Template talk:Blocked proxy

Information
I, for one, do not know what a "proxy" is. I'm sure lots of people have no idea what an "IP address" is. Some links would be useful here. Brianjd 06:41, 2004 Dec 17 (UTC)


 * I was just thinking that, too. Maybe Wiki links to define some of the various terms, plus external links detailing some possible ways to fix an open proxy?  Granted, the external links would be very difficult, as we don't know the specifics of why this user is on an open proxy and thus wouldn't know exactly how to fix it if it were a trojan... CaptainSpam 01:08, 20 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Are you able to edit Wikipedia over an anonymous/open proxy if you are logged into your wikipedia account? Or does having a blocked IP address mean that you cannot use an account either? --ColdFeet 02:26, 3 September 2005 (UTC)


 * At the moment it means you can't use an account either. Solving this is Mediawiki bug 550 - David Gerard 15:04, 1 December 2005 (UTC)

copy-edit
I came across this template while following up on some minor vandalism. I'm reluctant to edit such a frequently-used template, but the last sentence is a run-on and confusing. I'd suggest: "If you did not know that you were editing from such a proxy, then you or your internet service provider may have a poorly configured system, or a trojan, that causes your system to act as an anonymizing proxy. This is a security hole; please try to fix it or report it to your ISP." Chick Bowen 05:57, 17 December 2005 (UTC)

Should this template be substed?
The original instructions at WP:OP explicitly said that this template should be substed onto user talk pages. Since then, the instructions have been removed from that page entirely. WP:BP and Category:Wikipedia:Blocked open proxies seem to imply that it should not be substed. I've been consistently substing it based on the WP:OP instructions, but it appears that other admins have not been doing so, and in fact have assumed that it will never be substed. Personally I have no strong preference either way, but the usage should probably be consistent. So, which way should it be? —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 16:53, 28 February 2006 (UTC)
 * As far as I know, this template was designed to be used in the block reason (its contents show as the block reason when someone tries to edit from the blocked proxy), the same way as username block. I don't even know why it's used on user/user talk pages. --cesarb 22:59, 28 February 2006 (UTC)
 * Wow, does that really work? I always assumed block messages were like edit summaries, in that template syntax doesn't work.  The templates don't seem to be displayed in the block log, but are they really shown to the blocked user?  In any case, I suppose the template still has to be included on an actual user (talk) page for the categorization to work, right?  —Ilmari Karonen (talk) 23:46, 28 February 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes, the template is meant to be used on the user or talk page. I see no reason not to substitute it, as there's no reason to update it thereafter. If there's a need to recategorise the pages, for example, it can easily be done with a bot using very simple regex. // Pathoschild (admin / talk) 23:54, 28 February 2006 (UTC)


 * (edit conflict) This is how it used to look, before people started getting the idea to put it on user pages. Notice how it was much better back then &mdash; a lot more information to the blocked user (and there's no way that would fit in the block reason field, which is why a template is needed). The text which appears when blocked looked like this. If you want to see it in action, just go to one of the many open web proxies I blocked, like for instance  (you have to try a few times; that proxy has a lot of different IP addresses, and some of them have different block reasons). --cesarb 00:10, 1 March 2006 (UTC)
 * A quick look at the contributions of the original creator of this template shows    that it was meant to be used as a block reason from the beginning. --cesarb 00:21, 1 March 2006 (UTC)


 * It doesn't matter whether the template is used on the user or talk page, as blocked users will realise their block through MediaWiki:Blockedtext and not through their talk pages. The current version links users to the WikiProject on open proxies, where they are greeted with bolded text suggesting they read Help:Blocked. This page provides vastly more information than could be fit into the template. // Pathoschild (admin / talk) 03:10, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

Redesign of this template?
If I could, I would edit this template in order do divide Category:Wikipedia:Blocked open proxies into subcategoies. I am sure there is a technical possibility to do so, but I'm not the person to do it. There are too many pages in the category, and browsing them 200 at a time isn't a very pleasant task. RaSten 12:03, 16 April 2006 (UTC)


