Forum Rules - Formats - Spotlights  -  Home - Library - New Additions

Downloads Redirecting

alexreiteralexreiter
edited June 2016 in Site Issues
When I try to download any file, it brings up the servers and I click on one and it acts like it will work, but even if I click on the link, it automatically redirects me to the library without downloading anything.

Comments

  • thinkpadmanthinkpadman
    That's odd. I gave it a try, and downloading Adobe Illustrator no problem.
  • DuffDuff
    I also just randomly tested a few files from Mirror 1 and 3 without a problem. Which file are you trying to download, and from which server?
  • alexreiteralexreiter
    If I try to download any OS, that happens. Pretty much anything from server 1 or 3 does not work. I did find a few files from server 2 and those work. It seems I can't download from 1 or 3. I also tried using different browsers and my Android tablet to no avail.
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Does it redirect immediately when you click on the "Mirror #.." link?

    In that case, perhaps try clearing your browser "cookies", and try logging back on to winworld.

    If instead it is getting past the mirror page to the direct download page, then try copying the linked URL to the clipboard, then paste directly in to your browser and see what it says.
  • DuffDuff
    I'm guessing this has something to do with our anti-hotlink script, as it's present on Mirror 1 and 3 but not Mirror 2 as Rioter has been busy and we haven't had the opportunity to sync it up with the other mirrors.

    When you request a file from a mirror, the request is processed through nginx/PHP to ensure it's not some jackass hot-linking our files. Do a Google search for one of the download server URLs and note the number of websites with (mostly now broken) direct links to downloads.

    I'll skim the PHP file and nginx logs to see if I can find anything pointing to the problem, in the interm try SomeGuy's suggestions.
  • alexreiteralexreiter
    I tries all of the above suggestions and still only mirror 2 links work. I remember using Mirror 1 links when I first found this site (Late 2013) and they worked fine. P.S. What happened the old design?
  • DuffDuff
    The old site design was outdated and lacked the functionality we needed to keep making updates to the library.

    I simply can't replicate the issue you're describing. I've tried in several browsers on different files without any difficulty.

    The only thing I can think of is that something is stripping data that should be passed to the anti-hotlink script to verify it's a valid download. Are you using any super-privacy browser addons or the like that could be stripping said data?
  • stitchstitch
    According to a quick google search your ISP does this thing called carrier level NAT. This is something that's used for allowing multiple subscribers to use a single public routable IP address. I also see evidence they try to shove a significant amount of traffic through a web proxy.

    Both of these factors can cause your IP address as presented to us in the route to change between when you make the request from our site and then make the request from the download servers. The system in place expects these two requests to be from the same IP address and browser. When this is not the case you get redirected over to our /library instead.

    Long story short this is not going to change because your ISP wants to utilize carrier level NAT and proxying. The vast majority of ISPs in the modern world (which you're a part of) do not practice this and if they do they usually make sure you have a common endpoint IP for at least a few hours. I do not think it's unrealistic for a user's ISP to present me with the user on the same IP address which ultimately means I will not be putting in any workarounds for your ISP.

    tl;dr move to a new ISP.
  • Mousy54Mousy54
    Had the same issue with a few on the files (most work just fine). This is the last file I tried to download. "Microsoft DOS 2.11 [AT&T OEM] (5.25).7z". Mirror 3 and Mirror 1 brings me back to the library page. Mirror 2 proceeds to the download page normally.

    BTW: this file and the "Microsoft DOS 2.11 [AT&T OEM r2.0] (5.25).7z" version have the same files within the disk image. Once I defragment in WiinImage, the only difference is the bootsector ID, which is changed only when you open the disk/disk image in Windows 95 without the write protect tab on..

    Also ever since the update when I download a file, my virus scanner has a popup stating that access to the page was blocked because the certificate has been revoked *.chitka.net.. Everything stills seems to work so I assume it is my scanner that is causing the issue. This happens whenever I click on any file to download.
  • stitchstitch
    Mousy your ISP should *not* be using carrier level NAT so please detail the browser setups you have used to attempt the download. I am going to dispatch you a diagnostic link shortly via PM.
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Mousey, out of curiosity, does this download also redirect you?
    https://winworldpc.com/download/43E8BD0 ... 54D21A8599
  • Mousy54Mousy54
    stitch wrote:
    Mousy your ISP should *not* be using carrier level NAT so please detail the browser setups you have used to attempt the download. I am going to dispatch you a diagnostic link shortly via PM.

    ok, I'll take your word for that as I have no idea what NAT even is. My ISP did the settings when they installed all the hardware, so I don't even know where to find the NAT settings. (I looked around at the options and did not see anything).
    I'll wait for the diagnostic link and follow the instructions given then and go from there.
    Thanks for any help you provide.
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    Mousy54 wrote:
    stitch wrote:
    Mousy your ISP should *not* be using carrier level NAT so please detail the browser setups you have used to attempt the download. I am going to dispatch you a diagnostic link shortly via PM.

    ok, I'll take your word for that as I have no idea what NAT even is. My ISP did the settings when they installed all the hardware, so I don't even know where to find the NAT settings. (I looked around at the options and did not see anything).
    I'll wait for the diagnostic link and follow the instructions given then and go from there.
    Thanks for any help you provide.

    Put simply, NAT (Network Address Translation) is a technology that allows multiple computers with internal addresses to share a single external address.

