Can I Block AIM?

[Carbo]

Strange, but my daughter would rather hang on AOL Instant Messenger than do homework. Go figure.
Anyway, I need to block that crap from the 'puter, but I can't figure out how. She uses the AIM Express version. I thought I had it figured out by going into the hosts file and blocking the URL from there. Somehow, she's getting around that. Any suggestions? (XP Pro, by the way).

 

[isekii]

i think AIM Express is a Java applet ...

is there a way to block the java applets ? ?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

java ..?

 

[Carbo]

I think it is a java applet, too. Is there a way to block it? The vast pool of know how that lurks on these forums will soon provide the answer.

 

[Spooner]

bearing outsmarted by the daughter........ hehehheheheh

instead of being that over-bearing obnoxious parent, why don't you set limits? get homework done, then chat all night if she wants..... taking away AIM exclusively for a teenage daughter may cause a great deal of dissent

 

[scorp00]

AIM express is java. If you un-install all of the components needed to run java, then she can't load aim express. Then block installing anything.

I don't have java here at work, and it sucks. I hate the anal IT guys.

 

[jlee]

Can you just set www.aimexpress.com to be a passworded/blocked site in IE's permissions section, or does she then use other browsers?

Seems that some obedience needs to be learned..you shouldn't have to actually block the ability to run AIM..IMHO, anyways.

 

[Jzero]

edit the hosts file.
Point login.oscar.aol.com to localhost

Should take care of that...

 

[CTho9305]

it might still use port 5190.... you could try setting up a firewall.
ooh, better idea. Unless she's really knowledgeable, edit C:\windows\system32\drivers\ets\hosts (open it with notepad) and add whatever domain name the aim client uses, with the IP 127.0.0.1. No more aim

edit: bah, owned by jzero

edit2: thats what I get for surfing in like 15 tabs at once

 

[Jzero]

ooh, better idea. Unless she's really knowledgeable, edit C:\windows\system32\drivers\ets\hosts (open it with notepad) and add whatever domain name the aim client uses, with the IP 127.0.0.1. No more aim

Oh yeah, what a great idea. I'm so glad you thought of that

 

[GoingUp]

What kind of internet connection do you have? Some firewalls block certain ports perminantly and others will block it for a certain period of time....

 

[thawolfman]

Originally posted by: Jzero

ooh, better idea. Unless she's really knowledgeable, edit C:\windows\system32\drivers\ets\hosts (open it with notepad) and add whatever domain name the aim client uses, with the IP 127.0.0.1. No more aim

Oh yeah, what a great idea. I'm so glad you thought of that

0wned

 

[Carbo]

First, before this becomes a thread on parenting and that associated BS, thanks for the advice but let's keep it on track.
Jzero, Ctho, I've already edited the hosts file with the following:
127.0.0.1 www.aol.com
127.0.0.1 www.aim.com
127.0.0.1 www.aol.co.uk (this one because I see she was going this route to get to AOL).
But, despite this, she is still getting through.
If it helps, I'm on a cable modem, and I'm behind Netgear RT314 Gateway router.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
What kind of internet connection do you have? Some firewalls block certain ports perminantly and others will block it for a certain period of time....

The only problem with port blocking is that AIM will try many different ports and keep trying until it finds one that's open. It usually ends up settling on 80 and you give up since you don't want to block all your http traffic.

 

[Aves]

Originally posted by: Carbo
First, before this becomes a thread on parenting and that associated BS, thanks for the advice but let's keep it on track.
Jzero, Ctho, I've already edited the hosts file with the following:
127.0.0.1 www.aol.com
127.0.0.1 www.aim.com
127.0.0.1 www.aol.co.uk (this one because I see she was going this route to get to AOL).
But, despite this, she is still getting through.
If it helps, I'm on a cable modem, and I'm behind Netgear RT314 Gateway router.

As Jzero suggested, add this:

127.0.0.1 login.oscar.aol.com

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Carbo
First, before this becomes a thread on parenting and that associated BS, thanks for the advice but let's keep it on track.
Jzero, Ctho, I've already edited the hosts file with the following:
127.0.0.1 www.aol.com
127.0.0.1 www.aim.com
127.0.0.1 www.aol.co.uk (this one because I see she was going this route to get to AOL).
But, despite this, she is still getting through.
If it helps, I'm on a cable modem, and I'm behind Netgear RT314 Gateway router.

why not just shut off internet access on that computer completely ?
and teach her a lesson ~

 

[scorp00]

Pop-up killer running in the background, and manually put aim express into it?

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Carbo
First, before this becomes a thread on parenting and that associated BS, thanks for the advice but let's keep it on track.
Jzero, Ctho, I've already edited the hosts file with the following:
127.0.0.1 www.aol.com
127.0.0.1 www.aim.com
127.0.0.1 www.aol.co.uk (this one because I see she was going this route to get to AOL).
But, despite this, she is still getting through.
If it helps, I'm on a cable modem, and I'm behind Netgear RT314 Gateway router.

You've got to add login.oscar.aol.com the ones you've redirected are just to the web servers, while this actually blocks access to the server that authenticates you on the AIM network. It will pretty much screw any AIM client.

 

[Carbo]

why not just shut off internet access on that computer completely ?

She needs access for other school related work. I just need to shut down AIM until the school work gets done.

 

[ScrapSilicon]

Originally posted by: isekii

Originally posted by: Carbo
First, before this becomes a thread on parenting and that associated BS, thanks for the advice but let's keep it on track.
Jzero, Ctho, I've already edited the hosts file with the following:
127.0.0.1 www.aol.com
127.0.0.1 www.aim.com
127.0.0.1 www.aol.co.uk (this one because I see she was going this route to get to AOL).
But, despite this, she is still getting through.
If it helps, I'm on a cable modem, and I'm behind Netgear RT314 Gateway router.

why not just shut off internet access on that computer completely ?
and teach her a lesson ~

 

[Nutcase99]

heh you sound like my dad doing that to my bro. good luck with that. The hosts file idea is the best because if you install a program she can just either exit the program or uninstall the program.

 

[Carbo]

Thanks, guys, for all the help. I just added the address that JZero suggested in the hosts file. We'll find out tonight if it did the trick.

 

[PsychoAndy]

Originally posted by: Carbo
Thanks, guys, for all the help. I just added the address that JZero suggested in the hosts file. We'll find out tonight if it did the trick.

You could lock out IE altogehter and enforce admin rights (no more program installs outside of the admin acct).

-PAB

 

[LordJezo]

Not sure if it was asked, but do you have different accounts.. as in her being a standard XP user and not an admin?

 

[RbSX]

You can get this disabled, go into internet settings -> Security -> custom settings

Disable java applets.


There ya go.