At work we have two networks. The company provides a single 3Mbps DSL line to each store to run all the computers on the network (including credit card and check machines). That totals about 55 computers - about 15 of which are being worked on at our bench at any given time. They also saw fit to include a ridiculously restrictive filter on the network (we actually have trouble getting to some of MS' KB articles)
We talked our Comcast rep (who we love) into giving us the 8Mbps Business package for free for the bench. Awesome! Now we can access sites we need for work without issue (and Anand, ESPN and other sites)
Well, it was decided that too many stores had similar situations and Big Brother could not accurately monitor what we were doing on the service towers. So, since we contract out our networking
ADT comes in and installs a 24 port switch and dumps us back onto the over worked 3Mbps network. They also removed our wireless network. (Want to test your wireless card? Too bad, we can't do that here)
For some reason they thought that we wouldn't be able to figure out how to get around it. Come on - you've got 4 bored techs who have nothing to do for about 3 hours. Really?
They tried to get all tricky on us too. They told us that "We have to have that service tower hooked up to the network so they can monitor its usage"(and pointed to the main tower. Notice the use of 'that' which is singular. This is important later). They took and hid our networking products for the comcast line (1x N-router and 2x 8 port switches) and then hid the power cables elsewhere. They then disconnected the dedicated comcast line and reconnected it into what I can only assume were inactive ports in the server room to confuse us (We were told to that the outlet for comcast wouldn't work anymore)
Well, we found our networking products.
We didn't find the correct power cables, but the voltages and connectors are so common we dug around in our 'extras' drawer and found ones that would work.
Cable tracing is easy to do and we moved the dedicated comcast line from the inactive coupler they had moved it to and put it into an active one.
Yes, that service tower is still on the 24 port switch, but now thats the only ethernet cable coming out of the switch. The other tower (not mentioned in the conversation) and all of the ports to the work area are now on the Comcast network.
When I went up to my manager (the operations guy not the dick) and innocently asked him where our router and switches had gone to he paused, looked at me and shook his head "I didn't hear anything and I don't want to know whats going on." and walked off
Cliffs:
- We have a good network and a bad network at work
- Big Brother wants to monitor and restrict the super slow bad network
- Good network went bye bye because of ADT who we contract out our networking to (Did I mention that networking is something we all do for customers?)
- Stuff for good network was made into a treasure hunt (not really, but we saw it that way)
- Good network hooked up again
- No directives or rules were violated in our effort (the spirit of them yes, written ones no)
We talked our Comcast rep (who we love) into giving us the 8Mbps Business package for free for the bench. Awesome! Now we can access sites we need for work without issue (and Anand, ESPN and other sites)
Well, it was decided that too many stores had similar situations and Big Brother could not accurately monitor what we were doing on the service towers. So, since we contract out our networking
ADT comes in and installs a 24 port switch and dumps us back onto the over worked 3Mbps network. They also removed our wireless network. (Want to test your wireless card? Too bad, we can't do that here)For some reason they thought that we wouldn't be able to figure out how to get around it. Come on - you've got 4 bored techs who have nothing to do for about 3 hours. Really?
They tried to get all tricky on us too. They told us that "We have to have that service tower hooked up to the network so they can monitor its usage"(and pointed to the main tower. Notice the use of 'that' which is singular. This is important later). They took and hid our networking products for the comcast line (1x N-router and 2x 8 port switches) and then hid the power cables elsewhere. They then disconnected the dedicated comcast line and reconnected it into what I can only assume were inactive ports in the server room to confuse us (We were told to that the outlet for comcast wouldn't work anymore)
Well, we found our networking products.
We didn't find the correct power cables, but the voltages and connectors are so common we dug around in our 'extras' drawer and found ones that would work.
Cable tracing is easy to do and we moved the dedicated comcast line from the inactive coupler they had moved it to and put it into an active one.
Yes, that service tower is still on the 24 port switch, but now thats the only ethernet cable coming out of the switch. The other tower (not mentioned in the conversation) and all of the ports to the work area are now on the Comcast network.
When I went up to my manager (the operations guy not the dick) and innocently asked him where our router and switches had gone to he paused, looked at me and shook his head "I didn't hear anything and I don't want to know whats going on." and walked off
Cliffs:
- We have a good network and a bad network at work
- Big Brother wants to monitor and restrict the super slow bad network
- Good network went bye bye because of ADT who we contract out our networking to (Did I mention that networking is something we all do for customers?)
- Stuff for good network was made into a treasure hunt (not really, but we saw it that way)
- Good network hooked up again
- No directives or rules were violated in our effort (the spirit of them yes, written ones no)
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