 * This category isn't really intended to be browsed; it catalogues blocked open proxies so that they can be rechecked at a later time by a bot or human. Subcategories wouldn't hurt, though. Which would you propose? Offhand, possible subcategories I can think of are zombie proxies and HTTP proxies. // [ admin ] Pathoschild (talk/map) 13:54, 16 April 2006 (UTC)
 * My idea was more like one category per first byte in the IP, och first digit of first byte. I want to be able to check out whether a spamming IP is found to be an open proxy. RaSten 18:43, 16 April 2006 (UTC)

Side-effects of the template
Isn't this a bad idea if the use of this template just makes Wikipedia a resource for finding open proxies? Angela. 15:39, 7 May 2006 (UTC)


 * The original use of this template is as the block reason (and it's still used a lot that way); when used that way, it doesn't appear at Special:Whatlinkshere. --cesarb 20:03, 7 May 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes, but it also makes it a piece of cake to mass-block them on other projects. — May. 10, '06 [09:07] <[ freakofnurxture]|[ talk]>

Interlanguage Link
Please add a link to de:Vorlage:Offener Proxy. Thanks. -- kh80 18:54, 20 August 2006 (UTC)

Please add a link to ru:Шаблон:Indefblocked-openproxy. MaxiMaxiMax 07:19, 4 October 2006 (UTC)

Please add fi:Malline:Avoinproxy thank you. --Agony-fi 10:30, 26 November 2006 (UTC)

Please add pt:Predefinição:Proxy bloqueado ja:Template:Blocked proxy ko:틀:프록시 차단 Mosca2 00:21, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

Requested Edit
Could an admin please change the ".png" in the image to ".svg" as there is now an almost identical SVG version available on commons under the same name except with ".svg" instead of ".png" (feel free to check the new one first). Thanks - Рэд  хот  19:11, 18 October 2006 (UTC)
 * Done. —[ admin ] Pathoschild 23:51, 18 October 2006 (UTC)

Armed Blowfish's Sandbox
Usage:

Category:User block templates

Editprotected request
editprotected

If I am going to be autoblocked frequently, I would like a kinder, prettier blocking message. Please replace this template with the material in my Sandbox above. Thanks, Armed Blowfish (mail) 20:19, 5 May 2007 (UTC)
 * Please gain consensus first. Cheers. --MZMcBride 04:44, 13 May 2007 (UTC)

Open proxies not "prohibited", policy downgraded
editprotected

"No open proxies" has been downgraded from a valid policy to a proposal and is currently under discussion. This template should not refer to it as a policy or claim that "editing from these proxies is prohibited"! —Babelfisch 03:22, 17 August 2007 (UTC)


 * Discussion is still on going, and No open proxies is still policy. - auburn pilot   talk  16:37, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Prohibited
Since WP:PROXY and Proxy currently say "While this may affect legitimate users, they are not the intended targets and may freely use proxies until those are blocked" (these policies are now relatively stable), the word "prohibited" should be changed into "disabled".  Melsaran  (talk) 19:00, 7 October 2007 (UTC)
 * "Disabled" makes it seem as though there's some type of software mechanism that recognizes open proxies and disables them. As the template currently states, editing from open proxies is strictly prohibited. The two pages linked are really talking about reading from open proxies. When this template is used, it's telling a user that they've been blocked because they edited from an open proxy, which is prohibited. Cheers. --MZMcBride 00:30, 8 October 2007 (UTC)
 * I think 'restricted' would be a better choice of wording, since editing via open proxies is not strictly prohibited, it's just unlikely. -- zzuuzz (talk) 01:46, 8 October 2007 (UTC)

New icon
Feel free to use it if you like it: notwist (talk) 20:39, 13 April 2008 (UTC)

Hungarian iw
editprotected Please add iw: hu:Sablon:Blokkolt proxy. Bináris (talk) 13:02, 19 August 2008 (UTC)
 * ✅ Soxπed93 (blag) 13:35, 19 August 2008 (UTC)

mbox and wp:doc
Resolved.

