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redcastril Guest
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 10:21 am Post subject: Unable to connect to website in UK except with a VPN |
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For the last couple of days I haven't been able to connect to Gixen in the UK. The page won't load, or I get a critical error message. I have connected with a VPN but even with that it's a bit hit and miss. Is something going on here in the UK? Just tried to submitthis ad got a critical error- I'll keep trying. |
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Cupid

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 7986 Location: Bristol, UK
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 10:53 am Post subject: |
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I presume it's the:
phpBB : Critical Error
Could not connect to the database
DEBUG MODE
SQL Error : -1 Array
?
Mario is looking at that one... it's only affecting the Community area at the moment, isn't it ? _________________ Mark |
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redcastril Guest
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Posted: Thu Jul 24, 2025 1:45 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | I presume it's the:
phpBB : Critical Error
Could not connect to the database
DEBUG MODE
SQL Error : -1 Array
?
Mario is looking at that one... it's only affecting the Community area at the moment, isn't it ? |
It's that one and also err-connection-reset This site can't be reached. I can't get on any part of Gixen without using a VPN |
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redcastril Guest
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 7:30 am Post subject: |
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Managed to get back on this for the first time in a while using the VPN but still get nothing in the UK without the VPN- not getting that critical error message though, just failing to load. |
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Gixen Advertisements

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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 7:30 am Post subject: |
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Cupid

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 7986 Location: Bristol, UK
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 8:06 am Post subject: |
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Code: | redcastril wrote:
Managed to get back on this for the first time in a while using the VPN but still get nothing in the UK without the VPN- not getting that critical error message though, just failing to load. |
It is possible that you've got caught up in the automated measures designed to protect the site from the DDOS attack.
I'd recommend sending Mario an email (at the support address provided on the Contact page), explaining what you're experiencing and if you can also include your IP address (not via the VPN) that will also probably help him look into it. _________________ Mark |
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mario Site Admin

Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 7275
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 10:42 am Post subject: |
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Several users from the UK contacted me about this problem, and none of them were blocked by Gixen, yet they cannot access the site. Contact me anyway, I will add you to the whitelist.
I suspect, however, that some UK ISP has some block in place. If someone affected by this could run traceroute (tracert on windows) that would help me see where the problem is. |
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redcastril Guest
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2025 10:11 am Post subject: |
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Still having issues with this. Even with the VPN I still can't always get onto this community page. Couldn't get on it at all yesterday or the day before or this morning.
Still unable to access anything at all in the UK without the VPN. |
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Cupid

Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 7986 Location: Bristol, UK
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2025 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | redcastril wrote:
Still unable to access anything at all in the UK without the VPN. |
What was Mario's response from your having emailed him the tracert output ?... Last I heard he was trying to track down where the blockage lay within one of the ISPs networks.
Which ISP are you using ? _________________ Mark |
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mario Site Admin

Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 7275
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2025 12:09 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | Still having issues with this. Even with the VPN I still can't always get onto this community page. Couldn't get on it at all yesterday or the day before or this morning.
Still unable to access anything at all in the UK without the VPN. |
Your ISP must be Talk Talk. They are effectively blocking Gixen by providing you with their own IP instead of Gixen's, then resetting the connection.
Solutions:
1. Give them a call and complain about it, loudly please. Arm yourself with evidence (and post it also here, please). Do a 'nslookup www.gixen.com' and then also use some public DNS that will show the real, Gixen's IP.
2. Change your name resolver to a public one, e.g. Google's, 8.8.8.8.
3. Change your ISP if needed. If I were using them, this would irritate me and I wouldn't look back. |
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redcastril Guest
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2025 4:11 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | Quote: | redcastril wrote:
Still unable to access anything at all in the UK without the VPN. |
What was Mario's response from your having emailed him the tracert output ?... Last I heard he was trying to track down where the blockage lay within one of the ISPs networks.
Which ISP are you using ? |
Mario is right it's Talk Talk. I'll look into his solutions in the comment below. Mind you I'm a total computer dunce so we'll see how that goes. |
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redcastril Guest
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2025 6:23 am Post subject: |
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I got in touch with Talk Talk via one of those online chat things and they sorted it out in about two minutes. They said it was down to some updates they had done. Who knows. Anyway it's working now although the community page is still hit and miss, but it was the same when I used the VPN |
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mario Site Admin

Joined: 03 Oct 2006 Posts: 7275
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2025 8:13 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | I got in touch with Talk Talk via one of those online chat things and they sorted it out in about two minutes. They said it was down to some updates they had done. Who knows. Anyway it's working now although the community page is still hit and miss, but it was the same when I used the VPN |
Tbank you for the update. If this forum is not available but you can access the rest of the site, log in to Gixen and you will get whitelisted and forum will become available. This is a temporary measure I had to to take to fight off the DDOS attack. |
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