Getting T-Mobile phones to go to gun and ammo related sites

[mazzgolf]

I don't know if anyone else has noticed this, but this has annoyed me to no end for a while now. I'm sure it annoys some of you. I only just now figured out how to fix it.

If you have T-Mobile for your cell phone service, and you try to go to websites as innocent as RogersSportingGoods.com you get a message like this:

They block these websites from even being accessed because the website is categorized as "Weapons" ... unbelievable. It isn't just Rogers. I've seen OpenDNS blocking other sites that sell ammo as well as other hunting sporting goods stores.

In case this happens to you (it only happens when I'm on data-only - if I'm on WiFi at home, it doesn't use OpenDNS), you can change the DNS service that your phone uses (for those that don't know what that is - the DNS service is how computers know what another computer's actual address is when you type a name in your browser like "rogerssportinggoods.com" or "njwoodsandwater.com" - its basically the phone book/whitepages for computers). Anyway, I changed my Android phone so it doesn't use the T-Mobile's default DNS service (which is OpenDNS) - I switched to "dns.google" and now I can get to at least Rogers! You can read this for instructions if you are interested.

Anti-2A / gun control fanatics are everywhere -- even the people whose job is to give access to the Internet.

 

[Hunter115522]

I've had T-Mobile for a very long time and have never encountered it. This is the first I've ever even seen it. Seems like it's a setting that you had on and not realized it. T-Mobile has never blocked a single website on any of my devices. 

Edited March 30 by Hunter115522

[mazzgolf]

28 minutes ago, Hunter115522 said:

I've had T-Mobile for a very long time and have never encountered it. This is the first I've ever even seen it. Seems like it's a setting that you had on and not realized it. T-Mobile has never blocked a single website on any of my devices. 

Do you have an Android or iPhone? It wasn't anything I turned on. In fact, the setting is the default.  See the "Automatic" option below? That is what was selected... It basically means "use the carrier's DNS server". Once I switched off of that, it started working.

But only when I'm off WiFi .. my home network is fine... Actually I can't think of a single Wi-Fi network I was on that used OpenDNS that blocked these websites. Only when I'm solely on the cellular data network would it use that DNS server.

[mazzgolf]

Ah... I think I found the ultimate source. I logged into my T Mobile app and noticed that for some reason the WebGuard feature was set to Low filtering (Rather then "no" filtering).

Websites categorized as "weapons" are filtered out even at "low"in T-Mobile. Once I turned that off and went back to the "automatic" DNS server it started working.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/cant-open-certain-sites-with-t-mobile-this-may-be-why_id138002

[Hunter115522]

37 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Do you have an Android or iPhone? It wasn't anything I turned on. In fact, the setting is the default.  See the "Automatic" option below? That is what was selected... It basically means "use the carrier's DNS server". Once I switched off of that, it started working.

But only when I'm off WiFi .. my home network is fine... Actually I can't think of a single Wi-Fi network I was on that used OpenDNS that blocked these websites. Only when I'm solely on the cellular data network would it use that DNS server.

I have an Android, wife has iPhone. Both T-Mobile. This hasn't happened on either device. Also had tablets with T-Mobile service. Doesn't happen on them either. Very strange. 

[Hunter115522]

10 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Ah... I think I found the ultimate source. I logged into my T Mobile app and noticed that for some reason the WebGuard feature was set to Low filtering (Rather then "no" filtering).

Websites categorized as "weapons" are filtered out even at "low"in T-Mobile. Once I turned that off and went back to the "automatic" DNS server it started working.

https://www.phonearena.com/news/cant-open-certain-sites-with-t-mobile-this-may-be-why_id138002

Yeah I figured it had to be a setting you had on.