FAQ: Blocked Internet Access

Q: Why is access to BigDaikon blocked at schools in Japan?
Q: Why are they doing this?
Q: Can I get around the block?
Q: Do those web filters work?
Q: What is the best way to get around the block?
Q: What is the latest the students suggest?
Q: Is there a way to access hotmail from a blocked computer?
Q: Should I delete my temporary internet files?
Q: What if I find a new way to disable the block?
Q: What do BigDaikon users have to say about this?

 

Q: Why is access to BigDaikon blocked at schools in Japan?

Many schools in Japan are blocking many sites, not just BigDaikon. Sites commonly blocked include web based email (hotmail, yahoo), sites that don't end with .jp and sites that are popular with JETs.

Q: Why are they doing this?

To improve the productivity of JETs and make you get back to work internationalizing Japan!

Q: Can I get around the block?

Yes, in most cases. Remember that every situation is different (ESID) and you might have to try different methods at each school. Try some of the methods listed below.

Q: Do those web filters work?

Sometimes. Some security software won't allow access to web filters. Try www.silentsurf.com or www.safeweb.com.

Q: What is the best way to get around the block?

The best way: Ask students in the computer room. Notice that they are also surfing banned sites. Ask them what they do to circumvent the block. It's a good way to make friendships with your students and keep up on the latest anti-blocking techniques.

Q: What is the latest the students suggest?

Cut and paste the following in the URL window to get to BigDaikon: http://a6.g.akamaitech.net/6/6/6/6/www.bigdaikon.com/

Q: Is there a way to access hotmail from a blocked computer?

Try to use access hotmail through one of the international msn sites such as www.msn.co.za, www.msn.nl, www.msn.be, msn.ca, msn.co.uk or others. If all those are blocked you can try using a web based email that isn't hotmail or yahoo and forward email to that account.

Q: Should I delete my temporary internet files?

It's a good idea to delete the temporary internet files and the history each time you use the internet. Click on start, settings, control panel, internet options then click on delete files and clear history.

Q: What if I find a new way to disable the block?

Good for you! Post ideas on discussion so the rest of us can try it out.

Q: What do BigDaikon users have to say about this?

Search for the "No Daikon" thread in the archive. Here are some of the choice comments from discussion about the blocking of sites at schools in the No Daikon thread:

Kiki 2001/01/31 22:25...Hey people its been a while! Reason beeing. The Osaka BOE has blocked Daikon. What the heck is with that. They have also blocked hotmail (although theres a little trick into getting into that)Ha HA. How can they do that. Weve travelled thousands of miles to work in a strange country, a language that isnt are own and to work with some people who are supposedly teaching english and to help students who are apparently learning (umm..yup..low level school) Any way how can they not allow us to use up our free time as we see fit. Using up nenkyu today (AND NOONE IS ON CHAT) I could cry!!!) So any tricks into getting into daikon in another way???

jetbert 2001/02/01 03:53...Try this: http://a6.g.akamaitech.net/6/6/6/6/www.bigdaikon.com/
It'll get you through SmartFilter, if that was the problem. Students at my school know some other ways to get around it to check out the really good porn during their computer class. The teachers are helpless to stop them.

FriendlyGuy 2001/02/02 02:32...I checked on a few filters from a blocked computer at work. The above info is good, the a6.g... works great with no footprint. Just cut and paste it to the url window and you get around the block. What's wrong with Mombusho/Clair or is it just Osaka BOE?! Can't stand JETs getting together and trading war stories? Don't think everyone would be out "internationalizing" more, everyone would just be more bored drooling in a coma at their desks if there was no Daikon! This site might make life more interesting for JETs and keep them in Japan as Jets a second or third year. Check out the thread by Blazmo called: Jeez...all this positivity! (12/06/2000 18:09), to see how this sight DOES encourage improvement in JET. A lot of the rest is blowing off steam, but that's HEALTHY! Seriously (if you are listening!) this is the best thing to hit the Jet Program. People are less isolated (I speak from personal experience on this!) and have a feeling of community and can work thru problems in Jet and Japan much better. Let it be. This is TRUE internationalization, the free flow of info; blocking is more common in places like North Korea and China, neither bastions of internationalization. Show you are not afraid of a little criticism and unblock this site! Remember, banning anything only serves to make it more popular........

Crunky 2001/02/04 18:22...Speaking of employers reading employees email... my (BOE) supervisor once asked me *point blank* "What's your e-mail's password?" [heck no I didn't tell him, and I change it now after every use at city hall.] But unfortunately that's one of the least surprising things he's done or said....

need a smoke 2001/02/05 18:22...well i dont know about all your experiences with computers but on our network at school i just hacked the server. the password was easy enough to figure out because they have no concern for security here despite the firewall. for example the username and password for every teacher on the network is U:teacher P:1122 now - you can only imagine what the admin password was - thats right 2211. morons. plus i have windows 2000 professional which gives me a lot more power to fock with networks. but anyway once you get in and figure out the nihongo winNT then you can just accidentally delete the firewall and go back to unlimited chatting and even playing chess on yahoo if you are so inclined. well i didnt delete it - but it will never be the same!!! hahahhahahaahhhahaha

yuckyredbean 2001/02/07 22:49...I've just received word from my BOE that all our Prefectural JET's ONLY, will be blocked from Hotmail/Yahoo and all others, except `~be-ne.jp'addresses. We all have to get an address on the BOE server. Now, I don't know a lot about computers, but can anyone tell me; a) Does this make it easier for them to spy and monitor our emails, and b) if I still have access to the internet and can bring up yahoo, then I can still effectively use it anyway, right? It's just a major pain in the butt. They're saying it's to help prevent viruses and such, but I think people are a bit suspicious as to their motives. Can anyone tell me what's really going on here?

rojira 2001/02/07 23:46...well, if it's only prefectural JETs who are getting blocked, i think it's safe to say the main concern is not related to viruses.

Taddeo 2001/02/08 00:07...YRB, they're lying through their teeth. They want to read your e-mail. My company does the same thing; SmartFilter blocks all kinds of sites and the way it is now, they can read everything you send and receive because it's all on their hard disk. Yahoo is probably directly blocked (go to their mail page and see if the screen doesn't say ERROR: Web-Mail Sites Are Restricted or some such). My company blocks all the web mail sites, AND has the computers set up so that nothing can be downloadde off the internet, AND won't recognize inserted floppies and CDs. Crippling their computers like this -- why!? Might as well use something with vacuum tubes and no disk space at all.

Mothra 2001/03/04 10:12...Bigdaikon has been blocked for the last few weeks on all the computers here. I finally went to the computer teacher and asked him to unblock it because I get many teaching tips from that site. He quickly agreed, acted like he didn't know it was my favorite website, and unblocked it immediately. I have been using some of the anti-block methods described above mainly the one the students use to get around the porno block. Maybe the best way to get things done is to be as direct and tell our coworkers face to face that we want things like this fixed. Anyway, I am back!