Need help working around Orwellian employer...

[Superartus]

Looking at the manual you can probably find these questions...but off the top of my head...

Does admin specify the sites to block or is there a default list that is updated like a virus definition file?
Admin usually blocks the site or sometimes there is a list of "porn" websites

Does it log all traffic or only attempts to go to banned sites?

On my experience, routers Usually only attempt to log a banned site

Does it log a site that was filtered because of a banned keyword?

If there was an option...yes

Does it filter keywords just in the URL or in the text of the site as well? (I've seen words in banner ads on Yahoo that would probably be filtered.)

Depends on that router....check the manual

 

[jlazzaro]

if this is a secure VPN connection back to HQ, i think its unlikely their filtering / logging on every remote site router.

a centrally managed content filter such as SurfControl or WebSense makes more sense from both an administrative and technical standpoint. then again, this is all just a guess...if you dont know how its being filtered how can we?

 

[Superartus]

Originally posted by: NuroMancer
So, from your above post, the obvious answer is, purchase your own hardward for your internet connection?

The new director is following a vision
He wants to have work machines, only used for work. Which since they most likely own the machines, seems reasonable.

To answer your questions: The admins specify the sites. There can, depending on the router, be a list that gets updated, but it gets updates from your companies Datacenter.

It can log ALL traffic and 99% of the time does.

Usually they don't lock down keywords on sites, thats usually left to another piece of software like netnanny.

Exactly, he is only using his powers to cover his butt or that of which the ceo tells him to do.
Ex.- I was told by my ceo to give HR access to certain employees email without their knowledge...I had to cover my butt and do it although i didn't agree with the intentions of the HR. I also had to write a strict policy and do a whole IT lockdown as people were abusing bandwith...I had to do it...to cover my butt!

 

[cmetz]

ax57, quit.

 

[spyordie007]

Since this has turned into more of a debate on ethics....

Since you are under their employ they could be liable for anything you do over that line (because they've provided it). Whether you are "bored" or not it doesn't much matter, using the fire department as an example how do you think the public would feel to find out that the city-provided internet was getting used to browse child porn (a public-image worse-case scenario). It would be devastating for the city! The obvious solution for the city is to create a policy regarding usage and than operate systems that perform filtering and tracking.

Besides, again using the fire department example I pay thousands of dollars every year to the city and I would much rather see the fire fighters putting that to good use (i.e. training, community outreach, etc.) than sitting around idle the majority of the time (but of course that's a discussion for a different forum).

The EVDO suggestion on a privately owned laptop is about the best suggestion here. It separates you and your employer about as much as is possible.

That and you could always quit.

 

[ax57]

Some of the latter posts have actually been helpful. (Muscles you are insightful.) For you IT guys, I would suggest that a little communication with the guys who are affected by your whims would go a long way toward clearing up misunderstandings. (The IT dept. doesn't have the reputation that they do without cause.)

Four among us have decided to split the expense of another DSL line for use by all. We will by paying for it, so spideynarcissist and some of the others can relax and spiderwebs will accumulate on the company network. 1984 will be delayed here for at least a while.

ax57

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: ax57
Some of the latter posts have actually been helpful. (Muscles you are insightful.) For you IT guys, I would suggest that a little communication with the guys who are affected by your whims would go a long way toward clearing up misunderstandings. (The IT dept. doesn't have the reputation that they do without cause.)

Four among us have decided to split the expense of another DSL line for use by all. We will by paying for it, so spideynarcissist and some of the others can relax and spiderwebs will accumulate on the company network. 1984 will be delayed here for at least a while.

ax57

It's not always our whims. Lawyers like to get involved. With everything. And then there's the PHBs. And then there are the flakey HR people. And middle management. And that guy at the club talking to someone in the chain of command, or the vendor taking the boss to a better strip club than the vendor you like. It's a lot of fun. Really.

If this type of stuff was happening at your home, and your personal account was being monitored we'd understand your frustration. But it's not. It's happening at work, with equipment and services the company you work for is paying for. It's their dime and their rules.

It looks like you've chosen a good path to get around these restrictions (none of wihch sound unreasonable). So good luck with that.