Castanet

As the title says, looking for suggestions for a good, free web blocking software. Thanks in advance.

For what purpose? Have you checked this page already? http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/wind ... l-controls

dandynick5 wrote:As the title says, looking for suggestions for a good, free web blocking software. Thanks in advance.

I use the "OFF" button.

grammafreddy wrote:

dandynick5 wrote:As the title says, looking for suggestions for a good, free web blocking software. Thanks in advance.

I use the "OFF" button.

I was going to say pull the CAT5 cable, but that will work too.

Turn off the Modem.

To what purpose are you blocking the web?

Giving us an idea of your usage for this tool will allow us to better find a tool for your usage.

Loed wrote:To what purpose are you blocking the web?

Giving us an idea of your usage for this tool will allow us to better find a tool for your usage.

True that.

When I first saw the title I just figured they were after parental control software like Net Nanny to limit what their kids can access.

I don't know why someone would wish to block the web, but if so I would have thought the simplest approach would be some sort of router configuration.

Sorry. I forgot to put in the part about web site blocking. yes, I'm looking at something for blocking websites. Carry on.

dandynick5 wrote:Sorry. I forgot to put in the part about web site blocking. yes, I'm looking at something for blocking websites. Carry on.

Do you have a router?

I find the best way to go is to block the websites on your router - this way none of the computers or mobile devices (wifi) can get on those sites. No need for software, most routers have black list feature.

dandynick5 wrote:Sorry. I forgot to put in the part about web site blocking. yes, I'm looking at something for blocking websites. Carry on.

So I take it you are looking for something to childproof the web on your PC's?

Captain Awesome wrote:I find the best way to go is to block the websites on your router - this way none of the computers or mobile devices (wifi) can get on those sites. No need for software, most routers have black list feature.

True enough, but that approach only works if you know what sites you are trying to block.

Not necessarily. Netgears let you blacklist based off codewords and I'd assume most routers work similarly.

Third Party Software will do this. IE. Net Nanny type software.

The problem with most if not all "web blocking software" is that children are naturally curious and insistent, and will quite quickly find ways around the software. Remember, they do not have day jobs, bills to pay or other "adult" issues, so they have plenty of processing power left over to try to "get to the fun" however they can. Unless you have the software running right on the router, and the router secured behind a locked door, and the computer in question wired directly into the router (with no wireless that they could connect to another router with, like a neighbour's), the software will be defeated in quite short order.

The brother of my best friend is a father, and an ex-IT tech to boot. And even he has trouble keeping his kids off of questionable sites. Him, an I.T. specialist, has trouble. That's the problem with end users: there hasn't been a system made yet that they won't find a way to break, either deliberately or by sheer serendipity.