Is Your Dashboard or Blog Loading Without A Design?

Recently it has come to our attention that users accessing TypePad via a network using the SonicWall firewall have been unable to see their Dashboard or blog. Instead of the expected display, they see a list of links against a white background. This is due to a recent change or update in the SonicWall software that blocks TypePad from being 100% accessible.

The solution to this issue is an easy one! To correct the problem, you or your IT team will need to add typepad.com, or *.typepad.com, to the Allowed list. If you experience the behavior mentioned above, but do not use SonicWall, the action should remain the same for your preferred firewall software. You can learn more about resolving problems with TypePad not loading by reading our article on the topic.

If this does not work for you, or you continue to experience the above behavior after you allow TypePad, please open a help ticket. We will work with you, one on one, through the ticketing system to resolve the issue. (Note: the link provided takes you directly to the New Ticket screen, so even if you have trouble with the display, you'll still be able to submit a ticket.)

UPDATE on January 28, 2011: If you recently made changes to your Domain Mapping settings and only your blog is not displaying correctly, you are likely encountering a different issue related to Domain Mapping and not your firewall settings. We have information on how to resolve a Domain Mapping problem in the Knowledge Base.

Comments

[Account Deleted]

What about visitors to my blog outside of my network? Are you saying that there is a certain percentage of people who won't be able to read my blog unless they make a change to their firewall?

If so, that's not an acceptable answer. If not, then that's good news.

[Bri]

Hi Jim!

It's possible that visitors to your blog, outside of your personal or corporate network, are unable to access your blog or are seeing a different display if they use the SonicWall product. This is something that appears to be unique to SonicWall at this time, which is not a SAY Media property. Therefore, we are unable to do anything on our side to correct the behavior. It was important to us, however, to reach out and inform you about this behavior, just in case you are approached by one of your readers. We have also contacted SonicWall to inform them that the block is invalid, asking them if they can remove the block from their product.

Since the reports of this behavior have been relatively low compared to the number of TypePad members, we don't think this will greatly impact any one member's blog. If you do hear something from a visitor, however, just point them to this post. They can also contact SonicWall to request that typepad.com be added to all of their products' allowed list.

We do understand how this may be concerning, but we are certain that this is something that some visitors will know how to fix, and others will find out through their own research or contacts.

[Chris Mahns]

Does any one at TypePad know why SonicWall is blocking static.typepad.com?

[PJWisecarver]

It is PJWisecarver. I have just moved everything over to TypePad! The changes I made last night were to add Typekit which hasn't shown up changes on the blog yet. Could that have made any difference? I also went in this morning and set preferences.

This is so frustrating. I need to be writing. I don't have people and I don't know how to fix things when they don't work. That's why I chose a paid sight.

[timgator]

I am very new to typepad using an older imac with firewall settings set to default which is allow all connections, using verizon fios network (assume they have their own network settings at the router level which i have no idea what they are). It seems like when i hit view blog i get a banner (minimalist green design) and then i too have a big white screen below and links against its background. Is this what you mean above?

Should i not be able to see the layout with the columns etc.? Since I am so new (first day) i really have little idea at the moment what i am doing.
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Bri]

Hi Chris!

Are you affected by the SonicWall issue? Did the solution we offered in the post help?

We do not know why static.typepad.com is blocked at this time, but we have reached out to our own people, and to SonicWall, to get to the bottom of this issue.

[Bri]

Hi PJ!

The issue you're seeing, if I'm understanding correctly, is that you're not seeing your blog at all when you click "view blog." Is that correct?

In taking a look at your account, and verifying the correct URL, it looks like you previously had a Page set to the front page of your blog but the Page was saved as a Draft. When that happens, the blog doesn't know what to load. Your settings have since been changed to display Recent Posts (Blog > Settings > Posts), and now your blog loads for me. Try it now and let us know how that works for you. :)

[Bri]

Hi Tim!

Your blog loads for me at tsmoney.typepad.com, but it looks like you may be trying to use tsmoney.com instead. The domain www.tsmoney.com is not connected to your TypePad blog or account, so it will not display your blog as expected.

I've opened a ticket for you within our ticketing system so that we can discuss setting up your domain with you, and review any display issues you may be seeing.

[timgator]

Hmmm...thanks. I am basically trying to have the blog for a few weeks not open to the public (i.e. private) as I want to do a little praticing. I am an editor at a major publication/website and am playing about for a bit before going live. So the domain that I picked when asked by typepad does not exist per se yet. I believe you host domains and I would probably hook it up through you if you think that makes sense.

But I am not sure i understood your first sentence. If i am signed into typepad and hit viewmyblog why would it not show as the little image/icon does? Would it help to delete the other blogs/designs i played around with?

