Group Policy for Messenger

[Kelly Jones Eyebrows]

I want to set a Group Policy on a 2K Server to prevent some users from being
allowed access to MSN Messenger (basically, boss has seen people using it
during Office Hours to talk to mates).

Is there a 2K Group Policy that can be applied at Server level?

I've seen the registry hack for XP, but don't really want to go round 240
clients doing that.....

C

 

[Guest]

As you have noted, the GP for MSN Messenger applies only to XP machines.
Despite this, you coulc apply the registry change you mentioned via network
login script (machine / user) to achieve the same results.

Hope this helps. Do let us know. Thanks!

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi,

Actually it applies only to Windows Messenger (Windows Messenger 5 and above will work on
2000 and the policy will apply for that). There is no Group Policy to stop MSN Messenger
(besides using the standard Windows policies for blocking applications).
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2004 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[Steve Martin]

Couldn't the port that MSN Messenger uses be blocked on the router so that
no MSN Messenger traffic would be allowed to pass through in either
direction? Depending on the router or firewall you are using, I would look
into this.

 

[Jonathan Kay [MVP]]

Hi Steve,

Messenger uses port 80 if its default port of 1863 isn't available -- so unless you want to
stop all web traffic, this isn't recommended.

Blocking connections to *.msgr.hotmail.com should stop it however.
____________________________________________
Jonathan Kay
Microsoft MVP - MSN Messenger/Windows Messenger
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/
Messenger Resources - http://messenger.jonathankay.com
All posts unless otherwise specified are (c) 2004 Jonathan Kay.
You *must* contact me for redistribution rights.

 

[JW]

use the Group Policy in XP that Jonathan referred to when he said

"...(besides using the standard Windows policies for blocking
applications)"

you can use it to block not only MSN Messenger, but also Win Messenger,
Netscape Messenger, and any other instant messenger program you have.

 

[Jeff Wilkes [MS]]

Hi Steve,

Messenger uses port 80 if its default port of 1863 isn't available -- so
unless you want to stop all web traffic, this isn't recommended.

Blocking connections to *.msgr.hotmail.com should stop it however.

Jonathan has it right. If you want to stop people from using Messenger
block TCP port 1863 and HTTP access to messenger.hotmail.com and
webmessenger.msn.com.

 

[Kelly Jones Eyebrows]

Sorry Gents,

I only need to block some users and as I use DHCP I can't lock the Firewall
down by IP because the next time the user logs in they may have a different
IP.

I think blocking the exe using GP might be the best solution.....

Thinks????

 

[Ken B]

You can't block by host name?

Sorry Gents,

I only need to block some users and as I use DHCP I can't lock the
Firewall down by IP because the next time the user logs in they may have a
different IP.

I think blocking the exe using GP might be the best solution.....

Thinks????

 

[Kelly Jones Eyebrows]

Unfortunately my firewall accepts hostname but immediately resolves them to
their IP, so technically I could end up blocking someone I want to have
access in a couple of weeks....

Methinks my firewall is not as good as I first thought...

C