Blocking Software

[eeeboy]

I am using internet through a LAN. Recently, I have found that my ISP has blocked IRC. I want to know details about software blocking. My ISP uses red Hat Linux Fedora3.

I think they didnt block the ports.Because IRC uses typically port 6667-7000.

I have used psyBNC to connect to IRC and I was connecting to psyBNC to an unusual port [1313].

not Only mIRC, I have tried many other IRC clients and got the same respond.

So I think they block the whole Protocol.

Tell me about the protocol block thing and if possible tell the ways to Bypass this blocking.


thanx in advance.

[darviria]

How do you know it's your isp? Some questions for you....

1. What client are you using?
2. Have you got a firewall?
3. What error message do you get?
4. Does this happen on various networks?
5. What network are you trying to connect to?
6. Have you got identd enabled in your client?
7. Have you tried connecting through a public proxy?

[eeeboy]

Originally Posted by darviria

How do you know it's your isp? Some questions for you....

1. What client are you using?
2. Have you got a firewall?
3. What error message do you get?
4. Does this happen on various networks?
5. What network are you trying to connect to?
6. Have you got identd enabled in your client?
7. Have you tried connecting through a public proxy?

1. mIRC

2. yes Zone alarm Pro.

3. Connection timed out

4.Yes in all networks

5.dal.net,efnet,shopnerbangla.com..etc n many more

6. Yes identd server is enabled and 113 port is not blocked

5. Yes tried some public proxy getting the same result

actually thanx for the concern. The problem is solved now. It was ISP had some problem regarding IRC...they told me that some stupid bugs might cause those problem but fortunately then could fix that.

[darviria]

Originally Posted by eeeboy

actually thanx for the concern. The problem is solved now. It was ISP had some problem regarding IRC...they told me that some stupid bugs might cause those problem but fortunately then could fix that.

Ok, good that you got it sorted.



btw...Zone Alarm isn't a proper firewall :p, software "personal firewalls" are a waste of system resources (and money if you buy it), if you want a firewall, get a decent hardware one or make one out of a spare linux box.

[eeeboy]

Thanx for your advice. Actually I didnt buy it.

I have linux in separate hdd. But for windows is there any suitable solutions except hardware firewall ? because hardware firewalls are expensive.

[darviria]

Why do you want a firewall? Why would anyone want to hack you?

I went for years before getting a hardware firewall on windows, no firewall, no anti-virus, nothing, always on connection. Never had any problems with it.

Windows XP has it's own firewall thing, that'll give you as much protection as anything like Zonealarm without eating your system resources and annoying you every 10 seconds. Disable the security panel thing as well for absolutly no annoyance, it runs as a service, just stop it from services in the management window, the firewall and stuff still runs. These types of firewalls won't really give you any protection for various reasons, one big factor is the fact that firewalls usually have a physical barrier in a connection, ie they have two network interfaces, data must pass through this to get to your network

Here's some more info on why those types of firewalls are a waste of time:

http://www.samspade.org/d/firewalls.html

[eeeboy]

very confusing. I can clearly remember that Ive read a article which stated that windows built in firewall (ICF) is not a firewall at all, and you still have the chance to be attacked if you use it.They recommended to use any personal firewall for protection.

another thing,as I told before , I am using a LAN based internet service.So often theres some try to log on to my machine illegaly.

you know even sp2 is not safe these days. Thats one of the main reasons for my using personal firewall.

[darviria]

Originally Posted by eeeboy

very confusing. I can clearly remember that Ive read a article which stated that windows built in firewall (ICF) is not a firewall at all

I know, but neither is Zone Alarm or anything like that, that's my point, if you're going to use anything like that just use the built in one, it'll save your system resources and won't annoy you every 10 seconds with false alerts.

Originally Posted by eeeboy

and you still have the chance to be attacked if you use it.They recommended to use any personal firewall for protection.

Which firewall/anti-virus company told you that? ie who wanted you to buy their software? I find it funny that these days a large amount of people are being ripped off by large corporations and don't even realise it, even when it's pointed out to them. If any real hacker wanted to hack you, a personal firewall wouldn't do anything to help you.

Originally Posted by eeeboy

another thing,as I told before , I am using a LAN based internet service.So often theres some try to log on to my machine illegaly.

How do you know? Most of the logs and alerts in personal firewalls aren't real, it's just background network traffic. If you knew anything about networking you'd know that. How are they trying to "log on"? SSH? Telnet? FTP?. If you know people are genuinly trying to get in like that, like if you've got SSH logs to show it, fine but a personal firewall (or a hardware one) wouldn't help to stop people from "logging on", if it did, you wouldn't be able to log on remotely either....if you don't need to, disable it

Originally Posted by eeeboy

you know even sp2 is not safe these days. Thats one of the main reasons for my using personal firewall.

Why isn't it safe? I've been into networking/comms/web/hacking for years, and I've learnt something.....systems are usually very secure, their users are not.

Windows isn't safe in general but if you know what you're doing you'll be fine, as I said, I ran an always-on windows box for years with no firewall or anti virus and never had any problems.