MSNBC gives problems when using host file

September 3, 2001 3:26 AM

I use a hosts file because it speeds up browsing so much when connecting with a modem. For quite a while I have noticed that MSNBC gives problems unless I disable the hosts file. It's not a reliably repeatable problem and after a successful visit subsequent visits usually give no problems. [A cookie perhaps?]

Are they deliberately attempting to block people like me, or is it a side effect of all their pop up trickery?
posted by southisup to General Weblog-Related at 3:26 AM (3 comments total)

skallas' hosts file hack works fine for me, and I can read msnbc alright.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:51 AM on September 3, 2001

I'm sure it's a result of load-balancing on the MSNBC server farm, southisup. They must have dozens, if not hundreds, of servers (and thus IP addresses). I just tried to resolve www.msnbc.com twice in a row and got different IPs.
posted by dhartung at 10:20 PM on September 3, 2001

dhartung probably has it right, although a hostname having more than one IP won't affect a hosts file really (you specify the hostname, not the IP address in a hosts file).

there are other sites out there with lists of ad servers that you might like to try.
posted by mis at 7:05 AM on September 6, 2001