# Off Topic > Suggestions for Improvement >  >  IP Address Bolcked Again?

## jaslake

Hi Arlette

I've been blocked from the Forum for the last 10 hours. Are we having issues? Is my IP Address blocked again?

My IP Address is 75.187.239.214

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## HaHoBe

Hi, John,

I couldn´t reach the Forum yesterday from about 03:50 p.m. to my last check at 10:20 p.m. local time - the tech-team is working on a solution to just give me a time slot of availabilty of 1 second per day, and they´re doing quite a brilliant job on that. If that were my Tech team they would be my ex tech team by now for sure: they create work on their own throwing up problems instead of solving them.  :Mad: 

So in all: nothing new from a team that is busy "_working on it_".

Ciao,
Holger

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## Simon Lloyd

All they need guys is someone with an ounce of server knowledge, they've simply got their firewall or mod_security settings too aggresive, it's literally 1 minute to fix it for good!

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## arlu1201

John,

Your IP has been released.  Please try accessing and let me know if you still face issues.

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## jaslake

Hi Arlette

All seems to be back to "normal" this morning. Either I'm intentionally getting blocked or the system is broken. Had to go across the street to borrow my Daughter's computer to get a message to you.

Sure would be nice to get this fixed...it's terribly frustrating...

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## arlu1201

It happens at the firewall and even i have got blocked at times.

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## Norie

I've been unable to access the forum for the paste 3-4 days, not sure exactly as I gave up trying.

It's only when I try and access over WiFi, so I assume my IP has been blocked too.

I don't have the  IP to hand as I'm on my phone.

If that's needed I can post it later.

I'm still receiving notifications as usual and have posted some replies, from my phone.

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## arlu1201

I have unblocked your primary IP address.  However, if you still face issues, plz provide me the IP and i will assist you.

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## Norie

Just tried a quick test connecting via Wifi on my phone but no luck.

The phone's a bit fickle so I'll double check on another computer later.

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## Norie

My IP address is 198.168.1.122.

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## arlu1201

Try now and let me know.

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## Norie

Might have posted wrong IP address.

ipconfig tells me it's 192.168.1.101.

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## arlu1201

No, you do not take that IP.  Just go to google and type whats my IP and you will get your IP address.

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## Norie

That returns 88.104.198.150.

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## arlu1201

Unblocked.  Please check and let me know.

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## Norie

That's it, thanks. :Smilie:

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## Miraun

IP addresses that start with 192.168 are internal addresses... Your router is basically making a little private network for your computers.  Once you get out of your little home into the wide world of the internets, you get a new address... 192.168 is like deciding what room in the house you're in... the 88.104 address that you found is where in the world are you.  

Regarding blocking IPs... geeze... stop hacking the forums!

Although, we are getting new Internet Filtering at my work... many 'forums' have already been blocked... just hope this doesn't get lumped in with the new rules.

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## jaslake

@Arlette

I'd assume we don't know why 



> It happens at the firewall



or the issue would be resolved and it wouldn't happen...True???

It doesn't make me feel better that this also happens to you and other Mods and perhaps Admins; why is it happening at all?

I don't know Simon from Adam...(s)he suggests in Post #3 to this Thread that there may be a simple fix...Simon's been around the block a few times...is there merit to the suggestion??? Is anyone considering the suggestion???

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## dhn46

Hi admin!
I've been blocked from the Forum.
My ip: 42.114.248.62
Please help me this problem
Thanks a lot!

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## arlu1201

dhn46,

Your IP has been unblocked.  

John,

Whatever Simon has suggested has already been considered and our tech team is aware of it.  Basically we are receiving several DDOS attacks on our server and hence the IPs get blocked.

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## dhn46

> dhn46,
> 
> Your IP has been unblocked.  
> 
> John,
> 
> Whatever Simon has suggested has already been considered and our tech team is aware of it.  Basically we are receiving several DDOS attacks on our server and hence the IPs get blocked.



Thank Admin!

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## TMS

Hi Arlette: I was unable to connect to the forum for most of the last couple of days ... turned out that my IP address was blocked (fixed now, obviously).

I can understand that you need to protect the forum from DDOS attacks, but what links my IP address to such an attack?  (First time, I think, in nearly three years).

Also made me realise I had no idea how to contact someone to fix it when I couldn't connect, let alone log in.  Bit of a Catch 22  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

Regards, TMS

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## jaslake

@ TMS
See my Post #5 to this Thread for a solution to this



> I had no idea how to contact someone to fix it when I couldn't connect, let alone log in. Bit of a Catch 22



Not much of a solution it is.

@ Arlette
What IS the solution...there has to be one...this is NOT new technology...talk with Simon (see Post #3)

To say the least...this is aggravating.

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## TMS

@jaslake: thanks for that suggestion ... but my daughter lives in France  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   (heh, heh)

I actually tried Twitter and Facebook before it dawned on me to email Admin at ExcelForum dot Com.  And that worked.  Took a little while, but I got a reply requesting my IP Address.

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## jaslake

@TMS

Ha! Yes, as I said "Not much of a solution".  I keep JB's email address in my Contacts List so I can Email him when I have the Blocked IP Address Issue (have had it twice). He's ALWAYS responsive but I dislike bothering him on a personal level with a personal problem. Then, I don't have to travel to France...merely walk across the street.

Best of luck to us all...perhaps we'll get the issue resolved...GO ARLETTE!!!

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## snb

It looks as if the chance to be IP-blocked is dependent of the number of times you complain about blocked IP-addresses in The Water Cooler.  :Wink: 

I don't believe there's any connection to 'DDOS-attacks', seems more a pretext for inaptitude.

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## arlu1201

There has been a fix put in place to work around these IP blocks. 

In the unlikely chance it does occur, just drop an email to admin at excelforum dot com from any email id that you have and provide your IP address.  Even if your IP has been blocked, the email will still reach the admin mailbox.

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