How can I block certain Websites from being accessed?

[Ken90630]

A friend of the family has asked me to set up & configure a new PC for him and his family. For obvious reasons, he doesn't want his teenage kids surfing pron or visiting other potentially problematic sites like Kazaa and the like.

Is there an easy way for me to go into IE8 or Google Chrome and:

1) Type Kazaa's URL into some sort of 'blocked URL' list; and

2) Is there a way to block access to sites with X-rated content? Maybe by typing in certain key words (heh heh) into some sort of filter or something?

I've heard of "Net Nanny," but I don't know anything about it and would prefer to not have to add 3rd party software to the mix here.

I've never had to do this before, so I don't know how to go about it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[gsaldivar]

Signup for OpenDNS basic (free), point your network router or PC to the OpenDNS DNS servers, login and specify the content you want blocked.

http://www.opendns.com/start/

http://www.opendns.com/support/videos/basic/

Blocks will occur at the network level, eliminating the need for any third party software. These blocks can be circumvented if users go into their computer or router's network settings and point DNS to their ISP or Google's DNS service, but 99% of users aren't going to bother doing that.

 

[Lifted]

I know linksys routers have keyword filtering, which isn't 100% useful/effective, but it's something. Other home routers might have a similar feature.

In IE you can enable the Content Advisor, but that won't protect other browsers, and it relies on sites to rate themselves.

NetNanny, CyberSitter... not sure how well those work, but it would be the cheapest way to get the most coverage. Only other option is an enterprise firewall that has subscriptions to such services, and those subscriptions will likely cost more than these pieces of software, plus you have to purchase a $400+ firewall.

For blocking single sites, add the site to the hosts file and point it to the loopback address.

Nothing is going to block 100% of porn, there's just too much of it. The only 100% way to keep their kids from browsing unacceptable sites is to place the computer in a common living area and only allow them on when one of the parents is home.

 

[EQTitan]

block them in the windows host file, I do that on my kids machines

 

[EQTitan]

Signup for OpenDNS basic (free), point your network router or PC to the OpenDNS DNS servers, login and specify the content you want blocked.

http://www.opendns.com/start/

http://www.opendns.com/support/videos/basic/

Blocks will occur at the network level, eliminating the need for any third party software. These blocks can be circumvented if users go into their computer or router's network settings and point DNS to their ISP or Google's DNS service, but 99% of users aren't going to bother doing that.

I just set this up thanks

 

[Modelworks]

The other way is to resolve all addresses to local except the ones that you want the person to be able to access.

 

[Ken90630]

Thanks, guys. Great info, as always. I think I'm going to try that OpenDNS app. The computer is in the family room, but that won't keep the kids outta mischief when the parents aren't home. OpenDNS looks like the most comprehensive and easy solution for my sitch (not only for them, but me as well).

 

[lxskllr]

Yea, OpenDNS is great. I've used it to enforce punishment also. You can custom block(or allow) websites, so it makes it easy to lockout facebook when necessary :^)

 

[Ken90630]

Yea, OpenDNS is great. I've used it to enforce punishment also. You can custom block(or allow) websites, so it makes it easy to lockout facebook when necessary :^)

Yep, that's the ticket here. If you don't mind me asking, which version do you use? The free one or the $10/year one? I see the free one contains "ads," which I'm guessing could be annoying, and the pay-for one doesn't.

 

[lxskllr]

I use the free version. The pay version gives you a larger custom block list, but I haven't needed that. I don't know about ads. There's nothing to install on your computer. I'm guessing it's on the site itself, and I have adblock+ on Firefox, so I don't see ads there either.

 

[gsaldivar]

I believe you will ONLY see ads if you are using openDNS and try to go to a non existent domain (facebbookk.com for example). In this case, instead of seeing an error page, you would be shown an OpenDNS "results" page containing whatever they can find that is relevant to "facebbookk" or the non existent domain.

 

[lxskllr]

I believe you will ONLY see ads if you are using openDNS and try to go to a non existent domain (facebbookk.com for example). In this case, instead of seeing an error page, you would be shown an OpenDNS "results" page containing whatever they can find that is relevant to "facebbookk" or the non existent domain.

