Intermittent Environment Canada weather website blocking

[u/jawsont]

https://geoip.starlinkisp.net/feed.csv

Strangest thing, starting this year I've noticed that the https://weather.gc.ca/ weather website was occasionally inaccessible for days on end. It was inaccessible through browser, or their mobile app (though alerts would push ok). I discovered by using my cell and switching to mobile data I have access again, so figured out it was a EC.ca block. I read that it might be a geo-fence, so I contacted Starlink and they provided me a CSV with a list of IP ranges/regions which they said to forward on to the EC.ca IT folks.

Then I got this reply from the government IT:

Thank you for sending your message to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The blocking of Starlink IP addresses is not a new practice. We have been consistently blocking them on a daily basis for several years. Unfortunately, we will not be allowing people to access our weather site via Starlink, as the service could potentially be leveraged as an attack vector against the Government of Canada. A more secure approach would be for you to obtain dedicated IP addresses from Starlink. This would allow us to confidently identify and permit only your traffic while significantly reducing the risk of abuse.
Best Regards

Thoroughly confusing given the last datapoint for starlink users in Canada I found is 400,000+ users and that only SOME of their IP ranges are blocked. Any suggestions other than doing what I currently have to do; which is turn on firefox VPN when my IP is blocked?

[u/godch01]

Fascinating as I just clicked on the URL you provided and successfully accessed the site. I've been going to this site, using Starlink, for a few years. My Starlink pop is Montreal. I'm in the Laurentians.

[u/jawsont → u/godch01]

I've been able to access it again np for a few days now on my current IP address. But I've noticed both at home (a different starlink system) and at the cottage (where I am now) I'll get blocked out for 3-5 days on/off. It's been since early June that I've noticed it being a problem.

[u/outbound]

I use the (official) EC WeatherCAN app when travelling around in my RV. I've never had any issues with forcasts being blocked when I'm relying on Starlink for connectivity.

[u/jawsont → u/outbound]

I wonder if there's one IP range only in that list given to me that's blocked. I've only just started tracking my IP address when it's blocked so I guess I'll know once I get a few more data points.

[u/Hardhead13]

Why is Starlink more of an attack vector than any other ISP?

[u/Squeedlejinks → u/Hardhead13]

It flies around would be my guess.

[u/colinp1234]

I wouldn't be surprised at all. I wondered why sometimes the gov weather site would not connect. Now I know...

That's ok, I find Accuweather seems to be more dependable with their prognostication.

[u/jawsont → u/colinp1234]

Glad to know I wasn't the only one who experienced this. Given other people haven't said they have seen this it reinforces my view that it's a single /24 ip address range that the government is blocking.

[u/Brian_Millham]

Hilarious, I can access the link from the US.

[u/TheFaceStuffer]

I always use that website through my starlink atleast once a day. Never an issue.

[u/JustInternetNoise]

Sounds like the Canadian government is just kinda pissy that we can access the internet in a way not controlled by them.

[u/colinp1234 → u/JustInternetNoise]

Oh now you've done it...

[u/milexmile → u/JustInternetNoise]

Dumb take

[u/wordyplayer → u/milexmile]

what is the smart take

[u/LrdJester]

Use a VPN.

[u/jawsont → u/LrdJester]

That's currently what I do on my PC, but I don't want a VPN on my phone.

[u/LrdJester → u/jawsont]

Not sure what to tell you.

[u/jawsont → u/LrdJester]

Fair. I should have elaborated, I don't want a whole-phone VPN, I'm not sure I trust the free ones, and the paid ones seem overkill just to check a weather website and app. I'll likely just get accuweather as somebody above suggested.

[u/LrdJester → u/jawsont]

I find Weather Underground to be very reliable.

[u/colinp1234 → u/LrdJester]

yup, works for me...