# Why is there no Dope on the Home Machines? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 22, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161 "2004-12-22T15:12:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/1 "2004-12-22T15:12:27Z")
Oddly enough, we haven’t been able to access the Straight Dope on any of the home machines since last weekend. This is a problem across all platforms and browsers. The PC serves as the server (we believe) to the other machines (including 2 Macs, one wireless) but nothing is coming up. I can get in (obviously) here at work on my Mac but the question remains, **why no home Dope?** Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/2 "2004-12-22T15:37:51Z")
Start by running your anti-virus. Scan the whole computer. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/3 "2004-12-22T15:43:44Z")
Hmmmmm, virus scan runs weekly on Friday and that’s when we stopped being able to log in… ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/4 "2004-12-22T15:45:40Z")
> [@Terrorcotta](#): > > Oddly enough, we haven’t been able to access the Straight Dope on any of the home machines since last weekend. This is a problem across all platforms and browsers. The PC serves as the server (we believe) to the other machines (including 2 Macs, one wireless) but nothing is coming up. I can get in (obviously) here at work on my Mac but the question remains, **why no home Dope?** > > Any suggestions? it may be a Domain name server problem. try going to [http://207.97.195.229/](http://207.97.195.229/), and see if that works. If it does, you DNS is not resolving straightdope correctly. Ask your IP for another DNS. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/5 "2004-12-22T15:50:32Z")
Cecil thinks your family members don’t need the Straight Dope. It’s only for the ignorant. My household has had no trouble with the site. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/6 "2004-12-22T16:13:04Z")
> [@aahala](#): > > Cecil thinks your family members don’t need the Straight Dope. It’s only for the ignorant. My household has had no trouble with the site. Well… the offspring got an 1100 on his SAT and he’s only 12. Maybe we **have** used up our quota of ignorance dispersal! ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/7 "2004-12-22T16:14:18Z")
> [@MrFantsyPants](#): > > it may be a Domain name server problem. try going to [http://207.97.195.229/](http://207.97.195.229/), and see if that works. > > If it does, you DNS is not resolving straightdope correctly. Ask your IP for another DNS. Thanks, will try when I get home! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/8 "2004-12-22T16:29:43Z")
If you find that you’re having a DNS problem, and you have a Windows machine, take a peek at your hosts file. You can find it in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ (windows XP) Or: c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\ (2000 and XP pro) Or: c:\windows\ (95/98) The file is named “hosts” and does not have an extension (like .txt or .exe) right-click the file and choose to open it in notepad. It should be empty, or have just “127.0.0.1 localhost” in it. If it says more than that and you are not sure what to delete, post it here and we’ll help you. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/9 "2004-12-22T19:08:16Z")
Hmmm, have tried these things and nothing seems to be helping. Perhaps Cecil **DID** decide we had enough knowledge… ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/10 "2004-12-22T20:43:24Z")
Sounds like the address is being blocked, either by the ISP or a firewall. I’d guess the ISP or an update to your blocking list since all your home machines are affected. If you have “parental control” software, either separately or part of your firewall, try turning it off. Or conversely maybe the Brilliant Offspring didn’t want you to see his “I knocked my girlfriend up, now what?” thread. ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/11 "2004-12-22T21:28:47Z")
> [@Terrorcotta](#): > > Hmmm, have tried these things and nothing seems to be helping. > > Perhaps Cecil **DID** decide we had enough knowledge… can you open up terminal (/Applications/Utilities/Terminal) and type ping [boards.straightdope.com](http://boards.straightdope.com) press command-period to stop this after a few attempts. try also ping 207.97.195.229 If neither of these give a response, and if it is something affecting your whole network, try restarting the router. Unplug it for a minute, then plug it back in. if still no dope, you can try IMing me (AIM siatdfi, yahoo MrFantsyPants) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/12 "2004-12-22T21:40:06Z")
Also try a _tracert_ to those addresses. That may show you where you’re being blocked. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/13 "2004-12-22T21:48:54Z")
> [@KP](#): > > Sounds like the address is being blocked, either by the ISP or a firewall. I’d guess the ISP or an update to your blocking list since all your home machines are affected. If you have “parental control” software, either separately or part of your firewall, try turning it off. > > Or conversely maybe the Brilliant Offspring didn’t want you to see his “I knocked my girlfriend up, now what?” thread. Hmmm…that might explain alot… ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-there-no-dope-on-the-home-machines/281161/14 "2004-12-23T01:14:27Z")
Well alrighty, folks! Thanks for all the help! We reset the router and all is fine in Cottaland. Thanks again!