Blocking Windows Live/MSN/Yahoo Messenger


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David Chin

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Oct 31, 2006
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My son is doing his O level this year but he is so engrossed with messenging and if this continues, I am concerned that his preparation will be affected. I am using a Linksys Wireless-G Cable Gateway supplied by Starhub for my Maxonline subscription. I have been researching (Google) how to block his wireless notebook from doing messenging but can't seem to find a solution. Can this be done and is there an easy way out?

I think I will want to prevent him from accessing Limewire and Bittorrent. Do I simply block these websites?

I shall be grateful for all assistance.

David
 

what about disabling network access for his laptop for certain times of the day? i don't think a laptop is needed to study for O levels. i may be wrong though seeing how the education system is changing.

anyways, having been a tech savvy rebellious teen, i think that should only be a last resort. if you block his access he's going to find some other way to talk to his friends. if i were him, i would find a way to tap into other people's networks, bypass your blocks, or go to macdonalds where there's free wireless. worse, he might turn to SMS and run up bills with all that messaging!

if your son is the mature and reasonable type, perhaps you can talk to him about it and tell him to limit his use? or maybe have an agreement that you'll let him use the internet as long as he can show you that he's doing work and being serious about his O's.

that's what my dad did to me and i respect him for treating me like an adult. plus i really didnt want to fail my Os...haha

good luck!
 

lucky my dad's computer skills are imparted from me... lol... hence i only teach him 1% of what i know... the old sifu style.

like antacid have said, if i were him, i'll tap on my neighbour's... reset your router, blah blah blah... probably even go direct when you not around. with a spare wireless router or cat5e cable.

but answer to your qn, you can use your router to block access to certain IP, and you lock ip to mac address (unless he know how to change mac address) then block ports to bittorrent. probably can block all, and only open http port if you only allow him to surf. And also block addresses that he surf...
 

i think it will be better to have a talk with your son and urge him to focus on his studies for now. blocking all these services and websites will not necessarily have the desired effect. in fact you will likely to isolate him and make him resentful. oh yeah...my son just finished his o levels and i didn't need to restrict him. i just had a talk with him and he sorted himself out. i guess sub-standard mid-year results also woke him up a bit ;p
 

My son is doing his O level this year but he is so engrossed with messenging and if this continues, I am concerned that his preparation will be affected. I am using a Linksys Wireless-G Cable Gateway supplied by Starhub for my Maxonline subscription. I have been researching (Google) how to block his wireless notebook from doing messenging but can't seem to find a solution. Can this be done and is there an easy way out?

I think I will want to prevent him from accessing Limewire and Bittorrent. Do I simply block these websites?

I shall be grateful for all assistance.

David

Hi!

My company uses a program call 'watch dog' to block most of the net access but duno is it workable for u?

Hope that helps!
Cheers!
From an IT Duno!:bsmilie:
 

i think it will be better to have a talk with your son and urge him to focus on his studies for now. blocking all these services and websites will not necessarily have the desired effect. in fact you will likely to isolate him and make him resentful. oh yeah...my son just finished his o levels and i didn't need to restrict him. i just had a talk with him and he sorted himself out. i guess sub-standard mid-year results also woke him up a bit ;p

i'll talk to my son about it...

probably another 18 years time... :bsmilie:
 

even if you block his access on his com he could just surfer around and or ask till he figures out how to get around that. would be better if u just restrict his computer access time instead me thinks.
 

No point blocking, there are too many ways to bypass blockage. My company block all the above messengers and I am still able to get connected.

The best way is to talk to your son about the importance on concentrating on his exams.
 

Talk to him. Don't resort to such methods because he will most likely find ways to circumvent them and I reckon it won't be a pretty sight.

Share with him your concerns, talk to him like an adult. You'd be surprised how effective it might be.
 

I'm taking PSLE this year, I'm playing up to 5hours a day, 2hour studying during SCHOOL HOLIDAY. Everything will be the otherway when the school re-opens. So yeah, he is a human, he needs to play & rest. Perhabs if you block the internet he might go crazy and don't study?
 

Tell him strictly in the face "No MSN or no pocket money".

Block no use what. Now got free wireless@sg, then there is internet cafe, school got internet, library got internet, girlfriend's home got internet, classmates' home got internet, some buses also got internet, handphone got internet

.....some fridge even got internet. so how to block?
 

dun start a war that you would likely lose. chances are, your son is probably more tech-savvy or has greater access to tech-savvy friends/resources.

even if you manage to block his access, he is unlikely to be in a studying frame of mind. you still lose, as your objective is not met.

i suggest having an open discussion with him. as parents, i think it is our job to inculcate in them the necessary principles as foundation & then, hope & pray that they make the right decision eventually...
 

You spend time learning to block, then he spends time trying to unblock. Is that a fruitful use of time?

Talk nicely treat them like adult. :)
 

No point blocking, there are too many ways to bypass blockage. My company block all the above messengers and I am still able to get connected.

The best way is to talk to your son about the importance on concentrating on his exams.


Maybe your co. IT pple not up to the mark. All they have to do is to setup firewall to block all outgoing ports except http/https/ftp to the internet (prevent u from using a outside proxy) + implement a transparent proxy and setup the proxy to block your http/https connection to the msn domain and u are Pawned. Unless u use your personal wireless broadband.

For home users, u might not have the resources to do as above. One way of blocking msn is this. U will have to remove your son from the administrator/power user rights. The lock the BIOS with a password to prevent him from booting from other media that can be used to hack the system. Install a PC firewall and configure the firewall to block all access to the msn.com domain (if u dun have a firewall, change the host file on the system to get the domain lookup to point to a blackhole and assigned permission to the host file such that normal user can't change the host file). Then, disable non administrator from changing the firewall policy. This way, he can't connect to msn even if he can connect to other free network.

Please make sure your system are always up to date too. This is to prevent the user of the computer system from hacking the system using the known vulnerability.
 

I can tell you when I was 16, my dad used to restrict my access by removing the power cable to the CPU. Obviously, it didn't work, as I found means and ways to get access again, including looking for the cable and purchasing and hiding a spare one.

Moral of the story, you can't stop a 16-year-old adolescent by such means - one has to treat a 16 year old like a mature person; you'd be surprised when you get a matured response from them when you treat them with the same respect you want from them. Earning your respect as a parent is one aspect of parenting that many parents neglect. It usually ends up with the teen being a rebel, or worse, a juvenile. You cannot expect respect without earning it; everyone is human, even your own kids. They will only respect who they see fit.
 

then tell him, no msn during office hours, deduct your salary and no increment if caught msning... lol...
To TS:
What if he's discussing schoolwork via msn? msn very powerful, can share whiteboard, can draw diagrams, can scribble formula etc.. rather than meeting up at a fast food joint to share notes, I think msn is a good avenue to discuss school work. Talk to him, be sure that he gets his priority right and be glad he's staying at home and not out somewhere he's not supposed to be.
 

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