This topic

Wikipedia

GarethP — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 20:24:21 GMT

Hi,

Not sure why but the BT router is blocking the Wikipedia web site.

I have changed browsers and retarted devices. The issue affects the directly connected PC and any phone connected by Wi-Fi. Standing in the same place and switching off wi-fi to the locla area 4g network there is no problem.... repally wifi and the issue returns.

Is there a setting on the router or My BT

Router - Home Hub 5.0 Type B

Re: Wikipedia

Carlusha — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 20:34:38 GMT

@GarethP No particular setting required.

Works for me. Try accessing using : https://www.wikipedia.org/

Re: Wikipedia

gg30340 — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 22:11:50 GMT

It might be being blocked by BT Web Protect. Check that BT Web Protect has not been activated on your BT account.

To do that log onto your MyBT and go to "Your Security" and check that BT Web Protect is deactivated.

Re: Wikipedia

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:17:00 GMT

@GarethP

I'm on Plusnet Broadband now, but have been having exactly the same issues as you are experiencing for about 3 days now, as have a number of other Plusnet customers. Other ISPs seem to be unaffected, though I guess that those on EE might also be having issues?

https://community.plus.net/t5/Everything-else/Unable-to-Connect-to-Wikipedia-via-Plusnet-Broadband/td-p/1950530

EDIT:

@CarlushaI can't get to https://www.wikipedia.org/

@gg30340 My PCs run Linux, so don't have BT Web Protect

Re: Wikipedia

licquorice — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:20:47 GMT

Web protect is network based, irrelevant what operating system you use.

Re: Wikipedia

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:25:40 GMT

@licquorice

Sorry, I'm confusing it with the AntiVirus that BT supplied when I was a broadband customer.

Re: Wikipedia

gg30340 — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:35:05 GMT

If you are a Plusnet customer why post here, you should be posting on the Plusnet forum where you may get help relevant to your problem.

Re: Wikipedia

Crimliar — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:43:39 GMT

Just as an aside here; when Web-Protect blocks a site or page it posts a page that tells you that it's intervened. You'd not see anything if it blocks data to an app that isn't just using a web container, but anything else you'll know!

Re: Wikipedia

GarethP — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:46:24 GMT

Thanks for all the responses, it is a weird puzzle, as any phone that uses the WiFi as link the web address bar has the (!) Circle for insecure, despite wiki being HTTPS.

Odd that there is a security issue that affects one site and all WiFi users.

Re: Wikipedia

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:51:11 GMT

@gg30340

The link that I posted was to the thread that I started on the Plusnet forums.

I posted here because it seems to indicate that this issue is affecting BT Group customers, rather than just BT Broadband or Plusnet.

I'm an ex-BT customer, (and employee of 38 years), so occasionally still visit these forums - is that not allowed?

Re: Wikipedia

gg30340 — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 09:57:46 GMT

Yes it is allowed however if it is an ISP problem as an ex BT employee you will possibly be aware that the moderators of this forum would be unable to assist you as you are not a BT Broadband customer.

It also appears not to affect all BT Group customers as I for one can still access the site.

Re: Wikipedia

Anonymous — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 10:52:00 GMT

@gg30340

My post in this thread was not to gain assistance from the BT Forum mods. It was to give information that might be useful in isolating and solving this problem - that it is not just affecting BT Broadband. I'll bet that when it is resolved for affected Plusnet customers it will also be solved for BT customers experiencing the issue. You are no doubt aware of the close links via BT Group of BT Broadband and Plusnet?

I'm going to link to this thread in my Plusnet forums thread, and hopefully someone in BT and/or Plusnet will pick it up and resolve it for everyone.

Your post that not all BT customers are affected is also very useful.

I spent most of my 38 years at BT in various fault-finding roles. I learnt very quickly that the more information you can get about an issue - particularly what is still working, as well as what is not, then the easier it is to locate the source of the problem.

Re: Wikipedia

imjolly — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 10:53:19 GMT

@Anonymous

like @gg30340 I have no problems accessing the site

Re: Wikipedia

countrypaul — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 11:05:08 GMT

Could the problem be a DNS issue? What DNS servers are those having problems using?

I have no problem using the default BT DNS servers, and get the following from NSLOOKUP:

C:\Users\notwa>nslookup
Default Server: bthub
Address: 192.168.1.254

> www.wikipedia.org
Server: bthub
Address: 192.168.1.254

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: dyna.wikimedia.org
Addresses: 2a02:ec80:300:ed1a::1
185.15.59.224
Aliases: www.wikipedia.org

Re: Wikipedia

Crimliar — Mon, 25 Dec 2023 23:39:35 GMT

I think the issue, what ever it is, might only be revealed by some investigation by support staff. Personally using BT's DNS with parental controls on, Web protect on, uBlock Origin, and Diversion (I'm not paranoid honest!), I still can't replicate the issue!

Adding yet another aside though, the DNS servers advertised to our routers are proxys. If you want to see some of the actual servers using a "DNS Leaktest" site will show the actual DNS servers.

Re: Wikipedia

monaco87 — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 08:02:09 GMT

Same issue here, the issue is also being debated on the plusNet forums (BT network). It's a BT issue alright, not dns related. The error is a timeout so the ip address has already been resolved. At my end Wikipedia is fine on my phone if I disable wifi and use mobile data. It's also fine if I use a VPN. In other words all is OK as long as the request doesn't use the BT network directly. This needs to be resolved by someone at BT, it looks like a routing issue to me. The complaints will certainly increase when the schools go back !

Re: Wikipedia

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 09:02:20 GMT

@monaco87

"In other words all is OK as long as the request doesn't use the BT network directly."

JOOI, who is your mobile service with?

As I have already said in this thread, I'm now with Plusnet Broadband, (the thread on the PN Forums you mentioned is probably the one that I started), but my mobile is with EE - who you might expect to use the same BT network - but that connects fine to Wikipedia.

Re: Wikipedia

monaco87 — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 09:30:23 GMT

My mobile is O2. EE were purchased by BT so I'd imagine that most, if not all, of the EE network is different from the BT/PlusNet broadband network. It's definitley not a dns issue as a simple nslookup or similar will show that the resolver completes the dns query successfully.

Re: Wikipedia

GarethP — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:08:48 GMT

Hi all

The issue has been resolved with a factory reset of the hub.

Re: Wikipedia

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Dec 2023 13:02:51 GMT

@GarethP

That seems to have fixed it for me too, on Plusnet Broadband, thanks for the advice.

Either that, or a very lucky co-incidence!