MEMBERS helping MEMBERS: General Help and Assistance Thread

[Bagpuss]

Y'welcome,and TY for the TY!

[BruTak]

Politeness costs nothing, Bagpuss m'dear.

[ScifigirlSG]

Just FYI, it takes longer than 15 min for the system to reset if having login problems

[BruTak]

New problem.

I type a post, hit the Post Quick Reply button, and a new browser tab opens up for an advertising site.

This has been happening again.

I'm away from home, staying in a small guest house in Edinburgh and using their wi-fi.


I get advertising along the right hand side of the page, obscuring the scroll bar, and when I try to reply to a post I get the multiple tabs again redirecting me to a page that purports to be a Windows approved anti virus download site.

My own antivirus is up to date, checked first thing this morning and a full scan reports no issues.

Any ideas?

[ScifigirlSG]

This has been happening again.

I'm away from home, staying in a small guest house in Edinburgh and using their wi-fi.


I get advertising along the right hand side of the page, obscuring the scroll bar, and when I try to reply to a post I get the multiple tabs again redirecting me to a page that purports to be a Windows approved anti virus download site.

My own antivirus is up to date, checked first thing this morning and a full scan reports no issues.

Any ideas?

If the wifi isn't secure like on an encrypted phone or router, then that opens devices up to viruses, malware, and ransomware. There's been a rash of ransomware in the US lately attacking hospitals and personal computers/other devices. One of the main recommendations from tech gurus here in the US is to not use hotel wifi because of the non-secure issue. HTH

[Bagpuss]

What she said.Have you told the staff you're having problems?

(Actually that might be better sorted out at the end of your stay,unless they ask how your stay's going!)

[BruTak]

I was only staying one night. However, if I stay there again (it's handy for Charlotte Square Gardens where the Edinburgh Book Festival is held in August), I'll be sure and mention it. ????

But on the subject of hotel WiFi, I stayed at a Premier Inn for Edinburgh Comic Con earlier this month, and had no problems with their standard WiFi other than it being really slow. Which, come to think about it, is probably deliberate so people will upgrade to their premium "£5 for 24 hours" service.

[Bagpuss]

Ah right! I thought you were still staying there so serves me right for making a presumption,lol!

Know what you mean about hotel wifi charges.One place I booked into had advertised "excellent access to wifi in the privacy of your suite" but somehow forgot to mention that their connection charge was £15 overnight/daily and that the "suite" was a hamster cage at the top of the steepest stairs I'd ever seen outside of cliff steps and castles.
I decided to decline the offer and left the lappie in the suitcase...

(Luckily they did an absolutely amazing all you want (or can carry away discreetly) breakfast.Oh nostalgia!)

[BruTak]

No, no, my fault for not being clearer, Bagpuss. ????

[ScifigirlSG]

If I stay at a hotel and absolutely need wired internet, I'll pay for it. It's the free wifi offered in the lobby or even in shopping malls and businesses that offer "free wifi" in designated areas that I run from.

It's a main reason when going to conventions and I don't make any reports about the conventions during my stay.

[Science]

I'm rather new to this forum. Currently I can't change my avatar, edit my Profile, or post Topic Replies instantly. I did some digging in the FAQ and through topics and from what I can tell it seems that even when I am able to change my avatar I will only be able to select it from a list of given images. The FAQ says that eventually I will be able to upload my own personal avatar after I make a certain number of posts, but it doesn't specify how many posts.

Does anyone know how many topic posts you have to make before you can upload your own avatar?

[pookey]

Roughly 2000 i believe, you dont get post counts on Off Topic, so it must all be On Topic ones

[jelgate]

First things first. Pookey is a our resident pervert. Second, you won't get to edit your profile and post instantly. It was a safeguard implemented about 6 years ago to limit our attacks from spammers. Their is a formula based on join date and post count that determines when you are off probie status. Don't ask me what it is as only Darren knows. Custom avatars is around 2000. I say around because its not exactly 2000. It is also a formula based on post count, join date and rep count,

[pookey]

As the leader of our pervert club says. its a tad random, you could try bribing a mod, Baggie likes Battenberg and a nice cuppa

[BruTak]

"Resident Pervert"? Is that like an R18 rated video game or something?