User:Lexein/AbleNET

AbleNET is a small Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network with an average of around 150-300 concurrent users. It was founded in May 2001 by AfterNET network co-founder and long-time admin Anthony Sanchez and several others from AfterNET. AbleNET was set up primarily as a chat network for friends, and as a response to growing disillusionment with the policies of some of the AfterNET administrators. Several of AbleNET's users were originally involved in the creation of AfterNET; some even tracing their usage back to TheNET and InnerNET.

AbleNET's servers use the Undernet-compatible ircu IRCd software. Services are provided using srvx; the user authentication service is named AuthServ and the channel service is named X.

Historical timeline

 * May 2001 - AbleNET is founded.
 * May 2003 - With the looming threat of the Fizzer Worm AbleNET joins with a vast collection of IRC networks and news communities to form IRC-Unity      and the Fizzer Task Force.
 * June/July 2007 - At least 3 major ISPs block or redirect traffic destined for AbleNET's IRC servers in an attempt to control botnet infestations.

Founder
Anthony Sanchez has been using and administering IRC networks since 1995, starting as an IRCop with InnerNET and subsequently NewNET during its founding year. Later he went on to admin servers for TheNET, AfterNET and finally AbleNET.

Anthony was, coincidentally, the first to publish the story of the raid on and subsequent shutdown of the popular Lineage II private server L2Extreme.

IRC vs. ISP – Net Neutrality Conflict
In June and July 2007, AbleNET was systematically blocked by at least 3 major ISPs, becoming the first of many IRC networks reporting to be affected. The offending ISPs included Time Warner/AOL, Verizon, Cox Communications, and possibly others. Methods used included various combinations of port redirection, invisible proxies redirecting traffic to their own IRCd servers, DNS hijacking, and null routing.

The blocks and traffic redirection were purportedly part of an overall plan to discourage the botnet infestations that have been originating from their client base. The incident continued for approximately three weeks before a letter writing campaign, most notably the July 19th, 2007 letter to Full Disclosure by the community and administration, led to the removal of the blocks. By approximately July 23, 2007 the blocks had migrated to EFnet.

The resulting backlash resulted in numerous customer phone complaints as well as arguments regarding Net neutrality and fair practice.