Are you having difficulty logging into SiteAdmin?

Turnsky · Post by **Turnsky** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:46 am

doesn't seem to be working for me, gives me an MySQL error, which says that there's something wrong with the database.

now proxies not detected..

Nothingtodo · Post by **Nothingtodo** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:16 pm

* Your operating system.
Windows xp
* Your internet provider
... I... I don't know.
* Your browser (and any others that you may have installed or use)
Firefox, I tryed IE, and it was even less usefull
* Any anti-virus software, net protection software or other software that may block other internet users from accessing your computer
AVG is on here.
* And just for the hell of it, which company you use for your email (note: not asking for your email address, just which service you use)
google mail.

TheOneTrueMango · Post by **TheOneTrueMango** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:26 pm

Your operating system. XP sp2

Your internet provider. Verizon DSL

Your browser (and any others that you may have installed or use). Firefox & IE

Any anti-virus software, net protection software or other software that may block other internet users from accessing your computer: None

And just for the hell of it, which company you use for your email (note: not asking for your email address, just which service you use): gmail

Stingy-jack · Post by **Stingy-jack** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:03 am

YEP... I still can't log in....
Thanks for your help so far!

Gallowshunt · Post by **Gallowshunt** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:23 pm

I can't login to my site admin either, been trying for almost half an hour, keeps saying it's not a valid username or password.

Edit: OS: Windows XP SP2

ISP: Shaw Cable

Browsers: MSIE and Firefox

Anti-virus: AVG

E-mail: Hotmail

I for got this info, I need it up and running by monday so I can start the run of my comic. That is vital to it's getting up there.

Dr Neo Lao · Post by **Dr Neo Lao** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 7:50 pm

@ gallowshunt - the good news is that you don't need to be able to get into SiteAdmin in order to get your comic running - just as long as your FTP program can connect, you can do pretty much everything.

I was hoping for a moment to be able to say that it might be a Windows issue since almost everyone is using XP (nobody is having login issues with Vista? Or are people smart enough not to use it?) but Incendia is on a Mac.

So far there is no news to report - everything seems to be working properly and everyone should be able to log in. I find it exceptionally strange that creating a new account does not make a difference...

Drneolaothesecond · Post by **Drneolaothesecond** » Sat Nov 17, 2007 8:09 pm

Okay, it's the Simian with the Gun again (Dr Neo Lao).

I created a new account and tried to log in to the various CG sections. The Forum works fine, as does the Wiki. SiteAdmin gave me the old "Username not valid" error message, but did not suggest the right spelling like it has done for some people (drneolaothesecond). However, logging out of the forum with Dr Neo Lao and then logging into the forum with drneolaothesecond let me get into the SiteAdmin.

Possible Workaround #1

I still think that it's most likely to be some setting on peoples computers rather than anything on CG, because if it was something on CG then it would be affecting everybody and not just twenty odd people.

So here's my (pretty crap) suggestion:

Find someone who either

a) has a brand new installation of their operating system / is about to reinstall the OS,
OR
b) has a spare blank HDD that they can do a fresh install of their OS,
AND
c) is not connected to the internet in the same way that you are (so not in the same campus, workplace or house).

so that you have a computer with a bare bones OS and a firewall. Once you have that (at a place removed from where you normally access the internet) come to the CG Forum and register a new account (note: you don't need a comic account, just a forum account).

Having obtained a spanky new forum account, attempt to log into the Siteadmin (making sure that you are logged into the forum and with the right capitalization).

End Workaround

Now, of the people in this thread who are having this problem, I anticipate that only one or two will actually be in a postion to have the time and a computer-savvy friend to do this with, so don't all freak out and panic.

Hopefully, that one (or more) people can give it a go and then report back on whether or not it worked for them.

Gallowshunt · Post by **Gallowshunt** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 1:03 pm

I just went over my MSIE and OS settings and nothing seemed wrong, I can get into sites with similar setups. My only other option is that I'll check at a local internet cafe on wednesday, they might be not have the same issues.

I know of nobody with a spare HD, and I did not get an OS CD with my Dell. Dell on the other hand sucks crap, so maybe it's the fact I'm running a crappy Dell that has only half the RAM XP actually needs. I have that little faith in my system, but I've got very little resources so an OS CD is not at my disposal.

Thank you for your help, if you do figure out what is going on please inform me. I'd like to know the matter has been solved eventually, as well as why so many people using XP were hit by it.

Dr Neo Lao · Post by **Dr Neo Lao** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 2:03 pm

gallowshunt raises a good point.

Are the people affected using pre-made machines bought off the shelf from a vendor or are you using computers assembled from parts? (I build my own machine from parts from different suppliers.)

I'm going to be mighty pissed if it turns out that everyone who's having problems is using a Dell!

Bruisedoranges · Post by **Bruisedoranges** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 10:07 pm

My computer is one built from the ground up with parts, and it is not a Dell or anything that came off of a shelf pre-assembled.

I don't think it has anything to do with the hardware.

