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

[The S0/\/\@7ic Si/\/\[]Dl370n]

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.

[Matt]

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.

[The S0/\/\@7ic Si/\/\[]Dl370n]

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.

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

[Matt]

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

[Gray Lensman]

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?

[Matt]

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