A question about IP addresses

[Warren Rabbit]

AT least I think that's what it's about. I have been banned from a financial forum I visit, never mind why, and I want to get access again. I tried registering under another username but I still can't gain access. Is this because my IP address is actually what has been banned? I tried at work and got the same result but it is also a place I regularly access the forum from, does that mean they log any IP address that's been accessed by Rabbit and ban them all? If so is there some way I can get around this? Asking my ISP foir a new IP address or something? Is that how it works? I tried removing all cookies but that didn't work. Grovelling to the admin didn't work either; all suggestions gratefully received.

[future captain]

You could try visit the site via a proxy which would give you a different IP address, so when you go back to normal browsing your IP address is back to normal, its just when using the initial proxy your IP is different, you get many proxy sites which you can go through or change settings in IE or Mozilla to use a different HTTP proxy. Alternatively you could if you use a cable modem, spoof the NIC mac of your ethernet card.

[The Nr Fairy]

It may be the email address you're using, if it's the same as the one used to register the banned name.

[Hand Solo]

I doubt its the IP address as few ISPs provide a static address. Most just dynamically allocate you an address from their batch every time you log on. If you have a broadband connection which is always on then try switching it off and then back on which might force the ISP to allocate you a new IP address. You don't say whether your computer is a laptop or not, but if it is try connecting wirelessly at a hotspot which will again mean using a completely different IP address. If you can sign up at the hotspot on your own PC its possible they are blocking your IP, but I doubt it.

My money is on a fairly craftily hidden cookie or piece of spyware on your computer which is identifying your computer to the website. Try running an anti-spyware device which may pick it up.

There is a remote chance they have identified the individual MAC addresses of the computers you use and are blockingthe machines themselves but that would probably be getting into conspiracy theory stuff and would more than likely be illegal!

[vapilot2004]

Try this (at home):

Download and install a different browser than the one you are using now.
Firefox, Opera and Netscape come to mind. Don't go to the site yet.

In Control Panel, under Users, temporarily create a new User account with a different name and logon to this account.

The following only works without a router - using a direct
computer to modem/gateway connection.

Turn off your modem (cable - broadband - DSL) and turn back
on.

Click Start, Run then type CMD and click OK
type:
ipconfig /all - Note your IP address (may be more than one)
type:
ipconfig /release
Wait for all zeros to appear
then type:
ipconfig /renew
Then finally:
ipconfig /all
and see if your public IP address has changed.

Open your newly installed browser and see if you now have access and behave normally.:}

Another option may be to use a public (library) computer or
cybercafe with a different windows logon on your mobile laptop.

If you are behind a router, they cannot see your hard ethernet address (the MAC address mentioned above), only the public IP provided by your ISP. They could be banning a subset of IP addresses - virtually banning you along with others on your work network as well as neighbors in your broadband node at home.

Good Luck with the b:mad:rds

[Warren Rabbit]

Whoops. Forgot to mention I use a Mac. :uhoh: Is there a spyware checker for Macs?

And I tried rejoining on a new email address.

Spoof the NIC mac of my ethernet card?:confused: :confused:

[Blacksheep]

Spoof the NIC mac of my ethernet card? :confused: :confused: Well, you are a Mac user. ;)
Its only we poor old PC users that have to go quite so far, just to be able to browse a forum or two... :ugh:

[DBTL]

Are you sure you're just not asking for the confimation mail to be sent to the same address each time?

There's no way for the remote host to know the MAC from beyond routers unless they're sending a control of some type as well to be executed by the client. Within a single network (that will accept broadcast messages) it's another story. http://www.codeproject.com/internet/winarpspoof.asp

All on spoofing (changing the MAC): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MAC_address
They did not mention that some network cards allow direct manipulation of the "burned-in address" on the card hardware itself.

[nwaflygirl]

Download a IP block program. There are tons of stealth surf programs for PC, I'll see wht I can find for your Mac.

[nwaflygirl]

Here's a bunch of them.

http://www.epic.org/privacy/tools.html

scroll down to the third heading "Surf Anonymously"

There's also a lot of tests that show how much your computer reveals when you visit a site.

[Warren Rabbit]

thanks flygirl :ok: