Block Internet access at work

pacific4130

Usually you just need to block the most regularly accessed websites. As Saver0811 mentioned, the impression of 'monitoring' is often enough to deter staff.

Your wireless router should have a setting to block websites. You can usually add up to 10 or so by address. If they try to access Facebook, for example, the site will just fail to load. They'll soon get the idea that it's blocked.

Sambucus_Nigra

What does your IT usage policy say about internet usage during work time?

Figment

Most routers have settings to restrict access on a schedule, but to be honest your simplest options are going to be setting an internet usage policy (and enforcing it) and if necessary moving the laptop to somewhere where management can see it.

Figment

paddypaws101 wrote: »

Hope this info helps

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

What does your IT usage policy say about internet usage during work time?

See post #10

debitcardmayhem

Figment wrote: »

Do you log onto a web page to end/receive emails, or something client like Windows Live Mail, Thunderbird etc.

Do the staff need internet access for work-related stuff?

These questions are the most important ... since you have only one PC

paddypaws101

Figment wrote: »

Do you log onto a web page to end/receive emails, or something client like Windows Live Mail, Thunderbird etc.

Do the staff need internet access for work-related stuff?

Windows live mail I think.

Staff do not routinely need internet access, maybe to check emails as I say...or maybe just senior staff to have access to that even.

flashg67

I work for a large corporate. so a lot of sites are blocked by admin eg Facebook etc, but we do have access to a PC with full internet for break times etc. A basic pc/monitor can be had very cheaply.

Perhaps, rather than be seen as a miserable old so & so, you could allow access at certain times only? The internet is such a big part of everyones lives, sometimes a little give & take is needed? And for the staff who can't respect this, get a policy asap and start applying it?

AdamJK_2

Can't you just set the routers built-in firewall to block anything but specific sites?

For instance if you're using web-based email then just add that site to the permissible list, anything other than that will get a message saying blocked by firewall. When you want to release the block you just need to connect to the router and turn the block off.

paddypaws101

AdamJK wrote: »

Can't you just set the routers built-in firewall to block anything but specific sites?

For instance if you're using web-based email then just add that site to the permissible list, anything other than that will get a message saying blocked by firewall. When you want to release the block you just need to connect to the router and turn the block off.

This sounds like an interesting option, how exactly would we do this? ( sorry, not very techie! )

paddypaws101

flashg67 wrote: »

I work for a large corporate. so a lot of sites are blocked by admin eg Facebook etc, but we do have access to a PC with full internet for break times etc. A basic pc/monitor can be had very cheaply.

Perhaps, rather than be seen as a miserable old so & so, you could allow access at certain times only? The internet is such a big part of everyones lives, sometimes a little give & take is needed? And for the staff who can't respect this, get a policy asap and start applying it?

I agree that sensible adults should be allowed some leaway...but the situation has got completely out of control! Our staff are all part time, so no shift is longer than 6 hours and most of them work 16 hours a week ( ahh, the Benefits system!!!) So they wont exactly be deprived of the chance to browse online in their own time.