Hi, I've only had my forum up and running for a few months now. Lately, one particular poster has been such a problem that other members wanted their accounts deleted. Unfortunately, I don't have as much time as I would like to post on my own forum! However, I was contacted by the mods and several members who told me that they were extremely offended. I banned the member in question because there were so many complaints, (one everyday)!! That person returned and opened an account under a different name and email address. I banned that email account and the ip address. This person than used a proxy server and opened yet another account. First, is there anyway to tell if the ip address is from a proxy server before activating the account? And also, is there anyway to ban all ip addresses from proxy severs? This is so frustrating and it's causing the entire mood of the forum to suffer! Help!!

in vbulletin

vBulletin Options --> User Banning Options

you should be able to ban domains and ip addresses there

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You can ban an IP range through vBulletin, however, I'd be careful as you may actually end up banning legit users.

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yea very true, if the guy has the same base but different last three numbers and has done it more than a few times you can put in as many numbers as are the same etc to ban that.

also, do you have it set up so that they have to have a separate e-mail account? also turning on e-mail verification for new regs helps

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He could simply register a new e-mail with anyone.

I'd suggest banning certain free e-mail address domains. Many larger forums do not allow the use of gmail, yahoo, hotmail, msn and various others free e-mail accounts for this very reason.

If you don't want to do that, then I would suggest banning the IP range.

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no offense, but i would not ban free e-mail addresses. if your goal is to get members, do not make it hard for them to use their primary e-mail address. It sounds simple, but having to sign up for and register a new e-mail account is a pain in the ass. especially if you are just doing it to bother someone else, i think they will probably have the stamina to do it twice and then once that is banned they will stop. it is a headache

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agreed banning free emailers is not the right choice.

since your on vb you might search for and install the AE Detector. It is a cookie based multiple login detection system. It somehow can read old cookies on a users machine to see if they have been to your site under another name, i use it, it works....

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PA Forums
Philly Sports
Delaware Online
boomshockalacka

Yes, each user has to verify their email address before being registered, but I'm having a hard time keeping this person from repeatedlly registering since she's using a proxy server. Therefore, I'm not sure how to ban her ip address being that it changes from an ip address in Portland and then skips to some place in Virginia. Either this person travels the country every day or they're using a proxy server! Proxies seem to be impossible to pin point and ban. This is very frustrating!

Great suggestion. I'll look into that...But what if they delete the cookies on their computer?

im not exactly sure how it works, read thru the thread on vb.org. it has never let me down and has always caught a double reg

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PA Forums
Philly Sports
Delaware Online
boomshockalacka

another solution that worked for me was the miserable users hack at vbulletin. it makes the site so hard for them to use. this way they don't realize that they have been in effect banned, the site becomes so difficult to use that they just stop coming back because it is more trouble to go to the site than it is to mess around with your users

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