JW Talk blocked

[carlos]

21 hours ago, RaymondG said:

Carlos, how did you go looking into this?

I was putting a message together to send to Wayport, but I haven't finished it yet. However this screenshot you post now is from a different restaurant chain.

 

Everyone: Please, don't come to hurried and wrong conclusions such as "MacDonalds" hates Witnesses or is blocking our webs. That is simply not true. JW.org is perfectly browsable through the MacDonalds wifi. In order to keep their network safe MacDonalds hires the services of different companies that filter dubious internet sites. They use automatized patterns to select which sites to include in those blaklists. That means that occasionally legitimate sites such as JWTalk can be blacklisted by mistake. That doesn't mean there are any ill-intentions or hate towards JWs. A nice email should fix the problem.  

[RaymondG]

Carlos, the software here is from 'Invision Power', I'm guessing that's the same people who provide the software for the other forum with which I'm getting these notices. In their case the tag at the bottom of the page is 'Forum software by IP Board'.

 

Forums I use which don't have the problem are by 'phpBB Group' and  'vBulletin', there's another which doesn't have the name there but it's really old software. So it's clear to me, as I've been saying, that it's something to do with the software.

 

 

[RaymondG]

I have sent a message to Hungry Jacks and they have responded...

 

They are asking their IT people to look into it.

[carlos]

I was unable to find a support email address for Wayport, so I sent an email to MacDonalds. Still waiting for their reply.

[niall]

Just be thankful that you can actually use the WiFi at McDonalds. Here in Queensland (Australia) I have only been to one McDonalds where I could get useable speed from their Wifi. Most of the time it takes 10 minutes just to load their doorway/agreement page. It's too slow to even check my emails. 

 

The only McDonalds with reasonable speed was on the Cairns Esplanade. It was always crowded with tourists and backpackers, but the speed was OK for general browsing. I do remember seeing some backpackers using Skype for video calls, but I don't know if they were on the WiFi or their own mobile broadband. That particular McDonalds didn't block JW.org. 

 

Now I've got an excuse to visit Hungry Jacks - I'll report back after my ingestion, I mean, investigation. 

[RaymondG]

There is no problem - at this stage anyway - with McDonalds' wi-fi and JWTalk in Australia... it is a US problem...

 

Generally speaking I've not found much of an issue with speed at McDonalds, but sometimes it can be slow at some stores.

 

Carlos, the e.mail address shown on the screenshot I posted is webmaster@wayport.net

[carlos]

23 minutes ago, RaymondG said:

Carlos, the e.mail address shown on the screenshot I posted is webmaster@wayport.net

Thank you, Raymond. I will send an email there, since MacDonalds hasn't replied.

[RaymondG]

Today I confirmed that the problem still exists with Hungry Jacks...

 

I again sent them feedback explaining the problem. So far I haven't got a response to my first message, so I guess it might be a while before before I get one from this message.

 

Have you heard anything from Wayport, Carlos?

[carlos]

On sábado, 24 de septiembre de 2016 at 2:05 PM, RaymondG said:

Have you heard anything from Wayport, Carlos?

No, I never heard back from MacDonalds or Wayport. I guess the person who received those emails didn't know what I was talking about and didn't bother to find out.

[Brother_Bliss]

The blocking has nothing to do with Invision's software.

 

The network administrator is probably blocking specific categories of websites, such as pornography, gambling, etc. We just happen to be in a category that they are blocking.

 

It's kind of like OpenDNS (in fact, it could very well be OpenDNS). I use OpenDNS at home and block a few categories of sites so that my family doesn't stumble on them. I also blacklist apostate sites as i come across them.

[thegreenjudy]

Yes I can confirm this - Here in the UK i never had an issue but bear in mind that McDonalds uses a different external provider in each country and sometimes in the same country. So if an innocent site gets blocked it is usually because their software picked something up that is on their list of blocking requirements. I have 12 GB of data to use up so hardly use free wifi anymore (Unless I am travelling of course).  But I gave up on McDonals wifi when I am travelling - it is so appalling I cant even be bothered. As a result I had the most relaxing holiday in ages this year 

[Sylv]

I worked at a company that used some kind of blocking software that would deny access to the breast cancer society's website, flagging it as porn.

[carlos]

2 hours ago, Sylv said:

I worked at a company that used some kind of blocking software that would deny access to the breast cancer society's website, flagging it as porn.

The company that provides firewall service to the firm where I work often blocks websites that I use. I just send them an email asking to unblock it, and they always comply. It's easier to unblock a few sites when users complain than checking every one manually. They apply certain criteria and all websites that meet them are blocked. It's reasonable.

[Qapla]

My brother used to manage a NAPA Store (car parts) a few years back (he is retired now) and the system that NAPA used for their stores (company and franchise) routes all Internet traffic through their system in Atlanta. His was an independently owned store.

 

Common to cars and farm equipment, some products that they needed to order they had to find from suppliers other than NAPA. When they would search for things such as screws, the searches would be blocked by NAPA - seems they filter certain words as "wrong" - created quite a challenge at times.

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, Qapla said:

My brother used to manage a NAPA Store (car parts) a few years back (he is retired now) and the system that NAPA used for their stores (company and franchise) routes all Internet traffic through their system in Atlanta. His was an independently owned store.

