Can't connect to dropbox.com

[deanb2]

When using Shaw internet, I can't connect to dropbox.com (web page or app) or darcyranchgolf.com.

If I use a VPN, then I can connect to both no problem.

IP's are the same whether connected to VPN or not, so DNS is not an issue.
Tracert works with VPN or no VPN

[mdk]

@deanb2 -- the Internet is a "mesh", like the majo & minor roads in Saskatchewan.

So, if your computer is not using VPN, your connection attempt to DROPBOX's server probably go through Shaw's "backbone" route between Vancouver BC and Seattle Washington, and your connection attempt to DarcyRanchGolf's web-site, which is in Detroit, Michigan, will take some path. Note that the golf-course is in Canada, but their web-site is in Detroit.

When your computer is using VPN, your traffic goes to the VPN-server, and a "trace-route" will show the path from the VPN server to those web-sites, which could be significantly different.

So, without the log-files from the trace-routes, it is difficult to tell if one "path" was temporarily unavailable -- both sites are now accessible to me.

[deanb2]

Thanks, I am very well aware of how the internet and VPNs work.

dropbox has not worked for me for years, darcyranchgolf I noticed maybe last year.
Using a VPN show me that the path from Shaw is somehow incorrect, or that something is blocking the http/https traffic.
For both, I can see the SYN going to port 443 or 80, but no ACK

Tracing route to dropbox.com [162.125.248.18]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 3 ms 3 ms 3 ms 192.168.80.1
2 234 ms 14 ms 13 ms 70.77.0.1
3 14 ms 15 ms 17 ms rc3so-be116-1.cg.shawcable.net [64.59.134.129]
4 15 ms 13 ms 13 ms 24.244.57.185
5 15 ms 14 ms 13 ms 24.244.57.25
6 16 ms 15 ms 14 ms rc3so-be214.cg.shawcable.net [24.244.57.21]
7 41 ms 35 ms 35 ms rc1wt-be82.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.76.9]
8 35 ms 34 ms 31 ms rc2wt-be18-1.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.64.82]
9 * * 31 ms rx0wt-google.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.68.50]
10 32 ms 31 ms 38 ms ae1-sea2-ea01.net.dropbox.com [108.160.174.139]
11 33 ms 33 ms 32 ms 162.125.248.18

Trace complete.

Tracing route to darcyranchgolf.com [66.198.240.9]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 3 ms 3 ms 4 ms 192.168.80.1
2 13 ms 16 ms 16 ms 70.77.0.1
3 12 ms 14 ms 10 ms rc3so-be116-1.cg.shawcable.net [64.59.134.129]
4 91 ms 14 ms 15 ms 24.244.57.185
5 15 ms 15 ms 15 ms 24.244.57.25
6 12 ms 14 ms 15 ms rc3so-be214.cg.shawcable.net [24.244.57.21]
7 67 ms 76 ms 41 ms rc1wt-be82.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.76.9]
8 * 38 ms 35 ms sea-b2-link.ip.twelve99.net [213.248.67.224]
9 79 ms 75 ms 73 ms det-b1-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.141.223]
10 73 ms 74 ms 71 ms det-b1-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.141.223]
11 69 ms 71 ms 69 ms a2hosting-ic-332169-det-b1.ip.twelve99-cust.net [213.248.83.253]
12 187 ms 71 ms 69 ms te13-1.r1.mi3.a2webhosting.com [75.98.175.253]
13 73 ms 70 ms 72 ms ssr15.supercp.com [66.198.240.9]

Trace complete.

[deanb2]

Thanks, I am very well aware of how the internet and VPNs work.
And it is nowhere as well laid out as the grid road system of Saskatchewan 😉

dropbox has not worked for me for years, darcyranchgolf I noticed maybe last year.
Using a VPN shows me that the path from Shaw is somehow incorrect, or that something is blocking the http/https traffic.
For both, I can see the SYN going to port 443 or 80, but no ACK

