Problems with the site

[mightyrooster]

The site seems to be back to normal again for me now. Thanks Chris.
Actually, I'll take that back. It looked better when I popped on this morning but I'm back on again at lunch and now posts are not refreshing again and threads all out of chronological order once again. Very strange.

[ism22]

Chris, not sure what your background is but you talk like you have some IT expertise? My situation is an old one reported earlier by a couple of members on the website issues folder earlier this year. My problem is that I cannot get the site at all from my wi-fi connection at home on ANY device(ie "page cannot be found")...That's an iMac, iPhone and Asus Transformer.However, if I turn my wi-fi off on my iPhone, then I can see the site and connect. Weird. After trying to come up with a solution, I decided to investigate the IP angle and decided to use a Tor browser, and it works. So by changing my IP, I am able to use this site, using my home wi-fi. Any ideas why this would be happening AND it only happens on this site. I don't have any problems like this on any other sites. Let me know if you have a reason why this would be happening.
As for the refreshing problems...it seems to have improved but I do get an 'error(invalid server response)' message often as I write but that could be the connection protocols of this browser which makes it drop out frequently but it's quick to connect. Cheers!

I get the feeling that he blocked a bunch of 'hackers' using hard-coded IP blocks... but ended up blocking 1/2 of the people on the forum... I don't know what logic he used with the bans so can't comment further. When you use 3G you get a new IP, so you're not blocked.

Also, the site doesn't render correctly on all browsers, here is an example from an iPhone 6 running safari:

https://i.imgur.com/GA9sw1F.png

As you're typing there's this bloody annoying refresh error that needs to get sorted out as well:

https://i.imgur.com/JQyK7u3.png

OR THIS ONE!!!

https://i.imgur.com/ukAatSg.png

I've been criticised previously for sounding over-critical but my concern is that it's not THAT hard to get a hosting account that's reliable, install some forum software on it and keep it up to date so that nobody hacks it. The problem with something like vBulletin is that the underlying software gets hacked every month or so (because it's such a common commercial package.) Then what happens is that people make bots that go and hack every vBulletin forum out there. They're not targeted towards the Chookpen, they just go and inject malicious code into every vBulletin forum out there.

I have no doubt that this forum is regularly being injected with malicious code... that's not Chris' fault (it's some malicious d!ckhead's fault and he should be locked up) BUT... IMO Chris has really struggled to keep the site stable. This is not a personal attack (Chris runs the shop and this is by far the best Roosters forum out there... to be fair, he's done a better job than the NRL and the Sydney Roosters), but it's a serious concern that anecdotally we're losing regulars as a result of site instability (and the IP banning of regular users.)

I was concerned about the IP bans when I travelled earlier in the year. I could access the forum pretty reliably from random WiFi in Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Russia and Ethiopia (or when I used TOR for that matter, which a hacker would most likely use)... but my IP address for my home in Australia was blocked (seems to have been fixed now after the server moved.)

Not sure who Chris has around him as technical experts (I realise he has some skills and is focussing heavily on his player rating project... partly a reason for instability? The production server is being used for testing/development?) BUT I'd really like it if Chris could explore some options for improving the stability of the site. He's built a great community and has some great ideas, but I fear that the constant stability issues need to get sorted out (both for our benefit ans for Chris'... I mean his goal is to sell some player rating idea to the NRL... they already use Telstra for EVERYTHING internet and IMO probably don't have a lot of time for alternatives if they're even less stable than Telstra's already bulky systems. Fix the stability + make things 'just work' and IMO Chris could be onto a winner.)

My ideas for fixing this:
- Look into some more secure vBulletin alternatives (or do a complete re-install, dumping everything... I reckon some of the code you are using is currently bugged... not your fault and I hate these MF'ers more than anybody, but they're hurting the site and need to be stopped)
- Use your host's pre-installed forum package and simply install a theme on top of it. This way the onus is on them to keep the forum software secure/updated (and they are usually pretty darn good at it because you're paying them to do it.)
- Use less analytical bots... I kid you not, the site connects to 18 different servers for analytics...etc before you've even entered the forum (https://i.imgur.com/TS6uRbk.png) a number of these sources are spammers/hackers so I'm glad that I blocked them.
- STOP IP BANNING EVERYBODY!!! You're banning your users, not the random hackers!!! The random hackers change their IP every 30 seconds using TOR and yes... the only way I'm able to post at the moment (after being IP banned 1/2 way through my post) has been to login using TOR. Ban TOR/known spammers, not legitimate IPs! (Much easier and more targeted.)
- Have a test server (ideally multiple test servers) and a production server. The production server is an old but stable forum. One test server has all of your cool experimental stuff on it and in the middle have say a 'staging' server and an 'integration testing' server where you can muck around before promoting features into production.

