Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
MisterVapor
Enthusiast - Level 2

I want to block all computers, phones and devices from getting to a website on my home network from my router.  I've seen many posts from people wanting to block porn or YouTube from their kids' computer.  My family shares multple computers.  So, I cannot block my kid's computer...he has access to any computer in the house.  I;m not here to debate the merits of setting up a single computer for my kid to use, he's a teenager and I want to limit his access time to certain websites he visits.  He's not visiting anything bad, he just visits them more than I prefer and ends up online late at night.  So, I tried the Advanced FIltering so I could setup time limits as well as block URLs but I am not able to block a URL from ALL devices...I have to pick the computer attempting to connect to the internet.  I do not want that and I would really rather not use OpenDNS or another service like that...there HAS to be a way to do this from within the Verizon Router...HAS to be.  If you cannot, then Verizon needs to update the Router firmware so I can.  Most routers I've sen will allow me to do this.  I almost feel like i have to install a secondary router and use that router to control all of the access in my network but I'm not 100% sure how to do that...that will be my next google search...lol.  PLEASE tell me someone knows how I can do this on the Verizon router...I have an Actiontec.

Thanks in advance.

MV

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Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

OpenDNS is easy to setup.  Register for a free acount.  Select the categories of sites you want blocked, or create your own list of sites allowed or not allowed.  Then change the router's DNS settings to use the OpenDNS servers and turn on the OpenDNS IP updater in the router (under Advanced).  That's all there is to it.  No software to install.

Now if you kid is bright and devious, there are a number of ways around OpenDNS.

1)  He can change the computer's DNS settings to use DNS servers other than those supplied by the router.  The solution for this is to create an advanced filter rule blocking access to outside port 53 from all computers (but not port 53 on the router).

2)  He can get a VPN account somewhere.  One he has a VPN setup on his computer, he can bypass OpenDNS or any controls in the router.  I don;t recall if OpenDNS has a category to block access to popular VPN sites.  They may.

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Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

It's possible to block a single web site or a small number of web sites, but IMO you're fighting a losing battle.  If the site you're trying to block has many servers such as a Content Delivery Network (CDN), it's an imposiible task to block every server.

I do reommend OpenDNS, but there are ways to get around that also.

If you want to try blocking a site,

  • Click on the Firewall Settings icon
  • Click yes to the nag screen
  • Select Advnced Filtering from the left menu
  • On the Advanced Filtering page, under Output Rule Sets, across from Broadband Connection, click Add
  • On the Add Advanced Filer page, leave Soruce as Any.
  • Across from Destination Address, select User Defined from the pull-down.
  • This takes you to the Edit Network Object page.
  • Enter a name for your filter rule.
  • Click Add.
  • Enter the IP address of the site you want to block.
  • Click Apply.
  • Click Apply to exit the Edit Network object page.
  • Click Apply on the Add Advanced Filtering page. Your rule should now appear on the Advanced Filtering page.
  • Click Apply one more time.
Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
MisterVapor
Enthusiast - Level 2

That's not what I want to do.  I specifically said URL because I do not want to enter the IP address because I know IP addresses change...simple DHCP rules tells you the IP Address is going to change.  Other routers allow you to filter based on keywords or parts of a URL..i.e. *facebook* will block https and http facebook pages.  In this case, it's not facebook I want to block.  But there's GOT to be a way to block a URL other than using OpenDNS...Verizon MUST resolve DNS names, right?  So, I should be able to enter the URL, have Verizon go get the the correct IP address and in turn, do the block for me....it's simply, really.  They just need to get the firmware updated...unless there is a way and I haven't seen it in the router yet.  Like I said, I think I'm going to have to go pick up a Netgear or Linksys router and control everything through that....or flash a router with dd-wrt which I REALLY do not want to do, THAT is intimidating...lol.

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Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
viafax999
Community Leader
Community Leader

I would have thought that Parental Control would be where you want to look.  It appears to say that you can set up 1 or more block or allow rules for 1 or more selected devices and limit access by blocking 1 or more websites by url using scheduled allow or disallow times.

It says

 Parental Control

The Router provides basic Parental Controls that allow you to create a list of website addresses and keywords embedded in website addresses that will limit the computer user's Internet access. Simply follow the 3 Steps below and click the Apply button to set up your Parental Controls.

Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
MisterVapor
Enthusiast - Level 2

Normally, Parental Controls would work...unless you have a tech saavy teenager who knows how to change the IP address...better yet, knows how to change thier MAC Address of their device.  Then, Parental Controls won't work.  That's why I want to block a website completely from my network during certain times.  It's not like he is doing something nefarious, he just sits up on the computer until 2:00am on a school night and it's driving me nuts.  I don't really want to have to take his power supply but unless I can figure something out with blocking the URL, I might have no choice...

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Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader

@MisterVapor wrote:

Normally, Parental Controls would work...unless you have a tech saavy teenager who knows how to change the IP address...better yet, knows how to change thier MAC Address of their device.


If you believe your teenager will actively work to circumvent controls you put in place, it sounds like you're started a tech arms race.  If he finds an open WiFi network within range or gets a smart phone, you'll loose all technology controls.  You may need to incorporate some non-tech parenting techniques in your arsenal, such as removal of the offending devices from said teenagers room when not needed for school work.

That said, you can lock down your router so only specific MAC addresses are allowed to connect and use static DHCP leases to force their IP address.

Good luck.

Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
viafax999
Community Leader
Community Leader

@MisterVapor wrote:

Normally, Parental Controls would work...unless you have a tech saavy teenager who knows how to change the IP address...better yet, knows how to change thier MAC Address of their device.  Then, Parental Controls won't work.  That's why I want to block a website completely from my network during certain times.  It's not like he is doing something nefarious, he just sits up on the computer until 2:00am on a school night and it's driving me nuts.  I don't really want to have to take his power supply but unless I can figure something out with blocking the URL, I might have no choice...


Sorry

If it's that bad I'd suggest changing the access password to all internal devices and have done with it plus removing his mobile devices.

Make him go outside and pay his own way if he is so intent on accessing whatever it is you don't want him to access

Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
MisterVapor
Enthusiast - Level 2

You're right gs0b, I am almost at the point of taking everything away.  I do not know for CERTAIN he know show to change the computer name, IP Address, and MAC Address but he's not a stupid kid.  So, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.  As I said, he's not going to any kind of nefarious websites, it's just the general concept that he is up until all hours of the night after I go to sleep.  I can use AT&T Parental controls to stop his cell phone usage but it's the laptop/desktop devices I'm struggling with.  Until the past six months or so, he's always been a good kid and never took advantage of my leniency and refusal to put software on his laptop and our basement server where he accesses the internet.  Now, he's found an activitiy he absolutely loves to do and he just can't get enough.  I helped him start buying and selling sports cards and now he watches live video all day and night of people buying and selling sports cards.  I'm extremely proud of the initiative he's taken with getting his business up and running and being as successful as it's been.  The problem is, now its becoming at the expense of what comes first, school.  So, if I can stop him from getting to a handful of these websites, I can control WHEN he visits the sites and I think things will work out best.  Maybe I will have to bite the bullet and look more closely at the OpenDNS.  Can I use OpenDNS via the router?  Do I have to install software onto each and every device that accesses the internet?  I don't know enough about OpenDNS to know just how laborious it will be to get it up and running, and maintain.

Thanks for all the advice everyone...next up? OpenDNS school...lol

Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
Anti-Phish1
Master - Level 1

OpenDNS is easy to setup.  Register for a free acount.  Select the categories of sites you want blocked, or create your own list of sites allowed or not allowed.  Then change the router's DNS settings to use the OpenDNS servers and turn on the OpenDNS IP updater in the router (under Advanced).  That's all there is to it.  No software to install.

Now if you kid is bright and devious, there are a number of ways around OpenDNS.

1)  He can change the computer's DNS settings to use DNS servers other than those supplied by the router.  The solution for this is to create an advanced filter rule blocking access to outside port 53 from all computers (but not port 53 on the router).

2)  He can get a VPN account somewhere.  One he has a VPN setup on his computer, he can bypass OpenDNS or any controls in the router.  I don;t recall if OpenDNS has a category to block access to popular VPN sites.  They may.

Re: Need to block website from ALL devices on home network
CaptainSTX
Contributor - Level 3

Just curious.  Does DNS server blocking of web sites have any impact if someone types in the numerical IP of a site since no DNS look up needs to be done?

For instance if you blocked YouTube what happens if some types in some of the common IPs for YouTube?

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