Help! Problems with accessing forum via talktalk broadband

Help urgently needed - for a few weeks now we cannot access the forum properly - either it does not load or is dead slow.
The problem is affecting both laptops and mobiles when we use wi-fi (I'm using it via mobile internet connection at the moment, but it's a nightmare) I miss taking part in forum and desperately want it back on my computer! Tried clearing cache, browsing history and all sorts, re-starting the router and laptop - no difference. Talktalk support is rubbish so tempted to change the broadband provider anyway but in the meantime - has anybody come across such problem? Any ideas what else we can do?
All other websites are working OK...
PS They could not access the forum at talktalk support centre either so it's not only me

Please, please HELP -hate missing all the fun and networking

Connie

TalkTalk are one of a few broadband providers who filter web content before it gets to you using a system called HomeSafe - the majority of provisers leave all the filtering to your hardware/software when it gets to you.

Therefore, content that their systems have deemed to be 'dodgy' based on whatever criteria they use is blocked before it gets to you.

This is all fine and dandy when the criteria correctly identifies genuine 'dodgy' content, but with the best will in the world it will occasionally get it wrong - in exactly the same way that 'proper' email occasionally gets dropped in your junk folder.

I suspect this is what has happened, for whatever reason TalkTalk's HomeSafe has decided the forum needs blocking. This would explain why their support staff couldn't access the forum either.

What can you do about it? Complain, tell them what the problem is and insist they fix it - threaten to withhold payment until they do, or change provider.

I concur with Tallulah's theory. Sorry you're having these problems.

Thanks, guys and for your earlier suggestions via Twitter - I was trying to pass that to talktalk but without much luck.Threatened them with termination of the contract but gone nowhere. It looks I will have to change the broadband provider after all. I was hoping that perhaps somebody else on the Forum have come across that before. At the moment it's just a nightmare. Takes ages to check/post anything.

I find the forum slow at times when other websites work fine, so its not just you. Have you tried changing to another internet browser.

Have you tried using a VPN? Might give enough anonymity to get past TalkTalk's filters.

Matt - yes, gave up after checking three different ones; no difference

Sunny - oh, dear -if I only figure out how , may be above my computer skills.

Just got another e-mail from talktalk - equally useless as previous ones

And just a moment ago husband established that HomeSafe is off so no idea where the problem is.

So frustrating

Hope you get sorted soon. Your posts are always interesting. It would be a shame not to have your regular input.

NorthPoles wrote:

Sunny - oh, dear -if I only figure out how , may be above my computer skills.

Try a free one, they're normally fairly easy. Try this one All you need do is download and it self installs the necessary.

Hey, we are making progress here with VPN! IE woke up a bit but before I declare the battle won, let me make few more tests over the next couple of days. Thanks Sunny!

The other North Pole

Absinthe - many thanks for kind words!

Sunny - thanks a lot for your help! It looks it worked

I will celebrate though if it still works tomorrow

Now - time to bed for me, have to wake up at 4.30 tomorrow

Good news - hope it all settles down now.

I was told BT run the fastest connections as its their lines are used anyway and other providers 'piggy back' BT's so they come last in speed stakes? True or not? I have Onetel and the customer help line have always been useless and often THEY can't understand me let alone the other way around! I think TalkTalk own Onetel?

There are plenty of broadband providers who are very good, BT (IMO) are not one of them. Nor are they the fastest, and there add really wind me up with unsubstantiatic and vague statements about there speed and service - "our best ever broadband" - of course it is, unless they've removed some cables and downgraded a few systems.

yes I've never liked bt either...but surely as its their lines aren't you going to get a better service....

jj123vw wrote:

yes I've never liked bt either...but surely as its their lines aren't you going to get a better service....

If only that were the case .....

So who's the best and why?

Cable all the way.

The lines are only a small part of the solution as the hardware at either end does the vast majority of the work as well as connecting those lines to a backbone network somewhere.

'Best' in terms of speed, reliability, customer service, honesty (actual speeds vs advertised speeds) or all of the above?

Virgin Media have the fastest consumer broadband service available in the UK (as far as I know) and achieve a MUCH higher average actual vs advertised speed than any other provider. Their reliability is generally good and their customer service continues to improve (it was shocking when they were NTL), however it's a cable service so doesn't use BT lines and is not available everywhere. They also provide a phone line based ADSL service but it's not as fast.

Cant get cable....Has to be phone lines

One simple step to improve line speed and quality is to ditch the free router given by your service provider. It's free for a reason

Ok. Whats the best router to buy for the job...?

jj123vw wrote:

Ok. Whats the best router to buy for the job...?

Now there's a $64,000 question. I'm running a Netgear N600 dual band gigabit. Substantially improved my network performance. But I'd imagine others might not need that level.

Thanks for the suggestion. Internet is doing my head in...keeps going on and off and onetel say its not them and I've changed the router twice.....

You might also want to consider a BT I-plate. These help to eliminate a significant amount of noise in the extension wiring. Simply fitting one could increase your speed by up to 1.5Mbps. It was one of the first things I did and only cost about a fiver.