Bypassing firewall

[Armando]

I'm not sure this is in the right section, sorry.

Anyway, my school has a firewall ( I think that's what it is ) which blocks certain websites. Up until Monday we could access www.gmail.com but now it's blocked along with yahoo email and msn email. Is there a way to bypass this? Any way I could still access my email without getting that the site is blocked?

I doubt you can but it doesn't hurt to ask... (For other websites such as www.ebaumsworld.com (which is blocked) if you take out the www. in the address bar and click enter the website would work.. but only if you dont put the www. in it.. I tried that with gmail but it wont work)

Edit: The school computer's are Macs running Max OS X and we can either use FireFox or Safari as a browser

[GX1_Man]

What's the penalty if you're busted?

[Dilbert]

Have you considered asking your local principal?

[Armando]

Well if it doesn't involve messing with the network or anything illegal like that, they'll just kick me off the library for the day. No big deal.. That's what happened when I was caught bypassing the firewall for ebaumsworld.com

No i haven't asked the principal.. they block email websites because they dont want us opening email because we might open files with viruses.

[Dilbert]

Messing with the network would be the only way. And we have a - ah - policy on this:

http://www.computerhope.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1145318621

[GX1_Man]

Compliance with regulations, even if you don't agree, is one of the personal responsibilities of a good citizen.  

[Armando]

lol Dilbert, I wasn't asking for an illegal way to do it.. I wanted to know if there was an easy LEGAL way to bypass it.

Thanks for the help anyway.

[Rob Pomeroy]

Is it appropriate to bypass a safeguard put in place by your school?  Yes, you may be savvy enough not to introduce viruses to your school network - but what if how you did it got out, and every cretin in your school started abusing the system?

Not cool.

[chriscool9]

Also what happens if a virus does get onto you computer system and they find out that you have been on Gmail and all them, even if it wasnt you, well...your screwed.  I know what you mean though, on our systems we have gogle images blocked, but by deleating some of the adress we can get through it. However we are allowed its just becuase we share the same network as the primary school people. Teachers dont mind for us to be using it. Its not illegal, just a way of getting round the filters.

[Zylstra]

Chances are, your computer uses Symantec.
My school has just blocked email stuff too.
I bypass it by using the Windows Hotmail Beta, its a totally different setup, with different locations for pages, therefore, it cannot be easily blocked.
I also hear of people changing the proxy information, but please, do not try it. (notice I have not included how to do this or what to change it to)

Windows Live Mail Beta sign up as well as other beta programs from Microsoft available at:
http://ideas.live.com/

[Dilbert]

Um... the best way to keep someone from doing it is denying them the information they need. Once you tell him that it's easy to piece together the rest.

[Zylstra]

In my opinion (MY opinion) I think that schools should allow email. Its the new way of communication.
Doing what I have suggested (Windows Mail Beta) is not illegal at all, and I believe that this information can be shared, but Armando, I cant expect you to do what I say, just don't go around and tell all of your friends, as that way will be blocked when people find out.
 (Hmm, this reminds me of the time that I showed someone how to send messages using the school network, they told a few people, and they sent a message to every computer, and got into some trouble. Then, because I am the computer wizard in the specific classroom I was in, my account was being monitored)

[GX1_Man]

In my opinion (MY opinion) I think that schools should allow email. Its the new way of communication.
Doing what I have suggested (Windows Mail Beta) is not illegal at all, and I believe that this information can be shared, but Armando, I cant expect you to do what I say, just don't go around and tell all of your friends, as that way will be blocked when people find out.
 (Hmm, this reminds me of the time that I showed someone how to send messages using the school network, they told a few people, and they sent a message to every computer, and got into some trouble. Then, because I am the computer wizard in the specific classroom I was in, my account was being monitored)

School can teach us lessons for the rest of our lives.