parental controls dilemma :o( - Page 2

07-05-2012, 22:58

How difficult is is to explain to them that " You will not use your PC" FCOUL

qasdfdsaq · 08-05-2012, 14:21

About as hard as it is to explain "You will not do drugs, alcohol or underage sex".

08-05-2012, 14:54

Not exactly qas, he is using the PC at home in view of Mum or Dad. Drugs, alcohol, underage sex etc. are usually not experienced in front of one's Parents. (Hopefully!)

qasdfdsaq · 08-05-2012, 15:25

You'd be surprised what teenage kids get up to these days, and where.

08-05-2012, 15:56

Anonymouse · 08-05-2012, 18:06

This may be slightly O/T since it's not about the router per se, but given that we're talking about parental controls...

How many user accounts do you have on the PC? If there's only one, i.e. the Administrator account, you may end up with all sorts installed on there - malware, trackers, the lot. Being a teenager, your son doubtless spends time on download sites...some of which, sad to say, are infested with spyware and other junk. Prominent examples are Kazaa, Limewire and BearShare. If you're using an Admin account, these things can quietly install themselves without ever letting you know. All the splash screens you see when installing commercial software, e.g. Microsoft Office, don't have to be there; they're just to let the user know where the installation process is up to and/or extol the virtues of the software and/or advertise other software from the same company, and they're not part of the actual installation process - more of an optional extra. Malware doesn't do this.

The best way to guard against this is to have one admin account - which should not be used for Internet access, only for installation of new software and PC maintenance, and only one person (you, obviously, duh!

) should know the password - and a number of user accounts, i.e. accounts that don't have installation privileges. That stops most malware in its tracks, apart from some very sophisticated ones that do a little trick called privilege elevation. These, however, are rare, and an effective firewall/AV package will usually intercept them.

You can in fact set policies in Windows XP and above to determine what users can and can't do - for example, on the PCs in my local library we can't even access the Control Panel or change the screen resolution - and I suppose you could set up a policy to only allow Internet access at certain times. I don't know how to do it, mind,

but I'm pretty sure it can be done. Needless to say, policy editing can only be done from an admin account, and should only be attempted by someone who's fairly expert.

Hope that helps!

tweetiepooh · 10-05-2012, 16:06

Our kids only use Linux which means I have far more control on what they do. Can't download and install most malware since it just won't run.

Use of OpenDNS controls some access to some sites for any computer on the network, well any I have set up or most visitors too.

Others have already come in on how various routers and firmware can control client access. Some probably can even control more finely such as data limits and actual use limits too.

rogerdraig · 10-05-2012, 18:13

if thier tech savy enough to use linux then they likely could run it from a usb and you wont know what they have been up to

its not the perfect way either being with them is the only sure fire way
Anonymouse sugestions are good but do take some expertise in doing

Gavin78 · 12-05-2012, 01:10

Glad I found this I want to do the same I have gone into IP filtering but on that one it gives the IP address ranges for example 192.168.0.1 to xx xx xx xx

My understanding of wireless is that if it can't get onto the original signal 192.168.0.1 it will jump to another IP so would be no point in blocking the IP on wireless because I might end up on that channel thats blocked.

Not had a chance to look up in the SH settings but will it list the MAC as well when connected? so blocking that should stop them accessing the net even if they jump onto another IP address?

rogerdraig · 12-05-2012, 02:09

yep it will block far more effectively than using ip but they could change the mac if they know what they are doing

qasdfdsaq · 12-05-2012, 02:20

Wireless assigns IP addresses in whatever pattern you specify. Devices don't "jump to" to any IP address. They wait to be given one and do not ever "jump on" to one. Signals do not have IP addresses. Channels do not have IP addresses. Channels cannot be blocked. You cannot end up on an IP address that is not yours.

rogerdraig · 12-05-2012, 12:45

he means if you block 192.168.1.8 say that the laptop could be on now if you switch the lap top off , the next time you switch on the router may well just offer it 192.168.1.9 thus avoiding the block, using the mac address mostly stops that ( unless you alter the mac of the laptop

)

qasdfdsaq · 12-05-2012, 18:01

No.

The IP address is assigned by the router. Set a static IP assignment and it will never assign anything else.

The MAC address is usually easier to change than the IP address.

rogerdraig · 13-05-2012, 01:44

that works too sort of though not many set up static ip on routers especially those not that tech savy to start with plus still possible to spoof the mac of a connectable pc and still get on

you could enable the log and see if any one is cheating but really it all comes down to trust and getting the kids to obey the rules and or being with them

regbosie · 19-01-2013, 05:40

Hi, i have same dilemma, wish to block wireless internet to teenager at times of day. I have tried the mac filter /ip filter etc method, she just overcomes it by pressing the reset to factory settings on the virgin superhub. she has a pc and ipod touch. Ideally its just her pc/ipod i want to block, not the whole wireless setup.
Alll suggestions welcome. HELP !!!