Sorry I know I probably just come across as being a d!ckh3ad, but it's frustrating because I like this forum and there's no other GOOD options out there. This forum has the community and the right staff... all it needs now is stability/usability! I'd love to see it all fixed!!

[ROC181]

I get the feeling that he blocked a bunch of 'hackers' using hard-coded IP blocks... but ended up blocking 1/2 of the people on the forum... I don't know what logic he used with the bans so can't comment further. When you use 3G you get a new IP, so you're not blocked.
!

Not sure about that blocking IP theory. I had the same thing post GF win in December 2013 until April 2014 when it came back on. I could not log in via WI-FI and that was another address and modem. I could still login via mobile but that can get out of hand when your arguing with the types of TURK After the Storm game, it all came back as well as the refreshing issues. Then again why does it work with Tor and not other normal browser?

[ism22]

Not sure about that blocking IP theory. I had the same thing post GF win in December 2013 until April 2014 when it came back on. I could not log in via WI-FI and that was another address and modem. I could still login via mobile but that can get out of hand when your arguing with the types of TURK After the Storm game, it all came back as well as the refreshing issues. Then again why does it work with Tor and not other normal browser?

Test it... next time you're blocked out check your IP, reboot your router, check your IP and see if you can login.

Or... try TOR when you're unable to load the page. Both mothods work for me.

[ROC181]

Test it... next time you're blocked out check your IP, reboot your router, check your IP and see if you can login.

Or... try TOR when you're unable to load the page. Both mothods work for me.

'FINALLY' today my wi-fi, ISP, IP all of the above is able to connect to this site without any 3rd parties IP addressees, browsers etc...not sure what has happened BUT PLEASE, don't touch it. Cheers!

[Johnny Tobin]

I still have the problem on my iphone where nothing happens when you press the log in part at the top right.

[Tom Verlaine's Ghost]

I haven't been able to access the site at all for about two weeks. "The Page Cannot Be Displayed".

[ROC181]

I haven't been able to access the site at all for about two weeks. "The Page Cannot Be Displayed".

Try to clear your cache and start again? If your working with an old version in your system that it's not refreshing, you will experience such problems.
For JT same for the iphone. Clear your cache though your settings and Safari...It might help.
As for me, I could not log in WI-FI from home in Brisbane. Just came back from Sydney and it now works on all my devices.

[stsae]

I haven't been able to access the site at all for about two weeks. "The Page Cannot Be Displayed".

That's not been a problem for the rest of us maaaaaaaaaaaaaate, you not being allowed in.

[ROC181]

Apart from the usual not refreshing problems at times, it seems that the old problem of not being able to connect via home WI-F has returned. No software, hardware or settings at home has changed. This started last weekend. I'm in SE Queensland. Anyone else have the same problem? I'm only able to connect via mobile 3G.

[Chooky]

Apart from the usual not refreshing problems at times, it seems that the old problem of not being able to connect via home WI-F has returned. No software, hardware or settings at home has changed. This started last weekend. I'm in SE Queensland. Anyone else have the same problem? I'm only able to connect via mobile 3G.

This comes up every so often ...ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

And then you can't log in for a couple of weeks, especially happens when you write something

[John Corey]

Apart from the usual not refreshing problems at times, it seems that the old problem of not being able to connect via home WI-F has returned. No software, hardware or settings at home has changed. This started last weekend. I'm in SE Queensland. Anyone else have the same problem? I'm only able to connect via mobile 3G.

I'm in SE Qld and can connect from WiFi with no probs. I do have the refreshing issue tho.

[ROC181]

I'm in SE Qld and can connect from WiFi with no probs. I do have the refreshing issue tho.

Who's your isp JC?

[Cockadoodledoo]

Apart from the usual not refreshing problems at times, it seems that the old problem of not being able to connect via home WI-F has returned. No software, hardware or settings at home has changed. This started last weekend. I'm in SE Queensland. Anyone else have the same problem? I'm only able to connect via mobile 3G.

Well we will have to lock out 3G access as well.

[ROC181]

Well we will have to lock out 3G access as well.

Well this is a nice reply. Obviously don't ask for help when you have members like this one.