+Geo Chief Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Hi@all I don´t have any access to www.geocaching.com since two days. I see only an error message in every webbrowser: "Access to this server is forbidden from your client". I don´t use any spiders or other "bad" software. Are there any other users with this problem? Who can help me? I´ve already sent a mail to contact@Groundspeak.com but I received no answer until now. If I use a computer at work (other computer and other internet access), I have full access to www.geocaching.com. The forum works without any problems. Thanks Geo Chief Link to comment
WH Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 It would appear that your IP address has been banned. It's possible that somehow, you got hold of an IP address that was once used by a troublemaker that got it banned from the site. Link to comment
+BalkanSabranje Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Hi@all I don´t have any access to www.geocaching.com since two days. I see only an error message in every webbrowser: "Access to this server is forbidden from your client". I don´t use any spiders or other "bad" software. Are there any other users with this problem? Who can help me? I´ve already sent a mail to contact@Groundspeak.com but I received no answer until now. If I use a computer at work (other computer and other internet access), I have full access to www.geocaching.com. The forum works without any problems. Thanks Geo Chief Just a small guess: You're accessing the internet via T-Mobile Germany. How could I know? By reading this thread... BalkanSabranje Link to comment
+wutzebear Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 It would appear that your IP address has been banned. It's possible that somehow, you got hold of an IP address that was once used by a troublemaker that got it banned from the site. That's possible, but since most internet-providers over here in Germany use dynamic IP-adresses, with banning the "bad" adress you won't reach the bad guy, but some "good" users. Link to comment
Trailchaser Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Just a small guess:You're accessing the internet via T-Mobile Germany. That shouldn't be the reason, my access via T-Mobile works fine all the time, regardless if using via WAP or normal web ... Wastl Link to comment
Elias Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 I don´t have any access to www.geocaching.com since two days. I see only an error message in every webbrowser: "Access to this server is forbidden from your client". Over the last weekend, the site was hit extremely hard by dozens of random IPs in the 84.177.0.0/16 netblock. There was no feasible way to individually block them; I had no choice but to block the entire class-b network. Unfortunately, you and many other innocent bystanders have been blocked as a result. I'll remove the block first thing tomorrow morning and keep an eye on it. Hopefully the abuse will have subsided by then. Please accept my apologies for the inconvenience this is causing. Elias Link to comment
+radioscout Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 (edited) Some ways to get rid of spiders and other mass downloading programms: - Cache descriptions can only be viewed while logged in. This enabled Groundspeak to keep track of users using causing to much traffic - Throttling. If a user is downloading lots of cache descriptions the amount of data will be reduced - False data. If mass download is detected, the data will be rendered useless by adding random numbers to the coordinates and interchanging parts of the text and pictures with other cache descriptions. Maybe the best solution: - Captchas. Every 10 or 20 views (in less than one hour) a captcha will be displayed. Transmission will be continued only if the correct answer is typed in. This will sucessfully block all kind of mass download. Edited October 11, 2005 by radioscout Link to comment
+Geo Chief Posted October 11, 2005 Author Share Posted October 11, 2005 (edited) Elias, thanks for your statement but a short message on the main-site with the reason would be very helpfully for the affected users! Now I can see a new message but there was some days only a very simple message and no one knew the reason why you blocked our access to gc.com! I sent a mail to contact@Groundspeak.com and I received only a mail that I have used downloadtools. Now I wait more than one day for your answer to my reply. Edited October 11, 2005 by Geo Chief Link to comment
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