Simple Machines Community Forum

SMF Support => Server Performance and Configuration => Topic started by: Mike63 on April 22, 2020, 09:42:39 PM

Title: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 22, 2020, 09:42:39 PM
I am having a problem with IP addresses and the people on my SimpleMachines FORUM . . . all of the new people and SOME of the old people have the same IP address or one that is very similar to the incorrect one.  For instance, one of the people in my club just signed up and on the FORUM, it gave him an IP address from TEXAS and he and I both live in FLORIDA!!!

Any help would be totally nifty!!!

Thanks!
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on April 22, 2020, 09:47:56 PM
Are you running a proxy (i.e., Cloudflare)?
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: vbgamer45 on April 22, 2020, 10:10:52 PM
Also IP GEO location information is not always accurate it can vary greatly.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 23, 2020, 12:16:35 AM
Thanks for answering!

No proxy.

I hear you on the IP GEO location thing . . . but maybe 4-5-6 people on the FORUM membership all have the SAME IP ADDRESS!!!  And SPAMMERS have the same IP ADDRESS that the members have?????!!!!!
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: vbgamer45 on April 23, 2020, 12:22:15 AM
What mods you have installed on your forum?
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Illori on April 23, 2020, 05:14:12 AM
have you asked your host about this? maybe they are running something on the server that is causing this issue.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 23, 2020, 03:36:43 PM
Where do I find out what "mods" I have installed???
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: vbgamer45 on April 23, 2020, 03:39:53 PM
Under
Administration Center » Package Manager » Installed Packages
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 23, 2020, 04:09:05 PM
Here's the Mod list I have . . . please note this SM FORUM has been functioning since ABOUT 2004-2005 or so!!

The list is attached!!!

Mike Jacobs
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: vbgamer45 on April 23, 2020, 04:11:16 PM
The only one on that list that deal with IP's would be the last two.
I am thinking maybe httpBL might be the one though


When you visit the site does it record your ip correctly? you can verify by googling what is your ip address.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on April 23, 2020, 04:21:37 PM
If any of those mods are as old as the forum, you can expect to have problems.  Save yourself a lot of grief (and your forum a lot of work) by removing all the anti-spam mods and use core verification questions instead.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 23, 2020, 04:28:05 PM
Yes it gives me my correct IP address!

Mike
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 23, 2020, 04:30:57 PM
Sir Osis . . . could you give me the numbers of the MOD list you would delete???

Thanks!

Mike
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on April 23, 2020, 04:42:36 PM
I'd remove these, you can always reinstall if you have problems -

reCaptcha for SMF
Akismet Spam Blocking
Add Honey Pot to Track IP
httpBL

If you set up verification questions correctly, it's very effective.  You can add a visual element that makes it easier to generate questions (20-30, rotating 3 works well), and it's easier for people to use.  I've done that on several forums, it's been 100% effective.  This forum (https://mlcforum.theherosspouse.com/index.php) was running 4-5 anti-spam mods and a firewall, still having problems with bots and logging tons of errors.  All mods are removed, no bots and running clean, it's a busy forum.  Take a look at their registration page.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 23, 2020, 05:12:13 PM
 . . . I will . . . thanks for the advice.

How about all of the older SM updates????

Mike
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on April 23, 2020, 05:13:36 PM
You can delete those.  If you're still at 2.0.15 you should update to .17.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 24, 2020, 12:38:59 AM
I am so sorry to bother you again . . . thanks for the help before . . . but I can't seems to figure out how to change SMF 2.0.15 to SMF 2.0.17 . . . it seems to want to go to SMF 2.0.16 and when I say OK to that it gives me an error message!

One more bit of help please!!!

Thanks

Mike
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: vbgamer45 on April 24, 2020, 01:07:08 AM
What error message does it say?
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on April 24, 2020, 12:26:54 PM
If you're using package manager to update, you have to install the patches in sequence  - 2.0.15 > .16 > .17. 
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Mike63 on April 24, 2020, 03:32:04 PM
vbgamer45 . . . I tried to update to 2.0.16 and it says something like "If you are not really experienced at this then don't try this.", so I didn't . . . those are my words but they give you the essence of what it said.  The problem is I NEVER EVER remember updating the my FORUM (since 2009 . . . I looked the date up) . . . does SimpleMachines ever update themselves???

Thanks for your help!!!

Mike
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Sir Osis of Liver on April 24, 2020, 08:50:36 PM
There are two ways to upgrade from 2.0.15 to .17.  You can install the updates in package manager as prompted - .15 > .16 > .17.  If package manager flags errors, it will give you the file and the target and updated code.  If the target code has been edited by a mod or manually, package manager will not recognize it, so you have to find it and do the edit manually.  Then you can proceed with the install.

Second way to upgrade is to upload a fresh set of files from 2.0.17 upgrade package.  It's not necessary to run upgrade.php, there were no database changes from .15 to .17.  You'll have to reinstall themes and mods.
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: mathygreen on January 14, 2022, 10:24:54 AM
I tried to update to 2.0.16 and it says something like "If you are not really experienced at this then don't try this.", so I didn't . . .

those are my words but they give you the essence of what it said.

The problem is I NEVER EVER remember updating the my FORUM (since 2009 . . . I looked the date up) . . .

does SimpleMachines ever update themselves???
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Arantor on January 14, 2022, 11:12:09 AM
Quote from: mathygreen on January 14, 2022, 10:24:54 AMdoes SimpleMachines ever update themselves???

Of course it does. The patches usually get deployed here ahead of being handed out to users. In fact, this site is on a development-level version of the 2.1 series.

If you haven't updated since 2009, you must either be on an old 1.1 version or a not-finished 2.0 version, since in 2009 the only 2.0 choices were beta versions or release candidates 1 and 2, it wasn't until 2011 that 2.0 "stable" was done.

I think we need to start with "what version are you actually on?"
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: @rjen on January 14, 2022, 11:58:00 AM
Unless SMF was installed by some package manager from your host... it may have been upgraded automatically from your hosts package manager ....

If they did you may wonder why they stopped doing it?
Title: Re: IP addresses
Post by: Doug Heffernan on January 14, 2022, 11:59:13 AM
Quote from: mathygreen on January 14, 2022, 10:24:54 AMI tried to update to 2.0.16 and it says something like "If you are not really experienced at this then don't try this.", so I didn't . . .

those are my words but they give you the essence of what it said.

The problem is I NEVER EVER remember updating the my FORUM (since 2009 . . . I looked the date up) . . .

does SimpleMachines ever update themselves???

Are you the same person as the OP, cause your post is almost a duplicate of this one:

Quote from: Mike63 on April 24, 2020, 03:32:04 PMvbgamer45 . . . I tried to update to 2.0.16 and it says something like "If you are not really experienced at this then don't try this.", so I didn't . . . those are my words but they give you the essence of what it said.  The problem is I NEVER EVER remember updating the my FORUM (since 2009 . . . I looked the date up) . . . does SimpleMachines ever update themselves???

Thanks for your help!!!

Mike