What to do when can't access certain website?

❗Please use this updated troubleshooting guide: 

Can't Access Certain Site - Find out Why and What to Do

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When a website is not accessible, here are a few ways they can be blocked

• Adblocker.  For example, some google search results from "shopping" may be blocked because they are ads. 
• Family mode.  
• Activity blocks configured inside the device view.
• Rules.
• Sometimes may not be related to Firewalla

STEP 1: Verify Firewalla is blocking

In Simple Mode:

• Tap on Devices
• Tap on the device that's having problems connecting
• Scroll to the bottom and turn off monitoring. 

If you are running DHCP mode, you may need to turn the internet off and on the device to have it acquire a new IP address.

• Try to access the website again.  If you still can't access it, the problem unlikely is with Firewalla.  Feel free to create a case here, we can help you to verify
• If you have access again, proceed to STEP 2 

STEP 2: Turn off "Ad Block" and check if you can access the website or not

STEP 3: Turn off "Family Protect" and check if you can access the website or not

STEP 4: Check rule name, delete or pause any rule that may be the problem one, and check if you can access the website or not.

Firewalla blocks data at the IP layer,  this is a very secure way of blocking, but ... due to how domains are mapped to IP addresses, it creates an ugly side effect.  For example, It is fully possible when you block a website, it may also block all other domains using the same IP address.  For example, shopping sites like Firewalla.com which is hosted on shoppify.com, when you block firewalla.com site, it will block likely 100k more shopping sites.  This is the same for many google services.

(We are working on a newer solution to help this ... )

So please be careful with blocks, they are extremely dangerous if you don't know what you are doing. (and at the same time, very powerful to lock out bad things)

STEP 5: Turn off "Active Protect" and check if you can access the website or not

STEP X: 

As of last resort, you can always reset the policies in the system to remove all blocks.  (this also reset VPN profile)

Settings->Advanced->Reset->Reset Policy Rules

Warning, this is the last resort solution.