New error logging in?

[PALM MOD]

Thanks for the info Cristobal.

I really don't think this is a time issue, unless it is an issue with the user's ISP. The server we have should be able to easily handle 20 times the traffic and members we have.

But if you could try logging off each visit (which is supposed to clear PalmTalk cookies), and not using the "remember me" option, I would be curious to know if you would get the same result. I would understand if you don't want to take the extra effort, but it may prove useful. FYI - I notice your IP changes every few days, but will stay the same sometimes for a day or two.

[simona]

Do you log off after every visit?NO

If not, do you ever log in with a different OS, Browser, computer, partition/hard drive, or ISP?Rarely with another terminal from the same address

Do you use the "remember me" function?YES

And one more question. Has this ever occurred for you with Windows and IE?I'm using Google Chrome and I had logging in problems also with Explorer before

[PALM MOD]

Thanks Simona,

My theory is still intact. You also have dynamic IPs.

If you would be willing, try logging off and not using "remember me" and see if that makes any difference. I'll do some research and see if any other Mods have had problems with cookie verification and changing IP addresses, since all four of you have them.

[John in Andalucia]

Dean,

In reading up on the Invision Board forum, it seems obvious to me that the "stronghold cookie" feature might be the problem for some of us. It is designed to deter all but the most dynamic IP's by only reading the first two octets - IP address number blocks. It may also be the case that some of us have ISP's that have two different IP blocks which they assign between. I'm going to check my IP regularly on this website: http://checkmyip.com/ to see how it changes. This might account for some of us being the 'few in a minority'.

[John in Andalucia]

Dean - I've possibly ruled out the IP conflict. My IP hasn't changed in the last 17 hours, and I got the login error this morning at around 9.45am. I booted into Windows/IE in about 60 seconds - same problem. Then I ran to the house and fired up my mother's PC (Windows XP) and logged on! Now, I made a cardinal mistake in testing, and didn't use either of the other two browsers. My mother recently installed Google chrome, so I can't say for definite if it was browser related or an OS conflict. On top of that, there was a 3 or 4 minute delay in all of this, during which time it may have resolved itself. Another point to note - in restarting my PC to boot back into Linux - when my browser opened I was logged in, because I didn't clear my cookies after the log in error. Next test will be to try logging in on my mother's PC in quicker time, using Firefox - the browser I use. I will also try just rebooting my PC after a log in attempt.

[PALM MOD]

John,

I'm glad you agree. This "stronghold cookie" feature, is the security feature I have been talking about. It apparently not only cross checks IPs, but also compares some other parameters, in order to prevent cookie hijacking. This is why I have been suggesting that you guys with dynamic IPs log off each time, and don't use "remember me." It was my thinking this procedure would remove any cross checking/verification of IPs, and other info in cookies from the equation.

FYI - I've been checking your IPs for a while now. And I have noticed that at times they remain in the same "block(s)," and at other times they are completely different. Some of you four vary more often than others.

[John in Andalucia]

Dean, it is now 10.45am and my IP is still the same. I got the login error again (exactly an hour later!?) and carried out the following tests over the space of 10 minutes or so:

Linux & Firefox - 2 restarts, with and without clearing cookies. Login error persists.

Reboot to Windows XP & Firefox. Login error persists.

Windows XP & Firefox/IE/Google Chrome on a different PC on the same IP. Login error persists.

Based on my IP being the same at all times, using 3 browsers on 2 machines with 2 operating systems, I can't really suggest where the fault lies, can you? BTW - only a change the first two IP number blocks are said to trigger the "stronghold cookie".

[John in Andalucia]

I think I have some data. First of all, I WAS trying to log in with the "Remember Me" function. I didn't notice that it is default checked (has it always been?). Here is my test sequence:

Clear cookies, click "Log In" on the front page. From the login page, click "Log In" (with "Remember Me" checked). Redirects to front page. Login error persists.

Clear cookies, click "Log In" on the front page. From the login page, click "Log In" (with "Remember Me" unchecked). Redirects to front page. Login error persists.

DON'T clear cookies. Click "Log In" on the front page. From the login page, Clear cookies NOW. Click "Log In" (with "Remember Me" UNCHECKED). Redirects to front page. NO LOGIN ERROR!

I've now repeated this sequence 7 or 8 times, and it's faultless. Clear your cookies when on the login page ONLY. Next, un-check the "Remember Me" function and it's possible to log in successfully.

[simona]

Let's wait at least 24 hours before you think it's solved. Happened with me...and the problem was back after 2 days [ remembered me of Woody Woodpeckers ]

[PALM MOD]

Thanks John, All this is useful as pieces to the puzzle.

I hope you have at least found a solution that works for you. And I think we can safely say that you have verified that the problem (for most) is associated with the user's IP tagged cookies, logging out (clearing cookies), and the "remember me" function. BTW - for me the "remember me" is off by default, but there may be a setting in your CP to change that. (More on the "remember me" default below)

Simona,

There are too many variables to be able to offer a blanket solution for everyone, other than to say that IMO it appears that if cookies are cleared, and there is no "remember me," that there is no problem. But this is dependent on all cookies being cleared, and may even be dependent on if you are using a router, along with what security settings you have it set to. In addition, there are many virus, firewall, and malware prevention programs and configurations that may interact in different ways with different browsers, etc. to interfere with cookie verification.

