Public network work-around

my girlfriend is trying to play SL over her university connection but is unable to do so, I was wondering if anyone knew of a work-around.

I'm assuming the university network doesn't allow the users of the network to play programs like SL. There are probably many reasons for the policy.......bandwidth usage is very likely quite high on the list.

Your girlfriend could talk to the network administrators to see if something could be worked out.......though I really doubt they will allow it. If they open the network to one they will have to open it for all.......and the bandwidth usage would go through the roof. Actual legitimate educational research would be severely hampered (if not impossible).

I hope you are not looking for a hack to bypass a policy like that. That is nothing but wrong.

it's basically telling her something about not being able to allow a secure connection, she can connect on most third party programs but not SL.

Talk to the local computer priests.

If she can connect to "most" third party programs but not SL then read what I said again......I said:

"I'm assuming the university network doesn't allow the users of the network to play programs like SL. "

SL requires a vast amount of downloading to each users computer......all the textures of everything around the avatar. All the scripts running near the avatar. All the chat (both text and voice) within the vicinity. That is a ton of data.......and that is with the avatar just standing at the log in point. The university network has to protected from potential malicious data and it does not know that SL is not sending malicious data.......it's the way most public networks are set up. To protect the network and it's users.

You (or she) need to contact the network administrator for any possible solution. But, I get a little concerned when someone comes to a forum like this and asks for a "work around". A work around implies you want to circumvent the network policy on the use of SL (or any other similar program). Just do the right thing........contact the administrator to see if something can be done. If she can explain the why she wants SL to run on the network and convince them to let it run, that's great. If not, then she (and you) need to understand it's not up to you.......and you should not attempt to bypass the policy.

Perhaps wireless broadband is available in the area.

I was looking for help, if you don't have any, don't post, I don't value your opinion Peggy and you always seem to put blame on the user rather than providing any help to the situation.

I seriously doubt that her network admins even know what SL is let alone have the desire to specifically block it. Obviously they are blocking something through the network for a reason however it is also blocking SL from connecting, I do not believe blocking SL was their intent. I was wondering if there was an alternative port or type of connection I could make that usually gives people better results when experiencing the same type of issue.

Just talk to the network administrators.........that will end all the speculation.

And that was my constuctive advice........and probably the only advice that will solve your problem. That is, of course, if the admins will open up the blocked ports or sites that are preventing access to SL. There's nothing anyone here can do to help....unless they know of a hack. Which is what I believe you know and what you are actually looking for.

My opinion...... formed from reading and observing quite a few posts that are very similar to yours.

All you need to do is take the advice I offered......you just may get your problem resolved.

It's not that SL is proactively blocked, but that it requires certain ports to be open which will most likely be closed by default on your university network.

Search for "ports" on the SL support site and you'll find a list of those required to be open. You could then approach your IT department and ask them to open them, but I'd be surprised if they'd be willing to do that.