Locked out - case closed

[jpmist]

I get a message that I've been prohibited from using this forum when I log in with my laptop. Obviously I log in fine with my desktop.

I occasionally use a VPN service so I imagine a router number popped up that you guys have blocked.

I'm obviously not a spammer, so how can I get this fixed?

Thanks

John

[Queequeg]

There is no ban on your account. There are a large number of IP addresses used to log in to your account but maybe not so unusual for a laptop, especially if you travel a lot.
Next time this happens try a command prompt IP release & renew.

This option terminates any active TCP/IP connections on all network adapters and releases those IP addresses for use by other applications. 'ipconfig /release" can be used with specific Windows connection names. In this case, the command will affect only the specified connections and not all. The command accepts either full connection names or wildcard names. Example:
ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew
This option re-establishes TCP/IP connections on all network adapters. As with the release option, ipconfig /renew takes an optional connection name specifier.
Both /renew and /release options only work on clients configured for dynamic (DHCP) addressing.

[jpmist]

Next time this happens try a command prompt IP release & renew.

This option terminates any active TCP/IP connections on all network adapters and releases those IP addresses for use by other applications. 'ipconfig /release" can be used with specific Windows connection names. In this case, the command will affect only the specified connections and not all. The command accepts either full connection names or wildcard names. Example:
ipconfig /release

ipconfig /renew
This option re-establishes TCP/IP connections on all network adapters. As with the release option, ipconfig /renew takes an optional connection name specifier.
Both /renew and /release options only work on clients configured for dynamic (DHCP) addressing.

Yikes, I think my brain just spattered all over my monitor <grin>

Thanks for getting back, I'm on a Mac so I haven't the foggiest idea how to do what you suggest, maybe just reboot the thing and see what happens. . .

Thanks again

J

[Queequeg]

OK, my bad for assuming you were on a PC.
Here is a link to release/renew on Mac OS.
I know that you are still "connected" but I am operating under the assumption that perhaps it is your (DHCP-provided) IP address that is being rejected by this forum. Of course, I'm the guy who also assumed you were on a PC...
Let me know if that resolves your "issues" (as we are fond of saying in Ann Arbor).
And by the way, your idea to reboot might result in a new IP address since shutting down and restarting will often generate a new/different IP address on machines configured for DHCP.

[jpmist]

'K, I'll give that a shot since rebooting did work. . .

Thanks!

[jpmist]

I looked at the Apple article and that seems to only change the local IP address assigned to my laptop from the wireless router.

My understanding on this is fairly limited, but since I can log on with my desktop via the same wireless router, it seems that the forum software is blocking the MAC address of my laptop, no? How could the forum software otherwise distinguish between my desktop and my laptop coming from the same wireless router?

Can we move this to email?

Thx

John

[Queequeg]

I looked at the Apple article and that seems to only change the local IP address assigned to my laptop from the wireless router.

My understanding on this is fairly limited, but since I can log on with my desktop via the same wireless router, it seems that the forum software is blocking the MAC address of my laptop, no? How could the forum software otherwise distinguish between my desktop and my laptop coming from the same wireless router?

Can we move this to email?

Thx

John

The test for that is to take your laptop for a drive, like to a coffeeshop or other internet cafe, and try to log into the forum. Your MAC address never changes (unless you swap out your network card, which on a laptop usually means new motherboard). If you can log in from another location (rather than your house) then it is not the MAC address.
Yeah, you can email me here:
bsur2000@gmail.com

[jpmist]

Hmmm, well I hijacked a neighbor's wireless for a minute and still couldn't log on. Then I found an old utility that spoofs my MAC address with one that I got off my sisters iPad and I still couldn't log in.

Then I decided to try another browser on my laptop and lo and behold I'm in and typing this now.

I have a lot of ad and flash blocking add-ons in Chrome which is my regular browser, but my guess is that the forum software set a cookie in Chrome to rat me out <grin>

Bottom line is that it's my problem and not yours, but thanks a lot for your attention and help!

J

[jpmist]

I found an extension that clears cookies for a specific site for Chrome and my laptop works fine in Chrome now.

Just FYI, this all started because I inadvertently logged in when I online via a VPN service connecting via their remote servers. Whatever server I was on must be on your software's blacklist so the forum software set a cookie blackballing me from logging in. At least that's how it makes sense to me, I dunno.

Anyway, all's fixed now. Thanks.

J

[Queequeg]

Thanks for reporting back to us with a solution.
Glad you were able to properly troubleshoot this thing.