How to limit website access

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike Jacoubowsky
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Mike Jacoubowsky

What I'm trying to do is build a kiosk-type computer that will have access
to maybe 12 websites, nothing else. Seems tough to find a way to do that.
The IE6 trusted vs restricted sites doesn't allow for wholesale wildcard
exclusion. I've heard that you can disable DNS and build your own lookup
table (with only the sites you wish), but haven't seen details on how that's
done (and one thing I read said that that really doesn't work well anyway).

Any ideas appreciate!

Thanks-

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
Use your router.

Most routers have a filter or an allow or disallow list. You can set the
router to only allow websites that are on the allowed list (white list) and
all other sites will be blocked.

Vince
 
What I'm trying to do is build a kiosk-type computer that will have
Use your router.

Most routers have a filter or an allow or disallow list. You can set the
router to only allow websites that are on the allowed list (white list)
and
all other sites will be blocked.

Vince
Click to expand...

Vince: I'd thought about that, but haven't played around with using multiple
routers. Is it a problem to have your main router (doing NAT) and then
another router following it? If there's no issue, that's certainly a cheap &
easy solution (a lot easier than building up a separate linux box acting as
a router etc).

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
 
Mike Jacoubowsky said:
What I'm trying to do is build a kiosk-type computer that will have access
to maybe 12 websites, nothing else. Seems tough to find a way to do that.
The IE6 trusted vs restricted sites doesn't allow for wholesale wildcard
exclusion. I've heard that you can disable DNS and build your own lookup
table (with only the sites you wish), but haven't seen details on how
that's done (and one thing I read said that that really doesn't work well
anyway).

Any ideas appreciate!

Thanks-

--Mike--
Click to expand...


How to Configure Internet Explorer to Block Access to All But Approved
Internet Sites
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/267930
 
There should not be an issue, however make sure that you go to the router
settings and change the assigned address sections.

You will want to make sure your second router has a different main IP
address than your original router address.

Most likely your main one is 192.168.0.1 but that varies from brand to
brand. You could change the second router to be 192.168.0.2. Then you will
need to go to the section that assignes IP addresses. The first probably
assigns a range of 192.168.0.100-199. You can set the second to assign
192-168.0.200-201 or however many addresses you need.

This way you will be insured all machines will be on the same network if you
want them all to be able to talk to each other.

I have not played too much with this type of network but I would consider
maybe trying to possibly place the second router on say 192.168.1.1 then
letting it assign the given addresses. I know this would keep the first
group of computers from interacting with the second but I am not 100% sure
that the first router would feed the internet to the second group if you did
this. I guess you could just try and if it fails just reset the defaults on
the second router and try again.

With routers on sale for 10.00 or less all the time it would sure be worth
playing with to see how it works.

Out side of all that you could purchase a proxy server that you could
install on one machine but not go the proxy on that machine but for the
kiosk machine point it to the proxy and limit the websites from the proxy.

I had to do this for a few years when I had satallite and could not use a
router. The proxy was ok but it caused some issues with sites that you use a
name and password with.

Good luck
Vince
 
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