teenage proofing the internet

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Put the router / modem in a safe, lock it..sorted.;)

Conor_3

unixgirluk wrote: »

if pay as you go is expensive what are my other options? I didn't really want to be tied to a contract. Who's the best out there?

ADSL24. 1 monthly rolling renewal contracts. So if you want to cancel, you can just log onto the Control Panel and do it online and you've got the balance of the month left and then you can leave.

Conor_3

unixgirluk wrote: »

Hi All,

2) Teenage proofing it. i.e. completely blocking certain sites (she's good at getting round blocks placed at school on Bebo and the like even though we've said to her don't do it as thats not what school's for!). I need a decent FREE anti-virus, spam blocker, and way to block certain sites so she can't get into them at all. Also a way of preventing the history from being deleted so we know EXACTLY what she's been going into. (she has a history of visiting inappropriate sites).

So you want somethig that works but you want a free one...well they don't exactly go hand in hand IME.

You could try Windows Live OneCare Family Safety which is free from MS.
http://get.live.com/familysafety/overview

When implementing this, make sure you change her user account to a standard one and password all the administrator ones so she can't uninstall or install anything.

Another option is to enter blocked sites and keywords into the router but this takes an age.

Jakg

OpenDNS + Vista's Parental Control Settings are as good as you can get, but proxy sites will let her get round it. You'll just have to trust them i'm afraid.

FWIW I've had my parents try to do the same to me - just, whatever you do, don't come in drunk at 10PM and brag to your kids about reading all their private emails.

BillScarab

I use Vista's parental controls. It blocks sites and logs the activity. OpenDNS can also be good.

Another option is Blue Coat K9 Web protection which is free. I don't like that much though as it locks down the whole PC. You can't restrict it to certain user accounts.

The other thing is to set her up her own account on the PC and make sure it is not an admin account.

phatbear

BillScarab wrote: »

Another option is Blue Coat K9 Web protection which is free. I don't like that much though as it locks down the whole PC. You can't restrict it to certain user accounts.

I've tried K9 before and its easily get roundable, great word!!!, ultimate test is install these programmes and if you can get round them then sure as pigs are pink kids will be able to get round them too, as long as they are able to spell google of course.

all the best

the bear

mustrum_ridcully

Well if she's that tech savvy, good luck, heck she might even know you've been here asking!

Yes there are steps you can take to secure the operating system, with access restrictions. But if she is determined and has geeky mates then there is very little you can do.

So the best thing really is to have the PC in your living room where you can see what she's upto. Restrict her access, but be sensible about it! If sites she wants to access like bebo or facebook are blocked then she will be determined to find a way to get around them.

I won't say how to get around any restrictions you might set up, a non-techie might be gobsmacked but it is surprisingly simple. It's no mega-secret known only to serious hackers, so the class geek will probably think of it very quickly...

cowbutt

Firewall all outbound connections (to prevent use of proxies), and redirect web traffic through a transparent squid proxy with http://www.squidguard.org/, or http://dansguardian.org/. Judging by the OP's name, hopefully that'll be easy for her to accomplish!

going2die_rich

What exactly are you trying to stop your daughter from? I can understand son's, as it's obvious what you want them staying off, but for girls I am guessing it's chatrooms? As if it is, chatrooms are everywhere. Not a chance you'd be able to block them all.

Best solution would be to just have it in a room you are all in so you can see it. No webcam either in case she ends up on a site.

Tell her friends lists on messengers can only contain people she actually knows from school and home. Also ensure she isn't giving her mobile number out or has any personal details about her on any sites she signs up to. best solution being telling her to make some up that she will always use while online.

Think you need to build trust rather than police her as she'll only become more sneaky if you are trying to prevent her doing something.

Boys on the other hand, you know what they will be up to and at the end of the day, they could be up to a lot worse off the pc.

Uniscots97

aliEnRIK wrote: »

Is it vista or xp?
Vista has the option of recording her activity even IF she deletes the history (Though she would need her OWN login for it to work)

as for free anti virus, AVG, AVAST and AVIRA are the big 3 freebies

Its VISTA which I'm not that familiar with, she's not allowed anywhere near my work pc which is XP.