Harringay online

Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

Harringay Online blocked by McAfee firewall settings

I've had a few emails, tweets and HoL messages over the past few days from people saying they're unable to access HoL. 

Thanks to Mark and Justin, we seem to have tracked down an issue with McAfee security software. In both these two cases the McAfee firewall settings had blocked access to HoL (How dare it! I shall be writing to McAfee immediately!).

For anyone else having this issue, Justin kindly sent me some advice and a screen shot of what he needed to do to get past his firewall. 

Justin said:

McAfee has obviously decided that HOL is a “risky” site all of a sudden. (We're not risky. Don't worry. We're hosted by one of the world's largest media companies - and no, it's not the same crew who run Hobbo Hotel - Hugh).

Here’s a screen shot from McAfee help, which tells you how to tell McAfee to allow access to HOL.  Before following these instructions, anyone having these problems needs to attempt to access HOL via their browser so that it is the latest event in the list of blocked connections.  (The Home Page these instructions refer to is the Home Page of the McAfee program, not the web home page.)

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I've just checked HoL on McAfee's site advisor service and this is how we rate:

I've just read the following from elsewhere on the web (USA):

IP address 208.82.16.168 was being blocked by McAfee and allowing it enabled my site to be accessed again. No idea why that IP address.


And a reply in the same thread:

I had to open McAfee Internet Security, click Navigation, then Firewall, then NetGuard, then edit IP Address 208.82.16.168 and allow it. Thanks to pdanson for mentioning that IP Address in a reply here.

 

Had probs accessing HoL at Haringey libraries because it has ......gay......  in the search title. Also blocked accessing perfectly safe chess websites (website blocked - gaming website).

You're joking about the gay thing, right? Even Clive Carter wouldn't think that of the Council! (Gentle ribbing, Clive).

Unfortunately it's true. A friend who works there said she has had to use the staff log in to override when a customer wanted to get into the Gay's the Word bookshop site and Lesbian and Gay Switchboard for advice. Not just Haringey though, I've heard of similar problems in Camden libraries too so I don't think it's uncommon.

Waaaaat?? Has your friend asked why? I've just called the press office to check if this is true and if so why. They'll let us know what's up.

I suppose it's a hang over from the days where blocking individual websites was difficult so they used a list of "banned" words.

Well, if that proves to be the case, let's see if we can't get it unbanned!

Wow, I knew McAfee was crappy bloatware but never knew it was homophobic as well. Why should the word "gay" be considered a naughty word?!

Slightly connected, when I sent a friend an email about going to watch some football in Scunthorpe (v Port Vale in the cup a few years back), he had an automated ticking off by HR. He had to explain in person to HR there was no swear word, daft!

Why machines shouldn't judge on profanity http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scunthorpe_problem

I worked in a firm which had a profanity checker on its internal email and it flagged every mention of the word Arsenal.

A little box would come up and say "You appear to be using an inappropriate word in the email. Are you sure you wish to continue?"

I need tried Scunthorpe but presumably the same issue would occur with that.

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