CloudFlare CDN/threat blocking; post problems here

We're testing the new CloudFlare content delivery network which should help the site load pages faster. It also has an added threat blocking feature which stops malicious activity including: forum and comment spammers, email harvesting and more.

As the service is new, an extremely small amount of users might be incorrectly identified as a possible threat and challenged to complete a CAPTCHA form before being allowed to load the web site. These incorrectly identified users will be shown a challenge page with a CAPTCHA form which is used to verify whether or not the visitor is a human or a bot and it also is used to educate the visitor that his/her computer might be infected with a virus. However, no one will ever be prompted to download or install any software. All you will ever need to do is complete the CAPTCHA form on the challenge page...IF you should ever see it and chances are, you never will!

In the unlikely event you are shown this challenge page on BowlingFans.com, BowlingCommunity.com or BowlSearch.com or have any other issues with the new CloudFlare CDN please reply to this topic with any relevant info and your ISP.

To report persistent problems please go to ipchicken.com on the computer having issues and copy the Current IP Address and the Advanced info and then click this link to open a Private Message to me and paste the copied info into the Message box. I'll then be able to look deeper into this and possibly whitelist that system.

Known issues:

• NEW: Some images with transparent backgrounds are loading incorrectly with black backgrounds. (Mar 07, 2012 12:28PM EDT (UTC-4))

I have a problem with the CAPTCHA prompt. It isn't new though. It seems as if the code times out, so even if it's simple and I enter it correctly, it's rejected. The number of times this happens suggests that it's more than a mistake. Not sure though.

Please confirm that you are seeing the CAPTCHA prompt on CloudFare's challenge page (please see attachment) or are you seeing a CAPTCHA every time you make a post?

Oh, it's just the CAPTCHA for each post. The reason I think it times out is because when I have to enter a new code, it usually goes through.

aoiten, I had a feeling that was the case the way you said that. I'll look into why you're even getting it. You shouldn't be. Anyone with more than x posts shouldn't be prompted to complete the CAPTCHA with every post. If I recall correctly x = 10.

aoiten, I think I found and fixed the problem in your account. You shouldn't be challenged with every post. I'm very sorry you ran into that!

Well, it did give me an opportunity to correct some typos. ^_^ Thanks.

I've heard from RichieV that several people popped in the chat because there was some 'server not responding' and other page loading problems on Tuesday. I'm very sorry if you encountered any of these problems.

I've been in contact with CloudFlare and I think they've found and fixed it by now. If you couldn't reach the site on Tuesday and you can now see this post then they really have. But it's a catch 22 as if they haven't, you won't be able to see this post...

I believe the problem is limited to only some people on the East coast. So if you speak with any friends that can't access the site could you please let me know about it and also where they are located and which ISP they use.

Thanks!

I am having a problem accessing the site since Sunday or Monday. I can only access it on my Smart phone and have tried it on three different computers and two different browsers. Everytime I try the error that pops up says it timed out. I'm in the Baltimore, Maryland area and my ISP is Verizon FiOS.

I'm now able to access the site from a computer.

Excellent. We're still trying to track down the exact cause and are working on a permanent fix.

I'm back now too, I also have Fios that might be the culprit.

Think we got it nailed. As always feel free to reach out to me if anyone else has any troubles. @usrbingeek on twitter or email webmaster at this site's name.

I'm good now too. My ISP is Comcast.

If someone is still getting 503s please tell them to clear their browsers' cache as they're most likely still seeing the 503s from when we were having these issues earlier in the week and it is still stored in the browser cache.

NEW Known issue: Some images with transparent backgrounds are loading incorrectly with black backgrounds.