Setting a time limit

[hkspike]

I'm looking for advice. I could use a piece of software that will allow me to limit the amount of time that my kids (one specifically) spends on-line. Obviously it needs to work with current firewalls, anti-virus software and all the other anti-malware stuff. I did try CyberSitter a looooong while back and recall it had issue with Norton. A brief read of its support site suggests that it still may.Rather than say you can use a particular web site from, maybe, 4-6 pm, I'd like to be able to allow a 2 hr window per day.Any ideas?Andy

[Ed_P]

Some routers have that capability. The Netgear that I recently got has it. In addition a router's firewall function can take a load off the pc's workload. Look for an inexpensive G model. $20-$30US

[Guest LilBambi]

Most kids are pretty smart about computers, and even if they are not, they have friends that are, or they can find information on the Internet or have their friends find it on the Internet for them, to bypass most any filtering system, etc. you use.I could name three places on the Internet right now (without even thinking about it) that will tell you in no uncertain terms, the step by step (even if it takes putting a keylogger on your own system to grab parental passwords), how to disable or workaround most all filtering systems including CYBERsitter, Net Nanny, CyberPatrol, AOL Parental Controls, CyberSnoop, EyeGuard, SurfWatch, WinSelect, BESS proxy filters, and many others.The only one that claims to be unbreakable appears to be NetMop. But it is apparently only for Windows.I am not sure whether that can be gotten around by using sites that allow you to type in a URL that goes through their anonymizers or not. They say not. That would have to be tested.For time slicing Internet time based on NICs on your network, you could use a hardware solution, such as a firewall router with builtin scheduler based on the NIC's MAC address. But be aware that most school age children can easily find out that all they have to do is reset the router firewall and they can get in when they want.If you are using Windows, you could try a combination of NetMop for filtering, and a hardware solution for scheduling time.Either way, an open discussion about what's happening and repurcussions for tampering is highly recommended. Open communications is aways the best policy.Just my two cents.

[DeafBug]

I agree with LilBambi. I just wanted to say that the wireless router that I have Linksys WRT54GS has that MAC address filtering as well. I want to add that you can totally throw it off. Even if the kids did a hard reset on the router. They are not going to know what you did to get back on the Internet or configure it. In my case, I have Comcast and they only connect based on the MAC address. I have had it for 4 years and I have gone thru several NIC cards. So the NIC card that Comcast has the MAC address from is gone. I wrote down the MAC address in case I need it. You are suppose to call them everytime you get a new NIC card. Why should I when I have that clone feature. So that is one way to thwart your kids without letting them know the MAC address. Of course that is assuming you have cablemodem connection. I don't know about DSL or other.There are other ways if you get creative on the router.

[epp_b]

Isn't it possible to set login time limits with Windows XP Pro?

[Pete!]

No offense intended....BUT:There's no software or hardware substitute for parental supervision....... If you lock them in a closet every time you leave the house, eventually they'll figure out a way to get free.

[epp_b]

Good one

[hkspike]

You'd be talking to the wrong guy on that subject. I'm totally involved in all their activities and take a close interest in their schooling too, thanks! So rather than your patronising, moralistic thoughts, how about an answer to the question? I can watch over 30 mins of continuous piano practice, be there to help with homework but keeping track of on-line sessions before and after school and in the evening is far from easy. It would also allow me to demonstrate to my 10 year old exactly how much time he does spend on www.runescape.comI have a WRT54G. I don't see how to use it to control session time. I can see how to set it to only allow access to the web or to a specific site during a specified period but not to collate a cumulative run-time.You've all given lots of good ideas but I didn't ask how to lock a child out of a site; I have NIS if I choose to do that. If there is a way to set the Linksys router to do that, please advise.The OS is XP Home SP2.Thanks, Andy

[epp_b]

NetNanny appears to be OK, but its somewhat cumbersome and unintuitive to configure and it doesn't appear to require a password for uninstallation, which makes it pretty useless.

[Ed_P]

hkspike you appear to want a means to control and record ad hoc and disjointed time periods rather than a fixed time period. The router should be able to control a fixed time period, ie you can only use the 'net between 3:00 and 5:00 but you will need other means to accumulate the times.If the router provides for a log, and it can be offloaded to the pc, you might be able to input it into a spread sheet to do the accumulation and reporting. Another approach to the accumulating of disjointed times might be a project billing utility. I don't use any or know of any unfortunately but they do exist. As for controlling access via accumulated time, ie you can play for 2 hrs max per day and that's it, I don't know of anything that does that. However, it is an interesting concept and maybe someone will develop such a utility if there is enough interest.hth

[zlim]

You may want to address your question to Fred Langa. I'm sure there are parents in your situation who supervise their children but can't watch them over summer vacation unless they don't go to work.Fred has a huge readership and someone may have some sort of solution or at least it will get the programmers thinking about a possible program to write.

[airporttech]

HiI have been having the same problems with my kids, and yes they are too dam smart for some of those programs mentioned. I have found a tool called Access Boss, it is run from the admin side of XP and does exactly what you are looking for. Check it out at:http://www.fspro.net/aboss/index.htmlRemember though that this program is only as good as your Administrator management abilities.Good Luck

[hkspike]

Thanks, I'll take a closer look at that when I get a free moment. Seems to heading down the right path even if it requires a few structural changes to the way things are currently set. I had looked at router control but it lacks what seems to be a subtlety that I hadn't full appreciated this question invoked. Figured this would be an easy one!Thanks, Andy

[zlim]

While searching for something else, I stumbled across this program http://www.kidswatch.com/It seems like you can limit time and also limit the hours in a day that this applies to, for example 2 hours limit between 7am and 7 pm. I think that's what you had in mind. It can also be set differently for each day of the week.

[airporttech]

I think you will find that AccessBoss will do what you are looking for. I currently have it set so each child gets 3 hours per day on their respective desktops. The clock starts ticking as soon as they log in, once they reach their time limit they get a warning of x seconds to give them time to save any data they don't want to lose; then it automatically logs them off and will not allow them to log back in till the following day. It also allows you to set-up a schedule for the week if you want to get really involved, maybe when school starts back up I may try that section out.

[Guest LilBambi]

Sounds like AccessBoss and NetMop (for content different levels of content filtering) in tandem would be the ultimate solution ... if you start early enough for kids to appreciate what you are doing and understand the reasoning as they get older. There was one very nice lady who had a very young teen in the house and when she was concerned about where her daughter might be going because of some of the stuff in her cache and so forth, her daughter told her it was her job to protect her from stuff she shouldn't see. So now she's using NetMop on not only her daughter's computer, but also her own work computer to protect herself from mistyped URLs and such.