Forum posting problems anyone?

[Ian Grace]

Three forumists reported yesterday that they appear to have been permanently banned from the forum, and nobody seems to have posted anything for a few days, so I am trying to find out what is amiss. I seem to be able to post OK. Is anyone else having problems? Perhaps some of you could send a test post which might help to localize the problem.

Thanks in advance,

Ian

[chris lambert]

Ian,
Make that four, as Roger Lucke has also been banned. I know Roger uses a Mac at work - could this be part of the issue?
Chris

[Ian Grace]

Hi Chris,

It might be - I'll check with the other two by e-mail and see if they are using Macs.

Thanks,

Ian

[halbe]

no problems over here.

Halbe

[Simon]

Ian,
On Tuesday both Eric Mouser and I were banned from the forum using computers operated by Surrey County Council ( Library by me and at work by Eric). No problem at home this afternoon, Wednesday.

[Ian Grace]

And I heard from Mike Stubbings and Allan Coates today - the same problem. This is weird.

In the last few weeks I have received increasing numbers of forum applications via e-mail to approve - about half a dozen a day right now. All have either .ru (Russia), .cn (Canada) or @gmail.com e-mail addresses and I reject all of them. However, I went into the user control panel yesterday to try to force reactivation of some members (and I'm not sure if that is any use, and didn't seem to help), but while in there I noticed that there are three or four 'inactive' new bogus members signing on every day which I don't get approval e-mails for, and I am working down the list to ban them. So we are under attack!

I spent about 20 minutes searching for support contact details yesterday, but couldn't find any before I had to head off for a string of meetings. I wil try again today.

Chris, you run a similar forum for the PWMN - do you have computer geek support that might know what is going on? I'll also see if I can e-mail Gren who may have some inside knowledge on these sorts of attack and how to combat them. Hopefully we will be able to resolve this without having to re-start the Forum which might cause us to lose all past posts and require everyone to register again.

Watch this space - if you can!

Ian

[chris lambert]

Ian,
I wish I did have some computer geek help - I could do with it about three times a day! My only suggestion is to try the forum which the hosts run to see if this has happened before.

http://www.phpbb.com/support/

There must be some help there.

[Ian Grace]

Yeah, just in there again - but cannot find a real contact or e-mail address - just other people's boards you have to join. Just reading up on unbanning users ....

[Ian Grace]

OK - done a bunch of stuff - I made evosteve a founder member, and founders cannot be banned. Then I unbanned Anonymous and one ip address. I then deleted about TWO HUNDRED inactive members - all spam bots! Then I did a bunch of other stuff - which MIGHT have fixed the problem - let's see ...

Have to do some work now.

[chris lambert]

Ian,
I can now get back in on the Mac - so no longer banned!
Chris

[Ronald]

Just got back in for the first time in a few days Ian......

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!

[RLucke]

And me! Thanks Ian. Roger.

[Highlander]

May I join the band banners!!! I tried for an hour yesterday and even your (the Register) e.mail line was unavailable so I gave up. All OK now.highlander

[Ian Grace]

Good Lord - I don't know what I did, but it seems to have worked! Ha!!!

Ian
Honorary computer geek

[Ewan]

yes what ever you did Ian it appears to have worked. I was banned Mon Tues and Wed.
Today no problem. Good work Ewan