I am trying to join the private fb group but after submitting a join request the group disappears from my search results. Can anyone send me an invite or link to join? Thanks!

Here is the link to the group page -- see if this will get you there to request again to join.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...20alternatives

I am going to stop participating there for 2 reasons:
1 - the repeated redundant questions about protocol - it is the same question over and over again so it is clear people are just so lazy to read anything

2 - I feel my posts are "graded". I guess I mistakenly assumed that people doing IPA has familiarity to IP and were more advanced such that I didn't need to watch every word in my posts.

I find I get a visceral reaction to this which I don't need from a silly social media site.
I do find good info there so perhaps I'll just scan it occasionally but I always felt if one benefits then one should contribute but not at the expense of routinely feeling scolded.
I like this place the best - just wish it was more active but I have been as guilty as anyone about going dark for a period of time...sigh.

I see I similar problem in the ip supporters phase 1 group on facebook. People are very quick to practically attack others for even the most innocent cheats or mistakes, or even just because they don't approve of the way something was worded. Not supportive at all. Sorry you are having a similar experience with the alternatives page.

Thanks, but it still only pulls up the "alternative packets" group. I feel like my join request may have been denied since FB is now apparently hiding the group from my search results.