I think it is safe to say there are ways for a user to alleviate this problem. But the place to start is logging out, as this is supposed to clear all cookies. But it only does so if the "remember me" function is off when logging in. And this necessitates logging in/out from the appropriate page and unchecking the "remember me" function. Because if you don't, it will still "remember you" (leave cookies) even when you log out.

[Hollywood Palms]

Happens-and happened to me today-off and on.

Mac OS X 10.5.8

Firefox 3.5.3

Always toss my cookies

Always log in

New wrinkle: When I can't log in on the main page, I can log on the dedicated log on page with no problem.

Thanks,

David

[John in Andalucia]

I can confirm that it now works for me every time, clearing cookies ONLY when on the log in page, then un-check "Remeber Me". If I can make that feature un-checked by default, I won't have the problem again, but I don't see it in My Controls.

[PALM MOD]

Thanks John,

That's good to know. I'll have to check more on the default 'remember me.' It's definitely off for me, but that may be due to the Admin account. I too checked briefly and didn't see any option. If you find out what's going on, let us know. I'll do the same.

David (Blonddude),

You need to make sure that the 'remember me' is indeed off, as John indicates you may think it is but it may not be. FYI - your IP is static, so that shouldn't be a problem. It must be something else as mentioned above.

[Hollywood Palms]

Hi.

Logged in fine tonight on the main page. Entered user name and pw manually, as usual. No problem.

Thanks,

David

[Succulentum]

Thanks John it's just doing fine for me now with your exact procedure.

jean-bernard

I can confirm that it now works for me every time, clearing cookies ONLY when on the log in page, then un-check "Remeber Me". If I can make that feature un-checked by default, I won't have the problem again, but I don't see it in My Controls.

[Pivi]

I've just seen this topic. It happened to me before, and i happened to me today (30 minutes ago).

I don't log-off, i always use the same computer, i use "remember me" function which doesn't work when ip is changed (every 24 hours i think).

But i think that i saw it not working even in between.

[Pivi]

It happened again. Then i closed the browser, opened it and i was loged on

[Jeff Searle]

Dean,

I have been trying to log in right now and couldn't. After just reading some, I have tried a few more times with no results. But finally, within about 10 minutes, I was finally able to log in. I always log in and log out when I'm finished. Other than that, don't ask me any more high tech. questions, because I won't be able to answer you. I would have to beg for help from Ryan.....

But it has been happening here off and on for awhile.

Thanks,

Jeff

[Kris]

Dear Friends

I use to surf the net using my personal P.C and to most of the sites i visit i never log off.So i need not log in on dialy basis to visit these sites & read their pages.

So till this day i have not had any serious issues thankfully of this magnitude as our other members have encountered.

Love,

kris

[PALM MOD]

For any of you who had trouble yesterday logging in, the server was undergoing the upgrade that was given advance notice in the IMPORTANT NOTICES for the last several weeks.

Jeff, if you tell me what you experienced when you say you had trouble, I can determine whether it was this upgrade, or something else.

[Jeff Searle]

Dean,

Sorry, I should of been more clearer. It's the IPS Driver Error notice that pops up. (no problem tonight though)

Jeff

[PALM MOD]

Dean,

Sorry, I should of been more clearer. It's the IPS Driver Error notice that pops up. (no problem tonight though)

Jeff

Thanks Jeff,

Tell me if it reoccurs. There were some changes made a week or so ago that should have limited the Driver Errors. Maybe the re-boot after the upgrade triggered something for you.

[gcyao]

I also had this same problem trying to log in yesterday. I tried to log in several times after some time interval but did not succeed. Today, without logging in again, I found I was logged in already!

[Don]

Not a big deal but the same happens to me 98% of the time it happens between 0500 and 0530 central time and interesting enough it says my last loggin was 0317 every single time.Unless Im sleep typing I have no explanation!

Semper Fi

Don

[tjwalters]

Still happening. Tried several times to log in (without unchecking Remember Me) and received the IPS Driver Error message. Then read through this entire thread before trying again. Was successful (obviously). Only difference was time elapsed between error and successfully logging in. I wonder if the board software resets/clears the user account (cookie) after a period of time when the error has occurred.

[PALM MOD]

Still happening. Tried several times to log in (without unchecking Remember Me) and received the IPS Driver Error message. Then read through this entire thread before trying again. Was successful (obviously). Only difference was time elapsed between error and successfully logging in. I wonder if the board software resets/clears the user account (cookie) after a period of time when the error has occurred.

The main thing to remember, for those still having trouble, is to not use "remember me" and also to log out before leaving. This clears all cookies.

[Nick L]

Dean, I hope I did not miss this in the posts above so, this may or may not help but I thought I would through it out there anyway.

I received the IPS driver Error for the first time a couple of days ago.

What was different from the past is I left the computer on all night while logged into palm talk. I know but I just forgot about it.

The following morning when I came back to the computer I closed out the browser, went and had breakfast and when I came back to log on to P/T I got the error.

I use IE8 and have the security settings, set to delete all cookies, cash, and history and so on, on exit. I don’t use the “remember me box” because of these security settings.

Do you log off after every visit? “Yes, but this occurrence no”

If not, do you ever log in with a different OS, Browser, computer, partition/hard drive, or ISP? “Yes, I have a dual boot setup”

Do you use the "remember me" function? “No, due to browser settings”

And one more question. Has this ever occurred for you with Windows and IE? “Yes”