I keep getting banned at a message board. How do they know its me?

Question

I got banned from a forum because I started a political argument and got mad and made an *** of myself on my favorite forum and now I keep getting banned over and over. I like to sit at my favorite PC at the library and they have DSL by Windstream. I don't have DSL at home. When I looked up the library PC's IP address, I saw my city's location marked on a google map and I saw the IP addy and I made a note of it, after I got banned. I don't know much about this stuff.

But anyhow, I re-registered at the forum with a new username, new password, new email, etc. I click on the activation email, etc., and started posting again. Guess what happened? I got banned again. It is at that point I realize that when you moderate a forum, you can see someone's IP address and apparently, I had been red flagged. Maybe they have software for when the IP address shows up it automatically bans you? Or do they sit there and do it visually?

SO what I was wondering if, if someone else comes along and wants to register at the same site that banned me, and they are in the library, but at a different computer, will they be banned also? Does the forum have software or some way to recognize that 'hey, this user is from City X, from that IP address we banned before, and we have got to ban this new user also!' Is it matching up the IP address, the location, the service provider, the computer itself or what?! If the people who live next door to the library were also using the same DSL provider, would they also be banned? Does each individual pc have it's own way of being identified or something? If I sat at the computer that is in the next booth over, would I be able to register at the site and post, or would I get banned again? How can I get back on my favorite forum and register again so I can post, but keep my opinionated mouth shut, and not get banned this time? I am so disappointed this happened---I had a lot of threads going there, and a lot of online friends, and now I don't know how to get back because each time I've tried (3 times!) I've been banned... Thanks for the explanations on all of this! I'm trying to learn something new here also. I appreciate your help!

And then, a few days later....

Look, you guys, it happened again. A few days ago, I sat here, at my favorite pc and got a new free email address through yahoo, registered again at the forum, clicked on the confirmation link and began to post again. I noticed that each day my IP address was different, as was the physical location (city) it was coming out of. I didn't start any arguments or anything at all, just thank you's, and then this morning, I am banned again.

HOW do they know it's me? Do I just need to clear my cookies or something? I have even used a different browser (google chrome!). I don't get it! Can someone PLEASE explain this to me? What is tipping them off?????? I keep reading that I need to change my IP address to get around this, but I see my IP address HAS been different, so how do they know its me?

If they are banning my IP address, does that mean that everybody in my area, (city) who uses the same provider is being banned also?

Answer 1

You need first to learn a bit more about IP addresses. Here is good start:



http://www.ipaddresslocation.org

http://www.find-ip-address.org



You can test your own IP addresses above and if you have static IP address then is pretty easy to recognize you and block you each time you visit board.

They can if they want block you completely access to the board behind your IP address but it is still not case.



After you have learn something about IP addressing and protocols then you will come behind that anonymous proxy server may help you to hide your IP address.



Good free proxy programs to hide IP address are TOR ( http://www.torproject.org/ ) and JAP ( http://anon.inf.tu-dresden.de/index_en.html ) but because they use well known IP addresses it is again easy to block it.



Probably best solution for you will be to use some free proxy servers and you can find them on http://www.proxyblind.org



Good luck!

Answer 2

It's the IP address. Unless you specifically went in and changed it manually, your IP address does not change itself. No, the whole area would not be banned. Yes, if you went to a library computer and created a new account, that account would not be banned so long as you used totally different information.

Answer 3

Sounds like they are finding you through your ip address. Are you sure you are not being reported by someone or a moderator of the forum is recognising other details you are entering.



I would try emailing the moderator of the forum and asking for the ban to be lifted and explain it was a rant and see if they give you another chance.

Answer 4

You are probably the only one in the area that uses that forum. You change your identity and start posting again and get banned again. They can tell by your posts that it is you.



You need to sit down and ask yourself why you like to argue so much. That is what is tipping them off. Why do you spend so much effort to express your views? Some would think you want everyone to agree with your opinions. I do not think you want people to agree with you. You enjoy argueing. Apparently you can not find something else to do in the area that you enjoy so you escape from your community to the internet.



And you found a favorite forum and have been rejected from that forum like a lover broke it off with you. Rejection hurts. It is time to find somewhere else to escape from your community. Find a different forum.



Or return to the community. Start a hobby. Volunteer in the community. Hospitals usually need volunteers. Get a second job. Stay busy.

Answer 5

They are probably banning your IP address, which is unique to you.

Answer 6

what forum are you using?

Answer 7

ESPN is for the gays.