 

Common to cars and farm equipment, some products that they needed to order they had to find from suppliers other than NAPA. When they would search for things such as screws, the searches would be blocked by NAPA - seems they filter certain words as "wrong" - created quite a challenge at times.

It must be hard working for a landscape company or plant nursery in Australia...

[Musky]

It must be hard working for a landscape company or plant nursery in Australia...

That was the same thing I thought when reading John's post, but I controlled myself.

[RaymondG]

Just to set your mind at rest, Shawn, this is the part of my post you musn't have read:

 

Originally posted by myself

..... Forums I use which don't have the problem are by 'phpBB Group' and  'vBulletin', there's another which doesn't have the name there but it's really old software. So it's clear to me, as I've been saying, that it's something to do with the software.

 

So when you posted...

 

The blocking has nothing to do with Invision's software.

 

The network administrator is probably blocking specific categories of websites, such as pornography, gambling, etc. We just happen to be in a category that they are blocking.....

 

...you were only referring to something you imagined I had said, that this software is the problem. No, that's not what I was saying. It's something within the software used by 'IP' or 'Invision' which is detected by their anti-porn software and cuts this and other forums out.

 

This, surely, is the message which has to be got to Wayport and whoever Hungry Jacks use. And Carlos, you may have more success with McDonalds if you don't spell it 'MacDonalds'.

 

Clearly, as a multitude of other forums still work through their wi-fi, they don't intend preventing forum use in their stores.

 

Judy... I believe I posted right at the beginning that this isn't a problem at McDonalds in Europe and the UK. It also doesn't affect all McDonalds in the US, or it didn't when I was there a few months ago, but it did affect a lot of them. I got to the point where I tried the wi-fi before I bought anything and if it didn't work I ate elsewhere.

 

I didn't have the luxury of a lot of Gbs available when I was travelling, in fact I had none in Canada and the USA, so it was important to find wi-fi. And yes, sometimes you have to be a bit patient.

[Shawnster]

4 hours ago, RaymondG said:

Just to set your mind at rest, Shawn, this is the part of my post you musn't have read:

 

 

 

 

So when you posted...

 

 

 

 

...you were only referring to something you imagined I had said, that this software is the problem. No, that's not what I was saying. It's something within the software used by 'IP' or 'Invision' which is detected by their anti-porn software and cuts this and other forums out.

 

This, surely, is the message which has to be got to Wayport and whoever Hungry Jacks use. And Carlos, you may have more success with McDonalds if you don't spell it 'MacDonalds'.

 

Clearly, as a multitude of other forums still work through their wi-fi, they don't intend preventing forum use in their stores.

 

Judy... I believe I posted right at the beginning that this isn't a problem at McDonalds in Europe and the UK. It also doesn't affect all McDonalds in the US, or it didn't when I was there a few months ago, but it did affect a lot of them. I got to the point where I tried the wi-fi before I bought anything and if it didn't work I ate elsewhere.

 

I didn't have the luxury of a lot of Gbs available when I was travelling, in fact I had none in Canada and the USA, so it was important to find wi-fi. And yes, sometimes you have to be a bit patient.

 

Raymond, I don't know why you addressed this to me (or anyone else named Shawn).  The individual you quoted is not named Shawn.  It might be helpful to preview a post before hitting submit to prevent addressing the incorrect individual.

Edited September 29, 2016 by Shawnster

[RaymondG]

My apologies, it was Bob...

[Alexa]

[shali]

Edited September 30, 2016 by shali

[Jmystro]

Use a free VPN to bypass blocks.

 

It is safer for public use since data is encrypted.

[Brother_Bliss]

On 8/6/2016 at 7:41 AM, RaymondG said:

So it's clear to me, as I've been saying, that it's something to do with the software.

 

Let's see, you said "it's something to do with the software". To which I said...

 

On 9/28/2016 at 0:51 AM, Dismal_Bliss said:

The blocking has nothing to do with Invision's software.

 

... to which you said...

 

On 9/28/2016 at 6:03 PM, RaymondG said:

...you were only referring to something you imagined I had said, that this software is the problem. No, that's not what I was saying.

 

Um.... okay? So now you agree with me?

 

Then I said...

 

On 9/28/2016 at 0:51 AM, Dismal_Bliss said:

The network administrator is probably blocking specific categories of websites, such as pornography, gambling, etc. 

 

... to which you said...

 

On 9/28/2016 at 6:03 PM, RaymondG said:

It's something within the software used by 'IP' or 'Invision' which is detected by their anti-porn software and cuts this and other forums out.

 

... which is essentially what I said, except now it's back to being something within the software.

 

On 9/28/2016 at 6:03 PM, RaymondG said:

Just to set your mind at rest

 

 

Oh, it has been. Don't you worry.

 

Hopefully MacDonald's gets to the root of the problem.

 

 

 

[Tortuga]

50 minutes ago, Dismal_Bliss said:

 

Hopefully MacDonald's gets to the root of the problem.

[RaymondG]

Bob, at no time did I agree with what you said...

 

"within their software" was referring to the porn etc blocking software.

 

Do you think you can understand what I am posting now?