Why Was I Banned from PhysicsForums?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shay10825
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AI Thread Summary
The user is experiencing repeated bans from Physics Forums due to their IP address being associated with an open proxy server, which is often used for abusive activities. Despite claiming to use Bellsouth as their ISP, they are likely connecting through a proxy, possibly set up by someone else who shares their computer. Suggestions include checking the computer's proxy settings and contacting the ISP for assistance in resolving the issue. The user is advised to confirm their actual IP address and ensure it aligns with what their ISP provides. Ultimately, resolving the proxy connection is crucial for regaining access to the forum.
Shay10825
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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
 
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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
 
I don't think I'm connecting through a proxy. I use Bellsouth.
 
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. :biggrin:
 
Shay10825 said:
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.
 
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.
 
How can I fix this problem??
Moonbear said:
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.
 
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.
 
Shay10825 said:
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.
 
  • #10
You can try in IE: tools->internet options->connections->lan settings and uncheck the box for "proxy server."

Who set up the connection?
 
  • #11
Also make sure that you are NOT connected to a VPN.
 
  • #12
russ_watters said:
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?
 
  • #13
Open proxy blacklists

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.
 
  • #14
hitssquad said:
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?
 
  • #15
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.
 
  • #16
My IP address keeps changing. I'll call Bellsouth tomorrow.
 
  • #17
Shay10825 said:
I can type in the IP address of the modem
You can type the IP address of what modem?



into internet explorer and a list of things comes up. One of the things says IP address.
I do not know what you are talking about.



This number and the IP address I got from www.whatismyip.com are different. Is this bad?
I do not know what number you are talking about. If you mean you already knew what your IP address was supposed to be and whatismyip gave you a different number then doesn't that sound like chroot was correct when he said, "It looks like you're using a open proxy server"?



The IP address the other site gave me is listed on this site. What does this mean?
openproxies.com lists open proxy servers. Being listed there means either that address is an address of an open proxy server or that someone submitted it as one. What did your ISP say when you brought this to their attention? What did your younger sister (the person you said you share your computer with) say when you confronted her about this?
 
  • #18
They said there was nothing they could do :cry: and it could be a spam issue.
 
  • #19
Shay10825 said:
They said there was nothing they could do :cry: and it could be a spam issue.
It's not a spam issue, someone has set up your service through a place that offers to hide IP addresses by connecting them through their proxy servers. Someone has signed you up for this service.
 
  • #20
Shay10825 said:
They said there was nothing they could do :cry: and it could be a spam issue.

There absolutely should be something they can do. If your computer isn't connecting through their server, and they are your service provider, they should help you resolve that. Open proxy servers are unsecure, you don't want to be connected through one of those!

I'd suggest you call them back and if the schlep who answers the phone can't help, ask to talk to their supervisor who can handle problems that aren't on the standard tech support flow chart. If that doesn't work, I then suggest you tell them you're going to find another service provider who can help set up your connection properly, and then do so.
 
  • #21
hitssquad said:
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.
Amplification: go to start, click "run" and type "command.com" (without the quotes). Type "ipconfig" and see if the ip address is the same as what www.whatismyip.com returns.
Shay10825 said:
They said there was nothing they could do...
The reason there is nothing they can do is that the problem is not on their end, its on yours: whoever set up your computer's internet connection set it up to use a proxy to mask the computer's identity.

There isn't a whole lot we can do about this from here: you really need to talk to whoever set up your computer's connection.
 
Last edited:
  • #22
It'll slow your connection, but if all else fails, you should be able to run through a second web-based anonymous proxy that isn't recognized by this site as a proxy and log on. I don't know if the webmaster wants you doing that, however.
 
  • #23
If your IP changes everytime you connect,then you are on Dial-UP connection.
 

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