Some one asks me about my comment in atniz article :
it will harm others good commentators that unfortunately use share IP with spam commentators
Here her/him question :
I actually did not get your point? How good commentators can share same IP with spammers?
This question I get in atniz article about Ban IP Of Spam Comments Easily. The Question above raise because i mention that ban an ip address may lead to harm many good commentators as well. I already answer the question in that article directly but i think it will be better if i write the answer in this online knowledge blog. It will make the answer can reach more people beside it will more easy to give comprehensive answer about it.
In my opinion, Ban the IP address must be the last resort that we do in our fight with spammers. Ban the IP address will harm other good users which unfortunately share the same IP address with the spammers that we want to fight. I tell you that share the same IP address become common thing in IP network (internet) world. It is exactly about share the public IP address . This public IP address sharing is needed because number of Public IP version 4 which use to access the internet is limited. This limited IP Address situation is overcome by use Proxy server or NAT technology to access the internet. These both of internet technology really save the Public IP Address because it allows many internet users to access internet with only one Public IP address.
How it is work?
Proxy Server
Proxy Network
Internet Users – Proxy Server – Internet
It means that users access the Proxy Server, and Proxy Server access the internet. It make that only need one Public IP address (which use for Proxy server IP address) to serve internet access for many. One proxy server can serve hundred until thousand users. Yes, it means that we will ban hundred until thousand users if we ban the proxy server Public IP address.
NAT (network address translation)
NAT Network
Internet Users – Firewall (NAT) – Internet
It means that when users access the internet, Firewall will map the IP address from users Private IP Address to one Public IP Address. It is also can say that many Private IP address users translate to one Public IP address. This IP address mapping is did by using dynamic ports of TCP/IP standard as additional identifier. This technique is also known as port mapping technique.
I hope that this simple article already make you aware why ban an ip address is not good solution to fight the spammers. Yes, it is because there are many internet users that access the internet actually only with same Public IP Address. I, my self, is not excluded form it. My office use proxy server and my internet provider use NAT technology to save this IP Public address. And, if I am not wrong, my office serves more than 2 thousand workers that use same Proxy Server and my internet provider serves more than 1 million people in NAT internet service. So, if you ban my office Public IP address, the others two thousand users will be ban as well. And, if you ban my internet provider Public IP address, the others one million users will ban as well. Therefore, always try another spam fight technique as first choice before ban the IP Address.
That’s all update this time, wait for next update!
Other Great Articles:
Hi Dana,
Thank you for taking the time to explain more about proxy IP and NAT. Basically, proxy servers used by many to hide their IP address. Usually, it is used by spammers, students, office workers, etc. Reason is school and colleges can ban Youtube, facebook, twitter, and type of social bookmark sites from their network. If you see many profiles in this networks are students. They use proxy sites to gain access to social bookmarking sites like this. My site is just a blog and it is not classified as social network tools. Gaining access using normal IP connection is sufficient, no need Proxy server.
I only banned 20 IPs from almost 1,000 unique IP visits to my blog and able to block almost 99% spam comments. I think you will do the same if you receive 100+ spam comments each day. Noticing that all these spam comments are made from similar IP address. By blocking this IP, you can save your time viewing 5 page long of one spam comment. Imagine how it looks when we have only 20 comments shown per page. This is the best step we can do. In whatever decision we make, we can’t make everyone happy. But, really it is the only best solution I got at the moment.
@Atniz
Yah, I understand of your choice. I only give my point of view according Ban the IP Address and for your information, here in Indonesia almost all people use either NAT or Proxy to access internet.
[...] Ban IP Address ??? | Update The Online Knowledge [...]
Hey Dana an another nice article from your site! I love reading your articles.
I completely agree with you and a coincidence that I searched my blog in another computer because I didn’t want to write the url in the browser. The results led me to one site where my blog/site’s domain was listed and there’s a link to more sites that uses the same IP as mine. Though I expect how IP handles different sites. On the other hand, I have another site that has more than 300 spam comments now and I’m thinking of banning some IP address for this reason.
The main idea that you presented just only about the impact (good or not) that—banning IP’s someone. I formerly thought you try to share about HOW to ban an IP, really I’m lack about this case (maybe you have the kindness to write it for me/or anyone who didn’t know yet about it). But in essential, I agree with you. You shown to us that why IP banning is useless.
glad hand
@Saksham
Thank you saksham.
@Marlene
I suggest you to depends on akismet. In my experience, akismet quite reriable to handle the spam comment.
@sorrythatusernamealreadyexist
You can click the link “Ban IP Of Spam Comments Easily.” in article, it will bring you to anitz article about how to ban ip address.
I have to ban one IP on my blog because it keeps on spamming me with multiple spam comments a day (which didn’t get caught by my anti-spam plug-in)
Oh well… I hope there are no legitimate users sharing the same IP
@Michael Aulia
I hope you remember my IP address, and do not put it in ban list.
It seems my IP has been Banned from Digital Point Forum for unknown reason as I can’t connect to this forum anymore. At first I thought it was due to a downtime, but noticed that some people can connect to it without any problem… any idea? Concerning banning IP on our blog, I don’t receive much spammer yet, so it’s the least of my worries.
What keeps someone from just using another proxy server to get around the IP ban? I use proxies all the time for a variety of evil things (mostly flagging people down in Craigslist
There are tons of proxies available. I don’t think an IP ban will slow down spammer since they can just find another proxy
@Benjamin Cip
In evil way, you can use free proxy server for DP Connection. In normal way, you email DP admin to tell them unban your ip address.
@Blake @ Props Blog
Yah, a clever spammer also can use many free proxy server in internet, but no all of spammer is clever.
I am an avid proxy user. You should be able to get around your IP ban by using proxies. try http://www.centurian.org/ to find tons of web based proxies to use for browsing. I wouldn’t process any personal information through the proxies (credit cards, etc) but you’re fine to post on forums using proxies. let me know if you have any problems.
Hmm,.. an informative article though. in my opinion, banning an IP is the last options
@steppinout
Yes, it should the last option.
[...] It is fully authority of web site admin to do this IP Banned thing but as I already mention in Ban IP Address article that to banned IP Address should be as last option for what ever situation that faced by [...]
Blake is right. Banning an IP address is pretty useless as spammers can get around it. Also they can always erset their router and usually will get another IP.
Yeah, it is useless if spammers creative enough.