Job Discussion Forums

[anyway]

I can't get my Firefox browser to work since I came to Oman. Anyone else having this trouble? Are there special settings/ports involved? Thanks for your help...

[veiledsentiments]

Have you tried reloading it? I can't see how they could affect a browser... or more importantly, why would they want to?

VS

[Duffy]

If you cannot get anything to work online here in Oman it is because Omantel do not want you to use it. FACT!!!

Try Googling "Hotspot Shield" follow the link and you will soon be connecting via a proxy server from somewhere like GreensBro NC.

Give it a try.

Duffy

[veiledsentiments]

Certain websites I can understand... even Skype I can understand... but why would they block a browser like Firefox? I have friends that were using it. I will have to check with them and see if they are having problems.

I hate Explorer. Every once in awhile you have to open it to make some sites work. I used it for just minutes a couple days ago and immediately got a Trojan. (removed with malwarebites.org) It is such a crap system.

VS

[anyway]

"Nevermind..." (in my best Rosanne Rosannadanna voice).

The settings changed when I tried to use it at work. Duh. Funny, it wouldn't work there, but then again, what does?

[desultude]

I am using firefox as we speak. I have nawras for my internet server.

[Fated]

Sounds like you've already sorted it out, but I'll comment anyway on a tangential topic.

Firefox works fine from omantel, both at home and work for me.

However, the internet (omantel) has been sketchy for the last month (2 months?) since the big fire that burned down the electrical transformer.

Beyond that, there are a couple websites that simply won't load for me. I keep getting an error that says:
-------
The connection has timed out
The server at www.duotrope.com is taking too long to respond.
* The site could be temporarily unavailable or too busy. Try again in a few moments.
* If you are unable to load any pages, check your computer's network connection.
* If your computer or network is protected by a firewall or proxy, make sure that Firefox is permitted to access the Web.
-------
I've done everything. I've cleared cache, flushed DNS, used a proxy server, etc. and it won't access it. However, if I take my computer out of the country and then bring it back, it'll work for a couple weeks, then go back to having problems. I don't suppose anyone has any brilliant ideas, do they?

[veiledsentiments]

I always found that my best source for help on the computer was the Indian fellows that seem to fill most IT departments and computer shops. They usually know their stuff. But, perhaps that skill doesn't extend into the peculiarities of the Omantel servers...

Are you using Vista? When I got a new computer with Vista last year, there were two of my commonly used websites that gave me a similar message and the sites would never open either on Firefox or IE. But, they would open on my old backup computer with XP. And then, a year later, when I upgraded to Win7... no problem.

VS

[Fated]

I'm using vista at home, something earlier at work (I don't recall offhand.) I've got friends using all manner of OSs and it still doesn't work. Until you take the computer out of the country and bring it back... after which it works fine for about 2 weeks, then dies again.

It definitely seems to be an IP issue, not an OS issue. But interesting point on the OS idea.

[veiledsentiments]

Ah... the tubes of the internets are filled with mysteries...

VS

[johnslat]

Dear veiledsentiments,

They certainly are - I didn't even know that the Internets HAD tubes.

Regards,
John

[Fated]

Oh you didn't? You see, the internet is a series of tubes....

So said Senator Ted Stevens. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_of_tubes

[johnslat]

Dear Fated,

Now THERE'S a reliable source (Irony Alert - and yes, Fated, I know you're aware of just what a bozo Stevens is.)

Uh-oh - I strongly suspect that veiledsentiments is NOT going to like being grouped with (ex)Senator Ted Stevens.

Regards,
John

[Fated]

Laughs. Probably not. But then, I took VS' "tube" comment to be a reference to Ted Stevens' rather convoluted interpretation... so no grouping together in my mind, just happily making fun of ignorant senators.