Parental control on the web...

[WoodysGirl]

Here's my issue. My lil sis (12) logs onto this site that we, the fam, don't want her on. Basically, we want to block the site, but we're not sure how to do it.

Ideas anyone?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Here's my issue. My lil sis (12) logs onto this site that we, the fam, don't want her on. Basically, we want to block the site, but we're not sure how to do it.

Ideas anyone?

There are all kinds of software you can get...most cost money of course.

This one, at a quick glance, appears to be free.

http://weblocker.fameleads.com/

 

[trickblue]

Here's my issue. My lil sis (12) logs onto this site that we, the fam, don't want her on. Basically, we want to block the site, but we're not sure how to do it.

Ideas anyone?

Do we work too blue on this site?

 

[WoodysGirl]

Do we work too blue on this site?

~snicker~ of course not the zone.

Actually there's this site called xanga.com that she likes to get on. According to my other lil sis (17), it's fairly harmless, but they've got these chat rooms or something and she's communicating w/boys and some other questionable folks on there.

BTW, thanks Brain. I'm gonna check out that site when I get home later tonight.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

~snicker~ of course not the zone.

Actually there's this site called xanga.com that she likes to get on. According to my other lil sis (17), it's fairly harmless, but they've got these chat rooms or something and she's communicating w/boys and some other questionable folks on there.

BTW, thanks Brain. I'm gonna check out that site when I get home later tonight.

Do you realize that there are countless numbers of chat rooms and guys she can talk to?

Going to be hard, unless the software has an option, to stop her from those chat rooms.

Might want to check with sunjava to see if there is a password protected version of Java.

 

[ThEpLyMaKeR88]

xanga is kind of harmless you might as well block AIM

 

[WoodysGirl]

Do you realize that there are countless numbers of chat rooms and guys she can talk to?

Going to be hard, unless the software has an option, to stop her from those chat rooms.

Might want to check with sunjava to see if there is a password protected version of Java.

Yeah we know. We just wanna start with the one we know and go from there.

I've kept them both most of the summer and from what I've seen, some lockdown measures are in order for the little one. The problem is they live in another state and my dad is not tech savvy by a long shot. So I'm gonna have to do alot of this stuff via my 17 year-old sis.

 

[WoodysGirl]

xanga is kind of harmless you might as well block AIM

That's why my lil sis (17) says, but if my dad doesn't want her on it, then we need to block it.

 

[Crown Royal]

Xanga is no more dangerous than Cowboyszone.com.

 

[Reality]

WG, there's a real easy way to block it


Assuming you are running Windows XP (it may be a different location for other windows) .. you need to run this command:

 notepad c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Then, add the following lines to the file (replace "domain.com" with whatever domain you want to block):

127.0.0.1	www.domain.com 
127.0.0.1	domain.com

Then save the file. Now, when you try to access the site, it should say "Not found" or a similar message depending on your browser.

Basically, you're overwriting the DNS entries for the site on the Internet and telling it to look for the site on your own computer, which it will not find of course (unless you are running a web server on your computer with that site configured and set-up on it .. HIGHLY unlikely *laughs*)

-Reality

 

[Dallas]

That's why my lil sis (17) says, but if my dad doesn't want her on it, then we need to block it.

This is about the best on the net. They update monthy w/ new web filtering content added weekly.


http://www.netnanny.com/


Its really easy to setup and place filters in. Its one of the best available to parents.

Good Luck.....

 

[WoodysGirl]

WG, there's a real easy way to block it


Assuming you are running Windows XP (it may be a different location for other windows) .. you need to run this command:

 notepad c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Then, add the following lines to the file (replace "domain.com" with whatever domain you want to block):

127.0.0.1	www.domain.com 
127.0.0.1	domain.com

Then save the file. Now, when you try to access the site, it should say "Not found" or a similar message depending on your browser.

