions:  I use Windows XP and this is how I did it. 

1.  Locate your current IP settings.

• Click on the Start Button.
• Click on Run.  This will bring up a small box.
• Enter cmd and click OK. This will bring up the DOS box.  
• At the C:// prompt type in ipconfig /all   Note:  there is a space between ipconfig and the /.
• Hit Enter.

This will bring up a bunch of IP information.  IP addresses are a series of numbers separated by dots.

2.  Write down your IP settings.

• Write down the following information and numbers associated with each: 

IP Address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway, DNS Servers

Make sure to copy the information down exactly as shown.  If you put a dot in the wrong place it can mess you up.

• Type the word exit and click Enter.  This will close the DOS box.

3.  Go to your connection.

• Click on Start
• Go to Control Panel
• Click on Network Connections
• On the network connection that you use to connect to the internet, right click on Properties.
• You will see a list in the middle of the box where it says "This connection uses the following items:"
• In that area you will see the following with check marks "Client for Microsoft Windows", "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks", "QoS Packet Scheduler" and "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)".
• Click on Internet Protocol TCP/IP one time to highlight it.
• Click Properties.

4.  Set your IP address to Static IP.

• Once in the Properties area of the Internet Protocol TCP/IP section, click where it says Use the Following IP Address. 

(Note:  if this is already checked for you and there are already numbers in there I don't know why you can't access a specific site.  I would write down the numbers there in case this doesn't work.)

• Fill in the numbers that you wrote down earlier in the appropriate box.  Make sure you enter the numbers exactly as you have written them down and the dots are in the right place.
• The "Use the Following DNS Server Addresses" button should already be marked.  If it isn't click to mark it.
• Enter the two DNS Server Addresses you have written down.
• Click OK. 

If you only have one DNS Server Address and you get an error, try putting the one you already have listed in the second DNS address box and change the very last number to the next highest number. 

For example,  if your DNS Server Address is 123.255.64.1  Try to put this one in as your second DNS Server Address:  123.255.64.2

That should work.  If it doesn't check out your cable company's Support page to find the address of two of their name servers.  They should have these there.  If not, contact them and ask them what the addresses are.

That's it.  You should now be all set and you should be able to see the website you couldn't access earlier. 

I hope this worked for you and you can now access the specific website you wanted to see.  

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