Filter Internet?

[stsanford]

Hi,
I have a wierd request. I have an office which (not surprisingly) wants to filter web traffic to social media sites. (Here's where it's a little more complex) to ALL computers except the owner's.

Anyone have an easy and inexpensive or free solution for this?

I usually either use OpenDNS or the router itself to filter access for ALL computers.

Thanks,
Scott

 

[iisjman07]

If there aren't too many machines you could edit the HOST file

 

[stsanford]

If there aren't too many machines you could edit the HOST file

Wow, I had never really even thought of that. Wow... elegantly simple.
Could even write a script to push it to the hosts file...

for example...
@echo facebook.com 127.0.0.1>>%windir%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

So cool. Might put it in the login script...

Thanks again!

 

[Appleby]

I asked the same question last week, got the same advice and was over thinking the project and hadn't thought about the HOSTS file either.

 

[iisjman07]

I asked the same question last week, got the same advice and was over thinking the project and hadn't thought about the HOSTS file either.
__________________

That's what reminded me of it

 

[shamrin]

I think this is an excellent simple idea as well, but how well it works may depend on the sophistication (age) of your users. I have a customer who is trying to use this strategy but his HOSTS files keep disappearing. Apparently it doesn't take too much skill with The Google to figure out how to defeat this by deleting HOSTS. There was a follow-up comment last week about reducing the users' privileges from admin to user then setting the NTFS permissions on HOSTS as admin.

 

[Martyn]

Well maybe you can put a redirect to a webpage saying the site is banned and any attempts to circumnavigate etc.........?

 

[MobileTechie]

The other problem with hosts is that there are zillions of sites designed to get around filters for Facebook. Just search google for facebook bypass (like the users will) to see.

You can use IEs content filtering.

You could set up opendns on the PCs NIC adaptor settings and block it that way.

You could install blocking/monitoring s/w such as K9

 

[iptech]

Many routers allow you to do this or you could install a gateway filter. It's far better to do this type of thing away from the desktop PCs, else you will just encourage staff to 'fiddle' to try and circumvent the filter.

 

[Martyn]

Many routers allow you to do this or you could install a gateway filter. It's far better to do this type of thing away from the desktop PCs, else you will just encourage staff to 'fiddle' to try and circumvent the filter.

Yes depends on there setup. Might be an idea if the op puts up the internet access setup i.e. router name, hardware firewall if there is one etc.

 

[Appleby]

I think this is an excellent simple idea as well, but how well it works may depend on the sophistication (age) of your users.

I totally agree. When I spoke to the doctor's office that had requested I do this for them and I told them my solution, I explained that an employee who really wanted around this could Google some solutions and find a way to get on Facebook etc. The office manager's response was, if the employees were going work that hard to get around it, then they weren't working hard enough at what they were getting paid to do. She indicated that the doctor probably would consider attempts at bypassing the filter a fire-able offense. I know I darn sure would.

 

[MobileTechie]

If that is the case then why not just make using Facebook a fireable offence? Plenty of firms have a policy of no personal use of their computer systems.

 

[Appleby]

I think that would be fair too, but I'm not the doctor, nor am I the one employing 12-15 people. This is what she wants to do and I don't blame her at all. I think this solves the problem of someone saying "Well I clicked a link and it went to Facebook....someone else was on my computer and they went to FB etc. Now if that computer has been on FB its because someone (and they are all non-techies) has done some research on how to get there.

 

[e2346437]

I would suggest the SonicWall TZ 100 with TotalSecure Bundle.

http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=1792398

This includes 1 year of gateway antivirus, antispyware, intrusion protection, email filtering, and really good content filtering. You can create an exception for a specific IP address that bypasses the content filter.

If you have any implementation questions, let me know. I've deployed hundreds of these.

Eric

 

[veedar]

Another option is to set up a web filter via untangle...

http://www.untangle.com/web-filter