Newie needs help,Big time! Thank You!

[slimjim]

Newie needs help,Big time! Thank You!


I am new to comp. and net, did get a cheap hand me down comp. from an aquaintance and i set up a g-mail acct. and joined a few forums! However on a couple that i want to join since they have all info on 2 types of my guns, but on 1 when i want to register says, this address has been banned??? On another it says that Hot-mail and G-mail are not allowed, but that this address has been banned!??
I had read about cookies and I P address, and went on net and thought i had cleared my cookies and I P address, free of charge on a few sites. But now on any forum i am on whenever i turn comp. off i have to sign in every time despite
always hitting the remember me button. This never used to happen!
So i opened an AOL E-mail address and tried to join those 2, the one that does not accept g-mail does not accept AOL either and said this address has been banned. The other forum simply kept saying i punched in an in-correct verification code despite me doing 10 x. This is likehaving a phone and being only able to call certain numbers!
What can i do to clear all this mess up, without having to spend a bunch of money? Remember i am extremely comp. illiterate!

Thanks! :-/

[mikeh1]

many web sites won't allow use of e-mail addresses from the sites you mentioned because, since they are free e-mail addresses and not connected with your own Internet provider, they are not as easy to verify as being valid. For example I use AT&T for my Internet, and my e-mail address is associated with an actual physical location(my street addr.), whereas my free YAHOO.COM e-mail address is not.

Anyways, I would try and find a place on their website to send them a direct message and have them help you out.

[dfunk]

The address being banned isn't referring to your email address, it's referring to your IP address. It's possible that someone who had that IP did something that got them banned, and when your ISP dynamically assigns you all new ones, you happened to get the banned one. Each ISP only has a certain range of addresses to assign. I would also suggest you email the admin of the forum and explain the scenario.

('Clearing' your IP involves unplugging your modem (be it cable or DSL), to force your ISP to assign you a new address or using ipconfig to release and renew).

[pshootr]

You might want to try downloading either or both the free Opera or FireFox internet browsers. Make sure whatever browser you use in not set to clear all cookies at shutdown. Either of the free browsers above will use up much less of your computer's memory than AOL or IE.

If you have a hand-me-down computer the best thing to do is probably to reformat the hard drive and start over if you don't have your own stuff on it.