How do I discover why hosts file won't let me load a website


  1. Posts : 957
    windows 10 professional 64-bit, 22H2, Build 19045.5011
       #1

    How do I discover why hosts file won't let me load a website


    I get a newsletter from an organization called the Access Fund - Home - Access Fund. My hosts file doesn't prevent me from getting to their website. However, if there's a link in the newsletter (example: ACT NOW: Bitterroot National Forest Bans New Bolts - Access Fund), I get this message:

    This site can’t be reached

    trackcmp.net’s server IP address could not be found.


    If I disable the hosts file, I can get to the site, but not when it's enabled. I have BlueLife Hosts Editor & looked at the entries. trackcmp.net is not listed, nor is accessfund.

    Is there a way to track this down?

    Thanks in advance!
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 1,608
    Win 10 home 20H2 19042.1110
       #2

    What browser are you using? I had no trouble getting here with Firefox ACT NOW: Bitterroot National Forest Bans New Bolts - Access Fund
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 8,519
    windows 10
       #3

    Can you post your host file so we can check
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 33,915
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #4

    phrab said:
    If I disable the hosts file, I can get to the site, but not when it's enabled. I have BlueLife Hosts Editor & looked at the entries. trackcmp.net is not listed, nor is accessfund.
    Is there a way to track this down?
    Accessfund shouldn't be, but trackcmp.net must be else disabling your HOSTS file would not be allowing you to use the link. It certainly is in my HOSTS file.

    Trackcmp.net is a bit like google analytics, it tracks your behaviour. In this case the event it tracks is you clicking on that particular link. When you click that link you first go via trackcmp.net where your action is logged, then get redirected without you noticing to the actual url for that news letter on the AccessFund site. This may not in itself be sinister, it well be simply so that AccessFund can keep statistics on how many and who click on links in their emails, enabling them to tailor them to be more effective.

    I'm afraid if you want to follow the link you'll have to turn off your HOSTS file, the actual url for the page is not in the link. The title of the page is though, so you could find it through Google. Of course, there's a whole other lot of analytics going on there too, so your only real choice is: who do you want to track you?

    ACT NOW: Bitterroot National Forest Bans New Bolts - Google Search

    Here's an example of how to use trackcmp.net from a Knowledgebase for those companies who wish to employ tracking.

    Site & Event Tracking - Knowledgebase - Conversion Hub
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 957
    windows 10 professional 64-bit, 22H2, Build 19045.5011
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Jacee said:
    What browser are you using? I had no trouble getting here with Firefox ACT NOW: Bitterroot National Forest Bans New Bolts - Access Fund
    Google Chrome. But it's not the browser, it's something about the host file.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Samuria said:
    Can you post your host file so we can check
    Thank you for your response. found this in my hosts file, so Bree is correct:
    0.0.0.0 tracking.revimedia.com n.targetctracker.com trackcmp.net log.quora.com ads.viber.com ads.aws.viber.com

    - - - Updated - - -

    Bree said:
    Accessfund shouldn't be, but trackcmp.net must be else disabling your HOSTS file would not be allowing you to use the link. It certainly is in my HOSTS file.

    Trackcmp.net is a bit like google analytics, it tracks your behaviour. In this case the event it tracks is you clicking on that particular link. When you click that link you first go via trackcmp.net where your action is logged, then get redirected without you noticing to the actual url for that news letter on the AccessFund site. This may not in itself be sinister, it well be simply so that AccessFund can keep statistics on how many and who click on links in their emails, enabling them to tailor them to be more effective.

    I'm afraid if you want to follow the link you'll have to turn off your HOSTS file, the actual url for the page is not in the link. The title of the page is though, so you could find it through Google. Of course, there's a whole other lot of analytics going on there too, so your only real choice is: who do you want to track you?

    ACT NOW: Bitterroot National Forest Bans New Bolts - Google Search

    Here's an example of how to use trackcmp.net from a Knowledgebase for those companies who wish to employ tracking.

    Site & Event Tracking - Knowledgebase - Conversion Hub

    Thank you for this information. For some reason, I couldn't find trackcmp.net in my host file using BlueLife Hosts Editor. However, when I opened the hosts file in Notepad, I was able to find it.

    Thank you again!
      My Computers


 

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