editprotected

Could someone update this template to use tmbox as it look disjointed when placed along ambox. This happens when trying to edit a page in wikidashboard. Also implement WP:DOC. — Dispenser 07:13, 23 September 2008 (UTC)


 * I made it use the mbox parameter to sense the namespace work accordingly. What do you mean implement WP:DOC?  MBisanz  talk 03:38, 24 September 2008 (UTC)


 * MBisanz asked me to come help here. MBisanz had already changed to use the mbox and also added the /doc subpage (the WP:DOC stuff). I fixed some remaining bugs. I checked the "What links here" and this message box seems to go on "User talk:" pages. But I guess it sometimes can be put on "User:" pages too thus I find it correct that it is a mbox so it can adapt its styles to the two kinds of pages.
 * Dispenser: Next time you do an editprotected request you really should supply the full source code for what you want to add/change. And you should have created the /doc subpage in advance. If you don't know how to code it up then you should instead suggest the change on the talk page but not do a editprotected request. Most admins are not advanced template coders and should not have to code templates for you.
 * --David Göthberg (talk) 22:29, 24 September 2008 (UTC)

indef=yes
I have added a paramater for indef=yes to add to the category Category:Indefinitely blocked IP addresses. It seems to work fine, but I would appreciate someone double checking my work. – xeno  ( talk ) 15:44, 31 March 2009 (UTC)

Samspade.org down, param not working
The  parameter creates a link to http://samspade.org/ which is currently down. -- &oelig; &trade; 20:05, 28 September 2010 (UTC)

Editprotected request involving this template
This message is to inform people monitoring this talk page that there is an "editprotected" request involving this and several other templates at Template talk:! cymru.lass (hit me up)⁄(background check) 20:28, 28 December 2010 (UTC)

Editprotected request
Now have vector version: File:Banned proxys.svg.--Ch.Andrew (talk) 07:45, 11 February 2011 (UTC)
 * ✅ &mdash; Martin (MSGJ · talk) 16:06, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Suggest more user friendly text
Hi folks, I just recieved word from an editor who was blocked and seems to have no intention to run any open proxy that she found the message confusing. I concur. If you don't know much about networking and/or malicious software, it is a rather cryptic message. I'm suggesting the following change. Please feel free to ammend and comment.


 * The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be an open proxy. To prevent abuse, these proxies may be blocked from editing Wikipedia. It is possible that this was not your intention, but that malicious software (like a virus) on your computer has configured it as an open proxy, or has changed settings to use an open proxy. It is also possible that your internet provider has misconfigured its settings. In the first case, make sure you have up-to-date anti-virus software running. If it is your ISP, you can try bypassing it by logging into Wikimedia's secure gateway at https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/. For more information about open proxies and what you can do, please see Open proxies and the WikiProject on open proxies. If you need any help, you can always call in an administrator for assitance by placing an admin! template on your talkpage.

Not bad. The end part is confusing though, and very rare, let me suggest some different text to follow after "...use an open proxy"
 * It is also possible that you or your internet service provider has a misconfigured router (a device between your computer and the rest of the internet) which is being abused as an open proxy. It's also possible that someone else on your ISP had such a problem, but you now have their old IP address. Please request an unblock using the unblock template or administrator attention  using admin! indicating you are caught by an open proxy block.  An administrator will investigate and try to determine why you are blocked, and what actions are necessary to get you editing again.  For more information, see the Wikiproject on Open Proxies.

