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Thread: An interesting problem

  1. #1

    An interesting problem

    I have an interesting problem of sorts.

    I use Bridge Base Online ( a massive online multiplayer bridge software found at www. bridgebase.com ) to play bridge over the internet. But for some reason, I seem to have been banned from there. Now heres the thing. Anyone else trying to use the software from my PC, this specific PC, is blocked too. Now, they haven't blocked my account, because on my lap-top, using my normal dail-up, I can connect and play just fine. Apparently it's just THIS machine they seem to have blocked, and ANY logins from this machine.

    I'm using WindowsXP on my machine, and connect to the net using an ADSL connection. The IP is dynamic. So, obviously, they aren't blocking the IP.

    I un-installed the software, cleared out the Cookies ( assuming they could be one way my PC was being identified ) and downloaded and re-installed the software. Same thing. Login blocked for any account. I then un-installed the software, changed my PC name and ( after rebooting ) re-installed it. Once again, no luck. Now, if it's not my PC name, if it's not my IP, and if it's not a cookie, then how are they able to identify my machine? It's not my account, because like I said, I can connect from any other PC, except this. Any ideas?
    I blame you cos my mind is not my own, so don't blame me if I trespass in your zone!

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Do you have a firewall on that machine or something that wouldn't allow the game to connect? This definitely sounds like a weird problem and something I'm not to sure about, buy do you have something at all that would prevent it from accessing the internet?
    Space For Rent.. =]

  3. #3
    RejectKnowledge,
    I do not know if this is even possible to block by this but have you tried swapping out your NIC card? I know each NIC card has a unique MAC address and it is possible that they have banned you based upon this signature. The puzzling thing is that you can log on using your account from other pc's! One would think that the easiest step this site could take is just blocking your account. Have you tried talking/contacting the administrator of this site/service? Good luck!

    CaptFB

    captfb
    [glowpurple]\"I like to think of myself as a sensitive inteliigent person with the soul of a clown that forces me to blow it at the most important times.\" Jim Morrison[/glowpurple]

  4. #4
    Junior Member
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    Thats an interesting problem! And so far you've taken all the proper measures to correct it. After all that I'm amazed its still having an issue. One possible problem could be that tho your ip is assigned dynamically, your client machine is assigned one ip for an extended perios of time... In other words, you connect and get, i dunno say 192.168.50.29 as your ip right... and your client has that ip for say a period of 5 hours at a time, even if you log off... When you log back on, youre assigned that ip again. Sometimes this happens. But I assume you've checked that allready so we can move on to the next thing...
    Perhaps there's something else to consider... This sounds a bit more like what the problem could come from ... YOure using a highspeed connection, and its no-dice but your 56k dialup works fine. Uh-huh, okay well it could be that your banned because of the highspeed connection itsself. I dont know exactly how all that online gaming stuff works b/c I dont do it... However I have heard of Quake servers setting bandwith limits (PLEASE folks correct me if I'm wrong) so that one user with a bitchin T-3 won't be able to own the game... and vice versa, a user with a slower connection, with slower ping times can't join and slow the game down... IN theory yeah that could be the problem... Sounds to me liek you've explored every other avenue...
    One more thing could be a network issue of some type like if their server has to ping you to test your connectivity and your firewall isnt allowing pings... Or youre spoofing your ip (which you're not doing anyway)... Hope you get that figured out, I'm interested to see how this turns out. Good luck!

  5. #5

    Unhappy

    Firstly, I'm connecting using a USB modem. So I doubt it's got anything to do with a MAC address. And yes, OWL, I've made sure the IP changed.

    The firewall I'm running, Norton Personal Firewall 2002, has a policy that allows everything related to Bridge Base Online through. It's been given the permissions. I get a notice from the server saying that I was not allowed to connect. It's definitely not a firewall problem.

    As for the speednet thing, I used to be able to connect and play from this PC before, but only recently has this become a problem. It's weird. heh. I need a workaround!!

    Any more suggestions?

  6. #6
    Shadow Programmer mmelby's Avatar
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    You said that you installed the software on your PC. That means it has access to the registry. How about a registry entry that does not get cleared when you uninstall?
    Work... Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints...

  7. #7
    I'd rather be fishing DjM's Avatar
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    Well let's see, have you done anything else lately. Installed a patch, a new program, a new driver. Any new Hardware?


    Cheers:
    DjM

  8. #8
    Actually, the registry is the only thing I haven't tinkered with. Funny, though. One would think that the registry would be cleaned out with an un-install. Hmm, could that be the problem then? Can a registry entry of a previous installation be used to identify a PC over the internet?
    I blame you cos my mind is not my own, so don't blame me if I trespass in your zone!

  9. #9
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    Registry Monitors

    If you need a utility to monitor the registry and see if there are any calls made to a specific key whilst you attempt to log into the game server(s), a quick google search here will yield a few. The only specific one I can think of is regmon, which can be found here.

    Were you connecting with the laptop via the same ASDL connection, or at some other place? If you haven't tried the laptop at the same connection as your PC, and you do and it doesn't work, then the game's server(s) might have blocked your IP block (i.e. 148.110.66.XXX), not just a specific IP address. This is what happens to lamers on IRC sometimes, thank god, but I've never seen it happen with a game authenticator(er?). Good luck, let us know if anything works, or if you see any really unusual registry activity!

    BTW, what did you do that the servers banned you for?
    Have you filled out an ID-10-T or PEBKAK form lately?

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
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    Registry Monitors

    If you need a utility to monitor the registry and see if there are any calls made to a specific key whilst you attempt to log into the game server(s), a quick google search here will yield a few. The only specific one I can think of is regmon, which can be found here.

    Were you connecting with the laptop via the same ASDL connection, or at some other place? If you haven't tried the laptop at the same connection as your PC, and you do and it doesn't work, then the game's server(s) might have blocked your IP block (i.e. 148.110.66.XXX), not just a specific IP address. This is what happens to lamers on IRC sometimes, thank god, but I've never seen it happen with a game authenticator(er?). Good luck, let us know if anything works, or if you see any really unusual registry activity!

    BTW, what did you do that the servers banned you for?
    Have you filled out an ID-10-T or PEBKAK form lately?

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