Weird PC connectivity issue (can't connect to a server)

General Questions
#1

Hey all. I’m having some frustrating difficulties with a couple of my domains – certainly due to my own error. I was hoping someone might be able to guide me in the right direction to figure out how I screwed up.

I own several websites/domains on a few different shared hosting servers. This afternoon, out of the blue, I can’t access one of my domains no matter what I do – through http, ftp or email. In fact, I can’t seem to access any other sites on the same server, even those not owned by me.

The domains seem to be up and running according to my friends who’ve checked, so you don’t really need to visit the URLs. But just in case, here’s one and here’s another, both of which share the IP 63.247.137.101. I did a reverse IP check to find other sites on the same server, and sure enough, I can’t get to them either!

This started earlier this afternoon, after I briefly disconnected my DSL ethernet cable and switched it from one PC to a new one (which I’m transfering to). On the second computer I tried to login to my webmail account and for a moment was able to see the CP, but then the screen refreshed and I received a “Firefox can’t establish a connection to the server at (domain)” message. (I can’t get to it via IE either. Or, as I said, access my email accounts or FTP accounts.)

I can’t imagine why a single server is giving me a problem like this. Do you have any guesses? Aside from just moving the ethernet cable from one PC to the other, I haven’t changed anything, or messed with the settings with my firewall or antivirus system.

Thanks for any guidance you can provide!

#2

Try right-clicking on the network icon in your system tray and select Repair.

#3

Thanks, voltaire. Unfortunately that didn’t work. Could it be that I triggered a firewall on the server? This feels like a lockout rather than something haphazard. I have a support ticket w/my host so perhaps this is the solution

#4

Yeah that’s possible, tripping the firewall. Hopefully someone at the host gets back to you soon.

Just in case it’s on your end have you checked your hosts file to see that there isn’t an entry for that IP for some reason? And also try going to the sites with your anti-virus turned off?

#5

Thanks, ZipperJJ! I heard back from my hosts (an awesome company called Host Matters, which I recommend highly btw) and yes, the server’s Firewall was triggered after I tried and failed to login to my cpanel/webmail a few times. I got locked out.

(I do remember thinking as I tried a few different passwords – I’ve since remembered the correct one --“hmmm, I’m kinda surprised cpanel is letting me attempt/fail so many times.” Usually you get a set number of tries before the software will stop letting you attempt it. So while Cpanel wasn’t on the ball, our firewall was.)

So my hosts de-blocked my IP and all is good.

On the one hand, it felt a bit draconian… on the other, it gives me a nice secure feeling that the server is protected both from idiots like me and malicious baddies.