|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
February 1, 2014, 11:43 AM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 19, 1999
Location: Near Helena, Montana
Posts: 1,719
|
Blocked IP?? I'm a spammer??
I tried to access TFL from my home PC a few minutes ago and got a popup message that says: The IP address you are currently using has been blocked due to its use by spammers in your area. Our staff will gladly attempt to open an address tunnel through with you can access thefiringline.com." It then continues on and asks me to email my IP to [email protected] this some kind of scam or has my IP really been spamming the site?
__________________
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015 |
February 1, 2014, 11:52 AM | #2 |
Member
Join Date: January 4, 2014
Posts: 45
|
Most likely a broad range of IP's was banned/blocked because some addresses in that range were used for spamming.
Sometimes resetting your modem will change your IP and solve the issue. |
February 1, 2014, 01:05 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 19, 1999
Location: Near Helena, Montana
Posts: 1,719
|
What strikes me as odd is my IP is already logged, so why does someone want me to email it somewhere?
__________________
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015 |
February 1, 2014, 01:11 PM | #4 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
|
Because the IP address you tried to use that's been blocked doesn't show in your IP history, because it's blocked, and...
In any case, many folks have access to or use only one computer for The Firing Line. If they're blocked, they can't log in somewhere else and ask us what's up. The only way they can contact us is through the webmaster account.
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley |
February 1, 2014, 01:19 PM | #5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 19, 1999
Location: Near Helena, Montana
Posts: 1,719
|
I thought since the days of dialup are gone, a static IP was assigned...? At any rate, it appears to be a legitimate message then, so I'll follow the instructions.
__________________
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015 |
February 1, 2014, 01:24 PM | #6 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
|
Well, you can just as easily take care of it here, if you'd like. PM me the IP and I'll pass it on to someone who can fix you.
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley |
February 1, 2014, 01:29 PM | #7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 19, 1999
Location: Near Helena, Montana
Posts: 1,719
|
I just emailed the webmaster address provided.
__________________
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015 |
February 1, 2014, 01:56 PM | #8 | |
Staff
Join Date: March 20, 1999
Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia
Posts: 16,930
|
The IP address you used is now unblocked. G_P got it right. We have had to block some fairly wide ranges of addresses to stop the onslaught of spammers. This is the first time you have used an address in a blocked range.
Quote:
[Added] I just checked your list of IP addresses. You have used more than 180 different addresses since becoming a member here. Not exactly static, eh? |
|
February 1, 2014, 02:13 PM | #9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 19, 1999
Location: Near Helena, Montana
Posts: 1,719
|
Thanks! After receiving a reply, I tried again with the same results, so restarted Firefox and tried again with the same results, then shutdown the PC and router and tried it again - this time it let me in.
__________________
Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets replaced... SASS 47015 |
February 1, 2014, 09:54 PM | #10 |
Staff
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,367
|
Hum...
If I'm right about this, I've had 880 separate IP addresses in my nearly 14 years here.
__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower. |
February 11, 2014, 12:00 AM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: April 6, 2013
Posts: 456
|
Just out of curiosity, what happens if a spammer makes it through? Will we see a lot of viagra ads? Will the Syrian Electronic Army make an announcement? Will Glock try to convert the 1911 crowd?
|
February 11, 2014, 12:25 AM | #12 |
Staff
Join Date: March 20, 1999
Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia
Posts: 16,930
|
In general, you will see nothing.
|
February 11, 2014, 07:17 AM | #13 |
Staff
Join Date: April 13, 2000
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 41,367
|
We've been very vigilant in rousting spammers from TFL over the past couple of years, and have been very proactive in keeping them from ever making it onto the forums.
Generally they would take several forms, from in your face ads (generally for cell phones) or blocks of text full of links (generally clothing or shoes) to quite sneaky attempts to blend in with the crowd using hidden links, spam links in the signature lines, or listing a spam site as their home page in their profile. Over the past couple of years we've gone from search and destroy of finding and banning spammers who slipped through the cracks to preventing them from registering in the first place. IP blocking is one of the many tools and that we use. Some months ago we established a few new protocols that have been very successful in keeping spammers, particularly spambots, from breaching the forums. Since a few months before Christmas, we're running at what we believe is effectively a 100% prevention rate. With a little bit of luck, the only spam you're ever going to see at TFL is a picture of the canned meat product.
__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower. |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|