I'll be moving to a different city come Tuesday, and I can try logging in from there to see if it works using a friend's connection.

I wonder if it actually has something to do with the router/connection we're behind, rather than our service provider. Like I'm behind a rather encrypted Belkin wireless router, for example. This same router encryption is the reason I can't host OpenCanvas sessions, and it could be what's affecting myself and others trying to log into the SiteAdmin. It might be a blocked port on our ends. (Of course, this could be blown out of the water if those affected don't have wireless routers or encrypted connections.

)

Dr Neo Lao · Post by **Dr Neo Lao** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:15 am

At a guess, it'll be that there's one major contributing factor that's affecting a lot of people, and a whole bunch of other people who can't connect for different reasons and muddying up the water...

An encrypted wireless router certainly seems like it would be a contributing factor, but I don't have any experience with wireless networks.

Is anyone else using a wireless network?

Anubicdarque · Post by **Anubicdarque** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:25 am

I use encripted wireless and seem to be able to log in

TheOneTrueMango · Post by **TheOneTrueMango** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:58 am

I have a wired connection to an encrypted wireless network.

Maker · Post by **Maker** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:11 am

No wireless here, and no Dell. I've got a custom job and, for what it's worth, I've been able to use the siteadmin with it earlier. Haven't changed anything about it since then except Windows updates.

Something I've been curious about, even though it's barely related to the topic and I suspect I won't understand the answer, but how does Siteadmin connect to a user's computer?

Judging by this thread I figure it does something more than your average webpage does. But what, and for what purpose? To me it seems it should only have to send commands from the user to CG's server.

Dr Neo Lao · Post by **Dr Neo Lao** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:58 pm

@ anubicdarque - Can you elaborate? I need to know if you can reliably log into SiteAdmin or not...

@ TheOneTrueMango - so you also have an encrypted wireless connection and also can't log in? Okay, that's two people with something in common...

@ Maker - I don't know the specifics, but from where I sit I can tell you a little bit.

SiteAdmin used to authenticate the user by using a php script. When someone used to go to siteadmin, it would be a link that ended with login.php? and was fairly easy for most browsers to work with.

After the server move, the login was changed to http authentication and drama ensued. It is more secure, more reliable and uses up less server resources. However, it ttok a bit of time to get it to reliably work across browsers and get the majority of users to be able to regularly log in (see the "Post move woes" thread at the top of the help center).

However, semi-recently there has been a clutch of people who fell between the gaps and that the system isn't letting them log in.

They have a valid forum account, they have a working comic account that they can ftp to, but can't log into siteadmin. It's these people, "the last mile" so to speak that this thread is trying to help.

So far, no reliable solution has been found, but this encryption thingy may be a contributing factor. It may be messing up the http authentication system in some way.

Can the people who are on a wireless connection please try and log in from a wired computer? And give us a little bit more information than just "didn't work" if it doesn't?

Post by **Kisai** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:38 pm

Seriously, I can login, so I can't replicate the problem without more info, the error page only gives the info it can gleam from the user's browser.

So if you are having problems post this:

forum username, signupdate (from profile)
OS Version(if you know where), browser (from browsers about page)
What antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewall software you are using *VERY IMPORTANT*

Antivirus software tends to screw up things.

The siteadmin is working from my OSX 10.5.1 system which is using Safari 3.

If people are having problems with IE, try Firefox, Safari and/or Opera, you can get all of these for any OS. (Safari too yes)

Post by **Kisai** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 10:20 am

k, I've tried everything I can throw at it:

IE 7.0.6000.16546 64-bit Edition and 32-Bit Edition
Opera 9.24 (build 8816) Windows and Mac
Safari 3 (Whatever build comes with OS X 10.5.1) and
Windows Safari 3.0.4
Firefox Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 6.0; en-US; rv:1.8.1.9) Gecko/2007102514 Firefox/2.0.0.9

So the problem comes back has to either be something with your browser, ISP unless someone with the problem wants to hop on IRC and try and figure it out

Saeliah · Post by **Saeliah** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 3:03 pm

Okay I tried what DrNeo suggested. Got a friend to do everything from his location and the result was not valid.

Here's what I have---

username: Saeliah
joined: 22 Nov 2004
OS Version: win2k
Browser: Firefox version 2.0.0.9 Mozilla/5.0
Antivirus/spyware: trend office scan antivirus and anti-spyware
Firewall: None

Andiferous · Post by **Andiferous** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:52 pm

I'm also having this problem. And it's making getting my comic off the ground. Please help.

Dr Neo Lao · Post by **Dr Neo Lao** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:22 am

@ andiferous:

Kisai wrote:So if you are having problems post this:

forum username, signupdate (from profile)
OS Version(if you know where), browser (from browsers about page)
What antivirus, anti-spyware, and firewall software you are using *VERY IMPORTANT*

@ Saeliah:

Got a friend to do everything from his location and the result was not valid.

So he created a CG forum account, sent you the details and you couldn't log in to the siteadmin? Was / is he able to log in to the siteadmin from his computer?