cant; reply to/ read certain threads. help

[Bax]

Well..... I sorted out my registering prob by opening another email account so I could get the activation code, so now I can get on the members pages - so seems to be working. However, there are certain pages I cant get on to (that I could before I was registered) and I cant always reply to threads - e.g. I wanted to add this in the thread I;d started 'having probs registering' but it said 'an error has occured, you have been banned from this forum'. I;m also banned from one I was chatting with Delusional on about my new pups i got from her..... Please help someone..

p.s. this is my 3rd attempt at getting this message on - as the same stupid message keeps coming up... I am banned an error has occurred

[RyanF]

Let me check into it..

[RyanF]

That's because a variation of your IP address is banned.

Yours: 195.93.21.2
Banned: 195.93.21.100

Do you have any connection to a user called, gerbilsalldaway?

[worthym]

Actually RyanF, if you query the Ripe Database www.ripe.net/whois you will discover that it is an AOL IP. Due to the way AOL works, if you ban one AOL IP, it can ban all AOL users. Thats probably why Bax is having problems.

Many ISPs (including AOL) and companies use a proxy server that makes it appear as if all users are coming from a single (or a handful) if IP addresses. By blocking an IP address, you might be preventing a substantial portion of AOL users from commenting. Depending on your point of view, eliminating AOL may not be a great loss; however the same thing would happen to millions of users behind other proxy servers.
Source kalsey.com/2004/02/why_ip_banning_is_useless/

[pepandmax]

Depending on your point of view, eliminating AOL may not be a great loss;

That actually made me laugh out loud!

But seriously, thank you for that information, worthym. I personally wasn't aware of how that worked. We'll certainly have to figure out what to do now.

We're working on it, Bax! Thanks for your patience.

Nicole

[Bax]

Cheers - keep me informed

[RyanF]

I knew AOL used proxy's, but I didn't know it would be this widespread... because whenever you sign on to AOL, you get a new IP address (most likely).

Bax: We'll see what we can do.

[Bax]

All sorted now - THANKS ;D ;D ;D