Uni Internet Blocked ... VPN? (Bucks New Uni)

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Hazomg

Hazomg

Hazomg

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Hey guys I have a question regarding connecting to steam and other "Banned" services on the university network such as IRC and certain websites.

The University is called "Buckinghamshire New University" or "Bucks" for short so if anyone actually attends there they may be able to help considerably.

Here is the blurb on the University website about how they restrict connections etc :

Your network connection does not enable you to connect directly to any services or servers that are not part of the main campus network. You will however be able to use the Web Caches which will permit access to off-site web pages and ftp servers meaning you can browse the web and download files using FTP

My Question : Would there be a way to VPN around this annoying block on certain applications etc? If so what UK VPN would you recommend (e.g. Cheapest, most reliable etc)

I will also add the Uni FAQ on internet connections in halls http://bucks.ac.uk/current_students/e-services__tools/student_halls_network_access/faq.aspx in-case that will give over some information on how they are blocking access.

Hope someone can help :)
 
Be careful if you don't want to risk getting thrown out of uni. It's blocked for a reason.

Yes a VPN will work fine (but it will have to be tunnelled through the proxy I think, probably only certain white list ports allowed eg HTTP). Don't know any to recommend im afraid :(

In my halls I remember paying for a special HTTP proxy thing to bypass proxy filters, cant remember the name though :(
 
You can tunnel ports over a SSH session running on port 443 (HTTPS). I have got out of the most nazi of Firewalls and HTTP proxies in this way. You need a system sitting outside the network on a half decent bit of upstream bandwidth for this though.

Is it going to be blatantly obvious? No. Will someone who knows what they are doing be able to tell your HTTPS traffic is a little abnormal...yes.

Suck it up for a year, then move out of dorms and get your own connection.
 
I appreciate given the size of the network that needs administering, it must to be locked down to that degree.

Having said that, no fun network is no fun :)

Just move out in second year as most of us do/did and get real internet though a real provider. To be honest half the things blocked shouldn't affect you in the first year anyway as you should be out socialising, having good times and enjoying University life.

If I were a Uni Network Admin and some first year came QQ'ing to me that he couldn't play XYZ game online I'd probably punch him in the head. :D
 
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Yeah you'll be able to get round it you know what you're doing. Not sure that you'd like the consequences though!

If anyone were to try anything like that here at work though we'd come down on them like a ton of bricks!
 
*reports to Bucks Uni network admin* :D

Seriously though, from reading the FAQ you get 512Kbps bandwidth. By the time you add VPN overheads and lag on from that connection, just how bad will Steam games actually run?

Try doing a traceroute from your local machine out to a few UK and none-UK web servers (if the Uni lets tracert packets through that is) and see how many hops you're hitting before getting to the server.

I can imagine:

1) Local switch
2) Network switch onto Uni network
3) Uni router
4) JANET router
5) London DC

at the minimum, possibly more depending on the network topology.
 
Thanks for the help so far. I understand University's are trying to block un associated "learning websites and services" as if everyone was downloading and playing games the traffic would be huge and it could not be handled.

At the same time I find it annoying that you are classed as an adult when living at Uni and are paying for internet in your accommodation fee yet they still filter it like you are in primary school. I really only require the internet to talk on Ventrillo with a couple of friends that are at uni and maybe play the odd game of 1.6.

Can't you just get a mobile broadband dongle?
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Would cost me and arm and a leg for a year and would be terribly slow.

You can tunnel ports over a SSH session running on port 443 (HTTPS). I have got out of the most nazi of Firewalls and HTTP proxies in this way. You need a system sitting outside the network on a half decent bit of upstream bandwidth for this though.
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I have heard of this method but I do not really have the outside equipment to do this (Just my one PC and a slow upstream bandwidth at home)
 
At Leicester uni if you use linux it automatically bypasses all the firewalls. It seemed as though the software only picked up packets from windows machines and they decided if you were using linux you were going to try and get past it anyway so they let you have free reign. Could be an option as Steam runs on Linux through Wine and maybe soon nativly.

Jack
 
To the OP, just out of curiosity what made you chose Bucks?
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I chose Bucks as they were doing the exact course I wanted to do "Motion Graphics" or "Animation and Interactive Design" as they like to call it. They also had great facilities and a brand new building where my course would be taught with new equipment etc.

I also thought the course leader that interviewed me was very knowledge and seemed liked a nice guy and someone I would like to learn from. Other factors included price of accommodation compared to other University's as I did get into a good London University for my course but the accommodation was nearly £200 a week -.-

How come J.B do you attend? If so what is it like etc?
 
I dont attend but I live in the same town, I used to go out with a girl who went there, seemed ok I guess. The town isnt terrible but I couldn't really comment any further on the Uni or what courses they offer.

Im guessing you are not going until September, I'd suggest maybe trying to get on a student based forum and see if anyone can give you a solid answer as to what works and what doesnt.
 
Just get a mobile dongle, they don't cost that much, £10/15 a month for 1G/3G access on O2, that's much less than on a phone contract that most students are on. And its not that slow, its perfectly fine for web, just means no online gaming or downloading large files thats all.
 
Don't use their connection if you don't like the terms (are they charging?), and it's hardly mandatory to live in university managed or leased accomodation either.
 
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