internet kaspersky security: Orcon Homehub Update

Orcon Homehub Update
So after a relatively painfree experience with an Orcon Homehub at work I decided to get one for home.
My main motivation was my wondering if my DLink DSL-502T & a WRT54G modded to run DD-WRT were causing double NAT issues and resulting in slow connections/torrents. You would imagine an all in one solution would at least half the possible causes for slow speeds. And since upgrading so far so good - more green lights than amber in Azureus/Vuze.

But as I've come to get used to the Homehub, I was hoping to get a feature of Leopard/MobileMe working - Back to My Mac.
The general use is to setup a zero configuration VPN between your various Macs that aren't all in the same location. If this thing
actually worked it would be an awesome. Remote Desktop/VNC, File Sharing - even Bonjour support all with no complex setup. The problem is it only works in ideal configutations - and most of those are centred around America's cable connections - and not an ADSL setup in NZ.

Back To My Mac - no fun

Back to the Homehub - although offering uPnP, it would seem to be lacking true NAT-PMP support. Via this Apple Discussion, I've found that looks like the same issues but on a BT Homehub (which is in no way the same box as Orcons).

OK, so the problem is that the BT Voyager 2100 only supports the WANPPPConnection service of UPnP, while Apple currently only supports the WANIPConnection service. There's a chance Apple could add WANPPPConnection support in a future release, but until then you're out of luck.

When I used Lighthouse, a dynamic port forwarding utility for OS-X, to give me some indepth info, it reports -
Lighthouse could not associate with the router '192.168.1.1' because of invalid protocol implementations
The router '192.168.1.1' sent invalid responses to Lighthouse's requests to associate with it. This may happen if your router doesn't support NAT/PMP or UPnP (please check its manual) or because their implementation is incomplete. It may help to upgrade your router to its latest firmware version (information on how to do this should also be present in the router's manual).

So my options would be to loose the Homehub, replacing it with a NAT-PMP supporting ADSL2+ Modem, ideally that supports Bridge mode - this turns it into a dumb modem that forwards everthing through to your routers WAN port - including login and authentication - and hopefully NAT/uPnP. The I can use my Airport Extreme to get proper NAT-PMP.
I did some reading and it would seem that the newest revision of the DLink DSL-502T does this - look out for Revision C.

Has anyone out there managed to get a bridged modem connection working into their router and if so what gear are you using?

Also - Orcon seem to be shipping a 2nd revision of the Homehub, its still based on a Siemens SX763, the new model has a WPS button on the back to allow for easy Wireless pairing (if you're other gear supports it). The new Homehub also has a Orcon Logo screened on the top and theres no standard Siemens box - just a Orcon branded slip around its box.

Red network migration: Part II
It's a new letter - and now confirming that I will be on the Red network in 4 days!

... and it also comes with the home phone features guide (which I'm sure I found it in the Vodafone Help
system somewhere before...) - just goes through the new processes with the unbundled home phone product.

I'll post my ADSL sync when I get a new modem (which should be soon) as my D-Link isn't up to ADSL2+ yet.

Hope to still you on the other side! Smile

Kiwicon '08 Keynote speaker and VC Hacking.
The keynote speaker began discussing legislation currently underway regarding legalizing the ability for the police to "hack" into a system, currently this is restricted to requiring a warrant issued by a judge, however under the new legislation it'll be a "issuing officer" which as the speaker said,
sounds like an automated online form they fill out, then get emailed a warrant.

The discussion was very engaging, and discussed the issue of personal privacy an issue which is very close to my own heart,

The fact is we are 'sleepwalking into a pan-national totalitarian state'

and people aren't doing anything about it.

the discussion was wide ranging and discussed the topic of hacktivism, which is unlike many of the definitions on the web, hacking to defend personal freedoms, and electronically taking a stand against law makers and politically / financially motivated entities that want to limit our freedoms,

a great example cited was the Cointel project by the FBI where the FBI were performing illegal acts and it only came to light after the fbi offices were broken into by an organisation called "The citizens commission to investigate the FBI" the information around the project was leaked to the press and J. Edgar Hoover had to admit to the operation and shut it down.

Another interesting point of note was the keynote speaker was detained at customs recently and had his laptop removed from his sight for 45 minutes after they demanded his passphrase,

pursuant to this he developed a duress proxy, which boots a window partion, records the activities of law enforcement, and can alert a remote sight if possible / needed.

the reason being, you need to know what they are doing with your machine when you can't see them, the fact is it wouldn't be a first for law enforcement or other government organisations to plant evidence or undergo an illegal phising expedition.

the final part of the talk, which stirred much debate, the idea of direct-E-democracy, which has many pro's and con's and I'll likely discuss more at a later time, suffice to say, I pointed out that one risk we run with a direct - e-democracy is ending up with rick-astley as our national athem.

The next set of speakers were discussing the inherent vulnerabilities around the H323 protocol, and a large number of very popular video phones and conferencing equipment,

I won't discuss this much here due to the nature of the topic, but suffice to say, its amazing how much you can find out, and see throughout the tubes, _and_ how much damage could be caused!

Kiwicon '08
Kiwicon '08,

things have just kicked off with the first speaker about to start, should be an interesting day,

I'll keep some irregular updates as to whats going on during the day.

the keynote entry "Welcome to all the hackers, crackers, pimps, groupies, fakerz, lawyers, spooks & stoogies turning out for kiwicon '08.

more news to come. info on the con here

going to get off the wireless now before I get all my packets stolen lol!

Kiwicon Friday Drinks
You lucky lucky people going to Kiwicon. Sold Out event - awesome

Don't be late for the Friday night drinks as there is a bunch of free Epic Pale Ale. (Thank Mike Forbes for hooking that up, but you might want to get there before Mike as he has a big thirst when it comes to Epic Pale Ale)

http://www.kiwicon.org/

http://www.epicbeer.com

Twitter @epicbeer