Can I block gambling sites using the router

Dustykitten

Title says it all.

I'd like to be able to block all gambling sites from being used on pc/laptops in our house. Is there an easy way to do this using the router?

Router is virgin supplied netgear.

Thanks techies

RichL74

Probably. Have a look at this as I have never done it myself

http://www.mykeblack.com/blog/myke/general/parental_controls_on_virgin_media_superhub

Dustykitten

Thanks, I've read the link, non the wiser tbh but I'll get DH to read it when he gets home and see what he makes of it.

GunJack

Easiest way is to use OpenDNS, which you can then set to block whichever type of sites you wish..

http://www.opendns.com/

basically, create an account, use their DNS servers in your router, and in your account settings you pick sites and/or types of sites to block access to. The upside is their DNS servers are also faster than most domestic ones and more reliable too.

Dustykitten

We have looked at the settings on our Virgin Media router (Netgear) but it looks like the ability to change the DNS settings is not enabled.

GunJack

Dustykitten wrote: »

We have looked at the settings on our Virgin Media router (Netgear) but it looks like the ability to change the DNS settings is not enabled.

That is bl00dy typical of ISPs.... I'm getting fed up of easy solutions to issues being "unavailable" 'coz "you can't do that on our kit/firmware/etc." So, get a cable router and just use the not-so-super hub as a plain old modem to plug into it

debitcardmayhem

GunJack wrote: »

Easiest way is to use OpenDNS, which you can then set to block whichever type of sites you wish..

http://www.opendns.com/

basically, create an account, use their DNS servers in your router, and in your account settings you pick sites and/or types of sites to block access to. The upside is their DNS servers are also faster than most domestic ones and more reliable too.

GunJack wrote: »

That is bl00dy typical of ISPs.... I'm getting fed up of easy solutions to issues being "unavailable" 'coz "you can't do that on our kit/firmware/etc." So, get a cable router and just use the not-so-super hub as a plain old modem to plug into it

Evening GJ , just a point really, If a user uses opendns it is not really going to stop someone typing
http://213.129.82.46 is it ? as opposed to http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com
and still getting to the site they want, nor issuing a command such as below

rob@robs:~$ nslookup forum.moneysavingexpert.com - 8.8.4.4
Server:        8.8.4.4
Address:    8.8.4.4#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    forum.moneysavingexpert.com
Address: 213.129.82.46

rob@robs:~$ nslookup forum.moneysavingexpert.com - 208.67.222.222
Server:        208.67.222.222
Address:    208.67.222.222#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:    forum.moneysavingexpert.com
Address: 213.129.82.46

First one is as you know using googles DNS and the second is Opendns servers , of course they are the same result but if the "miscreant" uses Googles rather than their router supplied one they can then get round opendns or am I missing something:cool: (I have never used opendns for blocking just for uptime alongside google...never used TorkTorks since I cut over to them)

Edited: plus using ipaddresses does not involve DNS at all

debitcardmayhem

Dustykitten wrote: »

Title says it all.

I'd like to be able to block all gambling sites from being used on pc/laptops in our house. Is there an easy way to do this using the router?

Router is virgin supplied netgear.

Thanks techies

Not easily see my reply to GunJack above

Gazza1964

Would installing K9 on each pc do what you require.

I use it and it is very good so far with no noticable slowdown to my browsing.

Im_just_careful

I agree with other posters that there is no foolproof way of avoiding categories of websites being available to someone with technical knowledge using "domestic" broadband.

OpenDNS can be applied on a single PC if the router doesn't support it.

https://store.opendns.com/setup/computer/

(you don't need any paid service)

http://www.opendns.com/support/dynamic_ip/

Because their blocking depends on you having a fixed (static) IP address you can run a small programme which keeps OpenDNS updated with your IP address. I think this can be set to run invisibly.

Once done you can set categories of sites to block.

debitcardmayhem

Still won't work sorry.... ip addresses do not go through DNS , it works the other way round. You need to block ip addresses not domain/hostnames. Yes it will stop the less creative users but there is only one way of stopping and it is manual blocking IP addresses and boy that takes a lot of work, plus most consumer routers cannot block the amount of addresses you need to block.