Anyone else experience a ban problem because of your IP being used?

When away from home / at work I use ExpressVPN for my connection.

Lately some forums impose a BAN because of the selected IP address being used. Have had this happen on a forum that I joined 10 years ago and a newer one.

I normally connect using the IP with the fastest connection.

The BAN occurs with companies that own multiple forums.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!

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If you use a VPN, before you visit and use a forum - I suggest getting the IP address you are using. Then search on that IP address to see if it's a marked as High Risk, Attack IP, etc.

This would have resolved my issue.

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Update 11/30
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Ban lifted - Thanks to a message sent to MOD.

Mod stated " they employ special anti spam bots on the site to hunt for the bad actor spam bots. They sometimes generate false positives"

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This message has been edited. Last edited by: nra-life-member,

When using a VPN, your apparent IP is that of the VPN server (or one configured on the computer that serves as the far end of the VPN tunnel), everybody using that particular VPN will apparently be using that same IP, so if one of them is "abusing" it, you will be suspected too. I'm sure there are VPN providers out there that will vary the apparent IP, but I rarely see this advertised as a feature.

You might consider a Tor-based browser as a workaround. In theory at least, Tor will likely provide far more options for apparent IP, and less re-use. The Brave browser has Tor capabilities built in, and most others can have it added through an extension.

Switching VPN providers, or specifying a different connection server (e.g. in a different country) is another potential workaround.

Some forums ban the use of VPNs entirely.

Some companies, forums, service providers and so forth, use firewall appliances (or systems used for additional layers of securing connectivity/traffic) which have subscription services that use "lists" to filter, block, drop connections from sources that are found to be used by exploiters.

These lists are "updated" by various "feedback" and examining/monitoring" the appliance logs of subscribers that "opt in" (as part of the process).

So, they are "automatically" blocking IP's that end up on those lists.


The "bad guys", use compromised systems, PC's and other devices to create difficult to trace paths to and from themselves and what they are trying to attack.

And many use VPN services to hide themselves, even from compromised machines, and that results in single or even blocks of IP addresses being "flagged" as "suspect" or "confirmed", and blocked. Eve though the "bad guys" are in different locations, using their equipment free from the effects of their exploits. (analogy, bad guy dresses up like a cop, infiltrates the cop shop, steals all the donuts and sells them to some crackhead, who is in the alley eating them when a real cop finds him. So, all the cops spend hours guarding the doors to the cop shops, and looking at hours of security footage, checking biometric locks logs for who comes and goes trying to figure out how the crackhead is getting in... While the "fake cop" is standing there watching them while eating the last donut...)

I had this happen to one of our offices data centers years ago that was provide by Cox, and had to get an entire ne block of IP and make changes. This was back when all the tables in all my equipment in 12 cities (with multiple offices) in four states was done manually, so it made for a long several days of 20+ hours to take care of.

Before I retired, making those changes could be done in a few hours, building and pushing out the same information with nearly zero downtime.

But when it stops email, financial routing, and authentication between various systems and processes, it is a pain in the butt.

No matter what "god thing" is developed to make things easier/better, some asshat (and some of the folks doing this are brilliant) exploit to steal, when they could be applying their abilities to make things better.

Instead, we get "Zuckerbergs"...

I am glad to be done with all of it.

There are a number of places overseas that block so much content online that VPN's are necessary, but the VPN also causes issues with web sites and forums, online purchasing, etc. I do use various countries and frequently the US when making connections, but forums and sellers still prevent access, sometimes.

With a disturbing number of fake transactions and credit card authorization testing out there - mostly from IP addresses out of the USA - some companies are not accepting orders from IP address outside the USA if that is not their general market.

Example: If you place an order through a VPN from outside the USA for a product that can not be sold outside the USA, the order may be blocked or put on hold.

I've been using Express VPN for about 4 months and have had similar problems and online purchasing denied. About a month ago I posted here that I couldn't access the "Simply Rugged Holster" web site, turns out it was because of the VPN server address. I don't remember having this problem with the Norton 360 VPN and wish I hadn't made the switch.

Is the BAN permanent or temporary?

0-0

In my past experience if an IP is banned, you will not be able to access the site.

