Home connection suddently stopped working on certain websites

Troubleshooting Sudden Connectivity Issues with Specific Websites on Your Home Network

Experiencing sudden connectivity problems with certain websites can be both frustrating and disruptive, especially when it affects your daily online activities. If you’ve noticed that particular platforms such as Twitter (formerly known as X) and LinkedIn are not functioning properly on your home network, you’re not alone. This article explores common causes of such issues and offers practical solutions to help restore normal access.

Understanding the Problem

Many users report that specific websites or applications become intermittently unreachable or fail to load entirely. Common symptoms include:

• Platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn working sporadically or not at all.
• Accessing these platforms via VPN remains functional, suggesting the problem is network-specific.
• On the same network, some devices or browsers experience timeouts or error messages such as ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT.

In certain cases, the problem affects all devices and browsers connected to the home network, indicating a network or ISP-related issue rather than a device-specific one.

Potential Causes

Several factors could contribute to these connectivity issues:

1. ISP-Level Restrictions or Throttling
   Internet Service Providers (ISPs) sometimes implement restrictions or throttling that affect certain domains or services.

2. Network Configuration Problems
   DNS issues, incorrect router settings, or outdated firmware can interfere with website resolution.

3. Firewall or Security Settings
   Overly strict firewall rules or security software might block access to specific domains.

4. Regional Blocks or Censorship
   In some regions, certain platforms may be restricted, although this is less common in more open markets.

Steps to Diagnose and Resolve

Here are some steps to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue:

1. Verify Connectivity on Multiple Devices and Browsers

Test access on different devices and browsers to determine if the problem is widespread.

2. Use a VPN or Proxy

As you’ve observed, VPN access remains unaffected. Using a VPN can temporarily bypass network restrictions or filtering.

3. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Old cache data can cause loading issues. Clearing cache may resolve loading errors.

4. Check DNS Settings

Switch to public DNS servers such as Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) to improve domain resolution.

5. Restart Your Router and Modem