IRC/Freenode-ban bc. of Tor (which I'm not using)?

[greenie 0]

Hello,

I've been using your VPN (Sweden) for some weeks and never had a problem with IRC. But some minutes ago I got this from freenode:

freenode -- > You are banned from this server- Due to abuse we currently accept tor connections via our tor-sasl service only. See freenode.net/irc_servers.shtml - questions can be directed to tor-kline@freenode.net (2012/4/15 10.31)

But I do not use Tor, I just use an AirVPN-config file with openVPN (on Linux).

I found a tutorial about using tor-sasl with Weechat (my IRC-client) here: http://weechat.org/files/doc/stable/weechat_user.en.html#irc_tor_freenode

But it isn't helpful, as it assumes that I am running Tor (and therefore wants an address and a port which I don't have/know).

Can anybody give any suggestions what could be the problem or how to circumvent it? Not being able to use freenode while being on VPN prevents me from using your VPN at all, as I am constantly connected to IRC.

[Staff 9972]

Hello,

I've been using your VPN (Sweden) for some weeks and never had a problem with IRC. But some minutes ago I got this from freenode:

freenode -- > You are banned from this server- Due to abuse we currently accept tor connections via our tor-sasl service only. See freenode.net/irc_servers.shtml - questions can be directed to tor-kline@freenode.net (2012/4/15 10.31)

But I do not use Tor, I just use an AirVPN-config file with openVPN (on Linux).

I found a tutorial about using tor-sasl with Weechat (my IRC-client) here: http://weechat.org/files/doc/stable/weechat_user.en.html#irc_tor_freenode

But it isn't helpful, as it assumes that I am running Tor (and therefore wants an address and a port which I don't have/know).

Can anybody give any suggestions what could be the problem or how to circumvent it? Not being able to use freenode while being on VPN prevents me from using your VPN at all, as I am constantly connected to IRC.

Hello!

It looks like a mis-identification by Freenode IRC server of Draconis IP address. Maybe some of our customers abused freenode IRC from it. Here we just want to underline that such Net Neutrality violations are not caused by us. Banning TOR nodes and also VPN exit-IP addresses is a questionable behavior from a service which should aid freedom of expression.

You might try to ask for explanations to their support team, in the meantime you can try different Air servers.

Kind regards

[greenie 0]

I've tried to contact somebody on #freenode, as the contact email in the "banned"-message only brought back a useles auto-message. But connecting via another server worked fine, so thanks.