Impossible to Login

Hi @sbct,

Sorry to hear about the issue you had.
Can you tell me what is the message shown on site when you get locked out?
Does the issue happen if you try to login by using a different network, for example use mobile network tethering on your phone instead of your wireless connection?

Could you try adding this code to your active theme functions PHP and see if you’re able to login after that:

add_filter( 'ip_lockout_default_whitelist_ip', function ( $ips ) {
  $ip    = 'YOUR_IP_HERE';
  $ips[] = $ip;

  return $ips;
} );

Just replace YOUR_IP_HERE with your IP address which should allow access from your IP and hopefully get you back access to site.

Let us know how it goes.

Cheers,
Predrag

Hello Predrag,
Thanks for your tip. I’ve tried to use it but it didn’t work. I notice that when I try to log-in in my login page, it doesn’t show all the elements it usually shows (I’ve installed Branda for the login page appearance): one example is that it misses the background image.
When I uninstall Defender, instead, I can see all the elements in place and the login page works with no problems.
I’ve tried to uninstall Branda too but the problem persists with the standard WP login

Can you help me further?

Thanks!
Andrea

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by sbct.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by sbct.

Hello again,
UPDATE:
I’ve done some tests and I’ve found out that the error is generated only when I use a custom signin page (Advanced Tools>Masking URL).
I’ve also tried to change the name of the login URL but it gives the same problem.

Thanks

• This reply was modified 4 years, 5 months ago by sbct.

Hi @sbct

Sorry to hear you are having this problem.

Could you test the problem without any other plugin enabled and the default WordPress theme?

If the problem is fixed, please, enable one by one until it returns.

You can find more on this flow:
https://premium.wpmudev.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Support-Process-Support-Process.gif

Let us know the result you got.
Best Regards
Patrick Freitas

Hello again,
I’ve tried to do what you said and I’ve found out that the plugin WordFence is causing the problem, but I don’t know how to resolve as I’ve searched all the options and I don’t know which one could cause it.

Do you have any clue?

Thanks!

Hi @sbct,

It’s tough to say what might be causing this without replicating the issue. Are there any steps to replicate the issue? Like any specific setting when enabled in WordFence caused it etc?

In general, if the same features are enabled in different plugins it can cause conflict. Do you recall enabling any such features in both the plugin side?

Please do let us know if there is any further information regarding this so that we could check further if needed.

Kind Regards,
Nithin

Thanks!
I’ve tried to understand what can be wrong but I didn’t find any culprit as it was working perfectly and 1 day to the other it stopped working without me inputting anything.

I’ll try to ask WordFence devs about this.

Thanks!
Andrea

Hello @sbct,

Please do let us know once you hear back from them on it. Also, you can export the site settings for wordfence to a staging site on your and check if that can be replicated on your end.

Thank you,
Prathamesh Palve

Hello @wpmudev-support7,
I’ve got a response from WordFence, here’s what their answer is:

“While using Wordfence, you will need to use the standard wp-admin or wp-login pages. You don’t have to worry about hiding the URL or changing it as Wordfence will keep this secure for you.”

I assume that I can’t use the mask login feature while having WordFence, as they don’t support it.

Do you have any trick?

Thanks!

Hi @sbct

Thanks for response!

I just checked and I must say we don’t have any active reports on WordFence not being compatible with this login masking currently (except for this case, of course) so I’m not yet quite sure about the issue.

I would say that if they (WordFence) say that you “must” use standard wp-admin/wp-login then there is some sort of requirement/restriction on their end. They surely know their plugin best. Defender doesn’t really put any special “limitations” on this (apart from certain “stop words” in hdden URL, such as “admin”, “login” etc) but anything that “interacts” with login process can also “unexpectedly” interact with masking process.

So it seems they might be right on incompatibility.

However, I tried to test it on my end and couldn’t. I’m wondering if there’s anything in addition then, for example some cache on site or server? Or maybe it’s related to some specific setting of WordFence.

There’s an option (in WordFence -> All options) to export WF configuration. Would you be willing to share such exported config with us (e.g. via your Dropbxo or Google Drive)?

I’m hoping that this could help us replicate the issue so we could then check if there’s anything on our end that deal with it or if it’s indeed WordFence “restriction”.

Best regards,
Adam

Hello again Adam,
Thanks for your support!

I’ve seen the export feature in WF, but it says that generating a key code, is like a password, and should never be shared with anyone as it contains all the personal configs.
If you like, I can share the complete diagnostics report with you =)

Thanks again for your help!

@sbct,

Ah yes, WF has a specific export, you can send the key code directly by using our secure contact form here:
https://premium.wpmudev.org/contact/#i-have-a-different-question

Send in:

Subject: “Attn: Adam Czajczyk”
– Link to your WordPress site
– WF import Key
– Link back to this thread for reference
– Any other relevant urls/info

Cheers,
Predrag

Hello again,
I’ve used the secure contact form to send you the info.

Thanks!

Hi @sbct

Thank you for the information.

Unfortunately made no difference, it worked fine on my end.

Could you run the last test before we ping our developers or second-line support?

Try to replicate the issue, once done, disable the Defender to get the access back and check the WordFence > Firewall > Blocking also on Live Traffic and check if this show any request blocked from the plugin.

Let us know the result you got.
Best Regards
Patrick Freitas

Hello Patrick,
I’ve tried to do as advised but the problem appeared again when I enabled again the Mask login feature and in WordFence nothing happened on Blocking or Live Traffic.

Do you have any other hint?

Thanks!