⚠️ Anyone else having issues with the Bobcat Nation website? ⚠️

[The Butcher]

It seems like the site has been going down constantly lately. Does anyone know what’s going?

If anyone has any info, please share! It’d be great to know when the site will be back to normal.

[kmax]

Have yet to see any issues on my side whenever I have tried to access. If you see issues if you can send them to with some details of what is happening or what you are seeing then I can look into it but have not seen anything myself so hard to actually know there is an issue if not reported.

[Pecos24]

I haven’t seen the site go down. I have been having the search error more often than normal.

[D-Wreck]

I frequently get a message trying to see all Unread Posts that search isn't available at this time due to traffic. I'll try to grab a screenshot next time I see it. I figured it's just because this is such a popular place!

[kmax]

Yep, that makes sense and rtb actually said the same to me a bit ago. The search function is by far the most cpu intensive function here. It is way better than it used to be but with a lot of traffic it can happen. I’m traveling back from Portland now, will try to take a look tonight or tomorrow to see if I need to clean up the search index.

[BobcatDel]

Have yet to see any issues on my side whenever I have tried to access. If you see issues if you can send them to with some details of what is happening or what you are seeing then I can look into it but have not seen anything myself so hard to actually know there is an issue if not reported.

Similar to Butcher I was having access problems. Also I was getting “dropped out” when I would try to go back to Index. Then I would be forced to try to log on again. Sometimes I could get right back on and other times I would get message to try back in a few minutes. Would get dropped a couple times when trying to go back and I would just quit trying to log on and come back later. I was out of town so I thought it might just be on my end with the wi-fi connection I was using.

Back home late yesterday and seemed to be working OK.

[RickRund]

Was getting the site is unavailable message. Seems to be ok the last couple of days. Hopefully this doesn't jinx my logging in .

[The Butcher]

Was getting the site is unavailable message. Seems to be ok the last couple of days. Hopefully this doesn't jinx my logging in .

Same for me.

[kmax]

It's all traffic related. I did some cleanup and stuff to hopefully help but yeah definitely higher chance of seeing that type of thing at busy times like during away games or big news/event times. Thanks for the heads up, as I said I had never seen it so it is helpful when you all let me know so I can check on things. I'll keep an eye on it for awhile and hopefully reduce the issues.

[catscat]

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access this resource.

Apache/2.4.29 (Ubuntu) Server at bobcatnation.com Port 443

I have been getting the above message every time I try to access Bobcat Nation with my home Wi-Fi for the past 4 days. Doesn't matter which device I use. I can (as in right now) access with my phone if I turn Wi-Fi off). Thoughts? I'd like to use Wi-Fi as I always have been able to in the past. Thanks.

[BobcatDel]

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access this resource.

Apache/2.4.29 (Ubuntu) Server at bobcatnation.com Port 443

I have been getting the above message every time I try to access Bobcat Nation with my home Wi-Fi for the past 4 days. Doesn't matter which device I use. I can (as in right now) access with my phone if I turn Wi-Fi off). Thoughts? I'd like to use Wi-Fi as I always have been able to in the past. Thanks.

I am getting the same message only it is when I am trying to access with my iPhone. Yet when I log in with my iPad (which I am on right now) it is working fine. I just logged on to post the same message as you have posted. I started having issues yesterday just before game time. I tried rebooting my phone. I tried to get the latest updates installed on my phone thinking it might be a security update I was missing…..no joy with any actions I tried.

The message I receive reads exactly like the one you have posted above.


Edit: I did go back to check settings on my iPad and iPhone after reading your note….. and the home wi-fi is on and I am password connected for both devices so it is not my home wi-fi causing the issue.

[kmax]

Anyone that is getting that message, if you could please on the device you see that error got to this website: https://www.whatismyip.com/ and copy the IPv4 address is says you are using and then send that to me, either in a PM here from your other device or email it to kevin@bobcatnation.com

With the recent overload issues I have found a number of Anonymous users from different IPs that have been hitting the board extremely hard and I blocked some IP ranges to try and get things under control. Obviously a few of the blocks were a little too broad so if I know what you are using I can fine tune it a bit. Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for your help.

