I thought that 'Ban' message only ever appeared on the login page?

It's been years since I signed in here. The computer I used back then isn't even hooked up. I don't even use Firefox anymore, but my sister does; and since I'm her "IT dept.", she occasionally reports a problem to me. I'll do a Google search for the problem, and one or more links will lead here. Outside of that I just don't need to come here nowadays. I'd have to track down my old login credentials on that old computer in order to sign in, which isn't really worth it. I do thank you for your help nonetheless.

Guest2017, are you able to login now? Or do you only come here to read and have no desire for an account?

smsmith wrote:The IP you are apparently using is no longer banned. Once you have logged in, please post in this thread to let us know that you aren't having any other problems.

Well, the "banned" message/page doesn't appear anymore. So, thanks for that!

(@Reflective: tried that--more than once, didn't work for me)

I see that banned message practically every time I come here, but it's easily fixed by following the instructions in the same banned message. That tells you to type the word "anything" (without quotes) in the Google Search box underneath the login section and then click any of the results which appear. From there, go to the Index and you can login as normal.

The IP you are apparently using is no longer banned. Once you have logged in, please post in this thread to let us know that you aren't having any other problems.

Well, rarely (like, now), do I not get the "banned" page still. It's a mystery why it occasionally doesn't invoke.

As I've had this IP address since mid-July, and since I haven't even visited this site lately before today, you're clearly trying to ban a person who used to have this IP address (months ago if not longer). There's no way you could have received any "spam" from this address during the past 7 days (and longer), so it shouldn't even be in your list at all if you maintain a 7 day TTL. I guess that's your "glitch"? (You should fix that. After some research, it seems it's been around for years at least.)

There is a forum glitch that sometimes causes legitimate users to see this ban. Usually a refresh or two clears it up.

Checking the banned IP log, the IP associated with your post has been disabled for 7 days due to spam activity coming from that address.

Huh?

I've been here maybe a couple times at most this year--just reading, no posting. My previous IP address--which I had unchanged for about 3 years--vanished when my previous cable modem got fried. This new IP address I've had for about 2 months now. This is the first time I've been here since and the first time I've ever seen a "banned (IP address)" message/page. (I'm not even signed in to my account.)

Did the previous "owner" of my new IP address do something "naughty"? (I know I haven't.) Or is this just a glitch?