Author Topic: Access issues to WXForum.net?  (Read 9290 times)

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Online saratogaWX

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Access issues to WXForum.net?
« on: October 12, 2010, 06:38:35 PM »
On 8-Oct-2010, WXForum.net joined the the Honey Pot Project to help minimize spam impact, and the httpBL is now used in addition to the Stop Forum Spam to largely prevent spam-bots from registering or using the forum.  This is all good, and helps keep us a 'clean, well lighted' place for weather enthusiasts' discussions (while minimizing the administrators workload in keeping it clean) :)

The possible side effect is that sometimes you may be presented with a warning screen when you access the forum, asking you to prove you're not a robot.  This may happen when you are using public hotspots or mobile devices (via WiFi or phone network) as those IP addresses are shared by a large pool of clients, and some of those clients may have been naughty (doing suspicious activities) and ended up on the httpBL list.  If your HOME PC shows up, then you may have been infected with a virus and the spam-bots may be using your PC to do their dirty deeds.

If you've received the warning screen, then please go to the browser info page to display your IP address, and copy the screen contents into a PM to me and I'll investigate further.  On the screen are links to see if your current IP address is in the httpBL or Stop Forum Spam lists.

I'm sorry if these new functions cause you inconvenience .. it's all in an effort to keep our forum free of spammers.

Best regards,
Ken
« Last Edit: October 12, 2010, 06:40:15 PM by saratogaWX »
Ken True/Saratoga, CA, USA main site: saratoga-weather.org
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Offline W Thomas

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2010, 01:05:18 PM »
Looks like a very worthwhile project!


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     Wayne

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Offline Ray Proudfoot

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2010, 03:46:00 PM »
I encountered this problem this evening. After running AntiMalware which showed no viruses were present I disconnected my router and restarted it. A different IP address was generated and this allowed me access to the forum.

Worthwhile protection but it did have me worried for a few minutes.

Offline Jáchym

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2015, 09:51:22 AM »
I was just wondering...
I actually get this annoying robot page basically every time I use this forum, I have to add numbers twice. I am not using any mobile or public hotspot. It happens from both my home IP address, but also from my workplace, which is slightly absurd, because I work in the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute, which is the Czech national weather organization, an equivalent of NOAA in the U.S...

I am assuming that it is just because the system probably checks the country where Im from, but I dont really think there is any abnormal number of spambots from the Czech Republic, which would mean it has to be blocked completely.

Would it be possible to check the filters to see why this is happenning?

Online saratogaWX

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2015, 11:26:12 AM »
Hi Jachym,

Sorry you're having issues with the httpBL mod -- it seems your IP address was marked in projecthoneypot.org as having some spam message activity (not by me, AFAIK) as late as 2014-12-06.  The httpBL settings had required 90 days from last observation as 'clean/no activity' before the warning challenge was no longer offered.  I've changed that to 30 days, so you should not have to see that challenge now.  Unfortunately, there's no ability to whitelist an IP once it's in projecthoneypot.org database.

Best regards,
Ken
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Offline Jáchym

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2015, 11:41:12 AM »
Hi Ken,
I see.... well in that case I understand that, I thought it is just by default set to my country.... the problem is obviously that as I have mentioned, this is my work IP address, so some of my colleagues obviously do some "interesting" stuff on the web  :grin:

Thanks for your reply, it is not such a big deal, at least I practice some math  :grin: I just thought as I said, it is by default. This however is understandable.

Thanks again.

Online saratogaWX

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2015, 11:56:16 AM »
You can try and 'fix' the issue with projecthoneypot.org by visiting the page from the IP address and following the directions there.  It says
Quote
If you are the owner of this IP address, you can whitelist it by connecting to this page from the IP itself (or from an IP within /24). Alternatively, the IP will be auto excused after 90 days of no activity.

Best regards,
Ken
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Offline Jáchym

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2015, 12:20:37 PM »
Hi Ken,

thanks for the tip, I saw it there, but I ignored it since it probably makes no sense to do it if someone at my workplace does suspicious stuff and it would soon appear there again... as I said, it is not such a big deal and I can practice some math. Either way thanks a lot.

Offline Jáchym

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2015, 12:28:00 PM »
Btw. your website is amazing Ken.... I like it quite a lot, must have cost you so much time and effort, but it was definately worth it. Although I have decided not to use any templates and do everything "my way", if I was to choose one, I would definetly go with yours and I appreciate the fact that you offer everything and thus help so many other ppl as well.

In fact I would be quite happy to help you if it was possible. You can read something about "me" and what I can do here and on my webpage you can then see how I went about displaying the info from my weather station etc. I have plenty other stuff there as well so perhaps if you really thought some of it might be useful or if you thought there was some way we could cooperate I would be more than happy to do that. I have worked on many projects based on free community work such as wikipedia, translations of freeware apps and software etc., and since weather and computers are my biggest hobby, this would be an ideal combination  :-) So just feel free to contact me I would be more than happy, either by PM here or there are contacts on my webpage as well.

Online saratogaWX

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Re: Access issues to WXForum.net?
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2015, 01:58:25 PM »
Wow!  Thanks for the kind words, Jachym!  With your command of both Czech and English, having some translation files for the template set would be great, and we can add Czech to the set of supported languages.

I've replied to your PM with additional info..

Thanks,
Ken
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