TAB being blocked on Spark broadband and Mobile

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › TAB being blocked on Spark broadband and Mobile

matisyahu

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#233530 19-Apr-2018 21:24

Just got an issue at work where customers are being blocked when trying to access TAB and they're on Spark. I've only noticed it on another ISP (a small ISP that bought capacity of Vocus) that uses routing through Australia given that on our side (TAB) we don't do any blocking ourselves. Is anyone at Spark able to advise on what is happening in terms of routing of traffic?

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

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#1999598 19-Apr-2018 21:54

im on spark and its not blocked

but there is this: (ignore the fluctuations in ping connection is heavily used at the moment)

Tracing route to tab.co.nz [104.16.60.48]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 35 ms 25 ms 5 ms ae8-10.akbr6.global-gateway.net.nz [122.56.116.5]
5 12 ms 5 ms 5 ms ae2-6.tkbr12.global-gateway.net.nz [122.56.127.17]
6 45 ms 32 ms 28 ms xe7-0-2.sebr3.global-gateway.net.nz [202.50.232.234]
7 29 ms 29 ms 29 ms 122.56.119.86
8 36 ms 34 ms 38 ms as13335.sydney.megaport.com [103.26.68.78]
9 30 ms 30 ms 51 ms 104.16.60.48

Trace complete.

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Ruphus

395 posts

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#1999615 19-Apr-2018 22:39

I'm ON spark and can get through to TAB.

matisyahu

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#1999628 19-Apr-2018 22:53

Jase2985:

im on spark and its not blocked

but there is this: (ignore the fluctuations in ping connection is heavily used at the moment)

Tracing route to tab.co.nz [104.16.60.48]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms <1 ms <1 ms 192.168.1.1
2 * * * Request timed out.
3 * * * Request timed out.
4 35 ms 25 ms 5 ms ae8-10.akbr6.global-gateway.net.nz [122.56.116.5]
5 12 ms 5 ms 5 ms ae2-6.tkbr12.global-gateway.net.nz [122.56.127.17]
6 45 ms 32 ms 28 ms xe7-0-2.sebr3.global-gateway.net.nz [202.50.232.234]
7 29 ms 29 ms 29 ms 122.56.119.86
8 36 ms 34 ms 38 ms as13335.sydney.megaport.com [103.26.68.78]
9 30 ms 30 ms 51 ms 104.16.60.48

Trace complete.

Thank you for your help. It appears that the mobile phone was connected to their wifi and when disconnected and using the Spark mobile network it can connect to the TAB website without any issues. It is a strange one given that it isn't always consistent. I originally thought that they were using the Opera Browser which came with a VPN but that wasn't the case, I got them to check what their IP address is and it pointed back to Spark so that sounded all good. It leaves the question what could be causing it because it is an intermittent event - the same customer will cruise along without any problems then suddenly have the issue then things will go back to normal again.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

Jase2985

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#1999652 20-Apr-2018 05:39

doesnt sound like an issue with spark then. sounds more like an issue on the customers end.

ive also used a VPN to access the TAB from overseas without any issues.

chevrolux

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#1999654 20-Apr-2018 07:22

MTU settings?

cbrpilot

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Spark NZ

#1999664 20-Apr-2018 08:06

What do you mean by blocked? Blocked as in it shows a Spark page saying it's blocked? I.e. A page from Netshield?

My views are my own, and may not necessarily represent those of my employer.

DarkShadow

1644 posts

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#1999691 20-Apr-2018 09:33

Spark just started a parental control network blocking thing, is gambling on the list of blocked categories?

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
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#1999696 20-Apr-2018 09:44

cbrpilot: What do you mean by blocked? Blocked as in it shows a Spark page saying it's blocked? I.e. A page from Netshield?

as above, this sounds to me like the client has enabled netshield.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

matisyahu

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#1999828 20-Apr-2018 14:11

Jase2985:

doesnt sound like an issue with spark then. sounds more like an issue on the customers end.

ive also used a VPN to access the TAB from overseas without any issues.

Try the VPN but with an Australian end point and you'll see the message

cbrpilot: What do you mean by blocked? Blocked as in it shows a Spark page saying it's blocked? I.e. A page from Netshield?

It the error message one receives when accessing it from Australia.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

ResponseMediaNZ

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#1999838 20-Apr-2018 14:36

matisyahu:

Jase2985:

doesnt sound like an issue with spark then. sounds more like an issue on the customers end.

ive also used a VPN to access the TAB from overseas without any issues.

Try the VPN but with an Australian end point and you'll see the message

cbrpilot: What do you mean by blocked? Blocked as in it shows a Spark page saying it's blocked? I.e. A page from Netshield?

It the error message one receives when accessing it from Australia.

Screenshot the message so we know what you are going on about

Jase2985

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#1999839 20-Apr-2018 14:38

Its this one, its because TAB geo blocks connections so you have to be "in NZ" to access it. you cant access it from Australia.

ResponseMediaNZ

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#1999847 20-Apr-2018 14:40

Jase2985:

Its this one, its because TAB geo blocks connections so you have to be "in NZ" to access it. you cant access it from Australia.

So even though the connection is with spark does the workplace have a connection to another country? or does the internet terminate at the router?

Linux

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#1999848 20-Apr-2018 14:40

Jase2985:

Its this one, its because TAB geo blocks connections so you have to be "in NZ" to access it. you cant access it from Australia.

If this is the message then it's not a Spark issue!

Linux

Jase2985

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#1999858 20-Apr-2018 14:46

it picture was with the VPN end point in Australia, with the VPN off it works fine, and when i was in Australia with the vpn end point in nz it works fine.

pretty sure the issue is at the OP's end.

matisyahu

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#1999921 20-Apr-2018 16:53

Jase2985:

Its this one, its because TAB geo blocks connections so you have to be "in NZ" to access it. you cant access it from Australia.

TAB doesn't do any geoblocking, the blocking is done on the Australian side hence the concern of traffic going through Australia but not consistently blocked which leaves me wonder why some are blocked but others aren't.

I'm not being blocked but customers I'm dealing with are finding that they're blocked and Spark customers.

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

Laptop: MacBook Air (Apple M2, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Desktop: Apple Studio, Studio Display (Apple M1 Max, 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

Phone: Nothing Phone (12GB RAM, 256GB Storage, Nothing OS 2.0.2), Google Workspace

Other: UniFi AP AC HD, UniFi Dream Machine, Apple TV 4K 128GB, Firefox

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