Re: [cobalt-security] Port 80 and Roadrunner

["Steve Werby" <steve-lists@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"David Lucas" <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
<snip>
> >I have a server at home serving up webpages... Not on Roadrunner, via my
> >ADSL
> >RoadRunner I think has it all wrong ... Port 80 Webservers are not the
hogs
> >Stuff like Bearshare is... and they cannot stop it.
</snip>

Franklin, that may be so, but telcos often do things that don't make sense.
And they're trying to make money.  Many have business level services that
cost more and allow hosting of websites, etc.  IMO it's not really
reasonable to expect that one can host a data center for $40 a month through
residential cable modem or DSL.  FYI, my DSL provider (Verizon) is
implementing a plan that will require emails sent through their SMTP server
to have a Verizon email address in the From header to get delivered.  They
claim it's to prevent spam, though they could check my dynamically-assigned
IP before sending if that's the case and most spammers wouldn't care if that
was in the From header anyway.  On a SAGE mailing list there was recently a
discussion about ISPs doing just that or blocking the ability to access port
25 all together (even worse) and some concluded that those affected should
just take their business somewhere else.  Unfortunately, unlike dialup,
there's often just 1 DSL / cable modem provider in a given area and even if
that's not the case switching can take months (including down time) and can
be costly as equipment purchases may need to be made, signup fees may be
required and there may early termination fees and new lengthy contracts.
None of that's involved with dialup.

> Franklin you missed the entire point.  Most of the cable services do NOT
> allow you to run server on your @home service.  Most web servers are
> running on port 80.  @home monitors port 80 for traffic.  If it determines
> you are running a web server on the @home service they will terminate your
> service.  If you are running XDSL you have to check with YOUR contract to
> see if you are allowed.  The whole point of the original post was dealing
> with cable and a server, you don't have that so your not effected.

He likely is affected.  And Franklin was speaking about his opinions
concerning RoadRunner.  He's allowed to do that even if he doesn't have
RoadRunner, isn't he?  And so everyone knows, running your webserver on a
non-standard port isn't necessarily going to solve your problems.  Many of
the ISPs will realize what you're doing pretty quickly.

--
Steve Werby
President, Befriend Internet Services LLC
http://www.befriend.com/