OMG! ATS is OFFLINE!!!

Well, maybe not. You probably wouldn’t be reading this if that were true.

The first time (OK, the first 9 times) this happened to me, I thought that TPTB had finally taken ATS off line for exposing too much of the truth.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/c410633a3c61.png[/atsimg]

Then, about an hour or so later, I was able to load up the page again and was shocked to NOT see dozens of threads up raving about the NSA shutting down ATS. After it happened a few times and I saw that there was no reaction here at ATS, I kinda figured it must be something wrong with my connection here at home.

This has been happening to me on a regular basis and its really pissing me off. It usually happens after I try to star or flag a post. I have tried closing my internet browser (Internet Explorer), disconnecting and then reconnecting to the internet server (borrowed Wi-Fi from the restaurant downstairs (yay, free internet)), clearing my internet cookies and, if I get desperate, shutting down and restarting my computer, usually with no success. Usually, its only time that solves this problem.

I have normal internet access to all my other internet sites and its only ATS that this happens to for me.

Am I the only one having this problem or have other members experienced this problem? Is some evil alphabet agency randomly shutting down member access to ATS?

Can anyone tell me how to fix this so I don’t have to live in fear of being cut off from ATS in the middle of a really good argument?

I had a problem with freezing and offline pages with the new version of Firefox, but I just started using Chrome until they fix it.

Only today i keep getting the ATS 404 error message on some thread that previously i had no problems with. im using a mobile phone but that cant be the reason as I can access most other threads using it. I tried again three minutes ago but no luck. I have even tried different browsers such as Opera and BOLT but no luck either. I reckon Gremlins are to blame.

I don't know if it is universal but my Avast antivirus recently decided to start refusing to load ATS. I had to remove it and reinstall it. Problem solved.

Thus is could be a firewall / AV issue.

Originally posted by Tindalos2013
Only today i keep getting the ATS 404 error message on some thread that previously i had no problems with. im using a mobile phone but that cant be the reason as I can access most other threads using it. I tried again three minutes ago but no luck. I have even tried different browsers such as Opera and BOLT but no luck either. I reckon Gremlins are to blame.

The ATS 404 error message usually means the mods shut down and deleted a thread, usually because of some T&C violation or because the debating got too violent.

Nothing to do with TPTB in your case.

Originally posted by Hefficide

I don't know if it is universal but my Avast antivirus recently decided to start refusing to load ATS. I had to remove it and reinstall it. Problem solved.

Thus is could be a firewall / AV issue.

I use Kasperski antivirus.

I have different anti-virus progams on my other computers in the house and it usually affects all of them but, every once and a while, I can get by it by changing computers. Lately, changing computers hasn't worked for me.

reply to post by FortAnthem


I told them, those ATS members on this particular thread, to stop flaming but I guess they did not heed my warnings. I posted some informative links too in the hope of steering some rationaliry to the thread. In case you are wondering which thread, it was about the OP indicating the sexualization of children in the fashion and media industries.

The only issue I've had with ATS is when I open a thread in a new tab (with firefox) the page's background will load, as well as the menu bar at the top of the page, but nothing else will load. It will just sit there like that forever and I usually have to close it and go find the thread again to open it.

Seems to happen a few times a day, but it's not a huge issue.

That, and I keep getting the stupid "your computer has been infected" virus from visiting ATS. Does anybody actually fall for that and think it's really their antivirus software finding a threat?

Today has been fine, but the two days previously I received numerous "server not found" errors.

Originally posted by searching4truth
Today has been fine, but the two days previously I received numerous "server not found" errors.

"Server not found" or "webpage not found" like in my picture?

If its a "server not found" error, you probably have a problem with your internet provider.

Originally posted by FortAnthem

Originally posted by searching4truth
Today has been fine, but the two days previously I received numerous "server not found" errors.

"Server not found" or "webpage not found" like in my picture?

If its a "server not found" error, you probably have a problem with your internet provider.

Nope, no internet problems it only happened on ats when trying to move from one thread to another. When ats would reload, it would be "off" somehow the alignment wasn't normal nor were the colors. I was thinking maybe the owners or whoever were changing things up again, but no.

reply to post by searching4truth


Are you talking about when there are no pics for the avatars, only the little box with the X in it and, instead of the colored userbar up top there are only little blocky boxes and it seems like any type of image or graphic doesn't work? It looks like crap when that happens but, you can at least still navigate the site and make posts.

I get that once in a while too. In fact, it happened about an hour before I got that error message for a few minutes .


I always thought it was caused by site maintenance as well but, maybe its related to my problem.

reply to post by FortAnthem


That's correct there were no pics or avatars, also the thread titles were underlined like a hyperlink instead of the normal bold links, it's like ats was running on basic which is why assumed some sort of site maintenance.

Trust me, if TPTB wanted to shut it down....they would. Nuff said. If they wanted to send this country into a collapse, they could have it done by 5pm today...Sad reality to face that they have that much power...

I'm giving this thread a bump in the hopes that sombody on the day shift might have a solution to my problem.

It seems that, for some reason, my internet server cannot recognize or connect to the ATS website. It happens even when I switch to another computer in the house with different security software. Is this a glitch in my computers, in my internet service, or maybe TPTB trying to keep me uninformed?

-A virus. even with kaspersky, you can get them. stop using IE it much much safer to use other browsers, firefox 4.0 is now here. use that

-your router, restart it, check that you are online on your routers page.

Originally posted by MR BOB


-A virus. even with kaspersky, you can get them. stop using IE it much much safer to use other browsers, firefox 4.0 is now here. use that

-your router, restart it, check that you are online on your routers page.

I'll have to try uploading firefox onto one of my computers. If it happens again, I'll see if the computer with Firefox still has access.

I get my internet from the Wi-Fi downstairs and am able to access other websites when this happens so its probably not my internet router.

Thanks for the advice.

Originally posted by Hefficide

I don't know if it is universal but my Avast antivirus recently decided to start refusing to load ATS. I had to remove it and reinstall it. Problem solved.

Thus is could be a firewall / AV issue.

Here is what I get on ATS:

www.siteadvisor.com/sites/abovetopsecret.com

I've had some issues with ad redirects, which could have been picked up anywhere and activated while on ATS, but since I have updated everything I have had NO problems.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by MR BOB


I switched over all my computers to Firefox 4.0 over a week ago and TPTB haven't booted me off of ATS since then, so your advice seems to be working.

If I had known about the automatic spell check feature, I would have switched a long time ago. Now I can get rid of the Google toolbar so I don't have to worry about them spying on me either.