Ah yea, I forgot about that. That's pretty much SOP with any DNS service, so I don't think of them as ads.

 

[nsafreak]

Yeah the easiest way to block them out are pretty much what's been stated. I'm going to add just a little bit:

1) Set OpenDNS on the router as the default DNS
2) Make sure the password to admin the router is nice and strong
3) Setup the kids with their own non administrative logins that don't have the ability to make any changes to network settings
4) Make sure that Open DNS is in the default DNS settings for Windows as well (just in case the kids try and bypass the router and go directly to the cable modem)

Once all of those steps have already been done, if you haven't done them already, it'll be pretty hard for the kids to circumvent the restrictions.

 

[wiin]

Have you looked at Parental Control and Content Advisor in Tools->Internet Option->Content tab? you could also look at the security settings in the Internet Zone n disable them. Some of the settings will prevent you from surfing porn pages. you can get there but you can't surf. Of course, if them teenagers knows what to do this becomes irrelevant.

Someone mentiones limited account. Limited account does not prevent you from surfing porn sites.

A friend of the family has asked me to set up & configure a new PC for him and his family. For obvious reasons, he doesn't want his teenage kids surfing pron or visiting other potentially problematic sites like Kazaa and the like.

Is there an easy way for me to go into IE8 or Google Chrome and:

1) Type Kazaa's URL into some sort of 'blocked URL' list; and

2) Is there a way to block access to sites with X-rated content? Maybe by typing in certain key words (heh heh) into some sort of filter or something?

I've heard of "Net Nanny," but I don't know anything about it and would prefer to not have to add 3rd party software to the mix here.

I've never had to do this before, so I don't know how to go about it. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[oynaz]

In my experience there is exactly one way to keep your kids out of mischief on the web: Talk to them about it.

They always find a way around purely technical prevention methods.

 

[wayliff]

another vote for OpenDNS. It works great!

 

[Anubis]

while it would take a while to add them all, simply editing the hosts file would be pretty easy

 

[lxskllr]

In my experience there is exactly one way to keep your kids out of mischief on the web: Talk to them about it.

They always find a way around purely technical prevention methods.

That's a valid point, but I don't expect anything I do to be bulletproof. They're gonna work around the restrictions. Porn was hard to find when I was little, and damned if I'm gonna make it easy. They should have to work for it like I did :^D

 

[Lazarus52980]

I have also found it helpful to do some group policy changes to prevent them from logging into "In private browsing" (porn mode) and to prevent the ability to delete browsing history. Knowing you have no way to cover your tracks for what sites you have been on is a deterrent in itself.

 

[CuriousMike]

K9 Web Protection.

 

[oynaz]

That's a valid point, but I don't expect anything I do to be bulletproof. They're gonna work around the restrictions. Porn was hard to find when I was little, and damned if I'm gonna make it easy. They should have to work for it like I did :^D

Fair enough

 

[spikespiegal]

For godsake lock the machine down so the kids don't have full admin rights as well. 75% of the wreaked PC's I'm having to wipe and re-install for friends are caused by file sharing software and downloaded trojans from teens. If kids today were so damn smart why are they suck moronic tools for the malware industry?

Frankly I think this is a waste of time because as soon as the kids find a legit web-site that's blocked, or need admin rights to install something school related they whine and scream and get their way. From then on it's a running joke that they can get where ever they want and do what they want with dads's password while the parents sit and watch TV. Sorry for being cynical......

 

[Modelworks]

You can also set the pc up as a kiosk vs regular users.
kiosk are what places like internet cafe use to keep users from messing with settings or going to content they don't like. There a bunch of them out there, just search for kiosk software. The benefit of using these is they lock down the OS itself so when booted the pc goes directly to the kiosk and only the installed applications and allowed content can be accessed and it is user friendly unlike trying to configure permissions and users which most home users are not going to know how to do .

The other option for young kids is kidzui. I really like this product a lot. It is a browser for kids .

http://www.kidzui.com/

 

[ajskydiver]

Check out Windows Live Family Safety.

It'll do everything you'd like and more.

http://explore.live.com/windows-live-family-safety?os=other