Tech
ntl has responsibly revised its policy towards the running of servers over its internet access service. The new Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) ensures that those who truly abuse the service are restricted, while being fair to ordinary paying customers.
The previous AUP banned nearly all types of server, and provoked a distinctly negative response from many ntl customers. This revision would appear to be in response to the customer reaction; and already customers are commenting on the "common sense" of the new policy in ntl.support.cablemodems.
The infamous section 16, at the centre of the previous controversy, has been comprehensively revised:
16. SERVERS
(i) You are solely responsible for the setup and security of all servers that you may run on your PC. You are also responsible for all traffic that may pass through your PC. ntl: cannot be held liable for any losses or damages that may occur as a result of a compromise of your server. Please note that your account may be subject to immediate suspension or disconnection if any security breaches do occur or any server causes any degradation in network performance. You should also note that running servers on your PC may cause your own connection to operate in a less than optimal manner.
(ii) Webservers: see Para 8, Websites
(iii) Remote Access: All remote access ( FTP; SSH ; PC Anywhere etc) must be password protected & the address must not be publicly advertised.
(iv) Game: If the game in question has a password/IP access restriction option this must be used. Your IP address must not be publicly advertised on Gaming sites etc.
(v) Email: You must ensure that you do not further the sending of Unsolicited Bulk Email by others. This applies to both material that originates on your system and also third party material that might pass through it. This includes but is not limited to a prohibition on running an "open mail relay", ie a machine which accepts mail from unauthorized or unknown senders and forwards it onward to a destination outside of your machine or network. If your machine does relay mail, on an authorized basis, then it must record its passing through your system by means of an appropriate "Received" line.
(vi) Other: You may run other servers but be aware that ntl: reserve the right to restrict access to them should they cause network problems or should we receive complaints.
(vii) We may, at our discretion, run manual or automatic systems to determine your compliance with our AUPs (e.g. scanning for "open mail relays"). You are deemed to have granted permission for this limited intrusion onto your network or machine.
(viii) Please be aware that ntl: do not offer any DNS services, e.g. Domain Name Redirection. The ntlworld service is based on dynamic IP addressing and you must not specify IP addresses (other than DNS servers) in the network settings for your internet connection.
Please note that should we receive any complaints about any server that you may be running that your Internet access may be suspended without notice pending further investigation.
Of particular note is the new policy towards the running of websites from cable modems, making use of the 128Kbps upstream capability. This is covered in section 8 of the new AUP, pieces of which relevant to this point are quoted below:
8. WEBSITES
If you are running a webserver on your own PC you are solely responsible for the security and setup for that server. You are also responsible for all traffic through your server even if you personally did not originate it.
You are responsible for the content of your website (including any content you link to) which must comply with this User Policy.
In line with section 21 of the standard Terms & Conditions (Residential Service), your webspace is not to be used for commercial or financial gain.
You must ensure that no adult material is displayed or linked before a clear warning has been given and the user has had the opportunity to decline to view such material.
You may not run a web site where access is subject to a premium rate telephone charge or which redirects you to such a website.
We may remove or request the removal of any material or links from your website if we consider that you are in breach of this User Policy.
If your website generates abnormally high hit levels or generates abnormally high levels of network traffic, we may at our discretion move it and/or restrict access to it and you shall be liable for any additional charges arising from our action. This may include but is not limited to suspending your Internet access.
If you are running the webserver from your own PC we may restrict or suspend your access to the internet until we receive a written (signed Royal Mail letter) reassurance from you that any breach of this user policy has been rectified.
The new responsible stance taken towards the running of servers on broadband connections is something of a welcome change from the out-of-place outright ban on them seen in the previous revision of the AUP. It provides for a fully featured internet service for those who respect the rules and use it within reason, while protecting ntl and its subscribers from those who deliberately set out to overload the system.
The previous AUP banned nearly all types of server, and provoked a distinctly negative response from many ntl customers. This revision would appear to be in response to the customer reaction; and already customers are commenting on the "common sense" of the new policy in ntl.support.cablemodems.
The infamous section 16, at the centre of the previous controversy, has been comprehensively revised:
16. SERVERS
(i) You are solely responsible for the setup and security of all servers that you may run on your PC. You are also responsible for all traffic that may pass through your PC. ntl: cannot be held liable for any losses or damages that may occur as a result of a compromise of your server. Please note that your account may be subject to immediate suspension or disconnection if any security breaches do occur or any server causes any degradation in network performance. You should also note that running servers on your PC may cause your own connection to operate in a less than optimal manner.
(ii) Webservers: see Para 8, Websites
(iii) Remote Access: All remote access ( FTP; SSH ; PC Anywhere etc) must be password protected & the address must not be publicly advertised.
(iv) Game: If the game in question has a password/IP access restriction option this must be used. Your IP address must not be publicly advertised on Gaming sites etc.
(v) Email: You must ensure that you do not further the sending of Unsolicited Bulk Email by others. This applies to both material that originates on your system and also third party material that might pass through it. This includes but is not limited to a prohibition on running an "open mail relay", ie a machine which accepts mail from unauthorized or unknown senders and forwards it onward to a destination outside of your machine or network. If your machine does relay mail, on an authorized basis, then it must record its passing through your system by means of an appropriate "Received" line.
(vi) Other: You may run other servers but be aware that ntl: reserve the right to restrict access to them should they cause network problems or should we receive complaints.
(vii) We may, at our discretion, run manual or automatic systems to determine your compliance with our AUPs (e.g. scanning for "open mail relays"). You are deemed to have granted permission for this limited intrusion onto your network or machine.
(viii) Please be aware that ntl: do not offer any DNS services, e.g. Domain Name Redirection. The ntlworld service is based on dynamic IP addressing and you must not specify IP addresses (other than DNS servers) in the network settings for your internet connection.
Please note that should we receive any complaints about any server that you may be running that your Internet access may be suspended without notice pending further investigation.
Of particular note is the new policy towards the running of websites from cable modems, making use of the 128Kbps upstream capability. This is covered in section 8 of the new AUP, pieces of which relevant to this point are quoted below:
8. WEBSITES
If you are running a webserver on your own PC you are solely responsible for the security and setup for that server. You are also responsible for all traffic through your server even if you personally did not originate it.
You are responsible for the content of your website (including any content you link to) which must comply with this User Policy.
In line with section 21 of the standard Terms & Conditions (Residential Service), your webspace is not to be used for commercial or financial gain.
You must ensure that no adult material is displayed or linked before a clear warning has been given and the user has had the opportunity to decline to view such material.
You may not run a web site where access is subject to a premium rate telephone charge or which redirects you to such a website.
We may remove or request the removal of any material or links from your website if we consider that you are in breach of this User Policy.
If your website generates abnormally high hit levels or generates abnormally high levels of network traffic, we may at our discretion move it and/or restrict access to it and you shall be liable for any additional charges arising from our action. This may include but is not limited to suspending your Internet access.
If you are running the webserver from your own PC we may restrict or suspend your access to the internet until we receive a written (signed Royal Mail letter) reassurance from you that any breach of this user policy has been rectified.
The new responsible stance taken towards the running of servers on broadband connections is something of a welcome change from the out-of-place outright ban on them seen in the previous revision of the AUP. It provides for a fully featured internet service for those who respect the rules and use it within reason, while protecting ntl and its subscribers from those who deliberately set out to overload the system.
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