It seems perhaps a bit verbose, but this is maybe a bit more specific? Secure server is unlikely to help, unless it's the exceedingly rare case that the browser as been configured to use an http proxy, but not also an https proxy by a virus. Sailsbystars (talk) 13:00, 3 April 2011 (UTC)
 * I've combined the two, and reworded a bit to get the following:
 * The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be an open proxy. To prevent abuse, these proxies may be blocked from editing Wikipedia. It is possible that this was not your intention, but that malicious software (like a virus) on your computer has configured it as an open proxy, or has changed settings to use an open proxy. It is also possible that you or your internet service provider has a misconfigured equipment which is being abused as an open proxy. It's also possible that someone else on your ISP had such a problem, but you now have their old IP address. Please request an unblock using the unblock template or administrator attention using admin! indicating you are caught by an open proxy block. An administrator will investigate and try to determine why you are blocked, and what actions are necessary to get you editing again. For more information, see the Wikiproject on Open Proxies.
 * I've replaced the bit about routers and what they are with 'equipment' as I don't think many users care what equipment exactly was misconfigured. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 13:26, 3 April 2011 (UTC)
 * looks good. I had a thought that the last sentence should be re-worked as follows: For more information, see the  Wikipedia policy on open proxies, the Wikiproject on Open Proxies, or the  Wikipedia article on how they work. Otherwise, looks pretty good.  I would wait for a comment from  who is one of, if not the most active proxy-fighting admin before changing.  Sailsbystars (talk)
 * I'll give him a ping. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 13:52, 3 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks. Anything to make things better is fine with me. Maybe a sandbox? Someone from WT:UTM or Template talk:Anonblock? I will make one observation about how this message talks about malicious software. I've only seen a handful of IPs where I've told them to run some AV. There's not been many where I've told them to check their firewall, and only a few where their network admin would be interested to hear about it. The biggest single cause, from the user's perspective, is just a rotating IP, where you get assigned the same IP some zombie once used. The next biggest cause is probably using a shared proxy IP. If you're behind a blocked SingNet proxy, for example, you might find the secure server helpful, I think. You might find some talk about that at WP:TOR talk archives, or somewhere. Anyway, I'm back to my wikibreak. Anything is probably better than mentioning zombies. Be bold! -- zzuuzz (talk) 00:16, 4 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Taking in account that dynamic IP's are the most common cause, I propose the following:

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be an open proxy. To prevent abuse, these proxies may be blocked from editing Wikipedia. If you believe you are not running an open proxy, the most likely cause is that another customer from your ISP who was previously assigned this IP adress was running an open proxy. If this is the case please request an unblock using the unblock template or administrator attention using admin! indicating you are caught by an open proxy block. Other possibilities are that malicious software (like a virus) on your computer has configured it as an open proxy, or has changed settings to use an open proxy, or your internet service provider has misconfigured equipment. For more information, see the Wikiproject on Open Proxies.

Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 18:21, 5 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Sounds decent, after zzuuzz's comments above, I would re-word the second to last sentence and replace as follows:
 * More rarely, your network equipment or that of your service provider may be misconfigured. In some cases, this can be remedied by logging into the secure server. In the rarest cases, some malicious software (such as a virus) can also cause your computer to act as an open proxy.  For more information......
 * I think you can go ahead and make the change if you're so inclined, or I will when slightly less sleep deprived. :) Sailsbystars (talk) 03:18, 6 April 2011 (UTC)
 * I updated the template to be something like the above, yet slightly different. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 18:24, 6 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Looks good, but the last two "for more information...." sentences are redundant. I would eliminate the first one.  I would do this myself, but the template is fully protected (which I just noticed now when I went to edit it....).  Sailsbystars (talk) 18:48, 6 April 2011 (UTC)
 * Oops. I was thinking of discussing the 'final' version first, but decided just to go ahead (there is such a thing as over-discussion). Should be good now. Martijn Hoekstra (talk) 19:07, 6 April 2011 (UTC)

Edit request from Pilif12p, 26 June 2011
Please remove/replace (Multi-RBL lookup •, broken link, goes to some church website.

Pilif12p 18:09, 26 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Thanks for pointing this out! I'll see if I can find a replacement.... Sailsbystars (talk) 14:26, 27 June 2011 (UTC)
 * Removed in the meantime. &mdash; Martin (MSGJ · talk) 16:47, 27 June 2011 (UTC)

Spelling error
In the template:

...If you believe you are not running an open proxy, the most likely cause is that another customer from your ISP who was previously assigned this IP adress was running an open proxy.

