I did a search and didn't see any topics on this matter. But recently on a forum I belong to, a member that was banned several years ago has popped back up on the forum with the same username. Its the same person with the same username by the way. How is this possible? Doesn't the software home in on usernames as part of the log-in procedure and detect the person is banned or blocked. Or is it only IP address sensitive to the person logging in, and they can simply change devices such as tablets, cellphones or other internet capable products to log in and fool the forum? Would it matter what version the UBB software is?
Verify that the settings within your Control Panel are correct: Membership Settings / Registration / "Require A Unique Email Per Account"
UBB.threads also checks for duplicate LOGIN NAME and duplicate DISPLAY NAME at registration, and in the PROFILE EDITOR for both the user side and in the control panel member editor.
IP Address blocking is not part of the USER BAN system. Though, it is part of the BAN LIST system. Meaning that when you ban a user, that user login name, user display name, user email address gets put in to a group with no access. The user can then go create another account with a new/different email address, and different names. The BAN LISTS are for widespread blocking of Email addresses and IP addresses in full, or with wildcards.
In Control Panel: Membership Settings / Members / Ban Lists / "Banned IP Addresses" and "Banned Emails"
NOTE: The changes you make are "forward." Meaning that they begin at the time that you make the changes, and have no affect on past settings.
To add to what was written above, the MEMBER BAN system can also set a time expiration for bans. ie; an admin bans user for "1 week." After 1 week, the ban automatically gets removed, and the account is returned to the way it was before it was banned. Think of it as "probation."
Some forum admins just like to ban problem users for 1 year, but most set the ban period to, "Never. Permanent Ban." See attached screenshot.
Last edited by isaac; 11/06/20176:43 PM. Reason: fixed a language derp.
Ok, thanks for the explanation. We were just puzzled how after 2 years or so he just randomly reappeared. Does the software notify the user if/when a ban is lifted on their account? Or was it just by chance he was bored and tried to log back in after 2 years and the ban had already been lifted and he was lucky to have a second chance unknowingly?
im not sure about the notification you mentioned. maybe the date is displayed on the login page after entering their credentials? idk. maybe their ban was just for 1 month and they thought it was permanent - but they came back 2 years later and saw everything was normal. idk/idr, since i haven't looked at that exact code in a long time.