    Most ISPs only allow their customers to have one external address (sometimes they allow 3 or 4 additional addresses, but no more than that usually) so you would be limited in the number of computers you could have online. To get around this, most customers utilize firewalls / routers which provide NAT and allow the router to use one external address and service many internal addresses.

    Carrier grade NAT is essentially the exact same thing just on a larger scale. It allows multiple customers to share the same external address thus freeing up external addresses for use elsewhere. The theory being that customers aren't supposed to be running any publicly available services and thus do not need to be directly addressable on the public internet. So they can use those addresses where they are needed more (usually their business / hosting customers).

    Why NAT at all? because the current version of IP (IPv4) has a limited address space and technology such as NAT allows us to extend its life. Eventually, we will have to upgrade everything to IPv6 which has a significantly larger address space, but adoption has been slow. It's been around since the mid '90s and so far we are only just now getting to the point where some ISPs are handing out IPv6 addresses.
  • BODBOD
    IPv6 will appear mass market about the same time as Linux makes it on the desktop.
  • calvinbcalvinb
    You know they're going to NAT6, to dump salt into wounds.
  • dosboxdosbox
    BOD wrote:
    IPv6 will appear mass market about the same time as Linux makes it on the desktop.

    No, more like when Half-life 3 comes out.

    And what is NAT6?
  • calvinbcalvinb
    Same NAT... except on IPv6.
  • Mousy54Mousy54
    SomeGuy wrote:
    Mousey, out of curiosity, does this download also redirect you?
    https://winworldpc.com/download/43E8BD0 ... 54D21A8599

    This works just fine]. It brings me to the download page.
  • BlueSunBlueSun
    NAT is a necessary evil. Can you imagine having to re-address your entire network every time your ISP changed?
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    The redirection is actually due to anything with an "&" in the filename.

    Other examples where this happens:
    https://winworldpc.com/download/4615B73 ... 54D21A8599
    https://winworldpc.com/download/4906865 ... 54D21A8599
    https://winworldpc.com/download/4061DCD ... 54D21A8599
  • Mousy54Mousy54
    I was really wondering if it was NAT, why did it only cause issues on very few downloads. Now that you mention the & sign, that could make sense.
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Balls. I just noticed that this also affects downloads with the "+" symbols in them, such as Borland C++.

    Trying to download these from mirrors 1 or 3 fails and redirects to the library page, but mirror 2 works OK if the download is on Mirror 2.
  • YonicYonic
    I have the same issue. Every mirror links currently available (1 and 2) which I tested redirect me directly to the library page, without displaying the "Thank you for downloading" page.

    I've tested with the following links on Firefox 40.0.3 (with default settings):
    Windows 2.11 386 (3.5)
    Windows 2.01 385 (5.25)
    Windows 3.0 Retail

    I tried clearing cookies, but the issue persists.

    Could it be because of the carrier level NAT?
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    Yonic wrote:
    I've tested with the following links on Firefox 40.0.3 (with default settings):
    Windows 2.11 386 (3.5)
    Windows 2.01 385 (5.25)
    Windows 3.0 Retail
    These downloads work for me, so it probably is something at your end. Are there any download links that do work for you?
  • Mousy54Mousy54
    SomeGuy wrote:
    Yonic wrote:
    I've tested with the following links on Firefox 40.0.3 (with default settings):
    Windows 2.11 386 (3.5)
    Windows 2.01 385 (5.25)
    Windows 3.0 Retail
    These downloads work for me, so it probably is something at your end. Are there any download links that do work for you?

    These worked fine for me also.
  • DaleDale
    Sorry to add this but, I have tried a couple of downloads but get the same. The above does not work for me, 2 laptops different setups different networks no joy. Also does not work on the company network using a company PC (everting else does). The following items I am having issues with are the following.

    Borland C++

    Borland C++ 4.5 (CD)
    Borland C++ 4.0 (CD)

    Not sure how this is a problem at my end.
  • ibmpc5150ibmpc5150
    1) IBM Personal Computer BASIC Compiler 1.00 (1982) (5.25-160k) version 1.00

    https://winworldpc.com/download/2A5AB5F ... 5400B25447


    2) ZSoft PC Paintbrush IV Plus (5.25-360kb) (3.5-720kb) version IV Plus

    https://winworldpc.com/download/749F328 ... 5400B25447


    3) Zenith MS-DOS Version 2 Progammers Utility Pack [Zenith Z100 and Z100 PC] Manuals

    https://winworldpc.com/download/7E11E70 ... 5400B25447


    4) Sign-Master 5.11 (5.25-360kb) version 5.11

    https://winworldpc.com/download/6CF6A31 ... 5400B25447


    5) Peachtree Inventory Management (1983-12-15) [Zenith OEM] (5.25-360k) version

    https://winworldpc.com/download/6993867 ... 5400B25447


    No download is available. (They can't be downloaded from all servers.)
    I think file name seems to be different from link or no file exists on server.
  • SomeGuySomeGuy
    I'm not sure what when wrong there, but it looks like one of my batch uploads failed to make it to the mirror but were registered as present anyway.

    I've repushed all of the files that were in that batch, which includes the ones you linked to above. If you see any others that have issues, please let me know.
  • ibmpc5150ibmpc5150
    @SomeGuy

    At now, all downloads have no problem, thanks very much!
Sign In or Register to comment.