Ugh - Comcast got me again

SkyHog

SkyHog

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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Castle Rock, CO
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Everything Offends Me
Sigh. At night, while at work, I do 2 things: Homework and surf the net. Technically, Comcast has always had a rule against surfing non work related websites, but it was always a rule that was only enforced to get rid of someone they didn't want around, it was kind of ignored.

We've had a web-blocking thing called websense for a while, and it blocked some cool sites, but I could get around them by going to the ip address instead of the domain name. Last night, I tried to get to Pilotsofamerica.com, and was met by:

"Blocked by Websense category "Message Boards and Organizations." I tried the IP and got the same thing.

Well crap, that takes a bunch out of my night, so I'll try AOPA.

"Blocked by websense category "Advocacy." No joy on the IP either.

Then I tried a bunch of sites. Nothing but television sites and Comcast sites work anymore. Everything is blocked. My website, on the otherhand, is not, so it looks like I'm gonna have to set up a proxy now. Ugh. Its only a matter of time before they block my website too tho.

Stupid websense.


Oh - btw, flightaware.com and airnav.com are both blocked by the category "travel." wtf?
 
Airnav was blocked for a while by our firewall as 'spyware'.

If the CIA can't stay out of my websites!!! :D
 
Can you VPN out? Set up a VPN endpoint router at home, and surf away!
 
heres an idea nick. Create a website called cableusa or something, then make it a frame. inside the frame put the links to your favorite sites :)
they should open in the frame, while the website will still be listed as cableusa or whatever cable related.
 
Michael said:
heres an idea nick. Create a website called cableusa or something, then make it a frame. inside the frame put the links to your favorite sites :)
they should open in the frame, while the website will still be listed as cableusa or whatever cable related.
Click to expand...

I actually tried that. It doesn't work. Websense is much smarter than I gave it credit for.

But I still blame Comcast.
 
wsuffa said:
Can you VPN out? Set up a VPN endpoint router at home, and surf away!
Click to expand...

I haven't set up VPN since dialup days. Is that even used anymore? If so - any pointers on how to set this up without getting into network settings. They're now blocked too.
 
My sister is ****ed at Comcast. She called about getting HD. They want to charge her $11/month for the digital box, and $22/month for the HD channels - all 7 of them. This in addition to what she is already paying.
 
N2212R said:
My sister is ****ed at Comcast. She called about getting HD. They want to charge her $11/month for the digital box, and $22/month for the HD channels - all 7 of them. This in addition to what she is already paying.
Click to expand...

Wow - thats a lot steeper than it is out here. $5 for the Hd programming, including the box, assuming you already have digital service.

if not, then its $15.95 for the digital service and $5 fr the hd programming.

And 7 sounds about right. :(
 
SkyHog said:
I haven't set up VPN since dialup days. Is that even used anymore? If so - any pointers on how to set this up without getting into network settings. They're now blocked too.
Click to expand...

VPN is running rampant!

Start, connect to, show all connections, create new...
 
N2212R said:
My sister is ****ed at Comcast. She called about getting HD. They want to charge her $11/month for the digital box, and $22/month for the HD channels - all 7 of them. This in addition to what she is already paying.
Click to expand...

Wait'll she sees how well the HD DVR doesn't work.
 
SkyHog said:
I haven't set up VPN since dialup days. Is that even used anymore? If so - any pointers on how to set this up without getting into network settings. They're now blocked too.
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah, VPN is big in the corporate world.

You need a VPN client on your machine, and an endpoint on the other end (with a fixed IP). If the machine is locked down, you can't install the VPN software.

Netgear and Linksys (Cisco) make endpoint routers that can sit on a DSL/Cable modem, but they'll only work if you have a fixed IP (since you have a server, I assumed you have a fixed IP on the outside).

All it does is to create a tunnel out on some high numbered port. I'd assume that your admins won't block a VPN tunnel, and websense can't see the encrypted stream.

There are a couple of flavors of VPN out there - IPSec is probably the best...

Google on VPN software....
 
SkyHog said:
I actually tried that. It doesn't work. Websense is much smarter than I gave it credit for.

But I still blame Comcast.
Click to expand...

You realize that you are probably some IT guy's personal project now right? :rofl:

He won't turn you in since you are his own personal fun while he is at work trying to stop you from having your fun, and you can't complain at work because of the obvious...

It's a vicious circle.

You might try working at work instead, but what is the fun in that. :dunno:
 
Sonar5 said:
You might try working at work instead, but what is the fun in that. :dunno:
Click to expand...

Not so easy to do when I work in a call center overnight and take like 3 or 4 calls a night. You can only study up on so much work related stuff.

:D
 
SkyHog said:
Not so easy to do when I work in a call center overnight and take like 3 or 4 calls a night. You can only study up on so much work related stuff.

:D
Click to expand...

I suggest you take the guy that runs the servers a six pack of beer (or some more appropriate bribe) and persuade him to unlock your access. Perhaps he'd like to have a flight in a small plane? Another alternative would be to bring your own computer (or modem) and use dial-up.
 
wsuffa said:
Oh, yeah, VPN is big in the corporate world.

You need a VPN client on your machine, and an endpoint on the other end (with a fixed IP). If the machine is locked down, you can't install the VPN software.