Basically, you're overwriting the DNS entries for the site on the Internet and telling it to look for the site on your own computer, which it will not find of course (unless you are running a web server on your computer with that site configured and set-up on it .. HIGHLY unlikely *laughs*)

-Reality

Cooooooolllll. Thanks Reality. Definitely gonna try it once I get home. My one question is do I have to type the IP address that's in your post (or does it appear automatically) and then replace the domain name. Or do I just replace the domain name only?

 

[Reality]

Cooooooolllll. Thanks Reality. Definitely gonna try it once I get home. My one question is do I have to type the IP address that's in your post (or does it appear automatically) and then replace the domain name. Or do I just replace the domain name only?

You are adding those lines to the file, not replacing anything. There will already be one 127.0.0.1 host entry in the file most likely but you do not mess with it. You want to add the two lines I listed and only replace the "domain.com" in both lines with the site domain you want to block.

The reason to add two lines is that most sites can be accessed with "www." and without it so this way, both are blocked. However, before you do this you may want to surf around on that site and see if there are any other host names you may want to block. For example, some sites will have "forums.domain.com" that takes users directly to the forums. If that is the case, add a 127.0.0.1 entry for that name as well.

In fact, I would highly recommend you surf that site first carefully paying attention to all host names that appear in your address bar while visiting various sections of that site.

Just remember, you add the lines to the hosts file Oh, and you can do this for any other site you want to block as well.

 

[WoodysGirl]

You are adding those lines to the file, not replacing anything. There will already be one 127.0.0.1 host entry in the file most likely but you do not mess with it. You want to add the two lines I listed and only replace the "domain.com" in both lines with the site domain you want to block.

The reason to add two lines is that most sites can be accessed with "www." and without it so this way, both are blocked. However, before you do this you may want to surf around on that site and see if there are any other host names you may want to block. For example, some sites will have "forums.domain.com" that takes users directly to the forums. If that is the case, add a 127.0.0.1 entry for that name as well.

In fact, I would highly recommend you surf that site first carefully paying attention to all host names that appear in your address bar while visiting various sections of that site.

Just remember, you add the lines to the hosts file Oh, and you can do this for any other site you want to block as well.

Alright I got you now. Adding lines not replacing. Should be easy enuff to do. Thanks again.

 

[Reality]

Alright I got you now. Adding lines not replacing. Should be easy enuff to do. Thanks again.

Sorry to stress it because I know you're a very intelligent person

I just wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding because I do not know what would happen in WinXP if the localhost entry was removed or replaced in that file. I know in unix/linux a lot of programs depend on "localhost" existing and it just concerned me when you brought it up.

-Reality

 

[WoodysGirl]

Sorry to stress it because I know you're a very intelligent person

I just wanted to make sure there was no misunderstanding because I do not know what would happen in WinXP if the localhost entry was removed or replaced in that file. I know in unix/linux a lot of programs depend on "localhost" existing and it just concerned me when you brought it up.

-Reality

That method worked great, Reality. Gonna send the info to my dad and hope he doesn't hose his computer. He's really into reverse engineering. The problem is, he's not an engineer... :

 

[Reality]

Glad to hear it worked for you

Just curious .. who's your dad trying to block sites from?

 

[WoodysGirl]

Glad to hear it worked for you

Just curious .. who's your dad trying to block sites from?

My lil sis (12) who has a bad habit of chatting w/folks she knows my dad wouldn't let her talk to in person. So it's not really the sites, so much as the people on the sites. Basically my dad is a little older and she's the last one. He was a lot stricter on my other lil sis (17) than he is with this one. Unfortunately this one needs it ALOT more than the 17 yr old.

 

[Kangaroo]

Other things you can do is in tools option security they have restricted sites highlight that. Below it is a red circle with a - in it click the sites button and add the sites. You will need to lock down windows the best way to do that is create a long on ID just for her and everyone else with their own ID and password. With her login ID you can restrecit things for her and not for other people as well.

 

[Kangaroo]

Here is a free one for you

http://www.free-parental-control.com/

Here is a link with a list you can see what works for you

http://www.dirfile.com/freeware/parental-control-software.htm

:starspin