Cannot access 4oD
 

Hi chaps,

Firstly apologies if this is in the wrong section.

I'm an ex NTL customer, now Virgin Media, attached via cable modem. Whenever I try to access the programmes at channel4.com/4od I get the same error: "The Service is not currently available in your area".

I'm in East London.

Now, BBC iPlayer and ITV.com both pick up my geography correctly.

I've also checked with Quova.com, as I believe that Channel 4 uses them for geolocation. It puts me in the right place.

I had an e-mail back-and forth with 4oD support, their e-mail said:

Now the thing is, I'm not using anonymiser software. I ran a Tor relay for about 1 week in July following the Iranian election to try and help the guys there, but that's it. Nothing of that sort has run for 4 months now. No proxies are set, nothing - and, Quova spots me fine.

I told the good people at 4oD support this and asked for further guidance but received no reply, despite a couple of prompts over the last two months.

So I'm wondering - has anyone else had similar problems? And has anyone found a way to fix the issue.

Many thanks

Chris.

Re: Cannot access 4oD
 

If it helps, the forum software is showing your IP correctly (which it wouldn't if you were using an anonymous proxy or if you were going through a TOR relay)..

The DNS name also shows you are in London (it actually shows which part of London, but for obvious reasons, I will not be revealing that).

Is it possible that Channel 4 have blocked your IP for some reason?

:welcome: to the forum, BTW.

Re: Cannot access 4oD
 

I suppose it's possible that I'm blocked. But I've just been racking my brains and I can't think of any reason why I would have been. My e-mails were horribly polite and it's not like I've ever mooned in a Right to Reply booth with my IP address tattooed on my buttocks.

... at least, not that I recall.

Thanks for the welcome

Chris

Re: Cannot access 4oD
 

It might be that the previous user of your IP was a little naughty. Virgin's IPs don't change often, but they do change.

---------- Post added at 23:56 ---------- Previous post was at 23:50 ----------

Try changing the MAC address of the device attached to the Modem (be it your PC or a router) and rebooting the modem. That should get you a new IP.

Re: Cannot access 4oD
 

The only sure fire way is to change the MAC of the router and reboot the modem. The switch off for n days method only works if someone takes your IP while your modem is off (which may or may not happen).

Re: Cannot access 4oD
 

I am now the proud owner of a new IP address. And what do you know, 4oD now works again.

Thank you Stuart for your help, and for burning the midnight oil.

Chris