Started my new job and.... messenger refuses to work. It can't find an internet connection and the admin guy says its blocked from the server.

Thing is, I really use it to see which learning centres/lecturers are available and I get notifications of all my emails - its not just for chatting to my friends while at work (honest!)

Is there any way to bypass whatever blocks are in place?

http://www.msn2go.com/

SSH tunnel to somewhere where the net admins aren't fascists?

http://www.msn2go.com/ looks to be a Java applet, meaning it will run into the same limitations any other program on his computer would when trying to get to the internet.

Is there any way to bypass whatever blocks are in place?

Not easily, no. I'm one of the guys who runs a system which blocks that stuff (and controls all the ways you get around it), and there's no way to get past it unless you have the ability to run some kind of a server-side proxy on a server on the exposed portion of the internet.

I've always wanted to invent a server-side proxy with a client-side shim that would do that kinda thing. In theory, it could work for anything (online games, etc.). Haven't gotten around to it.

Oh, and Derrick: If they're blocking MSN, they're probably blocking SSH too.

Who says I have to run my ssh server on port 22?

So run sshd on a port they don't block. Unless they proxy all traffic you can.

And if they do, you're just screwed.

Hehe ok I'm not the most IT literate person when it comes to servers, although I can get by! How do I go about running sshd/ssh tunnelling?

You'd have to have access to a computer elsewhere on the internet that's running a secure shell daemon (sshd), preferably one that has a static IP address. Then you could use a secure shell client on your side to forward arbitrary ports. If you can't meet the first requirement, there's little point getting into specifics.

Yes, I can get access to another PC - I can leave a notebook on at home on its braodband connection. So this is very possible?

Is it possible to get MSN Messenger to run over another port? Up until recently, T-Mobile blocked almost every non-HTTP or email port on their free GPRS service. I simply told my AIM client to run over port 80 and it worked. Is this possible with the MSN client, or maybe trillian would give you more control?

I use Trillian with a plugin called IM Everywhere - works fine with a browser locked down to just port 80.

That doesn't make any sense. AIM runs over either port 5190 or 9898, IIRC. I can't imagine what your client did.

You've got two people claiming they're doing it an easier way. Try their way first.

If you tell trillian to run AIM over port 80, it will work.

Ok, shall give this a go.

Cheers

So run sshd on a port they don't block. Unless they proxy all traffic you can.

Which is exactly what it is like at the site I am working at currently. The only traffic allowed goes via an HTTP proxy. I need to get around to experimenting with HTTP tunnelling over the proxy.

Came across GNU httptunnel awhile ago but never used it.

AIM and ICQ servers listen on every port. So, if a single port is open on the firewall, AIM and ICQ can work. I've commonly had my AIM and ICQ accounts set to some port like 21-23, or others that are open on my work firewall.

LOL. My employer's filtering software blocks access to this page! Ha!

Even if you did manage to bypass firewall and port management, aren't you worried that if discovered it might be considered a firing offense for unauthorised usage? Given the ridiculously draconian Big Brother tactics now being routinely employed by companies, I would have thought that as a new employee you would be putting your job at risk by immediately flaunting company policy, expecially after having talked to a SysAdmin about it (who will now be watching for what you do)?

I think I would try preserving the job....... being unemployed is Shite.

Whats the difference between Trillian Basic and Pro?

Trillian pro allows plug-ins, some of which are quite cool.

The text to speech plug in is particularly cool... as long as you can get Meatballman and Russmiester to quit IMing the phrase "FA Q" to the associate pastor while he's at work with volume too high.

I recent 2600 issue had an article about HTTP tunneling. I'll figure out which one tomorrow at work.

2600 The Hacker Quarterly Summer 2003 "Traversing the Corporate Firewall"

http://www.hopster.com/

These guys are doing exactly what I envisioned doing a few years ago.

Again, blocked. I gotta find a new job....