What you are talking about ernyoka1, is a global IP ban, where all addresses within a specific octet are affected. There are numerous ways to ban someone, or a series of someones. Using my IP number as an example... +b 12.* would keep everyone from AT&T out +b 12.84.* would keep everyone out on my specific AT&T network +b 12.84.200 would keep everyone out on my specific AT&T network dialing in to the same modem +b 12.84.200.100 would keep just me out Renderosity, (& I would imagine all the online forums), use an IP specific ban (the last example above) which only keeps the single offending IP number out. This makes it well nigh impossible for someone to be locked out accidentially. btw I'm basing all of this on my knowledge of how things work on irc (I use to be an oper on Efnet :-). I've never been a mod or admin on any of the forums but I'd imagine the mechanics are very similar. If I'm in error anywhere along the line hopefully one of the mods or admins here will correct me.