Skip to content
Contact Support
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Resolving TMO Access Issues Caused by Hosts File Entries

This article walks through identifying and removing hosts file entries that block or redirect access to The Mortgage Office (TMO). NOTE: THIS ISSUE IS CAUSED BY A LOCAL WINDOWS FILE, NOT BY TMO OR YOUR NETWORK

Common Symptoms

This issue can show up in several different ways. If a customer reports any of the following, check the hosts file first:

  1. "Unable to update license" or "No internet connection" errors during license update, even though internet access works fine
  2. HTTP 503 / service unavailable errors when the application tries to reach themortgageoffice.com
  3. Stuck in a repeating loop when trying to update the software license
  4. Redirect loops or the site not loading correctly in a browser
  5. "Check for updates" returning a 404 or page not found error

Step 1: Understand the Cause

The Windows hosts file can contain manual entries that hardcode www.themortgageoffice.com and/or services.themortgageoffice.com to a specific IP address. These entries override normal DNS resolution. If the IP is outdated or points to a decommissioned server, TMO will fail to load properly or redirect incorrectly, even though internet access otherwise works fine.

This typically happens when:

  1. A static hosts entry was added previously for testing, a VPN workaround, or a past support session and was never removed.
  2. TMO's hosting IP changed since the entry was added.
  3. An IT policy or script pushed the entry across multiple machines.

Step 2: Confirm the Hosts File Entries

hosts-file-screenshot

  1. Open Notepad as Administrator.
  2. Go to File → Open and navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
  3. Select All Files in the file type dropdown so hosts is visible.
  4. Look for lines near the bottom similar to:
Entry Example
IP Address 40.78.82.35
Hostname 1 www.themortgageoffice.com
Hostname 2 services.themortgageoffice.com
5. If these lines are present, this is very likely the cause of the access issue.

Step 3: Remove the Entries

  1. Open Notepad as Administrator (must be run as admin or the file won't save).
  2. Open the hosts file at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.
  3. Delete the two lines referencing themortgageoffice.com.
  4. Save the file (Ctrl+S).

NOTE: DO NOT REPLACE THE ENTRIES WITH A NEW IP ADDRESS

Some customers ask whether they should update the hardcoded lines with a newer IP instead of removing them. Don't do this. Hardcoding any IP will break again the next time TMO's hosting IP changes. Delete the entries entirely and let DNS resolve the address normally.

Step 4: Flush DNS and Retry

  1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
  2. Run: ipconfig /flushdns
  3. Close all browser windows completely and reopen.
  4. Try accessing TMO again.

Advanced Configuration

If the Issue Persists:

  1. Confirm no other device on the network (proxy, firewall appliance, or another workstation) is pushing the same hosts entries via group policy.
  2. Check whether a VPN or antivirus client is re-adding the entry on reconnect.
  3. Verify DNS resolution directly by running: nslookup www.themortgageoffice.com and confirming it returns a current, valid IP.

IT-Specific Behaviors

Group Policy: If this has affected multiple users, check for a Group Policy Object (GPO) or endpoint management script distributing these hosts entries organization-wide. A one-time manual fix will not hold if a policy re-adds the lines on every login or reboot.

 

Troubleshooting

If access issues continue after completing the steps above, contact TMO Support for further assistance.