Domestic web filtering wanted

[OverWorked]

Can anyone recommend a decent web filter for home use? i.e will just just on the local machine, and be controlled by the parent.

 

My children are Moshi Monsters addicts and are only a few clicks away from seeing something they shouldn't.

 

Thanks.

[joe90bass]

K9? Never used it myself though!

[TechSupp]

Microsoft Familiy Security for me, works quite well and its free.

[localzuk]

I've installed K9 on a bunch of machines for colleagues. They've never had any issues with it, so its still the one I recommend.

[OverWorked]

Thanks. I'll try K9.

 

I'm not sure about the Microsoft Familiy Security, though. It doesn't include web filtering, unless I've missed something.

[elsiegee40]

Thanks. I'll try K9.

 

I'm not sure about the Microsoft Familiy Security, though. It doesn't include web filtering, unless I've missed something.

 

Windows Live Family Safety

 

With Family Safety, you decide how your kids experience the Internet. Limit searches, monitor and block or allow websites, and decide who your kids can communicate with in Windows Live Spaces, Messenger, or Hotmail.

 

Operating system: Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (32-bit edition only), Windows Vista (32-bit or 64-bit editions), Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit editions), or Windows Server 2008.

 

[tom_newton]

OpenDNS?

[powdarrmonkey]

OpenDNS?

 

As long as you don't mind them breaking Google from time to time

[morganw]

Check out your wireless router (assuming you have one). When I logged into the web interface on mine I found that it had a blacklist / whitelist functionality built into it, past that if you want something more automated you would have to go for something with dansguardian running in it, like this Endian - *Open Source Firewall Appliance - UTM Linux Security Distribution*

 

edit: just realised you asked for local install only, ignore the second suggestion The router settings would be useful though if the kids had access to more than one PC as you have central control through the router.

Edited June 16, 2010 by morganw

[john]

Netgear Router and use its Trend Micro Parent Controls software that was in them last time I looked?

[nadeem]

OpenDNS together with Norton Online Family (I've also used K9 in the past)

 

https://onlinefamily.norton.com/familysafety/loginStart.fs

[RTFM]

Smoothwall. A bit extreme but would surely do the job?

[dhicks]

Smoothwall. A bit extreme but would surely do the job?

 

Are Smoothwall planning to release a home-orientated product at some point? It strikes me as a good idea - the locally-installed options above only work until you boot the PC off a CD, or simply attach another PC to the network, the sort of thing your average 12 year old is going to take delight in figuring out. With the introduction of the Digital Economy Bill, you might also want to make sure you filter out access to file-sharing sites and applications. Smoothwall already have a product capable of doing all this, anyone know if they're planning to stick together a small all-in-one box to replace your home ADSL router and handle up to, say, a dozen users?

 

--

David Hicks

[pwds]

I'd second OpenDNS - accounts are free for home use and you can customise the block/allow list.

[OverWorked]

Thanks everyone.

 

I've never heard of OpenDNS. That's a good one to start with, but I'm guessing it just blocks certain domains or IPs.

 

I'll also start with K9, and also look into the Norton product.

 

I'll also get the The Windows Live Family Safety.

[computer_expert]

Are Smoothwall planning to release a home-orientated product at some point? It strikes me as a good idea - the locally-installed options above only work until you boot the PC off a CD, or simply attach another PC to the network, the sort of thing your average 12 year old is going to take delight in figuring out. With the introduction of the Digital Economy Bill, you might also want to make sure you filter out access to file-sharing sites and applications. Smoothwall already have a product capable of doing all this, anyone know if they're planning to stick together a small all-in-one box to replace your home ADSL router and handle up to, say, a dozen users?

 

--

David Hicks

 

There is a free version of smoothwall called smoothwall express which has addons for the likes of dansguardian and other mods such as the windows update cacher.

[pwds]

OpenDNS has catagory based filtering which is very effective, with user control over additional blacklist/whitelist domains. The pornography filter in particular is very effective - I've had problems trying to buy items of clothing for my wife from that "filthy" High Street store M&S as it even blocks lingerie and swimsuits on the higher settings.

[dhicks]

There is a free version of smoothwall called smoothwall express which has addons for the likes of dansguardian and other mods such as the windows update cacher.

 

Indeed, but it's not the kind of thing your average home user can use and install. I'm thinking of something you could drop in and use instead of your ADSL router, or maybe something that would sit alongside (or replace) something like MS Home Server, adding filtering to file storage and backup services.

 

--

David Hicks