[Bobcat4Ever]

Anyone that is getting that message, if you could please on the device you see that error got to this website: https://www.whatismyip.com/ and copy the IPv4 address is says you are using and then send that to me, either in a PM here from your other device or email it to kevin@bobcatnation.com

With the recent overload issues I have found a number of Anonymous users from different IPs that have been hitting the board extremely hard and I blocked some IP ranges to try and get things under control. Obviously a few of the blocks were a little too broad so if I know what you are using I can fine tune it a bit. Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for your help.

Since I had problems with both my iPad and iPhone, and other Apple users were reporting the same, I suspect it might be addresses that are substituted by the Apple iCloud Private Relay feature. It’s a great privacy feature. Addresses will be substituted by the rules “Maintain general location” or “Use country and time zone”. Since the apparent IP address is just a piece of changeable data, it’s hard to rely on it for consistency in blocking.

Is it robots that are chewing up the time by indexing your data? If so, will they honor the ROBOTS.TXT file that tells them by name to stay away? I think you can wildcard access NONE * to stop any robots that play by the rules. I’ve noticed (I think) that you can Google items within Bobcat Nation — if so, stopping Google and all the “good” robots might give you a boost.

Good luck! Thanks for BN — it’s the only (un)social media that I care about.

[RickRund]

Is the IPv4 address the one in the search bar...

[kmax]

Anyone that is getting that message, if you could please on the device you see that error got to this website: https://www.whatismyip.com/ and copy the IPv4 address is says you are using and then send that to me, either in a PM here from your other device or email it to kevin@bobcatnation.com

With the recent overload issues I have found a number of Anonymous users from different IPs that have been hitting the board extremely hard and I blocked some IP ranges to try and get things under control. Obviously a few of the blocks were a little too broad so if I know what you are using I can fine tune it a bit. Sorry for the trouble, and thanks for your help.

Since I had problems with both my iPad and iPhone, and other Apple users were reporting the same, I suspect it might be addresses that are substituted by the Apple iCloud Private Relay feature. It’s a great privacy feature. Addresses will be substituted by the rules “Maintain general location” or “Use country and time zone”. Since the apparent IP address is just a piece of changeable data, it’s hard to rely on it for consistency in blocking.

Is it robots that are chewing up the time by indexing your data? If so, will they honor the ROBOTS.TXT file that tells them by name to stay away? I think you can wildcard access NONE * to stop any robots that play by the rules. I’ve noticed (I think) that you can Google items within Bobcat Nation — if so, stopping Google and all the “good” robots might give you a boost.

Good luck! Thanks for BN — it’s the only (un)social media that I care about.

Thanks for the heads up on the private relay, hadn't used that feature. That said I just tried it out and did not get blocked so it isn't something that got blocked entirely. Again I would ask if you see the error of being blocked, send me your IP so I can find tune.

And unfortunately the bad actors do not ever appear to be standard bots (at least ones that would adhere to a robots file directive). I have never really seen too much issue with the proper bots such as google and other search engines. I have blocked some other less standard ones though for sure.

[kmax]

Is the IPv4 address the one in the search bar...

When you hit that page, there should be a green box that lists your IPv4 address. Someone else sent me a url where theirs was a parameter in the URL of the address bar so it is possible, though I haven't seen it do that personally. Load the page, look for the green box, hard to miss, it will have all your information.

[The Butcher]

I had the same issue with my iPhone. I switched from using Safari to the Google search app, and the problem went away.

[kmax]

I had the same issue with my iPhone. I switched from using Safari to the Google search app, and the problem went away.

Interesting, if that is the case it would definitely point to the iCloud Private Relay using some IP ranges that I blocked (assuming you have that feature enabled). If you see this again from Safari, let me know the IP address that Safari is reporting you use. Thanks.

[PHAT CAT]

I had a "Forbidden to access this website" come up all weekend. But now BCN comes right up. Weird and crazy stuff.

[kmax]

I had a "Forbidden to access this website" come up all weekend. But now BCN comes right up. Weird and crazy stuff.

Either your IP changed or you are in one of the ranges that I already cleaned up/made the block more focused due to feedback from some others. If you see it again shoot me the i do in your IP and will continue to fine tune.