Vintage Airstream Photo Archives Problem

[66Overlander]

I believe the Vintage Airstream Photo Archives (VAPA) are still "run" by the owners of AirForums, so I have to report a problem. For a few days I have been unable to access the VAPA (and all of its sub-pages) from my computer, using either the Firefox or Chrome browsers, but I have had no issues accessing the VAPA (and its sub-pages) from my Android phone (every page loads just fine).

When I click on this "Restoration Resources" link on my computer:


I get a "Forbidden" error message:


When I try to access the VAPA using a Google search results link such as this:


I get a "Not Found" error message:


Can any of the AirForums "powers that be" help me figure out why I cannot access this site from my computer, yet all works fine from my Android phone?

Thanks in advance!

[Belegedhel]

Works fine from my PC using Microsoft Edge as a browser.

You might also try just going directly to vintageairstream.com and skipping the link from Air Forums.

good luck!

[InsideOut]

Hey Joe, I've noticed the same intermittent problem for a 2-3 of weeks...the first couple of times I panicked! Now I just try back later...it would be a crying shame to lose this terrific resource!!!! Hope it's just a temporary server glitch...

Shari

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

Works fine from my PC using Microsoft Edge as a browser.

You might also try just going directly to vintageairstream.com and skipping the link from Air Forums.

good luck!

I just tried Edge on my computer and VAPA works using that browser. I got weened off from Microsoft browsers decades ago because of the security issues. Had never tried Edge before. Probably never will again.

SOOOOO, this seems to maybe be a Firefox/Chrome issue. Interestingly, I can see the VAPA using Chrome on my Android phone, but not using Chrome on my Windows computer.

I will note that Firefox forced an undesired update on me recently and that may have been when the VAPA stopped working, though I cannot be sure. My current version of Firefox is reported as:
92.0 (32-bit)

I do not typically use Chrome, so no idea when that stopped working. I have this version of Chrome on my computer:
Version 94.0.4606.61 (Official Build) (64-bit)

My version of Edge that does work with VAPA is reported as:
Version 93.0.961.52 (Official build) (64-bit)

[Belegedhel]

If the link works with a new, fresh browser, it could be that you just have some junk cluttering up your browser.

You might try doing the usual stuff to "reset" your browser, like clearing the cache and deleting the browsing history.

good luck!

[InsideOut]

FWIW, I use Safari & Chrome (remote access to the office server) at home on my iMac, FireFox & Chrome at the office on my PC and mostly Safari (occasionally Chrome) on my iPad when traveling - I really haven't paid attention to which I'm in when it fails...I rarely access VAPA on my iPhone (Safari) - too small to reference the pictures well. I just try back later.

Shari

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

If the link works with a new, fresh browser, it could be that you just have some junk cluttering up your browser.

You might try doing the usual stuff to "reset" your browser, like clearing the cache and deleting the browsing history.

good luck!

Thanks for the ideas. Clearing Firefox cache did not resolve, nor did restarting Firefox.

I never really use Chrome, so VAPA was a "fresh browser" as far as VAPA is concerned, just like Edge.

I do not have Safari on my computer.

[Rich W]

If I use MS Edge I get to the site but it tells me that it is not secure. (http://www.vintageairstream.com)

If I use Firefox or Chrome I get the Forbidden message and it has changed the URL to be https://www.vintageairstream.com

So using MS Edge you're allowed to access the unsecured site???

If you use the URL https://www.vintageairstream.com on MS Edge you get the Forbidden message.

[Belegedhel]

Maybe your security settings are just a bit too intense. Every site you look at on the internet isn't a secure site, which I figure is not a big deal if you are never putting in a password, making a purchase, sharing your information, etc.

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

Maybe your security settings are just a bit too intense. Every site you look at on the internet isn't a secure site, which I figure is not a big deal if you are never putting in a password, making a purchase, sharing your information, etc.

I have not changed a security setting in a long time. Certainly not when the VAPA issue arose. I wonder why two browsers are now apparently forcing an "s" into the url?

[Rich W]

I am able to view the site in my Chrome browser. If you cannot:

If you go into the Chrome browser Settings/Privacy and Security/Security and switch from Standard to No protection you should be able to see "not secure" sites.

In Firefox I am able to see my personal Not Secure site but not the vintage site. I would guess that your ISP provides a list of unsafe sites to block and perhaps the vintage site (or Airforums) is in that list.

Firefox has an "HTTPS Only" mode that can be changed. I have mine set to not force it, but it still won't let me get to the Vintage site.

I would also guess that the browser looks for a secure version of the not secure site and automatically adds the "s" to the end, but but secure site lacks any access, so you get the Unauthorized notice.

