Sometimes you find the website hosted with us inaccessible. More than that, you are not able to access cPanel and webmail. The links http://serverIP/cpanel and http://cpanel.domain.com are displaying an error message Server connection timed out. What is happening?
What can be the reason of the IP being blocked and how to avoid it?
- Exceeding the number of failed cPanel login attempts
- Failed POP3/IMAP/SMTP or Webmail login
- Incorrect email client settings
- Failed FTP/SSH login
- Failed web page login
- PortScan activity
- Exceeding the number of failed cPanel login attempts
When you were not able to log into cPanel for the first time, please do not try to do it as many times as possible. Once you have used the incorrect login details 20 times in 300 seconds, the IP gets blocked. To avoid that, use auto-login options in Aveshost account or check your login details in the Welcome Email Guide that was sent to the email account associated with the hosting package. Otherwise, feel free to ask for the cPanel password reset via our Support.
NOTE: You can use Roboform and Lastpass web browser addons to keep your login details safe and secure without having to type and remember them.
- Failed POP3/IMAP/SMTP or Webmail login
Apart from cPanel login protection, Firewall also prevents unauthorized access to mail service.
1. Block due to webmail failed login attempts
If you were having issues with logging into webmail and, as a result, both cPanel and webmail are no longer available, most likely you have triggered a similar IP block for email access.
2. Block due to failed POP3/IMAP login attempts
If you start receiving errors/pop-up windows related to IMAP/POP3 failed authentication in your email client, then it is possible that login credentials for the email account are outdated/incorrect. Unfortunately, in this case, the email client will not stop trying to access the mail server which may in time result in a permanent IP block as well.
3. Block due to failed SMTP login attempts
This kind of block occurs when SMTP authentication data is not valid so you can’t send mail from the email client (you can still have correct settings for the incoming mail server and receive new emails without issues). Usual symptoms for such issue are the emails that do not leave the “Outbox” folder or errors/pop-up messages that notify about failed SMTP authentication. Make sure that SMTP login is your full email address, and the password is the same as for the incoming mail server.
If you still can’t log in with the old password, consider resetting it once your IP address is unlocked. You can do it in your cPanel account on the Email accounts page >> Manage option:
- Incorrect email client settings
The email client settings may also cause an IP block, so if you are struggling with an email client setup, it is better to delete the non-functioning email account from the email client and start from scratch later.
- Failed FTP/SSH login
Make sure your FTP client is using correct login details and appropriate settings. Please make sure you use port 21 for FTP and 21098 for SFTP (SSH). Note that we enable SSH per a user's request.
- Failed web page login
It occurs when there is an authentication form or a protected directory on the website. Please make sure you use the correct login data.
- PortScan activity
Port scan is an attack that sends requests of a client to a range of server port addresses on a host with the goal of finding an active port and exploiting a known vulnerability of that service. To avoid that, please make sure your clients are configured in a way not to permanently attempt to scan ports of a server. Reduce timeout intervals on all FTP and mail clients in your network. If there are many users in your network, and all of them are accessing the Internet from an external IP address, make sure they do not reconnect using FTP or mail clients frequently. Connection requests coming from one IP can trigger the firewall to block the IP.
