My PC has been banned

[531colin]

I’m getting a message on my PC to say I have been banned for life, or my IP address has been banned.
I don’t really know what this means, and apparently it doesn’t apply to my phone, because that’s how I’m posting.

[admin]

Can you tell us your internet IP address?

Ask a search engine "what is my IP address?" to find out, or use this site: https://whatismyipaddress.com

We'd need to know your IPv4 address.

[slowster]

You have sent an email to the Contact Us email address. I can see from the IP address recorded against that email that it is likely that you are using a VPN. The solution in that case is to turn off the VPN. For the record that particular VPN ISP has been historically been one of the top three sources of spam posts.

Further details in these threads:

viewtopic.php?t=163656

viewtopic.php?t=163662

[531colin]

I didn’t know what a VPN is. (OK, it’s a virtual private/public network; like that helps at all)
I haven’t changed anything recently.

[slowster]

I've sent you a PM.

[531colin]

Cheers slowster, it looks like I,m back on!

[slowster]

Cheers slowster, it looks like I,m back on!

Please do a check at your end to find out what your IP address is. I want to check the result with the address I have for the post you just made.

So as per admin's post, ask a search engine "what is my IP address?" to find out, or use this site: https://whatismyipaddress.com. Then send the result to me in a PM. Please do this now.

I think we need to try to understand what happened, because I think that otherwise it is likely to keep happening to you or others.

[geomannie]

This post interests me as I also get a message saying I have been banned for life, or my IP address has been banned, but only if I am using my ProtonMail VPN. I am a bit perplexed as I had assumed that ProtonMail was one of the more reputable companies https://proton.me/

It's annoying as I sometimes find it useful to surf the internet using a VPN. Any idea why ProtonMail is blocked? A typical ProtonMail Netherlands IP address is 149.5.50.10 . This isn't on any blacklist as far as I know https://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check

Your thoughts appreciated.

[slowster]

A typical ProtonMail Netherlands IP address is 149.5.50.10 . This isn't on any blacklist as far as I know https://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check

I don't think that is a ProtonMail Netherlands IP address. It appears to be the IP address assigned to you by what I imagine might be your ISP - see https://whatismyipaddress.com/ip/149.5.50.10. When you route your internet traffic via a VPN, the VPN provider replaces your IP address with one from a range belonging to it, which may be nominally from another country. You may not know what the IP address used by your VPN is. Spammers use VPNs and proxy servers etc. to conceal what country they are operating from, and to prevent their being easily identified as would happen if they always used the same static IP address(es).

When a spammer attempts to post on the forum, it takes up moderator time. It is not always obvious if a first post is made by a spammer, and assessing the post and doing the necessary checks to determine if it is likely to be a spammer all adds to the time.

[slowster]

Between us, 531colin and I managed to work out that the VPN supplied with his internet security software had been turned on. The VPN provider used by the internet security software company is a major one which over the last decade has also been used a lot by spammers on this forum (and was Graham's bête noire judging by his comments), and consequently many - but not all - of its IP addresses have been blocked.

[mjr]

I am a bit perplexed as I had assumed that ProtonMail was one of the more reputable companies https://proton.me/

In case you're not aware, Proton have recently trashed their reputation by publicly supporting the new US regime. It's not at all clear that you can still rely on them not to give the USA government some access to your traffic. https://theintercept.com/2025/01/28/pro ... publicans/

[geomannie]

I am a bit perplexed as I had assumed that ProtonMail was one of the more reputable companies https://proton.me/

In case you're not aware, Proton have recently trashed their reputation by publicly supporting the new US regime. It's not at all clear that you can still rely on them not to give the USA government some access to your traffic. https://theintercept.com/2025/01/28/pro ... publicans/

Yes I am aware, but I'm waiting to see how this plays out. Proton are subject to the privacy laws of Switzerland which hopefully offers some reassurance. I'm reluctant to change my email once again as doing so is a right Royal pita.

Mind you, which email/social media/web hosting company can you truly trust?

[Richard Fairhurst]

I currently use Runbox, who are reliable and reasonably priced. I've had the same email address for 25+ years on my own domain (that makes me feel old...), and have just switched provider behind the scenes now and then.

[geomannie]

I currently use Runbox, who are reliable and reasonably priced. I've had the same email address for 25+ years on my own domain (that makes me feel old...), and have just switched provider behind the scenes now and then.

I had my own email on my own domain for years, but about 3 years back Google decided to blacklist me meaning Gmail users wouldn't receive my emails. No reason, no appeal. And no, I didn't do spamming or other suspect activities, simply business and personal use.

In desperation I switched to ProtonMail. With my own domain/email I could change provider, now it's a pain.

I now no longer trust any internet service. They only care for their business and if you are collateral damage, so be it.

[admin]

FWIW Gmail got all picky some time back, requiring SPF and DMARC records in the domain's DNS. The requirement of SPF is fine, but the DMARC requirement is odd, as Gmail is happy to have a "do nothing" DMARC record and no DKIM message signing.

Google used to be really nice and compliant with internet standards. No longer (SPF and DMARC are optional, and only protect against spoofing, not spam).

I too run my own mail servers, for me, family, and customers. Did see some Gmail problems a few years back, but all working OK now (touch wood!). Can ProtonMail work with your own domain? That would be ideal: you have full control over your email address, and it doesn't need to change if you change email provider.