# Is randi.org off the air? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295 "2004-10-08T23:59:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2004, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/1 "2004-10-08T23:59:16Z")
Anyone know what’s going on with [randi.org](http://randi.org)? Yesterday it didn’t seem to have a name server entry, and access by the raw IP (63.118.175.191) was not possible. But today, I can reach the main page and this week’s commentary (but not the forums) using the IP. Name Server X-ref still seems to be bad. this works: [http://63.118.175.191](http://63.118.175.191) This doesn’t: [http://randi.org](http://randi.org) This doesn’t, either: [http://forums.randi.org](http://forums.randi.org) Pings or tracerts result in timeouts either way, at least from my location. Has Mr. Randi been hit by poltergeists while he is in Europe? Is something paranormal going on here? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/2 "2004-10-09T00:03:13Z")
Well, slap me with a limp dowsing rod, now I can get to [randi.org](http://randi.org) thru a NS. Couldn’t 10 minutes ago. The forums are still NG, tho. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/3 "2004-10-09T00:05:08Z")
Sounds like he changed hosting servers. If this is the case, it’ll take a few days for the new DNS information to propagate, after which the old URLs should work properly. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/4 "2004-10-09T00:16:38Z")
That’s kinda what I was thinking, **Q.E.D.** , but I imagine he is a target for some groups, so I always worry. When the cat’s away, the mice will attack. Still, if [randi.org](http://randi.org) translates thru a NS OK, shouldn’t any sub-site like [forums.randi.org](http://forums.randi.org) work as well? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/5 "2004-10-09T00:22:14Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Still, if [randi.org](http://randi.org) translates thru a NS OK, shouldn’t any sub-site like [forums.randi.org](http://forums.randi.org) work as well? Normally, yes. But it’s entirely possible, asuming they are in the process of changing servers, that they simply haven’t gotten around to setting up the subdomains on the new server yet. Transferring a site to a new server doesn’t automatically set up the subs, too. Those have to be set up through the websites admin control panel provided by the webhost. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/6 "2004-10-09T03:26:59Z")
The JREF forums have had chronic server problems for a long time now; we are never surprised when we get a “Cannot Find Server”, we just sigh and go find something else to do. And it’s common to be able to get to the Home Page but not to the forums. Like the Straight Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2004, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/7 "2004-10-09T03:48:41Z")
And now, I can access the site via the text address but not the IP address. I wonder what Randi’s internet connection looks like. I’m guessing it hasn’t been too amazing over the past few days. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/8 "2004-10-12T02:31:31Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > And now, I can access the site via the text address but not the IP address. Which would be a symptom of changing ISPs. “[randi.org](http://randi.org)” won’t change, but the IP will. Right now, I can reach all randi sites by IP or DNS translation, including the forums. There is some buzz on the forums about problems, but I haven’t found any mention of changing ISPs yet. I’ll circulate and see what I can find. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/9 "2004-10-12T03:37:52Z")
Perhaps this is the way that Uri Geller has chosen to display his paranormal powers – disrupting Randi’s site. Bending spoons just got too boring. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-randi-org-off-the-air/268295/10 "2004-10-12T05:31:56Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > That’s kinda what I was thinking, **Q.E.D.** , but I imagine he is a target for some groups, so I always worry. When the cat’s away, the mice will attack. As I understand it, Randi’s computer skills are not at a level where his presence or absence is going to make any difference to how well his servers run.