[App_rpt-users] annoying Node Block

[Steve Passmore]

>> The only problem is the annoying node could still connect via another 
>> node that is not blocked.
>>
>> Steve
> Yeah...can't totally prevent a determined LID from causing 
> trouble...had an issue with a well-known miscreant on the bands 
> interrupting our sunday night net a few weeks ago...tracked him down 
> (it wasn't hard), and Jim took care of the Allstar registration quite 
> smartly...Echo, well, that took a bit of convincing (why?  I don't 
> know...but it did...had to send logs, etc. but what it comes down to 
> is that system operators have the rights, under Part 97, to forbid ANY 
> operator from using our systems...) to disable the individual's login.
>
> If they're determined, they WILL get in, but, with the cooperation of 
> the community here...it won't last for very long.
>
> That has me thinking...we allow connections from registered nodes...a 
> 'white list' if you will...should we also have a 'black list' of those 
> who, for whatever reason, have violated or abused the terms of use of 
> the Allstar system that are validated against when they log in and try 
> and connect?
>
> I know, more paperwork, right?

It would be nice to have whitelist and a blacklist capability on 
nodes.   One of the things that app_rpt appears to be lacking is 
management capabilities such as this. We're forced to use kludges, an 
example being the ability to monitor what node active at any particular 
moment. Currently we're basically tailing the log file that is created 
with the audio archive feature.  It works but it would be nice to have a 
more direct approach, possibly with more data such as knowing what node 
further away than 1 hop is active, although I don't think this data is 
present for the node to know.

Come to think of it, if a node is fooled into thinking the offending 
node number was connected it would prevent the actual offending node 
from connecting even through another node.  I've run into a similar 
situation with private node numbers,  two Allstarlink nodes that had a 
different node numbered 1000 connected to them wouldn't connect because 
it thought a loop could be created.

Steve