vBulletin LTS

IP_NoView! Blocking Guests w/ problem IP addresses from Showthread & Showpost pages!
Mod Version: 2.1.0, by Quarterbore

Background:

The idea behind this product is that we really can't ban some IP addresses without locking out guests and members that we want to be able to access the forums. To further complicate this issue, with some internet providers a member can have a dozen or more IP addresses. Blocking all of these various IPs that a bad user might have would also block dozens of members that could all share the same IP addresses resulting in good guests or members not being able to access the site.

This product was created so problem guests with identified IPs can not read the threads and posts in the forums but good members can still get in and use the site! Even guests with the same IP address, will be able to look around the site, see the forums and topics being discussed (just not read the threads or posts) and perhaps decide they wish to join. This script does not impact the registration page, login page, or anything else on the site (unless you add the pluggin code to other hooks that you wish to block )

How the Product works:

This script works using hooks for the start of SHOWTHREAD and SHOWPOST and if a visitor is not logged in (ie they are a guest) their IP address is compared to an array of "NoView" IP addresses. If their IP address is in that array, the user will get an error message explaining that they can not see the thread or post because their IP address is on a list of problem IPs and they can login or register to make the problem go away (see attached for showthread and showpost).

Inside the AdminCP is an option to turn this script ON or OFF and IP addresses are listed in a text area with one IP address listed per line (see attached).

NEW FEATURE ADDED with Version 2.0.0:

With some hosting companies, like AOL, users get a new IP address each time they seem to dial into AOL. This makes blocking by a specific IP address difficult if not impossible. Php however affords us a function that allows a script to resolve the host responsible for an IP address. So, with version 2.0.0 of this script I have added the ability to block viewing of threads or posts based on the host.

When using this feature, you can use as specific or general of a host as you wish but remember that if you make it too general you will impact a lot more members then if you keep it somewhat specific. For example, the person I wanted to lock out of my website showed up on my Whos Online page as "cache-mtc-ab07.proxy.aol.com". In the list of HOST IP addresses to block I could use ay of the following for that guest to no longer be able to see threads or posts:

cache-mtc-ab07.proxy.aol.com
ab07.proxy.aol.com
proxy.aol.com
aol.com
.com

Note, the one I decided to use was the "proxy.aol.com" as everything before that seemed to change with a new call. This works like the IP list such that you can add one host per line.

NEW FEATURE ADDED with Version 2.1.0:

I have added two new pluggins that will also block problem IPs or IP Hosts from viewing forums or using the search on the site. If someone does not want these, you can go into your pluggins and turn off the these pluggins inside your pluggin manager under IP_NoView!

What Does this Add to your site?
4 Small Hooks
5 Small Phrases
3 vBsettings in the settings table

Version Information:
Version 1.0.0.
- Initial Release Sept 22, 2006

Version 2.0.0
- Released Oct 2, 2006
- Added a way to block based on Resolved Host Name

Version 2.1.0
- Released Oct 5, 2006
- Fixed bug processing of BLOCKED HOSTs in array
- See: index.php?t=128343
- HUGE thanks to nico_swd for the solution!
- Added two new plugins to block Forum viewing and Searching for problem IPs