Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
denisj
Enthusiast - Level 1

There are 5 PC's on my home network. I want to block my sons PC from the internet on specific days if the week. I have tried parental controls and access controls but they do not work. This is because they block PC's based on computer name. Everytime he starts his computer he changes his computer name and gets a new IP. I have been told that you cannot block a PC based on MAC address but I think this is what I need to do. Can anyone give me instructions to configure the router to block this PC that is not based on PC name? 

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
prisaz
Legend

Go into advanced settings, IP address distribution, and at the bottom click on connections.

It should show his current PC Name, connection, IP and MAC address.

To the right side you will see a magnifier glass that shows connection informatin, a pencil, and a X.

If you click on the pencil it will open a the window below. If you select static, DHCP will always assign the same address to his PC based on the MAC address. You can select the address that you want the PC to use each time the PC boots.

Here you can also define the PC name that the router will use.

Regardless, the router should show the name of his PC. If he changes the name of his PC take administrative rights away from him.

Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
denisj
Enthusiast - Level 1

It sounds like what you are saying is if I set it to STATIC addressing, which I understand means the router will always assign the same IP to that specific MAC address when it comes on the network. Correct? Is so then the router will  filter based on that static IP, so no matter what name the PC has it will still filter? Also, I thought the router picked up the name from the PC when it recognized it,  but I discovered I could change the name in the router and the PC would retain its own name so I concluded the communcation for name is only from PC to router not from router to PC correct?

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
jumpin68ny
Master - Level 2

Please note that when you use Parental Controls your download speeds will be cut in half.  If you pay for 25/25 your maximum download speed will be about 12-13. 

Jim

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
prisaz
Legend

@jumpin68ny wrote:

Please note that when you use Parental Controls your download speeds will be cut in half.  If you pay for 25/25 your maximum download speed will be about 12-13. 

Jim


I agree with Jim.

When the Parental Controls were turned on for the testing of my router, it seemed like the router would go out and hit some third party server to search thier database. This server looked like it was located in the Asia Pacific Region. Maybe that is where the routers are made. I would need to look.Smiley Happy

Yes, you would be better off using something software based on each local computer.

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
Justin46
Legend

@denisj wrote:

There are 5 PC's on my home network. I want to block my sons PC from the internet on specific days if the week. I have tried parental controls and access controls but they do not work. This is because they block PC's based on computer name. Everytime he starts his computer he changes his computer name and gets a new IP. I have been told that you cannot block a PC based on MAC address but I think this is what I need to do. Can anyone give me instructions to configure the router to block this PC that is not based on PC name? 


Have you given any thought to using OpenDNS? While I don't have any kids in the house, I am a very satisfied OpenDNS user of their free services. And they do offer parental control:

https://www.opendns.com/home-solutions/parental-controls/

I have never tried their parental control stuff, but it might be worth a try.

Edit: Actually I do have the free OpenDNS FAmilyShield configured, I decided that it might help keep me from accidentally visiting a site I shouldn't. Smiley Very Happy And it seems to work....

An issue to me that I think you are overlooking is that if your sons are computer literate, and it sounds like at least one of them is, they will figure out how to get around pretty much anything you do. But to make it as difficult as possible, I suggest you:

1) Create user accounts on their PCs, change the login info for any administrator accounts to something very difficult to crack (and verify that you change all administrator accounts, they may have created their own account "just in case dad gets upset and does something"), then give them the user login info only.

2) Take a look at using OpenDNS and its parental controls. If you decide to do so, put the DNS addresses in each PC as well as the router to ensure they can't get around it.

3) Lock the router up (I mean physically lock the box in an inaccessible place). If they can get to it when you are not around, all they need to do is push the reset button to totally remove any settings you may have made to limit their access. And here again, just in case, make the login something they will never figure out. Back up the router configuration on your hard drive so you can easily reload it if needed.

4) Be sure to secure your own PC with a complex password also. You don't want them to be able to use your PC to change anything you have set up.

5) If you don't like the OpenDNS Parental Control stuff or it doesn't do what you need, there are other ways to do it, with software on the PCs, probably purchased. I have never looked into this option, but I believe there are some pretty complete programs available.

There are probably a number of other things tha could and should be done, but the above would be a start I think. Good luck!

__________________________________
Justin
FiOS TV, 25/25 Internet, and Digital Voice user
QIP7232, QIP7100-P2, IMG 1.9.1
Keller, TX 76248

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
jumpin68ny
Master - Level 2

Mark, working with enterprise-based routers and switches my understanding from Actiontec is parental controls is done in software while normal traffic is handled in asic (hardware).

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
prisaz
Legend

@jumpin68ny wrote:

Mark, working with enterprise-based routers and switches my understanding from Actiontec is parental controls is done in software while normal traffic is handled in goes (hardware).


Actiontec call it software, I call it a firmware program. The way the router goes out to a third party to check contents.

Now in regards to restricting the use of connection availability, I would agree it is hardware/software, if you select a time, and DHCP is issuing the IP based on HARDWARE MAC. Ok it is all semantics. I am not here to argue. Some say tomato some say tamato.Smiley LOL

When I tested it a long while back, there was a feature for parental controls to also do content filtering based on firmware settings, and it would go out to the third party server, and that third party would run a content scan, probably with software, and the return the accepted or rejected.

I am running my network with a Transparent Linux Proxy Server and Dan's Guardian K-12 filter. So yes mine is in local software so there is little delay. But software run on a server on the APNIC is going to have a very long delay. Thus a very slow responce and a large amount of overhead.

I was agreeing with you. Sorry.

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Re: Actiontec MI424 Advanced Parental Controls Loophole
denisj
Enthusiast - Level 1

In my frustration I decided a couple months ago to try OpenDNS, configured to block all GAMES and it works fine. But I only wanted to block during certain times; right now all day Monday thru Wednesday. Open DNS can't be configured on a time based setting. So every Monday and Wed I go to their website, checking and unchecking GAMES. This is a pain but its worth it.

The only problem is if his PC is left on all the time connected to a gaming website, and the block is applied, it can't boot the PC off the site until the PC temporarily goes to another site and returns.  I can't reboot the PC, because the DNS server config will be lost but I guess I could reboot the router power only. I don't have access to his password protected PC so I can't do anything there. I can't take his PC away; he is 23yrs old and guards it dearly. While he is living at my house I am committed to "helping" him to slowly deal with his gaming addiction. He is dealing with it but is not very happy.

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