Network analyzing question

[purehate]

This is true at my school as well. No websites are banned no matter what the content.

[pipboy]

1) If the Jr. Admin gives you access to any of their infrastructure components to "help" with this he should be fired.
2) Lots of modern firewalls do packet inspection, so it should be irrelevant what tool the person is using to get/watch the content.
3) Something like Web Sense would make this very easy.
4) If you're going to start blocking things then make sure there is a process for people to have things un-blocked or exceptions created. Though streaming media can put a strain on resources you will find out that there are a number of valid academic requirements for streaming media. (i.e.: Listening to lectures after the fact, streaming feeds from telescope/microscope cameras at other facilities, webinars, etc...)

1) I'm writing a paper for the Jr Admin as a proposal, at best id probably just be assisting because the Jr administrator is somewhat of a friend.
2) its not irrelevant because although Statefull packet inspection would stop the problem I'm not certain that it logs it. But I suppose it wouldn't need to be logged if it was being stopped.
4) The school already has a strict policy against streaming media unless it has been authorized by School Director. Hence why I believe it wold be useful to track who is breaking these rules because they are interested in suspending internet usage from certain few rule breakers.

As for the information on setting up a linux firewall an an intermediary, it sounds like a good idea that I will look into

ps. My school banned searches involving "baseball" lol.

[PrairieFire]

I'm as serious as a hart attack Re@lity.

When I go to school tomorrow, I'll ask the Network admins or whoever is available and credible about it to make 100% sure...but this is what one of my instructors told our class one day. And sure enough...they have NO websites banned. Whether it be a porn site, hacking site, anything goes. But I distinctly remember her telling the class that it would be considered an invasion of privacy or a freedom of expression...or something like that, that would be violated by the College if they blocked access to any web site.

Web sense blocks the usual outside sites(social networking, hacking, adult) but does allow access to video lectures etc.. from inside the network at my campus, also allow ssh vnc tunnels so I have no complaints with the staff.

[thorin]

1) I'm writing a paper for the Jr Admin as a proposal, at best id probably just be assisting because the Jr administrator is somewhat of a friend.
2) its not irrelevant because although Statefull packet inspection would stop the problem I'm not certain that it logs it. But I suppose it wouldn't need to be logged if it was being stopped.

I think you missed my point. I wasn't saying that SPI was irrelevant, I was saying that the tool used (whether IE, FireFox, Wireshark, etc.) is irrelevant.

ps. My school banned searches involving "baseball" lol.

See this is interesting, if they can do this then they likely have something like Web Sense and what you're trying to accomplish should be done via that mechanism.

[duwey96]

I'm as serious as a hart attack Re@lity.

When I go to school tomorrow, I'll ask the Network admins or whoever is available and credible about it to make 100% sure...but this is what one of my instructors told our class one day. And sure enough...they have NO websites banned. Whether it be a porn site, hacking site, anything goes. But I distinctly remember her telling the class that it would be considered an invasion of privacy or a freedom of expression...or something like that, that would be violated by the College if they blocked access to any web site.

I asked this question before, and I was told that they can't block any websites at a community college because the connection is paid for by the tax payers and is suppose to be available for anyone to use. BUT the admin also told me that he is allowed to limit bandwidth usage of certain sites, like Myspace, facebook, youtube, etc..so that the page loads so slow the students just give up. Not sure the piece of equipment that is used to control how much bandwidth sites can use, but it was hardware...

[Barry]

It's called packet shaper.

[PeppersGhost]

There are other options availible than just flat out blocking content. I for one find it hard to believe that a college campus does'nt have enough bandwidth. Sound like cheap skates. Clear out the choke points and increase the pipe alittle. If you block sites then the user is likely to imploy proxies thereby choking the pipe even more. Better yet put in some proxies. Network level encryption would increase bandwidth. Im sure colleges can get some infrastructure founding. Its not like it would cost them anything. I guess its just less work to deny the user.

[Barry]

Cause we all know schools are just bleeding money left and right. We still have schools that are 10Mb to the desk.

[streaker69]

Cause we all know schools are just bleeding money left and right. We still have schools that are 10Mb to the desk.

I keep telling you Barry, you should come work for me, we always have a steady flow of money.

[Barry]

I keep telling you Barry, you should come work for me, we always have a steady flow of money.

Steady flow of something.