[66Overlander]

Even when I manually type the url, Firefox forces and "s" into it (i.e. "https" instead of "http") and then returns the "Forbidden" or "Not Found" error depending upon which VAPA page I try to access. I have Google searched this problem and can find no online solution to allow Firefox to access a "non-secure" (i.e. "http") website.

Can the VAPA pages be reconfigured to "secure" pages like the rest of AirForums is already is (i.e. "https" not "http")? I do not know what that entails, but it may be the only solution.

If someone knows how to force Firefox to access an unsecure "http" website, please explain in non-tech geek words. Thanks.

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by richw46

I am able to view the site in my Chrome browser. If you cannot:

If you go into the Chrome browser Settings/Privacy and Security/Security and switch from Standard to No protection you should be able to see "not secure" sites.

In Firefox I am able to see my personal Not Secure site but not the vintage site. I would guess that your ISP provides a list of unsafe sites to block and perhaps the vintage site (or Airforums) is in that list.

Firefox has an "HTTPS Only" mode that can be changed. I have mine set to not force it, but it still won't let me get to the Vintage site.

I would also guess that the browser looks for a secure version of the not secure site and automatically adds the "s" to the end, but but secure site lacks any access, so you get the Unauthorized notice.

Just saw this answer. "HTTPS Only mode" is NOT enabled in Firefox on my computer, but it says:
HTTPS-Only Mode
HTTPS provides a secure, encrypted connection between Firefox and the websites you visit. Most websites support HTTPS, and if HTTPS-Only Mode is enabled, then Firefox will upgrade all connections to HTTPS.

Looks like it is "upgrading to HTTPS" even when NOT enabled.

When I use my phone to access these pages, it is on the same wifi as my computer using the the same ISP host, so I don't see how that could be the issue. Also, I can see the VAPA on my computer using Edge, which seems to also refute the ISP idea unless there is some insidious interaction between ISP and browser that is way over my head.

[Rich W]

I'm still on Windows 7, don't know if that has anything to do with it. Only Firefox blocks me from VAPA. I can reach it on Chrome or Edge with the regular settings.

I tried VAPA on a newer desktop running Windows 10; same thing. Only Firefox blocks me.

Here's a site I can reach on Firefox that doesn't have the "s".

http://www.azaleaacresrvpark.com/home22222.html

[66Overlander]

Well, this evening I rebooted my computer. No help.

Then I enabled "HTTPS-Only Mode" in Firefox and entered an exception for "vintageairstream.com", which is then supposed to NOT force the "upgrade" to "https". That did not work either.


It seems that Firefox is actively trying to drive away it's long time loyal users. I pretty much hate all the changes they have made in recent versions.

Maybe it is time to investigate Safari. I have no interest in using the spyware known as Chrome or the security breach waiting to happen known as Edge.

Either that, or hopefully AirForums will upgrade the VAPA site to "https".

[66Overlander]

OK, I keep trying to troubleshoot this. I just "hotspotted" my phone and connected my computer to it. I got the same error messages, which proves that this has nothing to do with my home ISP and is instead some sort of VAPA website interaction with Firefox issue.

I was able to access the "non-https" website posted by richw46, sort of. With "HTTPS-Only Mode" disabled, after accepting the "non-secure" warning, it let me load the page, though it still changed the displayed url to "https". Interestingly, once I accepted the risk, I was able to access this page over and over again no matter whether I had "HTTPS-Only Mode" enabled or disabled. And I never entered an exception for that website either.

Computers are Voo Doo. Or was the Doo Doo?

I still vote to have the VAPA pages upgraded to HTTPS.

[Belegedhel]

The VAPA pages (AKA vintageairstream.com), are simply a link from the Air Forums to an outside, 3rd party site (vintageairstream.com), so I can't imagine Air Forums has any stroke at all in dictating whether vintageairstream.com uses HTTPS or not.

I think your problems are with either a security setting in the browser, or an over-arching setting in Windows, but, as you say, MS Edge will show the page, so I would say it is specifically a Firefox issue. Maybe try saving your bookmarks, then uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox.

good luck!

[InsideOut]

Originally Posted by Belegedhel

The VAPA pages (AKA vintageairstream.com), are simply a link from the Air Forums to an outside, 3rd party site (vintageairstream.com), so I can't imagine Air Forums has any stroke at all in dictating whether vintageairstream.com uses HTTPS or not.

Except, I believe, AirForums now hosts/maintains the site - not R.J. Dial who started it years ago.

Shari

[Janet H]

Thanks for the reports - the underlying issue is http vs. https. I believe we've gotten this fixed

[66Overlander]

Originally Posted by Janet H

Thanks for the reports - the underlying issue is http vs. https. I believe we've gotten this fixed

Yeah! VAPA works with Firefox again, this time as an "https" page!!!

Thank you so much to the AirForums team for getting this fixed!