Restrict websites for some users only

  • Thread starter Thread starter Laurent
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Laurent

On a given Win XP Pro machine on a peer-to-peer network (no server or
proxy), I have six users accounts. I would like two of these accounts (with
admin privileges) to have unrestricted access to any website, but the four
remaining ones (with limited privileges) to have restricted access to only
websites I will specifically preauthorize, just a handful.

My router filtering feature is a all-or-nothing solution for all the
network, not something I want. Same with a number of software-based
solutions I found, including configuration of hosts file. Other solutions I
found require commercial softwares that do not support multiaccount Windows
installation.

Configuration of Internet Explorer is not an avenue as it is not the
browser used on that machine.

I would preferably need a free solution.

Any advice or link welcomed

Thank you !
 
Laurent said:
On a given Win XP Pro machine on a peer-to-peer network (no server or
proxy), I have six users accounts. I would like two of these accounts
(with admin privileges) to have unrestricted access to any website,
but the four remaining ones (with limited privileges) to have
restricted access to only websites I will specifically preauthorize,
just a handful.

My router filtering feature is a all-or-nothing solution for all the
network, not something I want. Same with a number of software-based
solutions I found, including configuration of hosts file. Other
solutions I found require commercial softwares that do not support
multiaccount Windows installation.

Configuration of Internet Explorer is not an avenue as it is not the
browser used on that machine.

I would preferably need a free solution.

Any advice or link welcomed

Thank you !
Click to expand...

Won't be easy without a proxy server, sorry. I can't think of any way to do
this natively.
 
I share similar interest and your reply indicates that it may be possible
with a proxy server (maybe a "smart router" type of thing?). Direction to
any source of additional information would be appreciated as I would like to
similarly restrict a variety of users (very young and innocent, young and
innocent, just plain naive, etc.) at different levels in XP Home.

Thanks,
CT

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
 
For the records, I post the solution I found.

It is unfortunately not free but still very affordable

http://www.watchdogpc.com/

Watchdog limits and monitors a number of operations for every user.

This utility can run in two modes:

1. One Windows account --> Multiples Watchdog "sub-accounts"
2. Native Windows accounts

In the first mode, there is one single Windows account. "Watchdog users"
have different "Watchdog privileges" (related to its specific features) but
they share the same Windows privileges. This mode is useful when the same
Windows environment, settings and system privileges should be identical for
everybody (a public computer, for instance).

In the second mode, Watchdog uses native Windows account system, with each
user having different environment, settings and system privileges. On top
of that, Wtachdog can monitor / restrict each user with individual settings
or with Watchdog user groups.

Whatever the mode, features supported by Watchdog are:

- Internet White List (what I initially wanted)
- Internet Red list
- Application restrictions
- Time restrictions
- Schedule restrictions
- System operations restrictions
- Silent monitoring
and more.

The only thing missing is print monitoring.

I chose the second mode and in few seconds I configured what I wanted: two
users with unlimited Internet access, four users with White List Internet
access. Since the four users share the same list, maintenance of the list
is very easy.

Watchdog has also server capabilites to connect to a central database of
users.

Overall, the application integrates very well with Windows.

Registration is 35$ for one computer, 150$ for 25 computers or 250$ for
unlimited number of computers.



in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin
I share similar interest and your reply indicates that it may be
possible with a proxy server (maybe a "smart router" type of thing?).
Direction to any source of additional information would be appreciated
as I would like to similarly restrict a variety of users (very young
and innocent, young and innocent, just plain naive, etc.) at different
levels in XP Home.

Thanks,
CT

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
message
Won't be easy without a proxy server, sorry. I can't think of any way
to do
this natively.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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