The need to log on several times per day

Exsmokey · #1 (**permalink**) 03-24-2008, 03:23 PM

This has bugged me from the very first day I used this website and now today has bugged me even more. When I bring up the website I have to log in over on the right side of the home page. Then when I want to view "My Threads" , or post to a thread, I have to log in again. If I view my threads without needing to post or take more than a few minutes to write a post, I somehow time out and have to log in again. Today I have been writing some PM's and some posts that have taken quite a while to write because they involve helping or asking for help on some technical matters and take awhile to write. Each time I write one, I have to log in once more. Total log ins today is now approaching 10 and I've only been on here for about 3 hours.

I check remember me, but I still have to log in on the log in page that pops up after each post I write that is more than about 4 sentances. My computer dumps my temporary files early every morning so checkin remember me for the home page only works for a day, and if I log out when I think I'm done for the day I have to log in once more and go through the whole mutiple log on process again.

We aren't guarding high security data here, why is it I have to log on so many times all day long?

FPO703 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-24-2008, 03:50 PM

Hit the 'remember me' box and you should be good.
Also, make sure your system is set up to accept cookies.

WouffHong · #3 (**permalink**) 03-24-2008, 03:53 PM

The first thing I would suspect is that Cookies are being disallowed..

I log in once and can leave or come back at will, and am still right there logged in..

IF using IE or one of the associated clones (e.g. I use MAXTHON), go into "internet Options" and select [SECURITY] Tab.

Click on "Trusted Sites" Icon and click on [sites] Button just below.. It will open a window where you are allowed entry of Sites to ADD: *.radioreference.com to the trusted-sites family..

That, at least, is perhaps the easiest way to do it. (at least for me)

Alternatively, you can click on [PRIVACY] instead of [SECURITY] and under "sites" add *.radioreference.com as an ALLOWED cookie-setter..

I prefer the first, but the 2nd should also work..

73..

Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

This has bugged me from the very first day I used this website and now today has bugged me even more. When I bring up the website I have to log in over on the right side of the home page. Then when I want to view "My Threads" , or post to a thread, I have to log in again. If I view my threads without needing to post or take more than a few minutes to write a post, I somehow time out and have to log in again. Today I have been writing some PM's and some posts that have taken quite a while to write because they involve helping or asking for help on some technical matters and take awhile to write. Each time I write one, I have to log in once more. Total log ins today is now approaching 10 and I've only been on here for about 3 hours.

I check remember me, but I still have to log in on the log in page that pops up after each post I write that is more than about 4 sentances. My computer dumps my temporary files early every morning so checkin remember me for the home page only works for a day, and if I log out when I think I'm done for the day I have to log in once more and go through the whole mutiple log on process again.

We aren't guarding high security data here, why is it I have to log on so many times all day long?

RolnCode3 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-24-2008, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPO703

Hit the 'remember me' box and you should be good.
Also, make sure your system is set up to accept cookies.

I don't have problems with RR.com, but other forums I'm on will require logins several times a day, even with the "remember me" box checked. Something to do with cookies and the software the forum uses (I suspect).

eorange · #5 (**permalink**) 03-24-2008, 05:17 PM

This has happened to me since I've been using this site.

Yes, I checked "remember me". Yes, I have cookies enabled. Yes, it happens with IE and Firefox.

The site just forgets me after some medium amount of time passes.

loumaag · #6 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

... My computer dumps my temporary files early every morning so checkin remember me for the home page only works for a day, and if I log out when I think I'm done for the day I have to log in once more and go through the whole mutiple log on process again.

We aren't guarding high security data here, why is it I have to log on so many times all day long?

First, you are correct, this is not a high security data area; so why are you logging out at all? Also, if your sweep to clean out temporary files includes the cookie storage area, that is why you have to log in every day (of course if you log out, you have to log in). As to what happens about you losing the log in during the day or while you are actually at the site, that is something on your end, not here. Most members do not log out at all and every time they come back (after an hour, a day, a week, a month) they are already logged in and can go right to where they want. Since the only time the site might cause you to log in again is possibly during (or after) a software update, whatever is causing your log in problem is at your end. I would check the following on your computer: any Internet virus or security program you have running, anything that is sweeping or clearing cookies, what zone you have the radioreference.com domain located in (I would (as someone else mentioned) recommend you make it a trusted site) and finally, if you are using a proxy to hide behind, don't.

bezking · #7 (**permalink**) 03-25-2008, 03:49 PM

Some browsers will erase cookies upon logout. Also, for some reason, sites that use the same forums software (ex vB or phpBB) may, although this is rare, write over each others cookies, causing you to appear "logged out" on these sites.

Try this: Access RadioReference.com on a different browser than normal, ex Firefox or IE. Then login, checking the "Remember Me" box. After login, close and reopen the browser window and see if you are logged in or not. If you are, your normal browser has a problem. If at work, some over-alarmist network admins will sometimes disable the setting of cookies in a complicated restriction system called a GPO (group policy object). If so, you may be out of luck.

