The Owner of This Website Has Banned Your IP Address: What It Means & How to Solve It

Imagine this. You’re in the middle of online research for your upcoming business presentation. Suddenly you get the error message, “the owner of this website has banned your IP address,” in your browser. Now, what do you do?!

No need to worry for this blog post will help you solve that issue. But you might be wondering how you were suddenly banned from the website you’re accessing. So here is some basic information on what an IP address is to better understand why you encountered that error message in the first place.

What Is an IP Address?

Avast defines an Internet Protocol address as a group of numbers used by a computer network to identify and communicate with one another. Being a protocol, it follows a set of rules to identify a device and make it easy to send, receive, and request information on the internet.

An IP address is much like a device’s ID. Thus, it is specific to a device based on its location in the world. Every device can connect to the internet through an IP address uniquely assigned to it.

Who can see your IP address?

Any computer or device connected to the computer can see your IP address. Your IP address is detected whenever you access a website through your browser. Since this is the case, NordVPN highlights the importance of protecting one’s IP address for security purposes. Hackers can know your IP address and use it to get your personal information

Other ways your IP address can be detected would be when you send an email through MS Outlook and Yahoo, click a link to a website, click an online advertisement, and use social media platforms. 

Are you responsible for obtaining an IP address?

No, since this is automatically assigned to the devices you use to connect to the internet. There are various types of IP addresses. The one you are using to access the internet is often assigned to you by your Internet Service Provider. You also have an IP address that particularly identifies the different devices you have at the office or at home in accessing the internet. This local IP address is often assigned by the router provided by your ISP so you can use the internet with various devices.

What does “the owner of this website has banned your IP address” mean?

Now with the basics of an IP address made clear. Let’s discuss what it means when you get Error 1006 or “the owner of this website has banned your IP address.” The ban simply means that your access to a particular website has been restricted or blocked because of a possible security breach.

Robots.Net adds that the website has particularly blocked your device’s ID. This means you won’t be able to access that website using the same device.

Are IP bans permanent?

According to iStaunch, Error 1006 is a complex issue dealt with by many online users that take some time to be removed. But IP bans are not permanent. Internet Protocol bans can be temporary, which means they may last a couple of hours, days, or weeks. Though there are fewer circumstances IP bans become permanent. In any case, there is a way to circumvent either a temporary or permanent IP ban.

What are the reasons or potential causes website owners ban users from entry or access?

There are several reasons website owners ban a user’s or visitor’s IP address. These are:

1. Potential security risk

The website you are accessing has identified your device as a possible threat to their security. This happens when you are connected to a public WiFi that has an underdeveloped internet infrastructure. Since public WiFi has one IP address for all its users, your access will be blocked once the website bans the IP address.

2. Malicious software

Another reason is the website detected malware or virus from your computer. Blocking your IP is a means to protect the website’s content from infection.

3. Multiple accounts with one IP

A third reason is that various accounts use the IP address simultaneously when accessing a website. The website blocks the IP address to curtail abuse from people such as computer gamers.

4. Violation of regulations

Another reason an IP is blocked from accessing a website is when the user has violated its regulations or terms of service. This may entail behaviors that negatively affect other members of that website’s community. An example is online forums and when a member bullies, discriminates or profanes another.

5. Restricted Regions

Some companies or organizations restrict website access based on visitors’ location. This happens when the website has been victimized by hackers or the business owners only wish to provide their content or services to a particular area of the globe.  Certain countries are also identified as “dangerous” because of the prevalence of fraudulent transactions. This is often true for eCommerce websites.

Can you test or tell if an IP is blocked from a website?

Knowing why an IP address can be banned or blocked from a website is important so that one can prevent it to some extent. But can you test if your IP address is blocked in the event you don’t get a “the owner of this website has banned your IP address” error message? Yes, you can!

To test if your IP is blocked, Robots.net getting multiple bounced emails that accompany the error message that it can’t be sent. Experiencing FTP timeout prompts is another way to spot if your IP address is blocked or banned.

SupportHost also suggests connecting to the website using another IP address to check if your IP address has been banned or blocked.  You can also connect to the internet using a different means such as your phone’s data than the one you used to access the website.

There are also websites that provide services and software to check if an IP address has been blocked. An example of these websites is Down For Everyone Or Just Me. 

What ways to fix or workaround Error 1006 or “the owner of this website has banned your IP address”?

Now for the solution to the Error 1006 issue! VPNCentral identifies three ways to solve this issue: use a proxy server, use a VPN, or replace your IP address. While Robots.net adds using a different device,  using available software or applications, and writing an appeal to the website to unblock or unban your IP. 

Use a proxy server 

To set up a proxy server, click Start on your computer and choose Settings or Control Panel. Then click on Network and Internet and choose Internet Options. This will open a pop-up window called Internet Properties. Go to the Connections tab and click Setup. Scroll down to the Local Area Network (LAN) settings portion and click LAN settings. 

Once clicked a new and smaller pop-up window entitled Local Area Network (LAN) Settings will be opened. Make sure the option Automatically Detect Settings is checked before you click the option under the Proxy Server section. 

In particular, click the “Use a proxy server for your LAN.” Then input the IP address in the Address field and the proxy port number in the Port field. Click OK or Save when you are done.

Use a VPN or Third-party App 

A Virtual Private Network changes the IP address assigned to you by your ISP. Using a VPN has many benefits besides bypassing the restrictions imposed on your IP. The VPN enables you to surf online with full anonymity, giving you better security and privacy.

There are many VPN apps you can download for free. Some examples are ExpressVPN and Windscribe. Simply choose the VPN app you wish to use and follow its installation guide.

Replace your IP address

Replacing your IP depends on whether you use a Windows PC or a macOS X. For PC users, click the Start menu and choose Run. A popup window will open where you must type “ipconfig/release” excluding the quotation marks. Click enter before typing “ipconfig/renew.” Press enter again and you’re done.

For Mac users, it is important to close all the applications that are connected to the network before you begin. Then open Systems Preferences and choose View. Click Select Network before choosing Show Menu.

Next, click the Active Network Ports to display its options. Remove the check mark on the port you are currently using. Click Apply Now and the port box. Click Apply Now again to end the process.

Use a different device

Since an IP address is device-specific, using a different device is a practical means to unblock your access to a website. This may be an expensive means to solve the issue for you might need to purchase a new device just to access the website again.

Write the website owner

A diplomatic approach to solve the issue of experiencing “the owner of this website has banned your IP address” would be to write the website owner. Appeal through the letter that your access to the website is unblocked or unbanned. However, this may be a long and at times futile way of solving the matter.

FAQ

How can I find my public IP address?

Finding one’s public IP address is easy. Simply type “what’s my IP address” in Google to get the information you need. The Google result will particularly show what IP address other devices connected to the internet communicate with your device through the TCP/IP model.

Who can help unban or unblock an IP address?

Software Testing Help identified the top 10 IP blockers for small businesses based on pricing and features. These IP blocker apps or tools include NordVPN, Ninja IP Hider, and Cyberghost. The software company shares that these IP blockers act similarly to VPNs in that it hides your IP address by keeping it private. These similarly address the issue of blocked IP addresses.

If you have more questions, feel free to send me a message! I’ll be happy to answer them for you.