Netgear and Linksys (Cisco) make endpoint routers that can sit on a DSL/Cable modem, but they'll only work if you have a fixed IP (since you have a server, I assumed you have a fixed IP on the outside).

All it does is to create a tunnel out on some high numbered port. I'd assume that your admins won't block a VPN tunnel, and websense can't see the encrypted stream.

There are a couple of flavors of VPN out there - IPSec is probably the best...

Google on VPN software....
Click to expand...

Every VPN connection I've ever used blocks out the local subnet that the machine is connected to... so you can only see/use the destination subnet. That means that if you connect to home, your work connection (to servers, applications, printers, email) doesn't work anymore until you kill the VPN connection. Unless he's in a position where he's on break and doesn't need to monitor for incoming messages, etc., the VPN option probably won't work for him... unless he's got two pcs....
 
I guess I'm really lucky in that I'm the one who manages our corporate firewall. I can do pretty much anything I want to. But then I don't try to abuse it either.

Jeannie
 
SkyHog said:
I actually tried that. It doesn't work. Websense is much smarter than I gave it credit for.

But I still blame Comcast.
Click to expand...
Nick, you gotta' put a stop to this now. The next thing you know they'll actually expect you to do some work.
 
Richard said:
Nick, you gotta' put a stop to this now. The next thing you know they'll actually expect you to do some work.
Click to expand...

I know! What the hell, make me EARN my paycheck?

Bah - I laugh because I have lost respect for my employer, not because I'm suddenly happy to be there.
 
If you have a static IP at home use Remote Desktop to get to your
home PC and then surf from there. I access mine at home that way
all the time .. usually to get something off there I need at work.

We have a 3Com firewall and it seems to work ok. Of course .. it
isn't a problem with that since I run the I.T. dept.
 
I would find an aviation subject I wanted to refresh or learn anew and buy a book, read that if they can't find work for you to keep busy.
 
Troy Whistman said:
Every VPN connection I've ever used blocks out the local subnet that the machine is connected to... so you can only see/use the destination subnet. That means that if you connect to home, your work connection (to servers, applications, printers, email) doesn't work anymore until you kill the VPN connection. Unless he's in a position where he's on break and doesn't need to monitor for incoming messages, etc., the VPN option probably won't work for him... unless he's got two pcs....
Click to expand...

Depends on the setup. Many times it's an option in the VPN software... or a policy set by the VPN endpoint.

It CAN be done if properly configured.
 
PSSSST!!!!

Nick. You can get Internet connectivity over a phone.

I talked to co-worker about this and discovered that he's doing what I planned on doing. Besides usign the browser, email, and if your'e so inclided the IM in the phone, you can hook the phone to a laptop by cable or wirelessly with bluetooth and use a full size computer. Unlimited wireless Internet is an extra $20 a month on Cingular.

Just avoid the Nokia. I'm returning it for the Windows Mobile 8125 which gets to me today.
http://www.cingular.com/8125_consumer

Woot! (I hope)

I plan on connecting a Bluetooth GPS, probably Garmins' GPS 10Garmin's, and have at some road and/or aviation GPS applications. There are going to be a lot to choose from.
 
Nick, aren't you starting your IR? Why not get some books and study for that? Just a thought, since I don't know anything about this internet stuff.
 
An HTTP tunnel allows you to create a TCP/IP tunnel from your computer to another computer using the HTTP socket.

You want to surf PoA - but thats blocked by your network. So you, the tunnel client, establish a tunnel connection to a tunnel server - could be one of your own making, could be a commercial service.

You tell your browser that you have a proxy server on your own machine (the tunnel client). When you go to surf a site, your request is sent to your own machine and thru the tunnel to the tunnel server, which forwards the request to your desired destination.

Now a savvy IS group has the major tunnel providers blocked, but you can always give it a shot, and you CAN set one up for use at home (a server that is) but it takes a bit more work. I've used this groups paid service in the past and it worked well for me - except at one location where they blocked this groups own servers.

http://www.http-tunnel.com/html/

If you can use them (even free), thats easiest.
 
I used to use a piece of software called MGI that could be used to get around this.

You'd set up your own web server at home, say, http://nick.homedns.org/ or whatever. Then, the index page would contain a bunch of code such that if you went to the index page itself, you'd just get a box where you could type in an address. When you typed in an address it would go to something like http://nick.homedns.org/www.pilotsofamerica.com/ and then your home server would parse that, visit pilotsofamerica.com, parse that page and change all the links to point to http://nick.homedns.org/whateveraddress/ and feed it back to you.

Now if they catch your web address and IP, just get a dynamic (yes, dynamic) IP and a PowerKey Pro (if those are still around). Then, when they figure out what IP you're using, you just pull out your cell phone, punch a few buttons, and your computer reboots and grabs a new IP. It refreshes and posts the new IP to whatever service you're using (homedns, dynip, etc) and you can use one of the many sites that lets you do a name lookup and find out what the new IP number is. Since you'd only be hitting the name lookup site once, and there's a lot of them out there, the only way they'd be able to stop it is to either go in after every IP change you make (presumably no more than once per day, unless your IT folks work 3rd shift too) or they'd have to block the entire subnet (or block of subnets) that your ISP has.

Remember, it's still a computer, you're still smarter than it. :D
 
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