Payment

[Mong]

I can't get to the next step with Kagi (the URL below is the page that I'm at) to pay my bill (sorry I'm a couple days late :o ). I keep getting the "Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site https://order.kagi.com/blahblahblah" message.

http://www.futurequest.net/Billing/Payment/Kagi/validate.php

I've tried several times in the last 1/2 hour. Do you know if there is a problem at the moment, and should I just try again later?

[Bob]

Checking the Kagi pages from the FutureQuest payment pages, all appears to be responding properly for two of us in differing locations.

You may want to run a tracert to order.kagi.com and see if there may be some sort of connectivity problem between you and them.

If you continue to experience problems drop us a note at Service@FutureQuest.net so we can make sure that everything is OK with your account.

Thanks,
Bob

[Mong]

Hi Bob.

I haven't run a trace from my machine, but I just now used a web-based trace (network-tools.com), and they couldn't hit it either.

TraceRoute to 157.22.137.180 [tweedledumb.kagi.com]

Hop (ms) (ms) (ms) IP Address Host name
1 0 16 0 216.191.147.1 -
2 0 0 0 216.191.195.33 solutions-sherweb.p2p.attcanada.ca
3 15 0 0 216.191.67.21 pos5-2.core2-tor.bb.attcanada.ca
4 16 0 0 216.191.65.241 srp2-0.core1-tor.bb.attcanada.ca
5 63 47 62 216.191.65.185 pos8-0.core2-van.bb.attcanada.ca
6 63 62 125 216.191.65.93 pos4-0-0.gwy1-sea.bb.attcanada.ca
7 62 78 78 198.32.180.21 seattle-ix.winstar.net
8 125 125 141 65.36.0.150 60.atm2-0.chi1-bb1.winstar.net
9 187 172 172 209.141.230.170 2.atm9-0.snv1-bb1.winstar.net
10 188 187 172 65.36.0.218 218.winstar.net
11 Destination network unreachable -

Trace aborted.

[Bob]

And you beat me to the post, as after I posted my last I have run some tracerts, which have all timed out at the same location.

However I am still able to reach the destination via browser without any problems :QThuh:

Which may indicate that they block traces.

It would be best at this point to drop us a line as noted above and we may be able to provide you some alternative payment options if time is of concern.

Thanks again,
Bob

[Mong]

Thanks Bob.


I've been having all kinds of intermittent problems lately, that I never ran into before. Some other people have too, it seems. I wonder if any of it is related to overhauling the Internet's infrastructure (http://www.interactiveweek.com/article/0,3658,s%253D0%2526a%253D16844,00.asp) , and that is causing some probs? There's been talk of Corporations, the FBI, etc., etc. doing that since 9/11, so it wouldn't surprise me.

But yeah, I'll try again later today (and tomorrow if necc.), and if I still can't get kagi to work, I'll email ya.

[Justin]

Are you able to get to other SSL sites (those beginning with https://)? For example, visit www.PayPal.com, which automatically redirects to a secure URL...

It's possible you have a configuration problem causing secure URLs not to work (either on your end or your ISPs)... Are you behind any sort of proxy server, cache, or firewall (including "internet connection sharing")?

[Mong]

Justin. Some work, ( the "https" preface, that is) -- I just tried that paypal URL though, and it didn't work, so maybe you're on to something.

Yeah, I've got a router here that acts as a firewall for a couple computers using a cable modem, and a redundant software firewall on the computers too (Zone Alarm; mostly just incase one of us accidently gets a trojan).

I was starting wonder if it might be a configuration problem. I'll try dialing up with the old modem to pay, and/or disabling the zone alarm, and see what happens.

[Justin]

What kind of router are you running (hardware, or a PC of some sort)? I personally run a Linux box for this purpose and have no problems, but I have seen cases where using Windows connection sharing (Win2k/ME/XP) causes certain sites to not work... In fact, I recall specifically that I couldn't get to Netscape.com of all places. I am not sure of the particular cause, but I know it's related to some "connection sharing" setups...

You might also try visiting these sites on the machine that is directly connected (unless you're using a hardware router)...

[Rich]

In fact, I recall specifically that I couldn't get to Netscape.com of all places
...nothing to see here...move along now...nothing to see here...

:P

Rich

[Justin]

I'm not sure if you're implying an MS anti-Netscape agenda, but if so, as much as I'd love to believe it (:)), I've seen this behavior with any plain old NAT setup (personally on Linux and FreeBSD), not just Windows ICS. I should have clarified that. I thought it had something to do with the Netscape web server, but I just checked (Netcraft.com) and PayPal uses Linux/Apache...

Some sites just don't seem to work when you're behind NAT (as opposed to ip masquarading, as I'm now doing). I wish I knew what caused it, but I never had the problem long enough to really investigate it; I only used Windows ICS for a very brief period when I was on dialup (with a Winmodem, so the *nix box couldn't be the gateway).

Interesting, www.Kagi.com is running on MacOS and has been since at least 10/2000 (thus it's not OS-X)...

[Mong]

Hi again Justin, et al

I gotta hardware router. I thought about using an old PC that's collecting dust, to set-up something like what you described w/Linux. But, like the good Internet junkie that I am, was itching for the fast connect, and was too impatient to jump through all the hoops to learn how to get something like what you've got, up and runnin' :p.

Anyway, I disabled the software firewall, and used the dial-up modem (and an old, but still active account) directly from my PC in order to bypass the router and cable-modem set-up, and was able to succesfully wire the payment through the kagified tweedledum :)

Thanks for the replies everybody.