Decieve a Webfilter With a URL Shortner

This is not foolproof but I have had it get me out of a jam... Sometimes I will have a web filter that is blocking me from downloading something like an admin/security tool and I either don't have access to the web filter appliance or am tired of trying to make the web filter appliance behave. (They can be really finicky, sometimes!!) One trick I have found that has helped me out when I am in a big hurry is to download a file is to use a URL shortner. Strangely enough, I've seen multiple brands of web filter appliances that weren't smart enough to deal with this. What I will do is simply copy the actual download URL to the file and put it in something like tinyurl.com. Then I use the new URL and quite often, the web filter lets it get by! Joy!

Using Mountain Lion's built in TFTP server

 It's finally clear to me why Macs are better. Because there's a TFTP server built in, of course! This feature is obviously built in for all those more-creative-than-thou types who disdain Windows computers because there isn't a glowing piece of fruit embedded into the chassis. Because those kind of people need a TFTP server, right?

So how do you use Mac OS X Mountain Lion's built in TFTP server? Well, like all things Mac, it's as user friendly as all get out...

1. Turn off the Mac firewall: System Preferences>Security and Privacy>Firewall

2. Copy the file you want to provide to TFTP clients to the default TFTP directory /private/tftpboot/ by using a command like: sudo cp /Users/jdoe/Documents/file.tar /private/tftpboot/file.tar

3. Disable any antivirus/firewall software you may be running (doubtful)

4. Grant read/write permissions on the file to everyone with this command:
sudo chmod 777 /private/tftpboot/[filename]

5. Start the TFTP daemon with these commands:
sudo launchctl load -F /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/tftp.plist
sudo launchctl start com.apple.tftpd

See? I told you Apple makes everything easy and straightforward on a Mac! So you trendy types be sure to get you a post-it-note with these commands placed on your monitor for easy reference!