Tech Support: How to log in during FreeRepublic DNS problem (3 easy steps on Windows)

FreeRepublic | 4/5/2016 | Self

[20yearsofinternet]

So I noticed a bunch of people have been able to find the trick to getting to FR using the IP in their browser, but can't log in.

Here's a step-by-step guide for Windows on how to log in. NOTE: You need to be an administrator on your machine. You don't have to do anything scary, but you need admin privileges to do the following simple task in step 1.

Step 1: Open Notepad as Administrator

Navigate to Notepad. If you don't have a shortcut handy you can just click the Windows Start button (or in Windows 8+ just press the Windows key) and start typing notepad and it will show as the result. Right-click on it and choose run as administrator.



NOTE: If "run as administrator" is not an option, you aren't an administrator and can't make this change. Sorry!

Step 2: Open hosts file

Once notepad is open, choose to open a file, and then navigate to the path depicted in the screenshot. BE SURE TO CHANGE THE DROPDOWN TO ALL FILES! Open the file called simply "hosts".

Step 3: Add FreeRepublic

Add the IP and domain. Note: You should use the TAB key to create the space between the IP and the domain. If there are other entries in your file, just add the line as depicted in the screenshot at the bottom on its own line. Make sure you DON'T start the line with the # symbol (it's used to "comment out" all the other text in the file).

Then save the file and close notepad.

Step 4: Go to FreeRepublic

For good measure, close and re-open your browser. FR should now load fine and you'll be able to login.

Should there ever be notice that the problem is fixed, just repeat the steps and delete the line you added.

Happy FReeping!

[CaptainPhilFan]

Hooray for you!!!! AND I learned something useful!

If you ever flame me remind me I owe you. :)

Thanks so much for great instructions.

[eyeamok]

I figured it out early this morning, but thank you.

[Reeses]

Is this what is fundamentally screwed up?

Yes, I think so. The registrar gkg.net put the domain on hold and won't allow changes until their grievance is resolved.

[snarkpup]

The registrar gkg.net put the domain on hold and won't allow changes until their grievance is resolved.

It looks like it doesn't expire for several months. As I mentioned yesterday, a couple of my sites got hit with what the ISPs decribed as an ICANN mistake. They thought the sites were orphans and zapped their DNS entries to see if anyone complained. I complained and it was fixed. Curiouser and curiouser.

[TomGuy]

“But 20yearsofinternet,” you might ask, “why don’t we just add stuff to the host file all the time?”

Under XP, I had an edited HOSTS file that excluded a massive number of ad websites. The file worked pretty good to keep a lot of the crap off webpages.

[Jim Noble]

Right now, FR works on my iPhone on Verizon but not WiFi, on my iPad on ATT LTE but not WiFi, and not on 3 Macs, all on the same home network.

Looks like my ISP but not VZW or ATT has it blocked.

[IronJack]

Immensely helpful. You've won the FR Good Samaritan Medal.

By the way, I just tried 10 different free DNS servers and not one of them could translate www.freerepublic.com to its IP address.

This is NOT just a random occurrence. I can't fathom how NO DNS provider recognizes the FR URL.

[Iscool]

Perfect...This is my 2nd go at it...The first time after following other instructions I stuck in the # and used the spacebar instead of the tab button...

I now went back and corrected those errors and here I am...Thank you and all those who have contributed to solve this annoying problem...

[Abigail Adams]

Thanks!

[Intolerant in NJ]

Bump because just a half hour ago my Verizon supposedly-enhanced internet was claiming it “couldn’t find” Free Republic, even though one of the alternatives it offered to try instead was Free Republic - now all seems fine - maybe if I can understand this info it’ll help in the future should Verizon lose FR again....

[20yearsofinternet]

According to JimRob, the problem is fixed now.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3417748/posts

Sometimes DNS changes can take up to a day to propagate across the web, so I *personally*, from experience, wouldn’t say everyone is guaranteed to see it working just yet. But, the big boss has spoken and all should be right with the world soon, if not immediately.

Anyone just now finding this post (possibly from the FB page) might want to re-check the regular www.freerepublic.com link, and/or disregard this post and just wait for it to start working normally.

[JOPO]

The procedure for editing the hosts file in Mac is here:
https://www.ihash.eu/2015/09/how-to-edit-hosts-file-in-mac-os-x-10-11-el-capitan/

[SWAMPSNIPER]

I only remember logging in 3 times in 13 years.

[Swordmaker]

Any thought as regards Macs? I had trouble signing in last week but finally cleared things out and am back on FR. Yesterday I had a quirk where one line of html in a list of links I was posting would not link, no matter what I did. Finally I eliminated that line, and the problem simply moved to the next link in the post. Creepy!

I was unable to get connection that would allow a log-on from 12:33 AM this morning on Comcast or ATT wireless on any of my devices. My Girlfriend's Verizon was out even earlier. None of the DNS fixes solved anything in my location for any of the devices, so I couldn't answer until the DNS resolution system came back up and I could once again log in. The problem seemed to be very sporadic and dependent on geographic area more than it did carrier.

[Albion Wilde]

I had this happen a week or two ago, where I just couldn’t log in. Or I would log in, I would then hit “Continue” and then it would take me back to the log in page, over and over. Or, I would finally log in and would be on a thread, try to post something, and it would log off instead and I lost all my post.

I cleared the caches and turned off AdBlocker, and was able to log back in, but it was hours later. Then I had it happen again sporadically over a couple of days, but since then it’s been okay. I wonder if it’s a virus.

[SunkenCiv]

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/
http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/mac/

[Stormy_2021]

I'm still betting Homosexual hacker or administrator somewhere.

Yep...
I hear they can also turn your Whole Milk into Skim just by winking...
Watch your cows everyone...

[DiogenesLamp]

Yep... I hear they can also turn your Whole Milk into Skim just by winking... Watch your cows everyone...

Your flippant response indicates you have little or no understanding of the History of Homosexual activism in America.

I also don't think you are interested in learning about it, so I won't bother you with mentioning what they have done in the US in General, and to me in particular.

They don't have normal boundaries. They just don't.