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reddwarfsmeghead · Aug 28, 2003, 06:41 AM

Hi all,

I work as tech support in a school and I need to disable the iTunes radio, the kids are sucking all our bandwidth. Anyone know how?

or has anyone got any suggestions to get around this problem, I don't want to have to remove iTunes.

Thanks

Simon · Aug 28, 2003, 07:00 AM

Originally posted by reddwarfsmeghead:
I work as tech support in a school and I need to disable the iTunes radio, the kids are sucking all our bandwidth. Anyone know how? or has anyone got any suggestions to get around this problem, I don't want to have to remove iTunes.

In the user permissions, can't you just remove iTunes from the allowed applications? Then they won't be able to use iTunes at all albeit.

Or, why dont you close the port that iTunes uses to get the streaming radio on your entire network?

Moose · Aug 28, 2003, 07:01 AM

Remove iTunes.

If they've been asked/told not to use iTunes Radio, and they can't comply with that request, then they've lost the privilege to use iTunes at all.

Simon · Aug 28, 2003, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by Moose:
If they've been asked/told not to use iTunes Radio, and they can't comply with that request, then they've lost the privilege to use iTunes at all.

You could of course also rent a firing squad from China. I heard they're rather affordable nowadays and they always hit their target.

Set them up on one side of the computer room and tell the kids the consequences.

If they've been asked/told not to use iTunes Radio, and they can't comply with that request, then they've lost the privilege of living. Seven bullets to the heart should do the job.

Moose · Aug 28, 2003, 07:45 AM

Originally posted by Simon:
If they've been asked/told not to use iTunes Radio, and they can't comply with that request, then they've lost the privilege of living. Seven bullets to the heart should do the job.

No, see, that'd be an overreaction. Abusing iTunes doesn't mean you have to die. It just means that you no longer get to use iTunes.

The school (if it's at all intelligent) has set guidelines for technology use. You may think of these as "rules." If you use the technology in a manner contrary to those "rules," you have "broken the rules." "Breaking the rules" is grounds for "punishment."

It's not like the school started out saying, "YOU CANNOT USE ITUNES BECAUSE I AM LORD FASCIST DICTATOR COMPUTER WEENIE." They (probably) asked the students not to use iTunes Radio, and, if they haven't, they should. Treat the students with respect. Give them the presumption of maturity, and they'll probably demonstrate it.

If, however, they abuse a privilege (and, in an educational setting, iTunes is a privilege and not a right), they are no longer entitled to it.

Actions have consequences. Think before you act.

Simon · Aug 28, 2003, 07:53 AM

Moose, man, calm down. I agree with most of what you say. I was just amazed by the rather harsh tone you used in your original posting. That's what my amusement was directed towards.

But, this thread should not be about our views on education and I think we have OT'ed enough.

Let's get back on topic.

JB72 · Aug 28, 2003, 03:42 PM

Do the streams use a non-standard port?

Judge_Fire · Aug 28, 2003, 04:19 PM

Perhaps the URL to the playlist server can be found somewhere inside the app package? I took a quick look, but couldn't find it, tho.

J

::maroma:: · Aug 28, 2003, 04:31 PM

You can turn off the port. I'm not sure which one it is, but they have it blocked here at work. No streaming of any sort, whether it be iTunes, Real Media, Windows Media, or Quicktime streaming. iTunes might use a different port than all those others, but I know for a fact you can turn it off.

OwlBoy · Aug 28, 2003, 04:43 PM

if you can bloc domains:

get info (select one, and press command-I) on one of the stations, then click next, to go to the next, if you keep doing that, you will find iTunes uses a redirect URL for every one.

Just block that domain/subdomain-combo and you would be set

.

iTunes would give the kids errors, but they would still be able to use Audio CDs.

-Owl

kiskynet · Aug 29, 2003, 02:48 AM

I just discovered iTunes radio when i ran out of my own stuff to listen to, whats your favourite ?? currently JAZZMUSIQUE tops my play count....

those radio ports are between 8000-8999, 42000-42999 I unblocked these in my firewall so that the other macs sharing its internet connection could get at them so i guess blocking them would work it the other way for you... and they all get to keep iTunes.

I worked in the tech dept of a school once and watched dismayed as anything useful or fun and wasn't 'educational' was stripped away. It got so crippled everyone got pissed of including the staff and everyone went home to get anything done. Just an anecdote of an extreme case Im not saying thats whats happening here. In that place it would have been coming in one day to find iTunes vanished without an explanation whilst the IT people sat in their office downloading mp3's

Angus_D · Aug 29, 2003, 04:34 AM

As has been suggested, this is best done at the network level. You can either block nonstandard ports altogether, or employ traffic shaping to give standard ports a higher priority. There are other alternatives. Talk to your network admin

moonmonkey · Aug 29, 2003, 04:41 AM

Originally posted by Simon:

You could of course also rent a firing squad from China. I heard they're rather affordable nowadays and they always hit their target.

Actualy, costs are increasing everyday, book early!