Exsmokey · #8 (**permalink**) 03-26-2008, 07:18 AM

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful and helpful suggestions. I will try some of the solutions proposed here. I don't possess a high level of computer skills. Acquiring them would rob me of time I need for many other activities, including a fair amount of volunteer community service. As a result I need a little help now and again. The computer guru I had many years ago is no longer willing to share his time with me. Alternatives in a small town are slim and none.

eorange · #9 (**permalink**) 03-27-2008, 07:21 PM

I had previously browsed this site a little while ago. NOTHING changed on my browser, and my computer was still on.

I just visited the site - and I was suddenly not logged in to the site, or to the wiki.

On the main radioreference page, my username was displayed, along with my password (shown as ******). I clicked the login button, and then I was logged in. So the site remembers who I am. But I was NOT logged in.

This is not a killer issue - but this looks, feels, and smells like a site bug.

loumaag · #10 (**permalink**) 03-27-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eorange

...This is not a killer issue - but this looks, feels, and smells like a site bug.

Yeah, but why is the scope limited to a handful of users, literally less than 5 people have mentioned this.

eorange · #11 (**permalink**) 03-27-2008, 08:36 PM

Can't answer that, other than the absence of bug reports doesn't mean an absence of bugs.

Anyway, just wanted to point out what I experienced - that's good enough for me & thanks for listening.

blantonl · #12 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Exsmokey

My computer dumps my temporary files early every morning so checkin remember me for the home page only works for a day, and if I log out when I think I'm done for the day I have to log in once more and go through the whole mutiple log on process again.

We aren't guarding high security data here, why is it I have to log on so many times all day long?

Well, that's probably the first problem right there ... .are you also flushing out your cookies?

Are you running any security software on your PC?

Have you customized your security settings on your machine? Sounds like you probably have given you configured your PC to dump it's temp files every morning.

Absolutely, unequivocally, this is an issue with your PC, security settings, security software, or some configuration that you've implemented that is causing this behavior.

blantonl · #13 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eorange

This is not a killer issue - but this looks, feels, and smells like a site bug.

This looks, feels, and smells like a configuration issue on your PC.

See my above post.

eorange · #14 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 12:25 PM

I'm keenly aware of my PC, browser, and security settings. I am totally open to finding the root problem. But out of the many, many sites I visit, this is the only site that periodically forgets my login status.

What else am I to conclude, other than this is a site issue?

I'm ok if we disagree...just providing some customer feedback.

blantonl · #15 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eorange

I'm keenly aware of my PC, browser, and security settings

Ok then, what are they?

Seriously,

1. What browser are you using?
2. What security software do you have installed, and what settings are being enforced?
3. What OS are you running?
4. What changes have you made to your default installation settings for the browser?
5. What plugins do you have installed for your browser? Toolbars? etc?

MarkEagleUSA · #16 (**permalink**) 03-28-2008, 03:49 PM

Anyone sitting behind a firewall that dynamically assigns IP addresses on regular intervals can experience this type of behaviour. If your IP address changes mid-session, the vBulletin software triggers a re-validation. I frequently have this problem at my office as our IP addresses change every 60 minutes.

eorange · #17 (**permalink**) 04-10-2008, 06:58 PM

OK, here goes:

1. What browser are you using?
Firefox 2.0.0.13 (currently the latest version).

2. What security software do you have installed, and what settings are being enforced?
AVG Free Edition 7.5.519 (currently the latest version). No browser-related settings that I can see. The "resident shield" provides dynamic protection against executable files and documents (macros); that's about the most intrusive setting.

Windows Defender 1.1.1593. The Internet Explorer add-ons are enabled, but I don't browse with IE.

The Windows firewall is NOT enabled. I rely on my router's firewall instead.

3. What OS are you running?
XP Pro SP2, with all current Windows updates.

4. What changes have you made to your default installation settings for the browser?
Again, no IE here. I've made no changes to default Firefox settings (honest). I keep cookies "until they expire", and radioreference is set to remember the password, i.e. it's not excluded.

While looking at my cookies, the "rruser" cookie is set to expire on April 26, 2008, FWIW. I realize this may be normal.

5. What plugins do you have installed for your browser? Toolbars? etc?
None - this is a vanilla Firefox install.

Hopefully something in here is noteworthy.

WayneH · #18 (**permalink**) 04-10-2008, 07:39 PM

I'm 100% positive this is not a site problem. I have a site or two that require me to log in after browsing at a random time. Yet when I use a different computer I have no issues.

It's a computer problem, not a site problem.

eorange · #19 (**permalink**) 04-10-2008, 09:08 PM

Well, I have the opposite problem - no site ever forgets me except for this site, and I'm using the same computer. Therefore...

It's a site problem, not a computer problem.

Point being: software problems have an uncanny way of throwing incredible red herrings. Until one can isolate, document, and reproduce a problem, one can't be sure of anything - symptoms aside.