Tracing route to dropbox.com [162.125.248.18]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 3 ms 3 ms 3 ms 192.168.80.1
2 234 ms 14 ms 13 ms 70.77.0.1
3 14 ms 15 ms 17 ms rc3so-be116-1.cg.shawcable.net [64.59.134.129]
4 15 ms 13 ms 13 ms 24.244.57.185
5 15 ms 14 ms 13 ms 24.244.57.25
6 16 ms 15 ms 14 ms rc3so-be214.cg.shawcable.net [24.244.57.21]
7 41 ms 35 ms 35 ms rc1wt-be82.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.76.9]
8 35 ms 34 ms 31 ms rc2wt-be18-1.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.64.82]
9 * * 31 ms rx0wt-google.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.68.50]
10 32 ms 31 ms 38 ms ae1-sea2-ea01.net.dropbox.com [108.160.174.139]
11 33 ms 33 ms 32 ms 162.125.248.18

Trace complete.

Tracing route to darcyranchgolf.com [66.198.240.9]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 3 ms 3 ms 4 ms 192.168.80.1
2 13 ms 16 ms 16 ms 70.77.0.1
3 12 ms 14 ms 10 ms rc3so-be116-1.cg.shawcable.net [64.59.134.129]
4 91 ms 14 ms 15 ms 24.244.57.185
5 15 ms 15 ms 15 ms 24.244.57.25
6 12 ms 14 ms 15 ms rc3so-be214.cg.shawcable.net [24.244.57.21]
7 67 ms 76 ms 41 ms rc1wt-be82.wa.shawcable.net [66.163.76.9]
8 * 38 ms 35 ms sea-b2-link.ip.twelve99.net [213.248.67.224]
9 79 ms 75 ms 73 ms det-b1-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.141.223]
10 73 ms 74 ms 71 ms det-b1-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.141.223]
11 69 ms 71 ms 69 ms a2hosting-ic-332169-det-b1.ip.twelve99-cust.net [213.248.83.253]
12 187 ms 71 ms 69 ms te13-1.r1.mi3.a2webhosting.com [75.98.175.253]
13 73 ms 70 ms 72 ms ssr15.supercp.com [66.198.240.9]

Trace complete.

On VPN

Tracing route to darcyranchgolf.com [66.198.240.9]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 * 25 ms 23 ms 10.5.0.1
2 28 ms 23 ms 24 ms 66.115.147.254
3 28 ms 26 ms 23 ms 104.200.132.142
4 27 ms 25 ms 33 ms te0-3-1-4.nr51.b049936-1.yvr01.atlas.cogentco.com [38.142.1.225]
5 31 ms 24 ms 31 ms be3702.rcr21.yvr01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.24.61.69]
6 38 ms 29 ms 33 ms be3238.ccr21.sea02.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.1.5]
7 47 ms 47 ms 47 ms be2085.ccr21.slc01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.2.198]
8 62 ms 63 ms 63 ms be3037.ccr21.den01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.41.146]
9 72 ms 72 ms 70 ms be3035.ccr21.mci01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.5.90]
10 88 ms 85 ms 85 ms be2831.ccr41.ord01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.42.166]
11 90 ms 87 ms 90 ms be2128.rcr51.tol01.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.82.214]
12 92 ms 91 ms 88 ms be2123.rcr21.dtw04.atlas.cogentco.com [154.54.82.138]
13 90 ms 91 ms 89 ms 38.142.132.58
14 93 ms 93 ms 89 ms te3-5.R2.MI3.a2webhosting.com [75.98.175.255]
15 92 ms 89 ms 90 ms ssr15.supercp.com [66.198.240.9]

Trace complete.

[mdk]

@deanb2 -- could it be some "Internet Security" package on your computer that is blocking the incoming HTTP/HTTPS traffic?

Or, is your computer configured to use Shaw's proxy-servers?

Or, something in the Shaw cable-modem that blocks those sites?  Maybe, a "factory reset" of the modem (and then recreate its WiFi setup ) ?

Or, do you have a smart-phone with a built-in web-browser that you can try? Note that Microsoft Edge now is an app for the iPhone.

Or, if a friend brings their notebook computer to your home, and connects (wired or wireless) to your cable-modem, can their computer access those sites?

Or, if you or your friend connect a notebook computer or smart-phone to any ShawOpen or ShawGo WiFi access-point, can that device access those sites?