why was I banned?

**Shay10825** · Feb15-05, 08:58 PM

Hello. Sometimes when I try to go 2 this site www.physicsforums.com a message comes up that says, "Sorry. The administrator has banned your IP address. To contact the administrator click here." Why was I banned? It is so weird because in about 10 minutes form now that message is probably going to come up again and I'm not going to be able to post. When this happens I have to delete my cookies and then wait about 10 to 15 minutes before I can post again. This keeps going on over and over and over. What's going on?? Am I banned? If so why?

~Thanks

**chroot** · Feb15-05, 09:34 PM

It looks like you're using a open proxy server. Proxy servers like this one are often abused by people who are trying to abuse sites like this one, so we disallow access from them.

Why are you connecting through a proxy in the first place? What company is your ISP?

- Warren

**Shay10825** · Feb15-05, 10:12 PM

I don't think I'm connecting through a proxy. I use Bellsouth.

**Moonbear** · Feb15-05, 10:32 PM

You were banned because you never posted that picture of your butterknife you promised! When you bring the photo, we'll let you back in.

**Evo** · Feb15-05, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Shay10825

I don't think I'm connecting through a proxy. I use Bellsouth.

You are coming in through a proxy. You don't appear to be coming in from a Bellsouth account.

**Moonbear** · Feb15-05, 10:54 PM

Could she have something set up wrong on her computer that she can change to fix this problem? Maybe she just needs to uncheck a box or something?

Another thought: Shay, are you the only one who uses your computer, or do you share it? Maybe someone else who uses it has changed the settings to connect through a proxy server and should show you how to undo it.

**Shay10825** · Feb15-05, 11:03 PM

How can I fix this problem??

Originally Posted by Moonbear

Another thought: Shay, are you the only one who uses your computer, or do you share it?

Yeah I share it with my younger sister. I wish I had my own computer lol.

**Moonbear** · Feb15-05, 11:09 PM

I don't know how to fix it because I don't know how to do it in the first place. Hopefully someone here can help. In the meantime, maybe you should ask your sister if she knows anything about it. I don't know if this is something someone could accidentally do or if someone had to intentionally set it up that way. If it has to be done intentionally, maybe your sister did it and forgot to change it back.

**Evo** · Feb15-05, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by Shay10825

How can I fix this problem??

Yeah I share it with my younger sister. I wish I had my own computer lol.

Shay, if your internet provider is Bellsouth, you can call their help desk and they should (hopefully) be able to tell you how to connect directly.

**russ_watters** · Feb16-05, 10:22 AM

You can try in IE: tools->internet options->connections->lan settings and uncheck the box for "proxy server."

Who set up the connection?

**kawikdx225** · Feb16-05, 12:27 PM

Also make sure that you are NOT connected to a VPN.

**Shay10825** · Feb17-05, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by russ_watters

You can try in IE: tools->internet options->connections->lan settings and uncheck the box for "proxy server."

Who set up the connection?

None of the boxes were checked. I installed everything and set up the DSL box. What is a VPN?

**hitssquad** · Feb17-05, 01:28 AM

Go here...
http://www.whatismyip.com

...to find out what your IP address is. Then contact your internet service provider and see if that number is what it is supposed to be. After that, come back here and tell us what your ISP said.

Another idea: it sounds like perhaps:

the administrators of Physics Forums use Open Proxy Blacklists such as this one...
http://www.openproxies.com

...for blacklisting fodder. And,
someone who does not like the other person who uses your computer decided to anonymously submit your IP address to one of those Open Proxy Blacklists.

The latter is possible if your computer has been used for chat (IRC) sessions since chatters can all see each other's IP addresses.

**Shay10825** · Feb17-05, 09:53 PM

Originally Posted by hitssquad

Go here...
http://www.whatismyip.com

...to find out what your IP address is. Then contact your internet service provider and see if that number is what it is supposed to be. After that, come back here and tell us what your ISP said.

I can type in the IP address of the modem into internet explorer and a list of things comes up. One of the things says IP address. This number and the IP address I got from www.whatismyip.com are different. Is this bad?

Another idea: it sounds like perhaps:

the administrators of Physics Forums use Open Proxy Blacklists such as this one...
http://www.openproxies.com

...for blacklisting fodder. And,

someone who does not like the other person who uses your computer decided to anonymously submit your IP address to one of those Open Proxy Blacklists.

The latter is possible if your computer has been used for chat (IRC) sessions since chatters can all see each other's IP addresses.

The IP address the other site gave me is listed on this site. What does this mean?

**Moonbear** · Feb17-05, 10:10 PM

Shay, I think you really need to call your ISP tech support and explain this all to them and find out if you have your computer set up right and if it isn't, get it fixed.

**Shay10825** · Feb17-05, 10:53 PM

My IP address keeps changing. I'll call Bellsouth tomorrow.