Simple way to control home network traffic.

[Mars]

We home school our kids. A very large portion of that schooling takes place via a browser, and plenty of the video resources are hosted on youtube (unfortunately).

I have been trying to take an open approach to the internet with my kids and except for opendns and kaspersky, I don't limit their internet access at all. I take my time trying to teach them good internet habits. My daughter (11) has it waxed. School time she focuses on her work and gets it done. She is super wary of downloading and installing stuff and checks with me if there is anything strange on her screen.

My son however is super distractable (like me) and I always find him with multiple tabs open doing other sht while he should be doing his work. Flash browser games are the fsking worst. He will download any old crap and install it without thinking. He is driving me FSKING INSANE. I have threatened his life if he installed another thing from a dodgy source without checking with me first and yet he does. Nothing works.
I need a way to limit and control his internet access, specifically during school hours so that there is less to distract him. I am already using Kaspersky to block access to his tab and pc between 9 pm and 8 am, and to limit when certain apps will run (like games) during school hours. The problem is I cant limit his browser or YouTube.

So I need something that will only allow certain websites to be accessed during a certain time. and then only allow you tube if its embedded in another website. I wonder if there is a way to limit chrome to 1 tab and instance also.

Any suggestions? Maybe a hardware firewall or software package that will do the job? Doesn't need to be free.

 

[nemisiz]

give https://www.qustodio.com/en/ a try , think it might do what you need done.
or https://family.norton.com/web/

 

[Sumen]

give https://www.qustodio.com/en/ a try , think it might do what you need done.
or https://family.norton.com/web/

I +1 both your suggestions

 

[LCBXX]

I use this (https://dns.norton.com/configureRouter.html) plus the Service hour feature on my D-Link router, combined with a static IP (issued via MAC Address) to get around this problem

 

[Dylan_G]

Firstly: http://www1.k9webprotection.com/ is what you're looking for.

Second... It's not about the internet, it's about discipline.

He is driving me FSKING INSANE. I have threatened his life if he installed another thing from a dodgy source without checking with me first and yet he does. Nothing works.

 

[HvRooyen]

You may also want to look at opendns, although it has been a few years since I used it. Used to do exactly what you seem to need.

 

[gfmalan]

One of my clients use this at office and at home, https://dnsthingy.com

 

[infscrtyrisk]

Technology doesn't solve human problems, but it can help implement a strategy.

Sophos UTM9 -- ICSA certified UTM software free for home use (50 IPs).

 

[WalkWithMe]

Lets start with the basics
Take away locall admin rights.
If using Windows 10, make it a family account and child access. This then limits him, you can set rules and get browser reports etc.

 

[Mars]

Firstly: http://www1.k9webprotection.com/ is what you're looking for.

Second... It's not about the internet, it's about discipline.

Oh, should have been more clear. Its minecraft. Minecraft is his life. Its not so much discipline as it is an inability to comprehend consequences.

 

[Mars]

give https://www.qustodio.com/en/ a try , think it might do what you need done.
or https://family.norton.com/web/

I use this (https://dns.norton.com/configureRouter.html) plus the Service hour feature on my D-Link router, combined with a static IP (issued via MAC Address) to get around this problem

Firstly: http://www1.k9webprotection.com/ is what you're looking for.

Second... It's not about the internet, it's about discipline.

One of my clients use this at office and at home, https://dnsthingy.com

I do all of these with the combination of opendns and kaspersky. The problem is not so much porn or malware as it is limiting everything except specific websites during school hours and not outside of them.

Technology doesn't solve human problems, but it can help implement a strategy.

Sophos UTM9 -- ICSA certified UTM software free for home use (50 IPs).

Thanks. This looks promising, I have an old machine I'll re purpose for this, just have to buy another nic for it... how would it manage wifi?

 

[infscrtyrisk]

Thanks. This looks promising, I have an old machine I'll re purpose for this, just have to buy another nic for it... how would it manage wifi?

It can, with proprietary Sophos APs, but they will cost you. Rather just plug an existing AP into the trusted network interface.

 

[Mars]

It can, with proprietary Sophos APs, but they will cost you. Rather just plug an existing AP into the trusted network interface.

ok that would be easier.

 

[DMNknight]

Oh, should have been more clear. Its minecraft. Minecraft is his life. Its not so much discipline as it is an inability to comprehend consequences.

A little bit of a sidetrack, I agree you can't hold technology responsible for keeping your son in line. He's going t have to learn about work & reward.