This is incorrect, it's spelled address, not adress. Please fix this. Bryce 53  &#124;  talk  14:17, 3 July 2011 (UTC)


 * Fixed; thanks for pointing it out. — Pathoschild 15:20, 03 July 2011 (UTC)

link to WP:ACC
I don't see any links to WP:ACC but I'm not too familiar with block templates. Maybe someone could add one. Or suggest some wording/point to an example from another template and I'll add it myself. --Jeremyb (talk) 04:46, 16 November 2013 (UTC)

New version
I've drafted a new version of the template in my userspace which is a little clearer to read and to get information from. Would others please have a look and let me know what you think? If no one comments in a few days I'll copy over the version in my sandbox. Callanecc (talk • contribs • logs) 13:28, 5 October 2014 (UTC)

Template-protected edit request on 15 November 2016
Could someone please wrap the admin instructions at the bottom of the page in to hide them for non-admins. P p p er y 21:18, 15 November 2016 (UTC)
 * Not wrapped; just added the class — Andy W. ( talk ) 21:28, 15 November 2016 (UTC)

Template-protected edit request on 21 March 2019
Can you please change  to  ? There is no need for there to be an image, and this would make it match other block templates like Webhostblock and Colocationwebhost. Thanks, --DannyS712 (talk) 04:43, 21 March 2019 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done: The image must be clickable to view the license. —&thinsp;JJMC89&thinsp; (T·C) 04:50, 21 March 2019 (UTC)

Template-protected edit request on 1 December 2020
Please add "such as a VPN" after "open or anonymizing proxy". Most non-tech-savvy users do not know what this is or what a VPN is, and essentially all VPNs are open proxies. Aasim (talk) 08:31, 1 December 2020 (UTC)
 * From a very fast search, it looks like a VPN differs from a proxy in that VPN traffic is encrypted. I guess that isn't a very substantial difference, but it would be nice to keep the template technically accurate. Calling in, who's probably better educated than me on the difference, if any? Enterprisey (talk!) 08:55, 1 December 2020 (UTC)
 * So from a networking perspective, most VPN's can be considered "proxies" - however most VPN's are not "open proxies" (most of them are closed proxies which require the user of such to have an affiliation with the VPN provider). — xaosflux  Talk 18:23, 4 December 2020 (UTC)
 * However, most VPNs are anonymising proxies, at least the ones we're interested in. This is part of the language used in both the template and local policy. I think this request is sensible, since this template does get used for VPNs, and it does cause some confusion - I'll have a go at tweaking the wording. -- zzuuzz (talk) 22:45, 4 December 2020 (UTC)
 * Here. -- zzuuzz (talk) 22:48, 4 December 2020 (UTC)

Fix a mistake
There is a mistake in a sentence below that I cannot fix. The one in bold should have all letters at the beginning capitalized.

Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system.

Can someone please change it to:

Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private, you can use the Unblock Ticket Request System.

Thanks! -- MDK  -  Fan  15:13, 2 October 2021 (UTC)


 * Hello, I know it has been over 2 years since I sent this edit request, but can a template editor or admin look at what I said and fix that error? It's ok if not. I also added a punctuation mark to the improved sentence. Thanks! -- MDK  -  Fan  00:43, 22 January 2024 (UTC)
 * ✅. -- zzuuzz (talk) 21:33, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

Appeal venue
This template and Blocked p2p proxy currently suggest using unblock on your own talk page. However, an administrator has referred me to WP:IPECPROXY after doing so. unblock also suggests using Unblock-auto for autoblocks, which this seems to fall under. Is the specified appeal vanue correct in this template and Blocked p2p proxy? Randi Moth (talk) 11:10, 22 March 2023 (UTC)

Template-protected edit request on 28 June 2023
Change link for IP grabber from external service to Wikipedia's built-in one – see changes in Template:Blocked proxy/sandbox.

Reason: to use Wikipedia's built-in IP grabber instead of a third-party one, for the reasons of convenience (the user doesn't have to go to an external site), the external site could possibly go down at times, and also Wikipedia's one contains a useful relevant FAQ about privacy and disclosure of IP addresses. This would also bring the template in line with Template:Webhostblock and Template:Colocationwebhost, both of which already use links to WP's IP grabber. — AP 499D25  (talk)  09:21, 28 June 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ Izno (talk) 08:12, 29 June 2023 (UTC)