Vodacom blocks facebooks & java applications

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hsdpeeeea

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Some vodacom users living in Pretoria may found it difficult to used facebook and other java related websites this week.
This is due to vodacom updating their proxy and in turn blocking ports required for java to run properly.
I called vodacom data center and they informed me that I have to fill in a application for an unrestricted APN.
After they activated the APN everything seem to be back to normal.
I have 5 friend that use vodacom hsdpa and only 3 are affected by this.
Anyway if you cant seem to get your java working. First try the url thrue a web proxy like "hidemyass.com" and
if java works with the web proxy it means vodacom have blocked necessary ports for java to work.

Hope this helps someone. I have wasted 2 days formating and reinstalling my computer.
 
There were problems accessing all international sites last week, and on top of that there was the problem with the DNS settings on some E220 modems, so it's possible that what you've been experiencing is related to those issues and not port blocking.

I seriously doubt that Vodacom are going to block facebook - I'd bet a considerable portion of their data revenue comes from facebook.
 
I agree that this is simply not the case.

Hsdpeeeea: I can understand that you may be frustrated when experiencing network problems, but this type of post is likely to be ignored by the relevant people rather than them trying to resolve a potential network problem or problem in your region.

Maybe first try to ascertain what the actual problem is and then post what you experienced in a more accurate way – will reap far better rewards.
 
it's a problem when people are not very widely read on this forum, they assume all their problem are unique when they could in fact be network wide.
 
I'm having exactly the same issue - it is not so much facebook, but some javascript.

WTF?

For example:

- My Facebook profile pages are all messed
- The Date & Time widget at http://google.com/ig is no longer working
- A lot of Javascript hrefs are no longer working (Facebook and google)

What are you guys at Vodacom doing?????

ps - contact me via a PM here, or http://twitter.com/johan__ (yes, that is two underscores)
 
If you want some screenshots

Some sanity checks:

- this is happening in all browsers on my Linux partition (Opera, Firefox, Chromium)
- I rebooted into Windows to make sure, and yes, same is happening (all browsers)

The only common denominator is my ISP connection - Vodascum 3G

Yeah, welcome to sucker23.co.za ...
 
hsdpeeeea said:
Some vodacom users living in Pretoria may found it difficult to used facebook and other java related websites this week.
This is due to vodacom updating their proxy and in turn blocking ports required for java to run properly.
I called vodacom data center and they informed me that I have to fill in a application for an unrestricted APN.
Click to expand...

How on earth does one do that? And can I bill them for time lost due to this idiotic restriction?


Hope this helps someone. I have wasted 2 days formating and reinstalling my computer.
Click to expand...
tell me about it ...
 
rpm said:
I agree that this is simply not the case.

Hsdpeeeea: I can understand that you may be frustrated when experiencing network problems, but this type of post is likely to be ignored by the relevant people rather than them trying to resolve a potential network problem or problem in your region.

Maybe first try to ascertain what the actual problem is and then post what you experienced in a more accurate way – will reap far better rewards.
Click to expand...
What now - the problem is most certainly related to Vodacom's 3G?!?!
 
Just because using the unrestricted APN solved your problem doesn't mean that vodacom is blocking ports on their proxy.
 
Colin62 said:
Just because using the unrestricted APN solved your problem doesn't mean that vodacom is blocking ports on their proxy.
Click to expand...

It must be something with vodacom. Have tested it on several computers running telkom before coming to this conclusion.
 
Could well be that we stuffed something up somewhere. But as rpm said, we do not block (or shape) any ports.

Please post the following if you see the problem:

1) List of URL's that used to work and don't anymore. I.e. how can we emulate the problem.
2) Your town/city.
3) The APN you're using.
4) Pre-paid, top-up or contract.

We have a number of breakout points into the internet around the country, so I need to know your area. We can then trace it.
 
hsdpeeeea said:
If that is the case why would vodacom offer an unrestricted APN?
Click to expand...

OK, TCP/IP-101... :)

When you make a connection to an external site on the internet, your PC sets up the connection using a specific TCP or UDP port, for example Port 80 for HTTP. These are called 'outgoing ports' and Vodacom does not block or restrict them in any way. This is the way all APN's (internet, unrestricted, etc.) are configured in the outgoing direction.

However, if someone tries and connect to your PC from the internet, this is called an 'incoming port' connection. Unless you're hosting a web site or some type of server, no-one would ever need to initiate a connection to your PC. Thus the only time you would see someone trying to connect to your PC, is when someone is trying to hack your PC. And that's bad.

So, on the internet APN, we DO block these incoming ports, to ensure you're not attacked from the internet.

But people who want to host a service of some sort, needs incoming ports open. And for this we created the 'unrestricted' APN.

But it's a very dangerous thing and you should only use it if you know your stuff. You need a well configured firewall, etc. And you pay for all the data of these people trying to connect to you. Also not good.

In your case switching to the unrestricted APN fixed your problem. But for the wrong reasons.

I suspect that a configuration change on the system that runs the internet APN in your area broke these links. Thus my request for the details.

By switching you to the unrestricted APN, you bypass the suspect system and thus you can work again. But now you're exposed.

So let's fix the problem. PM or post the details, won't you?
 
vodacom3g said:
Again? I thought it's still broken. Did it start working at some point?
Click to expand...

It worked briefly (2-3 hours) after you guys (Vodacom) opened up unrestricted access for me (at about 15h00).

It's now broken again, but it could well be because I haven't modified my Linux setup just yet.

APN - automatic
Area - The Wilds (next to Woodlands Boulevard, Woddhill and Moreletapark in Pretoria)
Broken since yesterday
Impact - SEVERE (I cann do any work on facebook related work, eg app development).
 
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