Limit Internet Access | How?

[Redneck]

Here's what I have in mind. I want to limit internet access on my son's computer. Either from like 7 to 11 or for accumulated 4 hours a day at any time. Each one solution is fine.
However, internet access for all other computers in the house should not be affected by this restriction.

The router is an Apple Time Capsule (Airport Express), my son's computer is a Windows Vista machine.

Any ideas how to get this done?

[revjvegas]

Net Nanny?

[KdLaneJr]

Add an administrator account to your son's computer for yourself, remove administrator privileges for your son's account. Utilize user policy settings to control when he can be on the internet.

Adjusting policy settings isn't always easy if you're not already familiar with it.

Net Nanny or similar might be a better solution for you.

[Redneck]

I don't really want to mess with my son's computer or install additional software. I was hoping for a way to restrict access at the router.

[KdLaneJr]

That requires you to be there to allow or disallow his ip address access to the internet. If you have the temperment to stick with that, it's not hard. Exactly how to do that will be determined by your router.

[Redneck]

Never mind, I got it.
It's very easy with the Time Capsule and Airport Utility. You just have to determine the physical address of the network adapter (ipconfig /all) and then you can restrict it with "Timed Access" under "Access Control" in Airport Utility. Couldn't be easier.

If anybody needs more details, let me know.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

[ggeen]

I am not familiar with Windows 7 but you may beagle to accomplish that with a policy on you child's account. In XP one could limit access to such minute things as the printer.

[yaterag]

This works with other routers as well. I did that as a joke on my router blocking my wife's internet access. Let's just say she didn't find it quite as funny as I did.

[Robin Friday]

Originally Posted by Redneck

Never mind, I got it.
It's very easy with the Time Capsule and Airport Utility. You just have to determine the physical address of the network adapter (ipconfig /all) and then you can restrict it with "Timed Access" under "Access Control" in Airport Utility. Couldn't be easier.

If anybody needs more details, let me know.

Thanks for the tips, guys.

I have the same problem with my daughter and the excessive time she is spending on the net. Please provide details as you mention above. I have a Time Capsule and she and I each have MacBook Pros.

Much appreciated.

RF

[Redneck]

First you need to find out the MAC address of the network adapter you want to set restrictions on.

Then here is how it goes.

1. Write down MAC address
2. Start Airport Utility
3. At your Time Capsule choose "Manual Setup"
4. On the next screen click on "Access Control"
5. In the field "MAC Address Access Control" choose "Timed Access".
6. Click "+" and then fill in the MAC address of the network adapter and then the days and times you'd like to allow access to the network.
7. Click "Update" to save the changes at the Time Capsule.

[Robin Friday]

thanks. I have followed your instructions, but it doesn't seem to be having any effect. I entered her Mac number in, and the hours, and it shows up in the right Airport Utility Window, but she is online and connected now in what the AU window shows as a no access window. Any ideas?

[Redneck]

Did you fill in the physical (MAC) address of her wireless network adapter?

If you did and she still has access at the times you've restricted then she might be connected to the internet via a different network adapter (maybe Ethernet). Or via her iPhone, iPad or whatever might be used as a wireless hotspot.

[lfmerrell]

Turn off the router if possible.

[dbaldock]

One thing to consider is that, for a computer savy person, it is possible to spoof different MAC addreses. So your router should probably be set up to only allow connections from the specific addresses of your PC's.

[Robin Friday]

Thanks for all your replies. Yes I think that some of her friends- at least the 14 yo boy variety- are indeed computer savvy and that is exactly what she did (I found she has been using the Terminal utility which I think she would not have known about w/o significant geek help). So instead of limiting specific MAC addresses- I set the "default" access setting at the restrictions I wanted for her, and then expressly entered permissions for the grown up ids to have unlimited access. It worked! and she's not happy...