Wireless At School: Web blocked but Mail working?

M

makeluv247

Registered
Hi

I have recently purchased a Macbook for school. However, the technician, who, according to both me and all of my teachers, is lazy and should have been fired a while ago, refused to let me connect to the network. His exact words were, 'I can't be bothered.'

Anyways, I've got the wireless password (the idiot keeps it on a sticky note in his office), and I can connect just fine. I've set up mail and I can send/receive messages without a problem.

However, I cannot access the web. I use Safari. Not a single website under HTTP will load. Any ideas on how to get round this?

Thanks for any help!
 
Maybe? I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to networking on that scale. If more info is needed, let me know how to find out and what software I need and I'll do it

Thanks
 
System Preferences->Network pane. In there select a new "Location" (at the top of the pane and call it 'School' or 'School Hacked Net' or anything you want. Then at the bottom of the pane hit the "Apply" button and rejoin the network. Once you are on the network go back to System Preferences->Network and near the bottom of the pane and hit the "Advanced" button. Then in the drop-down select all the tabs and make sure you are getting an IP and a gateway IP. In the DNS tab make sure you are getting DNS!!!

Now if the network is Windows Active Directory you will need the WINS tab to find the Domain. Then in the settings to make a Domain account. So check to make sure this network is not a domain.

Lastly with any laptop I urge anyone in North America or Europe (yes the servers now in London & Denmark) to use OpenDNS.com. They have an instructional video so you can see the benefits of using there DNS service.
 
Hi

I just tried it. I get IP and DNS, but still doesn't work. I don't understand what you mean about the Windows Active Directory or it being a domain... any more instructions?

Thanks
 
Ask someone in the school if the network is in a Domain. This could explain your symptoms because of a Domain Policy.
 
I can't ask the technician - he's the problem. My ICT teacher thinks so... under the WINS tab i think it was, there was a selection to choose from in the drop down. That anything to do with it? Any other way I can find out?

Thanks
 
The Domain means there is a Server and you have to have the Domain Admin add you & your Mac to the network.
 
Is there not another way to get internet? He hasn't added me to the network, but I can still get my emails... He won't do it, and he was particularly rude to me when I asked him. I intend to write a letter of complaint to the headmaster, but I haven't had time recently, it'd just be easier to connect without his help. There is a server, there has to be, the school has a lot of computers...

Thanks
 
post deleted by g/re/p - moderator deleted the quoted post, causing my post to make no sense. :)
 
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makeluv247 said:
yeah.. thanks... that was real helpful...
Click to expand...

That was not directed at you - it was directed at the blatant spam from the post above mine, that was removed by the Moderator. :)

BTW - if you find some way to hack into the school network, you will probably be violating your schools TOS (terms of service) and the "tech" could easily cause you problems.

Deal with the problem through the system and report his lazy a** to the head master. Mention the techs history and direct the headmaster to consult with the teachers as a backup to your story.
 
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Fair enough. Didn't see it.

I have every intention of doing so, only problem is time. I have more time to try bypassing whatever he's set up than I do to write a letter. I'll do it when I've got all my work out the way i think...

Thanks
 
Good news. I had a conversation with yet another member of staff. He also organises the business side of things at school. Turns out he's also sick of the technician, as business associates can't access the internet at school. After some conversations he's had, he told me that within the next couple of months there should be internet access for all laptops within the school. unfortunately no news on firing the technician though...

Thanks for your help!
 
I'm not sure if you've still got the same problem, but it sounds definately like he has a proxy (cache pilot system) installed, this would usually work in blocking sites such as facebook, youtube and that in school? If thats the case, he definately will have one set up. Heres the best way I can suggest to find the details. Assuming your technition is enough of a moron to not disable LAN Connections heres how on Windows you can easily find his proxy details within Internet Explorer.

P.S. This may be slightly off, I'm on OS X atm so I'm doing this from memory.

Go to Tools > Internet Options > LAN Settings (in Internet Explorer) it'll probably have a DHCP IP address there. My guess would be something like 10.255.255.253 or 10.0.0.255 as well as a port (my guess would be 8080?). This is the main thing you need for internet access.

Now, keep those details memorised, heres how to do it in Safari, Open Safari > Hit Safari at the top bar next to the Apple sign > Preferences > Advanced > proxies, tick HTTP proxy. Then fill in those details. The proxy MAY require authentificiation. it may not, try it without first, if it doesn't work then try it with it. Your standard school login should work for that.

Go ahead and try use Safari now, that should work. (I'd advise keeping one browser for school, one for home, so you don't have to change that setting everytime)

Hopefully you'll have solved this problem already, but if not this should be a full resolution.

Suffering at the hand of a arsehole of a technition myself in school (that I constantly outsmarted) these methods I've tried and tested, hopefully your system works the same.

If you need further help or could provide me with further details, don't hesitate to message me.

Cheers,

Jack.
 
yup, still the same problem. I'll give this a go as soon as I can. Is there a way to do the first bit on OSX? If not I'll wait to the new year, getting a new HDD christmas so will have room for XP.

Thanks!
 
Being a technician for an educational institution myself,, this "asshole" tech may just be doing his job. We have a policy that only machines owned by the institution will be allowed on the network.. That is changing in the future we'll have dual SSID's one for our stuff and own for student/staff owned laptops with access to the internet but not our internal network.

Im asked by staff/students all the time to help get their stuff online in the schools, to which I have to say no.. I hope nobody thinks Im a lazy asshole just for doing my job as dictated by policy made by people who earn substantially more than I do.
 
Mattbook,

Please don't stick up for him. My last school's technician was brilliant, there was one of him, he also contracted to 2 primary schools, and yet a computer never went unrepaired for more than a day. In my current school, there are 2 technicians. It took an entire year for my teacher, the head of ICT, to get them to put My Documents on the start menu. Beforehand we had to use IE or a hyperlink in Word (some computers still don't have it done, but have IE8, so it's word hyperlinks only). I'm sure you're great at your job and do what the boss says, but if several teachers and members of senior staff ALL told you to allow internet after deciding it be so with the head, not even network access, just internet, for student/visitor laptops, would you not do it? When a student asks you for internet, would you say, 'sorry can't do it, against policy,' or 'NO! I can't be bothered. It's my network. I'll do what I want and I don't want you on it.' They've been seen on MSN and RuneScape. They eat McDonalds very regularly (and there isn't one anywhere near the school). There are broken computers in most rooms. They can't replace them because they can't find anyone who wants the job, but they have tried. So as I say, please don't stick up for them, at no point did I insult technicians as a whole, only these 2.

Thanks

By the way, the technicians don't block websites, the school uses the standard educational thing, I think it's for the whole country rather than just essex. apparently it's cheaper...
 
Hi makeluv247,

Could you please tell me if your school uses Macs as standard (that you'd use if you weren't using your laptop, or a Windows based PC.

I'll then provide further explanation of my method and how to accomplish it on your Mac. (Assuming I'm correct from what you've described.)

Cheers,

Jack.
 
They use XP PCs as standard, on every computer in the building, including the school laptops. Access to pretty much everything is restricted.

Thanks
 
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