RE: Thank you, Comcast.

["Naslund, Steve" <SNaslund () medline com>]

I don't have a problem with an ISP blocking certain things by default as long as they identify them like Comcast has 
done especially for consumer service.  It would be nice if there was a way to opt out of the protection for the few 
people that need those services either through a web interface or a phone call.   They might make the case though that 
certain services require a business class of service.

Back in the 90s we used to block port 25 traffic for all customers unless they needed it opened because there were so 
many insecure mail systems out there.  Sometimes you have to protect the clueless majority at the expense of a slight 
inconvenience for the geeks.  So if you were smart enough to know that you need port 25 opened, we would do it.  Most 
people did not know that it should be blocked most of the time so we protected them.

Steven Naslund
Chicago IL




> I agree with this...from a customer perspective.  I've seen ISPs block other traffic as well...even on "business" 
> accounts, and break their customers networks.  

> It's the Internet not a private network...

> I've never been a typical user though...maybe one of the "dozen" Mike refers to that runs a email server, web server, 
> dns server, etc, etc, etc out of their house. 

> > On Feb 26, 2016, at 9:31 AM, Keith Medcalf <kmedcalf () dessus com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > ISP's should block nothing, to or from the customer, unless they make it clear *before* selling the service (and 
> > include it in the Terms and Conditions of Service >>Contract), that they are not selling an Internet connection but 
> > are selling a partially functional Internet connection (or a limited Internet Service), and specifying >>exactly 
> > what the built-in deficiencies are.
>
> > Deficiencies may include:
> >  port/protocol blockage toward the customer (destination blocks)  
> > port/protocol blockage toward the internet (source blocks)  DNS 
> > diddling (filtering of responses, NXDOMAIN redirection/wildcards, etc)  
> > Traffic Shaping/Policing/Congestion policies, inbound and outbound
>
> Some ISPs are good at this and provide opt-in/out methods for at least the first three on the list.  Others not so 
> much.