IP Question

[Corriewf]

I have about 500 members and it appears that a few members ( about 5 or 6 ) share the same IP addy. Is this normal? I am thinking that they are aolers and have used the same ip.

Also what are some methods you all have used to get rid of "unkind" members. I hav e one that has tons of IP addys.

[Rick Sample]

Yeah, some have either signed up under multiple names most likely, but some may have brothers and sisters or people who use the same PC sign up on your forums as well!

[Corriewf]

No these people claim to be from different places. I am thinking aol but then again the possibility of 5 users using the same ip addy......

[Dean C]

Could be users from the same educational institute All computers in my college network access the internet through the same proxy for example.

[Corriewf]

Yeah or using a proxy but I dont detect one and they claim to be from different places such as texas cal ect.

[Paul M]

What is the reverse dns name of the ip in question ? It will probably be a big clue as to whether it's a proxy or not.

[Corriewf]

Yeah this is what one of the users resolves to.

cache-rtc-ab08.proxy.aol.com

Its just crazy that they recycle the IP.

So basiclly if someone has aol then they cant be banned "ip wise".

[DDad]

I have seen most of the dial ups and the DSL's use the ips over and over again. The broadband users keep the same ip (unless they refresh it). I have seen two people from the same town using aol and using the same ip at the same time.

[Aidan]

AOL appear to use proxy servers quite heavily, so there's probably many AOL users hidden behind a few proxy addresses. In Europe, it's even more confusing, as sometimes AOL's system pushes users from one country onto another country's caching proxy.

[Corriewf]

So how you all handle banning people on your boards?