internet filter and access control

[Bill Vermillion]

On Thu, Jan 27 06:45 , Men gasped, women fainted, and small children 
were reduced to tears as Lerebours, Jose confessed to all:" 

> Hello Dennis!

> I think this is something you can do within your router.  Have
> you checked your router documentation for such feature?

> Another way to trick this is by creating a "virtual" DNS server
> (use an internal PC or the same TC Server) and manually edit 
> ~hosts file and list the URLs you want them to access.

Editing the hosts won't keep anyone from going to the 'net
via an IP number.  

The other problem will be that you will have to set up the machines
you don't want to access the world to use that internal DNS and
for those that need to go elsewhere have those set up with a real
DNS.

And then you have to keep the users from chaning the network
settings to use an external DNS.   Since a good many people are
computer savy then you need a very good internal policy as to what
will happen to anyone violating the policies.

A combination router/firewall would be easiest.  The OP had
asked for something " software or hardware reasonably price" 
and the problem there is that ones person's 'reasonable' is
another's 'outrageous'.

I have a client who is running SonicWall device and they have table
to configure for things like this.  Other units also do this, but
I don't know if the small el-cheapo devices are that sophisticated.

Sorry if someone else has answered this already.

I started a reply at about 915AM, and was called out, and found
I was just sitting with a half-composed message on the screen - and
it's now about 6:45.


> Of course, you can expect a lot of suggestions to use Linux box
> and build a firewall - which is not a bad idea!

True.  However dedicated devices with easily understandable
configuration menus and in the case of Sonic GREAT SW support are
much better for those who don't want to dig too deep.

> 
> Hope this helps!
> 
> JL
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com
> > [mailto:filepro-list-bounces at lists.celestial.com]On Behalf Of Dennis
> > Malen
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2005 8:08 PM
> > To: filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> > Subject: internet filter and access control
> > 
> > 
> > We are seeking software or hardware reasonably price that 
> > will permit users 
> > access to only company permitted  web sites.
> > 
> > All users are on thin clients. Therefore, no software may be 
> > installed on 
> > the users machine only on the server.
> > 
> > If anyone is aware of anything that may work, please let me know.
> > 
> > Dennis Malen
> > 516.479.5912 
> > 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Filepro-list mailing list
> > Filepro-list at lists.celestial.com
> > http://mailman.celestial.com/mailman/listinfo/filepro-list
> > 
> 
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> 

-- 
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com