That is also what i am thinking. The host puts a maximum on the number of connections and the limit is too low resulting in regular visitors getting blocked on the server.

PS I think Zach made a typo and it should be mod_evasive

This was the response from our server about connections.

--------------- Added [DATE]1267808908[/DATE] at [TIME]1267808908[/TIME] ---------------

The email after the one above suggested we contact the software developers.

Go shout and rant at them. All these problems are to do with your crap hosters, NOT vB.
This is the kind of bullshit that crap hosters say if they aren't good with vB.

Or before blaming your webhost - try to use Categories for Smileys as temporary work-around that maybe only 25 or 35 are loaded per page - meaning the smiley popup.

Personally I would switch my web host. It sounds like to me that they only offer very low end hosting and you obviously need hosting that is better. there are some great cheap web hosts out there such as godaddy, bluehost, hostgator, and webair that you will not have these problems with.