Could only reach the forums changing my DNS

[polonus]

@Rundvleeskroket,

When signed-in, we all now are on: -hostname:forum.avast.com,
behind Akamai cloud client protection (blocking various abuse, like dDos, scraping etc.)
and given an A-record Frankfurt IP address
See for yours e.g. on https://pl.ipshu.com

I think there is given no direct need for avast here to communicate this to their forum users.
At the end of the day it is their security policy with Akamai  for account protection settings.

Hope it won't hamper new avast users finding their way here.
All is well that ends well.

Re: https://myip.ms/info/whois/23.72.249.35/k/800807644/website/forum.avast.com

Have a good new week, ye all,

pol

[DavidR]

Well my connections have been up AND down like a whore's drawers, what worked once and for a while doesn't work after a period of time (non use of forums).

So I have been restarting firefox, flip flopping DNS settings restarting firefox to try again this has taken several changes and restarts and I manage to get back in.  This however is no guarantee that I will be able to access the forums next time.

I have just tried something else and whilst it appears to have worked (the flip flopping settings also seemed to work), I have now added forum.avast.com to Firefox's "No proxy for" option. That worked but as I said in a few hours that may not work and I'm flip flopping around like a fish out of water.

Avast needs ACTIVE monitoring of the many hundreds/tens of thousands of error messages being generating as this is PATHETIC!

NOT TO MENTION - If this move to Akamai was to resolve forum speed issues it has failed as at times I still get slow page loads (and much slower than what is shown at the bottom of the page).

[Rundvleeskroket]

Right now I can't access the forum from europe. Have to use an American IP.

Not the usual error message this time though, but a total refusal to even connect.

[bob3160]

Reported to Avast. I can't say that I've had any problems today.

[DavidR]

Three times today, virtually every bloody time I try to get on the forums, I have to go through this flip flopping as described in Reply #6, #10 and #16.

Tiresome doesn't begin to describe this fiasco.

Active monitoring by the Avast Team (in conjunction with Akamai) of the cryptic error messages as to what they actually mean and why they are displayed.

[Rundvleeskroket]

I agree that since Avast has this forum, it should actively look after it. That includes keeping tabs on if it's running smoothly and its cloud hosting provider.

Also I think it's not unreasonable to expect some presence from Avast employees to whom we can make problems known.

Being able to get help in the forum is one of the selling points for users to install Avast Free in the first place, and thus a gateway for users that potentially buy the paid version. Maintaining the forum should be a priority, and is in the interest of Avast as a company.

[DavidR]

I agree that since Avast has this forum, it should actively look after it. That includes keeping tabs on if it's running smoothly and its cloud hosting provider.

Also I think it's not unreasonable to expect some presence from Avast employees to whom we can make problems known.

Being able to get help in the forum is one of the selling points for users to install Avast Free in the first place, and thus a gateway for users that potentially buy the paid version. Maintaining the forum should be a priority, and is in the interest of Avast as a company.

Not to mention that there are areas of these forums that are for Premium Products.

[Rundvleeskroket]

Indeed. But paid users have other means to reach out to tech support besides the forum.

My point is: the forum caters to users of the free versions and the paid versions alike. As it stands it almost seems as if Avast regards the forum as an afterthought where Avast Free users can fend for themselves, and oh let's add sections for paid users since the forum is there anyway.  While the reality is more that the forum is a valuable way for paid users to get some quick help, and that alone should be enough reason to keep it in proper functioning order. Avast Free users get to ride along and help each other out. If that experience is poor however, that will affect what percentage upgrades to a paid product. Like I said; it's a gateway, and as such should just work.

[DavidR]

Well here we are, Groundhog day again and flip flopping the VPN settings like a fish out of water.

A slight difference breaking the monotony, "The connection has timed out"  Try again, with the expected result the cryptic error reference number.

[polonus]

Hi DavidR,

Should all these hostnames share one and the same IP with -forum.avast.com?

Data as provided here through my Shodan extension for the site where I am writing this.

IP Address   69.192.139.25
Hostname(s)   
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.de
-www.servcorp.com.au
-www.social.servcorp.com
-virtualoffice.servcorp.be
-servcorp.com.sg
-virtualoffice.servcorp.bh
-virtualoffice.servcorp.com.tr
-servcorp.com.sa
-servcorp.com.kw
-servcorp.com.cn
-servcorp.com.tr
-virtualoffice.servcorp.com.sa
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.co.th
-servcorp.com.lb
-www.servcorp.com.hk
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.cn
-www.servcorp.com.qa
-www.servcorp.ae
-servcorp.de
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.kw
-www.virtualoffice.com.cn
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.sg
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.sa
-servcorp.co.nz
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.qa
-www.servcorp.com.tr
-www.servcorp.co.th
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.be
-servcorp.com.qa
-virtualoffice.servcorp.com.my
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.bh
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.hk
-www.servcorp.fr
-www.servcorp.com.cn
-social.servcorp.com.hk
-virtualoffice.servcorp.co.th
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com
-virtualoffice.servcorp.com.lb
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.com.au
-www.servcorp.co.uk
-servcorp.co.in
-virtualoffice.servcorp.ae
-servcorp.co.id
-virtualoffice.servcorp.com
-www.servcorp.com
-www.virtualoffice.servcorp.co.uk
-servcorp.bh
-servcorp.be
-virtualoffice.servcorp.co.uk
-virtualoffice.servcorp.com.kw etc. etc.
together with -a69-192-139-25.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com

All these hostnames share IP -69.192.139.25 on Santa Clare Akamai Technologies server, USA?

What are these trained monkeys performing on these Akamai racks?

MS Windows -serv.corp services  from Singapore, a virtual office service is hosted on this Santa Clara Akamai server? Is this the real McCoy?

Can somebody fill me in on this? Complete fog in the Clouds on Interwebz?

See for yourself: https://www.shodan.io/domain/a69-192-139-25.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com   Or do you get other info there?

polonus (volunteer website error-hunter)

[polonus]

Now I get only one and the right hostname, when scanning:   
-a248.e.akamai.net
a69-192-139-25.deploy.static.akamaitechnologies.com

and -> NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID,
Perfectly OK because it is a non-public cloud-connection.

See: https://www.shodan.io/host/69.192.139.25
and: https://www.shodan.io/search?query=forum.avast.com

Just to get accustomed being in the Akamai cloud.

polonus

[DavidR]

Well the ultimate in this fiasco - after much flip flopping settings and browser restarts to get in. 

I started compiling a reply about just getting used to this and guess what, kicked out on my arse when I clicked Post.

So more wasted time and certainly not something I'm intending to get used to!

[polonus]

Also now able to get onto the forums also with my mobile (avast secure browser app).

I still haven't the greenest what played out last week and over the weekend.

And like Rundvleeskroket stated,
still Shakespeare's "Mum's the word" from Avast.

polonus

[DavidR]

The saga continues again this morning, lots of flip flopping the settings and browser restarts to get into the forum. 

Silence isn't golden it's a pain in the ar5e.

There just doesn't seem to be a specific setting that works all of the time without having to go through this settings and browser restarts flip flop pain.

[connorball1h2]

The saga continues again this morning, lots of flip flopping the settings and browser restarts to get into the forum. 

Silence isn't golden it's a pain in the ar5e.

There just doesn't seem to be a specific setting that works all of the time without having to go through this settings and browser restarts flip flop pain.

Could this be the update issue? Maybe its just something they do there and no one can get in, is there any information about the forum servers?