Forum blocking

[Madxgraphics]

Well here comes stupid question no. 369 from me.

I want to know is it possible if you have joined a forum and later been banned. For that forum to be able to block you based on your IP address. Afriend of mine joined a forum and after getting into a ruck with one of the Mods, he was barred. He has since tried creating another account under various different names/e-mail addresses from his home PC without luck. But has been able to create an account from his work PC at said forum....

 

[Ian]

Yep, most forums have IP based blocking We have to use it very rarely if there is a real spam problem.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Game servers also use your IP to enforce a ban as I found out to my cost on a CoD2 server when I addressed some German idiot in no uncertain terms by questioning his parentage, IQ and physical appearance after he accused me of cheating

No sense of humour, that particular teutonic ****

 

[V_R]

Yep gameservers do ban by ip, but its more common to be by GUID.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Yep gameservers do ban by ip, but its more common to be by GUID.

What is a GUID (Lifted off the big bad web somewhere):


Short for Globally Unique Identifier, a unique 128-bit number that is produced by the Windows OS or by some Windows applications to identify a particular component, application, file, database entry, and/or user. For instance, a Web site may generate a GUID and assign it to a user's browser to record and track the session. A GUID is also used in a Windows registry to identify COM DLLs. Knowing where to look in the registry and having the correct GUID yields a lot information about a COM object (i.e., information in the type library, its physical location, etc.). Windows also identifies user accounts by a username (computer/domain and username) and assigns it a GUID. Some database administrators even will use GUIDs as primary key values in databases.
GUIDs can be created in a number of ways, but usually they are a combination of a few unique settings based on specific point in time (e.g., an IP address, network MAC address, clock date/time, etc.).

Well that's as clear as mud innit?

How do I find mine and change it then?

Cos me not being welcome works on two machines using XP and Vista, so I think it's more likely they used my IP.

I'm thinking of changing ISP as I'm getting a little fed up with Zen's bandwidth limit tbh. Although having had a quick look, weighing up all pros and cons, I'm not going to do a helluva lot better for the money.

That would change me IP wouldn't it?

 

[TriplexDread]

In some instances whole IP ranges can be banned aswell

 

[floppybootstomp]

In some instances whole IP ranges can be banned aswell

True, dat, the USA Forum I was with for some time done that regularly

 

[TriplexDread]

Bit of a bugger really and most annoying because others can suffer aswell because of it

 

[V_R]

Well that's as clear as mud innit?

How do I find mine and change it then?

Cos me not being welcome works on two machines using XP and Vista, so I think it's more likely they used my IP.

I'm thinking of changing ISP as I'm getting a little fed up with Zen's bandwidth limit tbh. Although having had a quick look, weighing up all pros and cons, I'm not going to do a helluva lot better for the money.

That would change me IP wouldn't it?

Two ways to find yours...

First way...
1) Join a Punkbuster enabled server.
2) In console, type "/pb_plist". On this list, you'll have the last 8 digits of the PBGUID for everyone on the server.

Second way...
1) In console, type "/pb_myguid"
2) In console, you'll see your full PBGUID.

To change it you would have to buy a new copy of the game. or use other more dodgy methods.

Did you use the same copy of the game on both machines? If so it will be the same GUID, i think.

What is a guid?
In general, GUID is an acronym that stands for �globally unique identifier�. The guid inside PunkBuster is used to identify players with something more solid than their playing name or IP address. Your guid is loosely based on the cdkey that was used to install the game on your computer. When Server Admins kick or ban a player from their server(s), PunkBuster uses the player's guid to enforce the kick/ban. Since it is based on the game installation, it is a better way to identify individual players than by looking at their IP address or playing name. For those concerned about privacy, PunkBuster uses a 128-bit one-way hash (a mathematical function) to generate the guid from the cdkey so that no one can figure out or compute your cdkey by knowing your guid.

http://www.evenbalance.com/index.php?page=faq-cod4.php

RE: your IP...

If your on a static IP, you could ask your ISP to change it, or if you moved ISP then you would obvi get a new one.

Coincidently, i'm due to move to Be Unlimited on Friday as BT's 21CN 'upgrade' has been a complete joke for me so i'm off to an ISP that dont use BT idiotic IP Profiling system...

 

[TriplexDread]

If i recall correctly if you ask an ISP to change your assigned IP they will ask for a damn good reason and may even charge you for it. Again the subject pops up about whole IP ranges being blocked so you may even recieve a new IP within the same range.

You have to be careful

 

[Ian]

I didn't know about the GUID stuff, that was an interesting read Thanks V_R!

Coincidently, i'm due to move to Be Unlimited on Friday as BT's 21CN 'upgrade' has been a complete joke for me so i'm off to an ISP that dont use BT idiotic IP Profiling system...

Good choice with Be - I'm on the o2 equivalent and it's the best ISP I've had so far (and cheap as chips for o2 customers).

 

[floppybootstomp]

My BT phone is on a brand new exchange and it seems that's the reason I can't get O2. If I could I'd subscribe to them right now.

Similarly, I can't get BE, as this pic shows. Is that really their bandwidth allowance? 24Mb? Surely that should read 24Gb.