However, I believe you have been given a clue as to how to get his attention. Minecraft and quite honestly he really could have done worse...
Perhaps... trade minecraft playtime for chores and schoolwork done?
Make sure he's doing his work but give him a goal for the end of the day or even at the end of each lesson... like a small test on the content. Better scores = more time to play minecraft
If he breaks a rule, like like playing during school time, deduct minecraft time. When he has finished playing, deduct the time.
Make a visual aid that gives him a visual representation of time gained vs spent.

He is literally showing you what interests him, what keeps his attention and how to reach him.

You should count your lucky stars that it is minecraft. It's a game of creativity, imagination, design, logical thinking, planning and most importantly... consequence.
You should look up Redstone Logic and the various automated farms you can create in minecraft. The possibilities are endless, engage his mind

Lastly, as a point of observation only as you seem to be comparing him to his sister.
This video I stumbled across really opened my eyes with regards to the educational needs of the different genders.
[video=youtube_share;OFpYj0E-yb4]https://youtu.be/OFpYj0E-yb4[/video]

 

[Rickster]

I have threatened his life

:crylaugh:

 

[infscrtyrisk]

A little bit of a sidetrack, I agree you can't hold technology responsible for keeping your son in line. He's going t have to learn about work & reward.

However, I believe you have been given a clue as to how to get his attention. Minecraft and quite honestly he really could have done worse...
Perhaps... trade minecraft playtime for chores and schoolwork done?
Make sure he's doing his work but give him a goal for the end of the day or even at the end of each lesson... like a small test on the content. Better scores = more time to play minecraft
If he breaks a rule, like like playing during school time, deduct minecraft time. When he has finished playing, deduct the time.
Make a visual aid that gives him a visual representation of time gained vs spent.

He is literally showing you what interests him, what keeps his attention and how to reach him.

You should count your lucky stars that it is minecraft. It's a game of creativity, imagination, design, logical thinking, planning and most importantly... consequence.
You should look up Redstone Logic and the various automated farms you can create in minecraft. The possibilities are endless, engage his mind

Lastly, as a point of observation only as you seem to be comparing him to his sister.
This video I stumbled across really opened my eyes with regards to the educational needs of the different genders.
[video=youtube_share;OFpYj0E-yb4]https://youtu.be/OFpYj0E-yb4[/video]

Josh Welsh, aged 7, was recently sent home from his Maryland school for nibbling off the corners of a strawberry poptart into the shape of a gun.

Confirmed here: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...art-lifetime-nra-membership-article-1.1359918

Amazing. And then we wonder why our children turn into snowflakes... :crylaugh:

 

[spiderz]

https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/

also .. Format ... Install Linux

 

[PPLdude]

I have threatened his life

Calling home affairs

 

[R4ziel]

I grew up as a gamer and had a lot of issues with my parents around gaming and homework. The best way is to do as DMNknight suggested and offer incentives. Don't take his passion for gaming away, he will bitterly hate you for the rest of his life and you will never reach him. I've seen that happen a couple of times in our family.

If you can compromise on when he gets to play and when he doesn't, and he understands why he can or can't that will make your life so much easier.

Also another thing, which might be a bit controversial to some. My parents never knew about net nannies and what can really go on on the internet, we only had 56k modems and ISDN back then so internet was limited which they thought was fine. I spent A LOT of time on the internet and learned the hard way where I can and can't go and what I should look out for. The porn on the internet is unavoidable, so teaching him how to identify its wrong at a young age and teaching him about how dangerous the internet can be is a lot more valuable than just blocking it.

Imagine you block all his games and internet sites and "nanny" him, and one day he goes to varsity or whatever where he has unlimited access to the internet, that is going to be a shock to him, this I can guarantee.

 

[bigboy529]

I grew up as a gamer and had a lot of issues with my parents around gaming and homework. The best way is to do as DMNknight suggested and offer incentives. Don't take his passion for gaming away, he will bitterly hate you for the rest of his life and you will never reach him. I've seen that happen a couple of times in our family.

If you can compromise on when he gets to play and when he doesn't, and he understands why he can or can't that will make your life so much easier.

Also another thing, which might be a bit controversial to some. My parents never knew about net nannies and what can really go on on the internet, we only had 56k modems and ISDN back then so internet was limited which they thought was fine. I spent A LOT of time on the internet and learned the hard way where I can and can't go and what I should look out for. The porn on the internet is unavoidable, so teaching him how to identify its wrong at a young age and teaching him about how dangerous the internet can be is a lot more valuable than just blocking it.

Imagine you block all his games and internet sites and "nanny" him, and one day he goes to varsity or whatever where he has unlimited access to the internet, that is going to be a shock to him, this I can guarantee.

+1 Same as children who's kept away from alcohol by parents, then first year of varsity away from home and the wheels come off.