when I get slow, or no, response on Mudcat, I have a list of other sites I try which seem to be on different router systems...meaning that I can soon make a reasonable guess where the problem lies. If I can access the Washington Post, and The BlackStump in Oz, and a Seattle Newspaper site, but not the 'Cat, I figger that tells me to read other things & wait......and if I REALLY want to look at world internet situation, I go to http://www.internettrafficreport.com/