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pageweon

393 posts

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#130743 26-Sep-2013 11:25
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So here is the story, I am looking for an adsl modem/router which will allow me to restrict access for certain devices on network e.g which websites may be viewed from a childs ipad and at which times it may go online ( without affecting my devices). I would prefer not to use a seperate modem and wifi router as I plan on getting 2talk shortly and would rather not run into nat problems.

Id also like to keep it to a reasonable price.


Does any one have a suggestion?




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Hammerer
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  #903023 26-Sep-2013 12:11
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You probably need to be a bit more specific about your requirements. Overall control depends upon the router plus the control you have over the physical device plus the influence you have on your child. It is not much use using the router if your child is motivated to circumvent the controls you have at the router. For example, if your child has adequate funds and control of the iPad they can buy mobile broadband and you wouldn't necessarily know about it or be able to stop it.

Most routers allow access to be limited to specific devices. Parental controls usually allow access for several devices to be blocked to one time period per day with the option to vary it for weekends.

When black listing (disallowing specific websites) the list sizes on the router are often very limited. And blacklisting won't stop access to websites through other methods. That's why I prefer white lists because you know which sites your child is accessing because you have to authorise access to them. But again the list sizes can be too limited. And if you are too restrictive then they can pursue other options for avoiding the router when they want to.

Another approach to parental controls allow specific categories of website to be blocked/allowed. Netgear does this by using OpenDNS which means you need to setup an OpenDNS account. This is far from 100% effective but it is the easiest to implement.



pageweon

393 posts

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  #903116 26-Sep-2013 14:29
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Netgear and Open dns looks to be a decent option plus they arent over priced. Btw I dont yet have a child it was more of a theoretical situation.




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Hammerer
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  #903145 26-Sep-2013 15:20
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I agree. Just be aware that any web-based solution can end before you want it to. This happened with a previous Netgear solution. 



raytaylor
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  #903416 26-Sep-2013 23:21
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Most routers at dick smith or harvy norman (dlink, netgear, belkin) will allow you to put in a blacklist which you manually manage. Eg. if you wanted to block facebook you could use the feature, but blocking all adult content is more difficult because the memory of the router wouldnt be able to hold the list of all adult websites in the world.

The opendns suggestion above is probably the best bet. No residentially priced router is really any good at doing it within the unit itself.

You set the router to act as a dns relay, and on the wan / dsl connection, use opendns instead of the isp's dns servers.
Opendns will then try to filter any bad stuff.

When the router issues an ip address to a device on the network, it will tell said device to use the router as its dns server, which it just relays on to opendns.

However the end user can manually program another dns server such as googles 8.8.8.8 or your actual isp's server to bypass it. This is still the best option for a residential user in my opinion.

The downside is that youtube videos may be served direct from the USA as your isp's dns server wont be able to direct such content network requests to their local cache. This may mean a little buffering depending upon the content service being used.




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Hammerer
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  #903565 27-Sep-2013 10:02
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raytaylor: ...
However the end user can manually program another dns server such as googles 8.8.8.8 or your actual isp's server to bypass it. This is still the best option for a residential user in my opinion.

The downside is that youtube videos may be served direct from the USA as your isp's dns server wont be able to direct such content network requests to their local cache. This may mean a little buffering depending upon the content service being used.


raytaylor has reminded me that OpenDNS couldn't be used with cached ISPs like TelstraClear (now Vodafone) so it is worth checking that it can work now before buying a netgear router. See discussions in these forums of ISP caching, DNS and akamai.

As he also points out, OpenDNS can be bypassed so the motivation of your "child" is the key becaue any of the parental controls are circumventable when the "child" controls the configuration of the device that they are using.

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