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I have situation where my ISP has blocked .rpm and .deb files to be downloaded. I am already using a proxy to access the Internet. So any chance of me updating via Internet is bleak.

One peculiar thing though - I am able to download .rpm of Google chrome, but any other source or site or software I try I am blocked.

Also I have to work on unregistered RHEL 6; I've already had a hard time setting it up with a 3rd party repository, and now I am faced with this restriction.

I want to ask for suggestion as to what I can do. I will list a few things I thought, tell what you think and also suggest if you have some.

  1. I can download the software repo from different ISP and use it offline. Repos which addresses to a local location is allowed by yum.

  2. I can download .tar (and derivatives) from this ISP. So do you know any software repository which give me only .tar (or similar) files for the software? I searched but couldn't find any.

  3. Try other package management - different flavor of Linux. I am trying different Linux - like Arch Linux, Puppy Linux (though won't serve my purpose) etc.

Jeff Schaller
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Amit Ahire
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    You should move ISP as soon as possible. – Sardathrion - against SE abuse Mar 22 '12 at 09:29
  • LOL Unfortunately this is my current workplace where I have this problem. My ISP works fine! – Amit Ahire Mar 22 '12 at 09:49
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    Attempting to get around workplace restrictions could get you fired. I'm not sure your question is even appropriate for this exchange. – bsd Mar 22 '12 at 09:52
  • @sr_ Thanks I will check it out and get back at you. – Amit Ahire Mar 22 '12 at 10:07
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    @bdowning I am not asking for a hack to get around it. I am just asking from where I can download software for linux. Akin to what sr_ suggested. – Amit Ahire Mar 22 '12 at 10:09
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    also you can create encrypted tunnel to another location (for example it may be your home desktop) and download packages through it, if it is possible. or even ask your network administrator to allow downloading deb/rpm . Actually it's the easiest way, imho (: – rush Mar 22 '12 at 10:19
  • Are you sure the restriction comes from the ISP and not from a local proxy (installed by your network administrator) to avoid what you are trying to do? – laurent Mar 22 '12 at 14:10
  • It is also unlikely that whatever "protection" being deployed is able to catch everything. Have you tried several protocols? Maybe this only happens on HTTP? Find a mirror which allows HTTPS? Try FTP? Some package managers (apt, emerge) also allow you to generate a list of URLs to fetch, so you could download these, bundle in a tar and download the tar. – njsg Mar 23 '12 at 15:19
  • @njsg No FTPs are blocked as well. HTTP works fine ( I was able to download chrome). Now this method that you mention now, if works ie bundles and downloads in tar. Thats would be perfect for me. Thanks. I will search how to go about it. – Amit Ahire Mar 26 '12 at 06:57
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    By "unregistered" RHEL 6 I assume you mean you haven't purchased an entitlement for it. Note that you are not allowed to update the software on that machine (See here) even though you are allowed to continue using the software. Since you are able to switch distribution you'd better switch to any one of the available free (as in beer) distributions. As for your limitation I suggest you open a support case with your ISP. – Bram Apr 27 '12 at 06:48

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This may sound silly... Can you download the source code and build/make the application yourself?

If not then do what Rush said. SSH into a computer at home or a free shell service (http://blinkenshell.org/ for example). There you could wget the file then rename it or tar it. This maybe too many steps and might be easier to use a service such as logmein.com to remote into the other computer to get the files.

That all said and done fixing the system or getting an exception from the admin or BOFH is the best chance of getting it working and you not getting fired. GL!

vyse
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