Filters

[mikechamp]

This doesn't pertain specifically to this site, but I am in serious need of some help.

They just installed filters on our network today, and I believe I'm shut out of espn.com. I know the filter is called Barracuda, because it blocks some of the Google ads on this very site. Here is most of the e-mail that was sent out by my organization today:

In response to the periodic slowness and degradation of Internet connectivity we are installing a filter to regulate Internet traffic.

I am installing the filter this morning and will be tweaking the configuration during the day. This may result in periodic disruptions in Internet connectivity – specifically to Web sites.

There should be no disruption of internal network connectivity – internal e-mail, access to network files and printers.

Once the filter is installed and configured we are confident that the problems that we experienced during the past two days will diminish substantially if not be eliminated all together. I will keep you posted on any notable developments as they occur.

Those that are tech savvy, can you help me? I'm not that tech savvy, but know my way around a computer and am a quick learner and have admin (though maybe not full admin) privileges over my own machine.

Please, help me save the "NL Central comments".

P.S. I'd prefer to be able to get around this without having to resort to illegal/highly shady methods.

[letsgocards89]

See if this helps.

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/h/4807

[Leroy]

P.S. I'd prefer to be able to get around this without having to resort to illegal/highly shady methods.

Well, forget it then.

[mikechamp]

letsgocards89:

Thanks very much for the tip. It seems to work, except that I still get the same loading error and that it is re-trying to connect to the server.

Maybe ESPN's sportsnation chat page is down, in which case, my panic is for naught. But my hunch is that it's working fine and I can't access.

Can someone quickly check for me?

[letsgocards89]

letsgocards89:

Thanks very much for the tip. It seems to work, except that I still get the same loading error and that it is re-trying to connect to the server.

Maybe ESPN's sportsnation chat page is down, in which case, my panic is for naught. But my hunch is that it's working fine and I can't access.

Can someone quickly check for me?

No dice bro, I think the page is working fine.

[mikechamp]

No dice bro, I think the page is working fine.

Uh oh. This isn't good at all.

Anybody else got any ideas?

I somehow doubt it's something that I can alter on my own machine.

EDIT: I got another piece to this puzzle:

The link you are accessing has been blocked by the Barracuda Web Filter because it matches a blocked category. The name of the category is: "advertisement-pop-ups".

This wouldn't affect the espn chats, but at least it gives me (and others helping me) a little more insight into what's going on.

[mikechamp]

P.S. I'd prefer to be able to get around this without having to resort to illegal/highly shady methods.

Well, forget it then.

I haven't gotten that desperate....














yet.

[mikechamp]

Oh, this is getting worse.

Now, I can't even check my fantasy baseball teams because:

The link you are accessing has been blocked by the Barracuda Web Filter because it contains content belonging to the category of: Gambling

If you believe this is an error or need to access this link please contact your administrator.
This rule is in effect at all times.

URL: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com

Here's another one that came up (an MSN "how to better your relationship" article fell into this category):

The link you are accessing has been blocked by the Barracuda Web Filter because it contains content belonging to the category of: Personals and Dating

And here's the culprit on the ESPN chat wrap page:

The link you are accessing has been blocked by the Barracuda Web Filter because it contains content belonging to the category of: Proxies

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dillagii]

I am not surprised that they have blocked fantasy sites. They block it in most of the workplaces. But I am surprised they blocked ESPN.

Mike, unfortunately there is nothing you can do. Only thing you can try is to buy a drink or two to whomever doing this or whoever work in this department. He can open the site specifically for the IP address you are using.

[mikechamp]

I am not surprised that they have blocked fantasy sites. They block it in most of the workplaces. But I am surprised they blocked ESPN.

Mike, unfortunately there is nothing you can do. Only thing you can try is to buy a drink or two to whomever doing this or whoever work in this department. He can open the site specifically for the IP address you are using.

So, hacking you say.....