"Sorry. The administrator has banned your IP address."

For the past couple of weeks, I had trouble viewing the forum and I was greeted with this message instead:

"Sorry. The administrator has banned your IP address. To contact the administrator click here"

I'm currently in west Africa staying with family at the moment. I bought a new phone + two SIM cards (brand new) November last year and as far as I'm aware, other than lurking, I've only posted one thread each in the DC and Marvel boards and one other thread in the DC board after.

After message the admins a few times (no replies though), checking back today, things seem to be okay now.

I'm currently using Opera Mini. Is that the problem?

I'm asking because I to make sure this doesn't happen again.

I'm STILL confused as what exactly happened.

Users tend to share IP addresses, based on their ISP.
Some users misbehave. They get banned. They sign up with another account (demonstrated their inability to take responsibility for their own actions, but that's another issue). Rinse and repeat this a few times.
Eventually, we decide that an IP ban is what is needed to keep the problem user away. So we implement that.
We do not like doing that, as there's a possibility that others will get caught up in it.
That's what appears to have happened here, judging by your recount.

[QUOTE=Matt;4997142]Users tend to share IP addresses, based on their ISP.
Some users misbehave. They get banned. They sign up with another account (demonstrated their inability to take responsibility for their own actions, but that's another issue). Rinse and repeat this a few times.
Eventually, we decide that an IP ban is what is needed to keep the problem user away. So we implement that.
We do not like doing that, as there's a possibility that others will get caught up in it.
That's what appears to have happened here, judging by your recount.[/QUOTE]

I thought IP addresses were supposed to be unique??? :confused:

Not always, no. Some ISPs use static IPs, others user dynamic.
VPNs also mess with how websites see IP addresses.

I've had it happen relatively often when I use my cellphone to browse during my lunch break. Is there something different with the 3/4 G networks that obfuscates things?

I honestly do not know, I imagine it would depend on how your particular phone carrier directs internet traffic.

I just spent a week at an Airbnb and the IP address was banned here. Had to use my mobile data.

Now I'm wondering which poster from here had stayed at the same Airbnb before and been rude!!

[QUOTE=CaptainEurope;5726283]I just spent a week at an Airbnb and the IP address was banned here. Had to use my mobile data.

Now I'm wondering which poster from here had stayed at the same Airbnb before and been rude!![/QUOTE]

LOL - maybe the broad IP block that knocks down VPNs was at play

Browser VPNs, like Opera's, are automatically banned.

[QUOTE=GozertheGozarian;5728800]Browser VPNs, like Opera's, are automatically banned.[/QUOTE]

I use a VPN and one of the locations on my VPN is banned from this site.

[QUOTE=Xheight;5728236]LOL - maybe the broad IP block that knocks down VPNs was at play[/QUOTE]

No, wasn't using a VPN. When I switched to phone data, it worked fine.

It happened to me the other day when I had my VPN on...at first I thought I did something wrong, would not have been my first, second or 69th f**ck up! ;) I hope I am ok, but who really knows..

[QUOTE=CaptainEurope;5787039]No, wasn't using a VPN. When I switched to phone data, it worked fine.[/QUOTE]
The IPs of the Opera servers are sometimes blocked. When you use Opera Mini or the data saver is enabled in Opera then you get the modified and optimized versions of the webpages from those servers.

[QUOTE=ETMike1988;6297834]The IPs of the Opera servers are sometimes blocked. When you use Opera Mini or the data saver is enabled in Opera then you get the modified and optimized versions of the webpages from those servers.[/QUOTE]

No, it was on both opera and Chrome. There was just something rotten in the state of Denmark.