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Helpline Q&A Directory

Sometimes my browser responds with 'This page cannot be displayed' when I try to visit a site that I know exists. More often than not, this isn't solved by simply trying later. Is there a way I can force my browser to view a site?

This message might mean the web server is down, but it can often happen because of routing problems or congestion between you and the site you're trying to access.

As you've found, you can sometimes solve the problem by being patient and trying again later. But if you really can't wait, try this. Go to from www.anonymizer.com and type the address of the site you're trying to access into the anonymous web browser. You'll often find that the site you couldn't reach before will now come up.

Anonymizer.com exists to allow you to surf the web anonymously, without giving away details of your identity that can be obtained from the browser on your PC. In effect, it's a web browser that you can access over the internet. When you visit a certain website, the only information the site can see are details about Anonymizer's computer. Your own details are kept secret.

The reason Anonymizer can view sites that your own browser won't show is that the route from Anonymizer to the website you're trying to access is different to the route between the site and your computer. Therefore, it will often bypass any problem points that prevent you from accessing the site directly. It won't always work, but it's certainly worth trying.