Forum barely useable due to rate limiting - Page 2

Cactus Chef · 01-19-2026, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

That was several days ago.

That's because I haven't been able to post a freaking reply since then to say that it's still happening!

JSWolf · 01-19-2026, 02:15 PM

One thing to try is a traceroute when there is a rate limited issue to see if something in the path is causing a slowdown.

DiapDealer · 01-19-2026, 03:38 PM

I've noticed every other site slowdown attributed to denial of service attacks that others have brought up in the past. But this time, I'm not experiencing any sluggishness whatsoever. I suspect something else is going on.

Sirtel · 01-19-2026, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've noticed every other site slowdown attributed to denial of service attacks that others have brought up in the past. But this time, I'm not experiencing any sluggishness whatsoever. I suspect something else is going on.

Same here.

Cactus Chef · 01-21-2026, 01:44 PM

I'm only able to post replies from my phone now. Three different computers with VPNs on or off all get the rate limiting error whenever I try to reply.

I have to assume the site is doing some kind of blocking maybe based on geoIP or a browser agent sniff test.

DiapDealer · 01-21-2026, 08:00 PM

I'm guessing that some innocent people are unfortunately behind the same firewalls/IPs (or on the same subnets) as the bad actors that are triggering these various levels of rate limiting (or downright blockage for certain lengths of time) that the forum has in place to automate protection against a more wide-spread denial of service attack. I'm fairly certain (but I don't have specific knowledge) there are certain bot-like tendencies/activities that trigger these built-in defenses. Not perfect, by any means, but better than everyone experiencing a loss of access to Mobileread.

I'm sure the forum owner is looking into these latest reports of real users getting inadvertently caught up in these defensive measures.

pdurrant · 01-22-2026, 04:29 AM

As I type, there are over 50,000 'guests' on MobileRead. Not as many as in September 2025, when there were over 140,000, but still a DDOS attack.

Sirtel · 01-22-2026, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdurrant

As I type, there are over 50,000 'guests' on MobileRead. Not as many as in September 2025, when there were over 140,000, but still a DDOS attack.

Yes, I noticed the slowness. But that's different than those rate limit errors some folks are getting.

DiapDealer · 01-22-2026, 07:32 AM

The rate-limiting is a response to the DDOS attacks. The gateway the attack is originating from gets throttled (and sometimes blocked if it is bad enough). Innocents will get caught up in such a defense. I'm still not noticing any slowness.

Sirtel · 01-22-2026, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm still not noticing any slowness.

It comes and goes from one moment to another. Just now there is no slowness here either.

pdurrant · 01-22-2026, 08:42 AM

Alex is looking at it.

The blocking shouldn't be affecting anyone who's logged in, so that's a bug.

The attack is subsiding at the moment, but obviously that could change at any time.

Sirtel · 01-22-2026, 10:11 AM

Over 113 000 users at the moment. It's on again.

DiapDealer · 01-22-2026, 10:22 AM

Well NOW I'm feeling it.

JSWolf · 01-22-2026, 10:31 AM

I too am feeling the site slowdown

Currently Active Users: 122022 (28 members and 121994 guests)

I think one thing to do is limit the number of guests at one time. That would solve part of the problem.

Deskisamess · 01-22-2026, 10:55 AM

I got the rate limit error once, a few days ago. I didn't keep trying as I had other stuff going on. It's been slow off and on for days for me, but we've had Spectrum issues going on as well, so I'm never sure where the problem lies.

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01-19-2026, 02:15 PM	#17
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 82,237 Karma: 150871427 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	One thing to try is a traceroute when there is a rate limited issue to see if something in the path is causing a slowdown.

01-19-2026, 03:38 PM	#18
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 29,145 Karma: 211348980 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I've noticed every other site slowdown attributed to denial of service attacks that others have brought up in the past. But this time, I'm not experiencing any sluggishness whatsoever. I suspect something else is going on.

01-21-2026, 01:44 PM	#20
Cactus Chef Guru Posts: 762 Karma: 9580518 Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: East Coast, United States Device: Kobo Sage, Kobo Clara HD, Galaxy Tab S5e, Kindle 4th Gen	I'm only able to post replies from my phone now. Three different computers with VPNs on or off all get the rate limiting error whenever I try to reply. I have to assume the site is doing some kind of blocking maybe based on geoIP or a browser agent sniff test.

01-21-2026, 08:00 PM	#21
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 29,145 Karma: 211348980 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I'm guessing that some innocent people are unfortunately behind the same firewalls/IPs (or on the same subnets) as the bad actors that are triggering these various levels of rate limiting (or downright blockage for certain lengths of time) that the forum has in place to automate protection against a more wide-spread denial of service attack. I'm fairly certain (but I don't have specific knowledge) there are certain bot-like tendencies/activities that trigger these built-in defenses. Not perfect, by any means, but better than everyone experiencing a loss of access to Mobileread. I'm sure the forum owner is looking into these latest reports of real users getting inadvertently caught up in these defensive measures.

01-22-2026, 04:29 AM	#22
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 74,976 Karma: 319562998 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	As I type, there are over 50,000 'guests' on MobileRead. Not as many as in September 2025, when there were over 140,000, but still a DDOS attack.

01-22-2026, 07:32 AM	#24
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 29,145 Karma: 211348980 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	The rate-limiting is a response to the DDOS attacks. The gateway the attack is originating from gets throttled (and sometimes blocked if it is bad enough). Innocents will get caught up in such a defense. I'm still not noticing any slowness.

01-22-2026, 08:42 AM	#26
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 74,976 Karma: 319562998 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	Alex is looking at it. The blocking shouldn't be affecting anyone who's logged in, so that's a bug. The attack is subsiding at the moment, but obviously that could change at any time.

01-22-2026, 10:11 AM	#27
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 14,769 Karma: 245110941 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	Over 113 000 users at the moment. It's on again.

01-22-2026, 10:22 AM	#28
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 29,145 Karma: 211348980 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	Well NOW I'm feeling it.

01-22-2026, 10:31 AM	#29
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 82,237 Karma: 150871427 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	I too am feeling the site slowdown Currently Active Users: 122022 (28 members and 121994 guests) I think one thing to do is limit the number of guests at one time. That would solve part of the problem.

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01-22-2026, 10:55 AM	#30
Deskisamess Wizard Posts: 2,800 Karma: 45843871 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Ohio Device: iPhone 13 Pro, iPad mini, iPad Pro 12.9",Paperwhite 6.8", Scribe 2022	I got the rate limit error once, a few days ago. I didn't keep trying as I had other stuff going on. It's been slow off and on for days for me, but we've had Spectrum issues going on as well, so I'm never sure where the problem lies.