Parental Controls

[Spudnuts]

Hi, 1st post.

Ive had Merlin installed on my Asus RT-AC68U for a couple of years, I originally installed for using Openvpn and for the parental controls to block my son from using the internet when he's supposed to be asleep. However I noticed this week that he was using after my set time. Had a look at the settings and noticed that the crafty sod had changed the MAC address on his PC. Is there any way block all wifi traffic except certain devices between certain hours of the day? Simple-mans terms please if you can, I'm on version 384.8_2 at the moment.

 

[AndreiV]

This might help.

Network Map > Clients > click on the icon > select the device > Bind IP and Mac .

Locks the device to an IP and Mac address.

You also have a time left setting there , if he plays games you can cut him off.))

I used to have the same problem and simply stopped my lad having any access at all until he stopped being stupid.

 

[AndreiV]

Another way is what my neighbour has employed, yes his daughters hate him

Kids wouldn't obey the rules so he changed the WAP password, then gave his kids access via Guest networks only.
They are allowed a set number of hours per day, so they come home from school and get a maximum 5 hours, after that it's lights out, they don't want to use their phone credit as their monthly allowance runs out and parents won't buy any more.
Weekends he allows a longer time .

 

[Spudnuts]

Ha ha thats brilliant, its a constant battle. Thanks for you help, I'll give it a try.

 

[Spudnuts]

Been doing some research, I could also setup a wifi whitelist and add only the Mac addresses I want to connect to the router. If he was to change his Mac address on his pc this should block access right?

 

[martinr]

Been doing some research, I could also setup a wifi whitelist and add only the Mac addresses I want to connect to the router. If he was to change his Mac address on his pc this should block access right?

That's the Wireless MAC Filter

Been doing some research, I could also setup a wifi whitelist and add only the Mac addresses I want to connect to the router. If he was to change his Mac address on his pc this should block access right?

This is Wireless MAC Address Filter. When you enable it, you have to list all the devices that you want to give wireless access. If a device isn’t listed, it won’t get on the network even with the correct password.

But I wonder what would happen if he changes his MAC address to that of one of the other devices in your house, would he not have access again?

Did you follow up AndreiV’s post where he mentioned binding MAC address to IP address? When I checked mine, I see it’s enabled by default.

 

[martinr]

This might help.

Network Map > Clients > click on the icon > select the device > Bind IP and Mac .

Locks the device to an IP and Mac address.

You also have a time left setting there , if he plays games you can cut him off.))

I used to have the same problem and simply stopped my lad having any access at all until he stopped being stupid.

I never knew about that, so thanks. I see that my IP and MAC Address binding is enabled by default. I manually asign the IP address of each device on the network. Would this MAC-IP binding only work, or work best, with manually asigned IP addresses?

 

[Spudnuts]

My Mac binding was off but ive setup the white list to try 1st. My son has been using random Mac addresses not cloning exisitng. I'll see what happens...

 

[martinr]

My Mac binding was off but ive setup the white list to try 1st. My son has been using random Mac addresses not cloning exisitng. I'll see what happens...

Let us know how you get on. Your results will certainly be of interest to others. Random MAC addresses, then that Wireless MAC Address Filter should work for you Smart lad, for sure, let’s see how long it takes him to get round it. Keep watching the forum for a post along the lines of: “My dad has enabled MAC filter and set up Parental Controls. How do I ......”

 

[Jack Yaz]

Let us know how you get on. Your results will certainly be of interest to others. Random MAC addresses, then that Wireless MAC Address Filter should work for you Smart lad, for sure, let’s see how long it takes him to get round it. Keep watching the forum for a post along the lines of: “My dad has enabled MAC filter and set up Parental Controls. How do I ......”

I wonder if a nice feature for YazFi would be scheduled randomised passwords for guests...

 

[L&LD]

I wonder if a nice feature for YazFi would be scheduled randomised passwords for guests...

Don't tease us like this.

 

[Jack Yaz]

Don't tease us like this.

A bit of cron and nvram magic

 

[AndreiV]

I never knew about that, so thanks. I see that my IP and MAC Address binding is enabled by default. I manually asign the IP address of each device on the network. Would this MAC-IP binding only work, or work best, with manually asigned IP addresses?

On the AC3200 it is off by default . I think that the control within the client list is an extension of manually assigned devices, if you select your device in the client list area it will be shown in the Admin page manually assigned list.

I use it to bind 2 machines as the only devices that are allowed access to the router GUI. (Selection of those is made in the Admin page)

You need 2 devices because should a device crash you are locked out of your own router

 

[martinr]

.....

I use it to bind 2 machines as the only devices that are allowed access to the router GUI. (Selection of those is made in the Admin page)
.....

I’m really grateful for all that - stuff I never knew.

When you say selection is made in the Admin page, have I understood correctly that I could enable remote web access from the WAN but only list (at least) 2 INTERNAL, private IP addresses as having webui access? Or have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick - it doesn’t ring true?

 

[AndreiV]

I’m really grateful for all that - stuff I never knew.

When you say selection is made in the Admin page, have I understood correctly that I could enable remote web access from the WAN but only list (at least) 2 INTERNAL, private IP addresses as having webui access? Or have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick - it doesn’t ring true?

You would need advice from someone more qualified than me on that one Martin.

I have never used access from WAN , I simply used those settings and it means no other device in the network can access the ASUS GUI.

 

[martinr]

You would need advice from someone more qualified than me on that one Martin.

I have never used access from WAN , I simply used those settings and it means no other device in the network can access the ASUS GUI.

Sorry to sound a bit slow but when you say “those settings” do you mesn the Systems tab on the Administration page, and Remote Access Config at the bottom of the page?

 

[AndreiV]

Yes.
"Allow only specified IP address".
Looking at the pop up it states from WAN or LAN.

 

[martinr]

Yes.
"Allow only specified IP address".
Looking at the pop up it states from WAN or LAN.

Excellent. Many thanks. That’s 2 fascinating discoveries I’ve made rhanks to you!

(I’m away from home for a while, and I’m resisting the temptation to set it up in case I lock myself out!)

 

[martinr]

Yes.
"Allow only specified IP address".
Looking at the pop up it states from WAN or LAN.

I can see one possible problem with this: if I access the router over OpenVPN, the remote client device has the IP address in the network 10.0.0.0, and that address can’t be determined beforehand. (I’m not sure what, under Manage Client Specific Options, the option Allow only specified clients, is all about; I allow specified clients using usernames and passwords (and PKI, of course),) So I can see me getting locked out when remote and trying to access by OpenVPN unless there was a way to manually assign the addresses of devices on the OpenVPN network just as we do on the LAN.

 

[maxbraketorque]

Is there a means to limit access to streaming content to a particular device to certain times of the day?