 

[Taffycat]

My BT phone is on a brand new exchange and it seems that's the reason I can't get O2. If I could I'd subscribe to them right now.

Similarly, I can't get BE, as this pic shows. Is that really their bandwidth allowance? 24Mb? Surely that should read 24Gb.

I think you'll find 24 Mb is the download speed, rather than the bandwidth allowance Flopps

 

[V_R]

Yep TC got it, their download usage is 'unlimited' they have a FUP though, as most ISP's do.

Flops, check out this link.

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php

Will tell you what you can and cant get.

 

[floppybootstomp]

I think you'll find 24 Mb is the download speed, rather than the bandwidth allowance Flopps

I knew that .

No, really, I did.

I knew that, honest I did.

I wuz just checking on you lot...

Straight up Guv, would I lie to you?

 

[floppybootstomp]

Yep TC got it, their download usage is 'unlimited' they have a FUP though, as most ISP's do.

Flops, check out this link.

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php

Will tell you what you can and cant get.

With all respect my vanilla flavoured fellow, that service is a bit crap.

They tell me I can receive O2 & BE and don't even list my current ISP, Zen.

And the greater majority of ISP's listed I wouldn't touch with a barge pole.

It's purely a sales device imo and only those subscribing to the service will be listed I suspect. Or more likely the service is a Cartel.

How many poor souls fall for that rubbish?

'Oh, look, Tiscali, it's listed, it must be good....'

 

[V_R]

Your on ZEN ADSL MAX i assume, the site means ZEN LLU (local loop unbundled) ADSL2+ isn't in your area this will be because zen haven't put their equipment in your exchange yet.

As for Be and 02 not being listed well maybe its not updated?

That site is very good i promise!

 

[floppybootstomp]

Your on ZEN ADSL MAX i assume, the site means ZEN LLU (local loop unbundled) ADSL2+ isn't in your area this will be because zen haven't put their equipment in your exchange yet.

As for Be and 02 not being listed well maybe its not updated?

That site is very good i promise!

I must confess to not really understanding the whole Internet thingie but I remarked as I understood it, which may be wrong.

Be and O2 were listed, see the attached pic in an earlier post.

Yet both O2 and BE tell me they can't supply me with a service.

Therefore that service you gave me a link to, Sam's thingie, is erroneous. Isn't it?

And as I mentioned earlier, the majority of the providers they list I just would not entertain.

Orange in particular I loathe with a vengenance, they are crooks, basically, reduced my daughter to tears at one stage

So maybe I'm missing something here?

The service I have with Zen is no longer provided, I've been with them 7.5 years now and have found them mostly faultless.

It's basically £24.46 a month for 8Mb download speed, unlimited e-mail adresses, 25Gb bandwidth allowance and 2Gb web space.

Which is actually quite a good deal when you compare closely with other services.

Two gripes:

In 7.5 years I have exceeded my bandwidth around 6 times and had to pay a couple of quid extra each time.

Helpline costs. When I moved I had problems and was on the phone to them 30 minutes. It cost me £10.00+ I've only ever used their helpline twice though.

Other than that, they're great, they really are.

But O2 is cheaper with unlimited bandwidth, albeit subject to FUS. And all reports I've heard say O2 (and BE) are good.

And I doubt very much whether I'd ever fall foul of the FUS, most I've ever used in a month is 29Gb and that's rare.

So, cheaper, unlimited bandwidth, free helpline, but would lose 2Gb web space. I could live with that.

But. O2 not available here. Sam's thingie says they are. Who's right?

And they don't list Zen which is available. Good service? Or simple sales ploy?

 

[Madxgraphics]

As for Be and 02 not being listed well maybe its not updated?

That site is very good i promise!

O2 and BE are listed on Flopps image... I am to transfer to BE in the next moth or so..Had enough of BT and their crap..Month number 2 of been restricted for breaking 100gig....Still want to know how I have broken it, but they don't seemtobe tellingme..So in short..f*ck them...BE reckon they can offer me at least 18mb on 24mb LLU and for less than bt offer me 8mb on 10mb line.....

 

[V_R]

Flops, sorry i know what i meant, just didn't put it across very well did i?

Regarding Be/02 i got it the other way around. I mean maybe samknows is wrong, it looks like it.

The Zen your on at the moment is 'up to 8MB' (ADSL MAX) That falls under BT Wholesale ADSLMAX. Second down on your Screenprint.

(Any isp will fall under this as its standard ADSL up to 8mb, via BT's DSLAMS)

The Zen you say isn't listed is Zens LLU Service, this is because they haven't got their (zens) equipment in the BT exchange that you are connected to.

If you moved ISP you could pick any ADSL MAX (up to 8MB) provider as its just their service through BT's equipment. (2nd down on your screenprint)

Its only if you wanted the faster LLU services (up to 16, 20 or 24MB) On your screenshot that is the ones from AOL down. That say LLU next to them

Hope i made it clearer, sorry for the confusion earlier.

If you click on LLU xDSLon that screenshot its just out of shot on the left, 4th down, that should show you what providers have unbundled your exchange.

Heres what i mean looking at your screeny...

Tell me if im making sense.