I also would like to put a photo image across/behind the banner. Any advice (links?) on how to do that? It may be that I have to learn how to crop down the photo first though.

I am very impressed so far with TP by the way and appreciate the fast response. If this is indicative of your customer service, bravo!

[Bri]

If you're seeing a different design than what you've selected, it could be because the design wasn't applied, or you're hitting a browser cache issue.

I've linked your comment reply above to the ticket I created for you so that either myself, or another of the Support team, will know exactly what you have questions about and need help with. Note that we work tickets in the order that we receive them, so our response time will differ to the rate at which you received my comments on this post. I just happened to be checking comments in the last half hour, so I caught all your responses. :) We'll reply as soon as we can to the ticket in your account, though, and provide you the information you need to get up and running.

Thanks!

[timgator]

Thanks! I did hit save changes and then apply design to the blog. I will clean out my cache (i think that is what you mean) and see if that helps.

I will be patient. As I said I am just experimenting a bit at this point.

Jan 27, 2011 01:07:35 PM, [email protected] wrote:

[Chris Mahns]

No, no. I'm not experiencing any issue that I know of, (other than the possibility that some folks might not be able to view my site). I was just wondering if it was being done for content filtering reasons because the potential exists for other firewall and proxy vendors to do the same kind of thing.

[Tim]

I contacted my IT department and now I can access my blog and dashboard through my institution's network again. I thought I was going crazy or had done something wrong for the last week. I now know that we, in fact, do use SonicWall. Thank you for posting this article. I sent it to IT and they corrected the problem immediately. Still, I'm very concerned about others not being able to access my blog if they use SonicWall. I hope typepad can continue to pressure SonicWall to change their protocol. Thanks again.

[Bri]

Hi Tim!

We're very glad you were able to have the issue corrected for you by your IT department. It's really a quick fix, but we completely understand your concern about the possibility of others not being able to view your blog. We will continue to do everything we can to try and get the core issue resolved. :)

[Bri]

It's possible that the issue is a content filtering one, yes. We don't know for certain, though, and have not heard anything about other firewalls exhibiting the same issue. If we find out others have blocked TypePad, we will update this blog to let users know, and do what we can to reverse the behavior.

[Etaina]

I am not sure if necessarily my blog is loading without a design. However, I am new to TypePad.

I have categories for my blog: http://doppelgangers.typepad.com/blog/

However, after publishing... I see no real way of seeing my categories without going just to the home page, and looking at the bottom of a post, and picking for example: Growing Up.

Is this how it is supposed to be? Or am I missing something.

Also, when I put my name in my profile, it changes my username to my real name which I don't want. The only fix I found for it was to remove my name from my profile.

Can someone please help?

[Bri]

Hello!

The issue mentioned in this post is not related to the questions you have, so you won't have to worry about firewalls or anything like that. Since your questions, however, are geared toward general support, I've gone ahead and created a ticket for you, okay? You should receive an email from us shortly, touching base with what is you're having trouble with and answering your questions.

[Etaina]

Awesome thank you!

[Account Deleted]

Nice article, thanks for the information.
http://griyamobilkita.webs.com

[topcompanyproducts]

Come to think of it, this topic made me realize some important issues

http://ebooksoftware.yolasite.com/

[Account Deleted]

this is awesome!! thanks.

http://www.confessionsofamanunitedfan.com

[robin]

Could someone in your software support department please check the coding of the script in the frame that we use to log on to our blogs? I have noticed that this section of your home page has not rendered properly these last 2 weeks and after logging on at the office using IE8 and a Sonic firewall, I get the following error message:

Yahoo is undefined
iframe Line: 19
Undefined is null or not an object
jquery.newsticker.js
Code 0
URI: http://typepad.com/js/jquery/newsticker.js

I get more undefined Yahoo errors when I load and attempt to work on blog pages before publication.

The fact that most of your home page renders without problem, makes me think that the problem isn't simply about the firewall we use in our office. But even if it is, it is important that you sort out the coding because we cannot expect casual readers to contact Typepad when they have difficulty reading one of our web pages.

Thanks
Robin

[Account Deleted]

Well,that is really true information that the design is really helpful for the blog and site also to promote the business in the market that makes more money to the site.
Thanks for the sharing this great information.
Thanks again
advertiser network
affiliate advertisers
affiliate network

[Looisbrown]

SonicWall is blocking static.typepad.com???Where do you here about this?So why doesn't it block blogspot.com??? That is really in need!!! http://www.primesale.com

[Account Deleted]

I do agree with you. Design will help to give a lucrative look to the blog and it also helps the site to enhance the business. Your shown points are great,thanks for sharing and make me learn so many things from your posting.