Internet monitoring software
 

Does anyone have any suggestions on software that will allow me to limit the time any particular user spends on the internet? I've got 4 kids and would like to give them each 30 or 40 minutes of time on the 'net each day without having to watch and make sure they don't use an hour or something. While monitoring what sites they go to would be nice, it really isn't my main goal. Our computer sits in the living room so I'm not worried about them visiting inappropriate sites (this hasn't happened in the last year yet anyway)

I'm thinking something that will force a login for internet access and then cut off access after a specified amount of time. Any suggestions are appreciated

Thanks,
Bruce

i've downloaded but havent tried yet is a program called shutdown.

http://www.download.com/3120-20_4.ht...=srch&tg=dl-20

something similiar to these, it just shuts off the whole computer,

just an idea

You can try net nanny...its not free..but I think its exactly what your looking for. There is also a PC magazine review of it and its features....


http://www.netnanny.com/

Windows vista seems to have good parental controls, time limits, limited types of sites or only specific sites allowed, parental reports, etc. I have only just begun to setup my kids but looks good so far.

I used a timer for my kids. Set it to 30 minutes, put it on the desk, when the ringer goes off, time is up. Teaches them scheduling and self control as well. Make them think and be responsible, rather than run them with software.

Here's a free one. I haven't had time to actually play with it, but the guys I've talked to about it really like how it works and what can be accomplished with it. It may not have quite enough on the parental monitoring side for what you're looking for, but does offer a lot in the way of whole system protection from people changing things.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...s/default.mspx

"Billy sits on the couch starring a whole through the back of dads head as dearest daddy surfs canreef for a few hours after billys time runs out...."

lol..........j/k....but honestly??? ;)

Maybe it's just me, but I never looked at software solutions to parenting.

With 4 kids it's not easy to keep track of who's been on the computer and for how long. Frankly though, I loved the timer idea and I think we'll probably use that in addition to some sort of internet filtering software.

Always start with the youngest. They're afraid of the bigger kids and will get off in time, then will be more than willing to tell on the older ones if they go past their time. Easy!! :)

Linux Proxy
 

I know this might sound complicated by it is really not, and there is a few easy ways to set it up.

I work as an IT admin for a school district. At all of our schools we have a "transparent proxy" set up. It is a cheap (pentium 3) computer that goes between the internet and the local network (in this case your home network). It does a number of things.
1. Provides a proxy server that speeds up web access for the whole school
2. Does content filtering with easy to setup rules, it scans for key words to "rate" a site and allow/deny it, and can also blanket allow or deny certain sites. User based controls are in place as well, IE: staff can look at anything and students get filtered content.
3. Allows us to turn on/off internet access, limit the amount of browsing (not time, but count of pages viewed), and set limits on what time it can be used per user rather than for everybody.

If you have an old computer sitting around there is pre-built "Vmware" images that you just install the whole package (Dansguardian and squid) at once and it just runs. Or you can put 2 network card in a computer and install a prepared image onto the computer.

I am in the process of setting this up myself for my home network as my daughter is getting to the age where she can use the internet. As it will alllow me to "whitelist" sites for her.Which means: block everything except those sites that I say are allowed.
It is just a nice tool to be able to set the rules and have something that will let me easily enforce it without have to be looking over her shoulder all the time.

And just to point out to all those parents out there: "Allowing your young child to have a computer in their room with un-controlled internet is just plain stupid, real stupid." Heck, even having a computer behind closed doors for them is not a good idea either.

Good one !