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Looking for Router with Parental Control

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souwalker

Occasional Visitor
I'm actually looking for a router to replace my wpn824 (Netgear).

Preferrably with QOS for VOIP but most importantly good parental control. I don't seem to be able to find a router that would restrict (scheduled) or block Instant Messenger programs (i.e. msn).

There was a Zyxel HW100 product which did just about that but it's not available anywhere now.

Any suggestions? I looking for routers only unless there is a hardware attachment to do what I want. I know there's Dlink D150 or something but from users I know, does not cut the mustard.

I am using IM Lock on my teenagers PC to restrict her usage of msn but that a software version. I would like hardware.

Any suggestions?
Thanks
 
Good parental control is hard to find. Can't you just block the MSN IM ports?
 
Here's a link to the users guide for a ZyXel P-334 Router. ftp://ftp.zyxel.com/P-334/user_guide/P-334_3-60.pdf

See Firewall > Services, chapter 11.4, p 131, the router allows you to block specific ports by time of day/day of week.

There's also a subscription based Trend Micro security services function built in, with a specific parental control configuration screen. I can't vouch for these functions, as I do not use them.
 
Most consumer routers can do port blocking by time sechems, if you look for something more advance, you can use endian comunity firewall, or ip cop with modules, it has proxys for all the IMs and www/mail. Its simple, you block all traffic form the lan to internet, ad a exception eg. your pc that is out of limits for the kids. And set up the kids PC to use the proxys, they log and fileter, so you get notified if they even try it and get rejected. Since its hardware solution, your kids wont be able to bypass it by changing the IP, running something like a knoppix live distro ect
 
OpenDNS can let you block websites to a reasonable degree, as it will block/fail the DNS queries. But it doesn't actually 'block' anything. To achieve that, you need a router that is capable actually stopping traffic. My dad has his Linksys router set to time-block my younger siblings when they're not supposed to be on the computer.. it doesn't prevent their computer use, but blocking the internet takes a lot of fun for them away. If you want to get really fancy, good firewalls will allow you to selectively block types of traffic, such as MSN or AIM, while allowing others. I personally use a Cisco router for my network, but that solution takes a fair bit of previous knowledge to properly implement.

Tam
 
OpenDNS can let you block websites to a reasonable degree, as it will block/fail the DNS queries. But it doesn't actually 'block' anything.
<snip>
Tam

Yes, good point. However, it should be sufficient to stop all but the most determined of kids from getting through. Remember the principles of the Great Firewall: don't make it impossible, just make it difficult enough that most would give up. :)
 

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