**********************
If you use a VPN, before you visit and use a forum I suggest getting the IP address you are using. Then search on that IP address to see if it's a marked as High Risk, Attack IP, etc.

This would have resolved my issue.

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On the other forum this same issue happened but a mod from a 3rd site whom I had spoken with in the past - knew the mod on the banned site and vouched for me so I was good to go..

With any luck someone here could do the same for me with this current site.

If not - it's their loss not mine. I was in IT for 38+ years and understand how someone feels they are a superhero for taking charge to avoid a problem, but in reality they didn't really do any researched or homework and made a management decision.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nra-life-member,

quote:

Originally posted by nra-life-member:
I was in IT for 38+ years and understand how someone feels they are a superhero for taking charge to avoid a problem, but in reality they didn't really do any researched or homework and made a management decision.

Oh really?

IT for 38+ years and you find it a poor site management decision when site administration declines to accept connections from know VPN address blocks, which means then they cannot tell whence the connection is actually being made?

Interesting.

quote:

Originally posted by 0-0:
Is the BAN permanent or temporary?

0-0

On all counts I can't tell you but on Simply Rugged Holsters I still can't get on their site as of yesterday morning. I've been trying to order a laptop online with no luck, my bank(card) shuts down the sales. Maybe this is because of the time of year and the fraud cops are out, don't know, can't get through to Chase fraud dept.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by nra-life-member:
I was in IT for 38+ years and understand how someone feels they are a superhero for taking charge to avoid a problem, but in reality they didn't really do any researched or homework and made a management decision.

Oh really?

Naa.. I just made that up and threw it into the conversation to see who would bite.

quote:

Originally posted by Genorogers:
On all counts I can't tell you but on Simply Rugged Holsters I still can't get on their site as of yesterday morning.

It's working fine.

I just got to it from my desktop using my normal IP address, through a private VPN I set up on one of my virtual servers, and from my phone through a different VPN I set up on another virtual server in a different network block.

It was a little slow from my phone, but I got there.

Curious: Assuming you're on your home network, not a public WiFi network or something: Why are you using a VPN?

quote:

Originally posted by nra-life-member:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Oh really?

Naa.. I just made that up and threw it into the conversation to see who would bite.

So you're just trolling?

quote:

Originally posted by Genorogers:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Curious: Assuming you're on your home network, not a public WiFi network or something: Why are you using a VPN?

Yes, I'm on my home network. I have my desktop, laptop, ipad and iphone on the Express VPN because I thought it was an extra level of security. Am I wrong here ?

IMO: Probably.

Mind you: I'm a retired IT guy who was, and remains, about as anal-retentive, security-paranoid as any IT Admin you're likely ever to have encountered. FWIW: I don't use one.

The purpose of a VPN, when using public (usually WiFi) networks is because such networks are notoriously poorly-run. It is not uncommon for bad actors to camp on them and watch network traffic to steal information--or even corrupt them so as to lead unwary users to sites other than the ones they think they're going to.

But your home network? Unless you have poor WiFi security, in which case you can't trust your own home network for anything, using a VPN is pointless.

Mind you: Some ISPs have been caught tracking users and re-selling their traffic information. That's one reason some people use a VPN from home. But, if the connections you're making are themselves encrypted (e.g.: HTTPS for web sites, SSL on ports 587 and 993 for email, and so-on), where you go is all they can see. What you're doing there remains anonymous.

Heck, now that SIGforum is all https all the time, they can't even see what you do here, anymore

ETA: Some people freak out when they realize the sites to which they connect can determine their IP address. This is rooted in a misunderstanding of what an IP address is. All anybody can determine, from your IP address, is your ISP and your approximate geographical location--and not even necessarily your approximate location, reliably. On-line stores with a web site consistently "locate" me dozens upon dozens of miles north or west of where I really am, and I'm on a static IP address.

Thanks ensigmatic....the Express VPN subscription wasn't cheap but with what you say I won't renew, thanks again.

quote:

Originally posted by Genorogers:
Thanks ensigmatic....the Express VPN subscription wasn't cheap but with what you say I won't renew, thanks again.

Again: It may be useful when you're out and about with your mobile devices--and perhaps even your laptop, if you connect to public networks with it.

But from your own home network? Not IMO.