False ban?

**Magical Realist** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 12:08 AM by Magical Realist.)

I keep getting the "you have been banned" page here. Then it sporadically comes back ok. What's the issue? I sense I'm being targeted by a past banned member.

**C C** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 01:08 AM by C C.)

(Jan 17, 2026 12:06 AM)Magical Realist Wrote: I keep getting the "you have been banned" page here. Then it sporadically comes back ok. What's the issue? I sense I'm being targeted by a past banned member.

Ongoing overload of the system by bots occurring, so maybe a temporary misidentification as one. There's an array of different errors happening now, just have to keep trying till eventually get through. Probably never be normal again. Maybe no one else has ever logged out yet to see it, but the strategy of making the lower section of the forum invisible to outsiders is in effect now.

**Magical Realist** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 04:33 AM by Magical Realist.)

If this doesn't get fixed, I guess I'll move on. I can't spend all day everyday spinning a roulette wheel to see if I can post here. There's more important ways I can be wasting my time. lol

**C C** · Jan 17, 2026 08:38 AM

Yazata and SS have received ban notices, too. Who knows, maybe this isn't the result of just the bot assault, and the place has been hacked. Yet somehow I can get in and MR has managed to post, too, despite his receiving the error(?) ban.

**stryder** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 05:09 PM by stryder.)

I was trying to use the softwares "ban ip" to deal with scrapers. Unfortunately though I likely accidentally put a bunch of IP's that people use in there and couldn't work out which one did the damage. So I've reverted that.

I've NOT BANNED any humans on purpose. Believe me if I intended to ban anyone I'd likely warn them in advance unless they've really gone over the deepend. No ones done that currently though.

**Magical Realist** · Jan 17, 2026 06:24 PM

Are you going to fix it?

**stryder** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 07:14 PM by stryder.)

(Jan 17, 2026 06:24 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: Are you going to fix it?

Thats the intention MR, no blocking people on purpose.

Currently the simplest option for server stability is to just require all users to log in to view/post. this means I don't have to block the IP's, they just can't view the pages fully.
This does mean people will not be able to just browse anonymously to see whats been posted.

The Search Engine spiders will still be able to see the posts people write, and they will still be updated to the search engines.

It should be simple enough to set a proxy up to be identified to allow the same access as the spiders (however you'll still have to login to post which is best done outside of a proxy to stop potential middleman attacks.)

If people would prefer the forum to be fully viewable as was without login, I'll will continue to look to see what can be done to deal with scrapers (since it's an exponential problem over time)

**Secular Sanity** · Jan 17, 2026 07:54 PM

(Jan 17, 2026 06:27 PM)stryder Wrote:
(Jan 17, 2026 06:24 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: Are you going to fix it?

Thats the intention MR, no blocking people on purpose.

Currently the simplest option for server stability is to just require all users to log in to view/post. this means I don't have to block the IP's, they just can't view the pages fully.
This does mean people will not be able to just browse anonymously to see whats been posted.

The Search Engine spiders will still be able to see the posts people write, and they will still be updated to the search engines.

It should be simple enough to set a proxy up to be identified to allow the same access as the spiders (however you'll still have to login to post which is best done outside of a proxy to stop potential middleman attacks.)

If people would prefer the forum to be fully viewable as was without login, I'll will continue to look to see what can be done to deal with scrapers (since it's an exponential problem over time)

I had to use a VPN to login. I thought...I told Syne and MR to get a room, would Stryder have banned me for that? No way, I've said way worse in the past. Big Grin

I'll keep trying. Maybe you should send everyone a message when it's fixed.

Thanks, Stryder!

**Magical Realist** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 08:35 PM by Magical Realist.)

The problem is you can't logout when you're banned. You can't do anything. You can't contact the administrator or anything. You might as well be dead to the forum. The problem isn't fixed. I only sneak thru every 100 tries..

**stryder** · (This post was last modified: Jan 17, 2026 08:40 PM by stryder.)

There is no bans on IP's currently. (I revoked the lot) so the only possibly conclusion is perhaps some hidden stored information in your browser.

In Firefox its listed as 'Temporary cached files and pages" (in fact searching the bolded in google should pull other browsers methods of removal too)

Do note it's separate from cookies/stored logins, although clearing them can make sure the problem isn't there either.

That should sort out any lingering errors.