Software for little children

[Spiderdad]

Do you know of any reliable solutions to have parental control and child-friendly programs to use the internet, like a safe browser?

A lot of the software that's going around seems very technical and not suitable for inexperienced users. Is there something easier out there?

 

[seepy83]

You can look at OpenDNS's Free Web Filtering service. All you need to do is make sure your network/computers are using the OpenDNS servers instead of your ISP's (or others you may have configured), and when your computer requests to go to a website with the content that you don't want, it's blocked.

OpenDNS filtering can be bypassed by someone that's savvy, but you could probably mitigate that by only letting your children use non-administrator accounts that don't have permissions to edit the network config.

 

[John Connor]

I use OpenDNS and it's free for personal use. Set the two IP addresses in the router's DNS entries and that will push to all the computers on the network. If you have a router capable of being flashed to a third party firmware DD-WRT you can go to services and block DNS and no one can change the DNS in the computer as it will fail unless it's the router's DNS. That's my setup.

As far as browsers and such I'm not sure. Maybe Comodo's Dragon browser? I use Pale Moon.

https://store.opendns.com/get/home-free Chose household under "Where will you use this account?"

 

[Spiderdad]

OpenDNS is undesirable here. I want to use this computer when the kid is not around, fiddling with this setting back and forth seems like a hassle to me.

In the meantime, I came accross these guys, that say they have a safe browser: http://www.magicdesktop.com/

Do you know them, and how good is their product?

 

[John Connor]

OpenDNS is undesirable here. I want to use this computer when the kid is not around, fiddling with this setting back and forth seems like a hassle to me.

So you surf for porn when the kids aren't around? If not use OpenDNS!

 

[PrincessFrosty]

So you surf for porn when the kids aren't around? If not use OpenDNS!

Many parents do, if you use a shared computer it makes OpenDNS problematic to use. If your child has their own device then OpenDNS can be set as a local DNS server and locked providing only you have admin rights to that device.

Otherwise you'll need some software.

 

[ch33zw1z]

Many parents do, if you use a shared computer it makes OpenDNS problematic to use. If your child has their own device then OpenDNS can be set as a local DNS server and locked providing only you have admin rights to that device.

Otherwise you'll need some software.

Your login = regular DNS servers or use a private vpn service and get their dns servers

kids login = locked down so they can't change the DNS servers, point them at Open DNS.

I'm finding that sitting with my kids while they use the laptop is the easiest way to control it.

Bottom line, put the time in, or don't be surprised when they find out the internet is a cesspool waiting their arrival.

 

[Ketchup]

When we are home, our kids are always on a computer that is closest to me and/or my wife. It's the best and simplest way IMO.

 

[Spiderdad]

As for the porn comment, whoa, even though it made me laugh, getting way too personal there.

Regarding being around, yeah, we are around, just not 100% of the time over the shoulder, that is unrealistic, there is a house to manage when we are back from work.

If there is even a remote possibility, that the filtering is not enough to protect my kid, I prefer to use something that does not leave my kid's safety up to the likelyhood that he won't come accross something the filter neglected to predict. That is my basic qualm. If if we rush over there to close the browser real quick, my kid already glimpsed at whatever it was. Sorry but this is no good.

 

[ch33zw1z]

As for the porn comment, whoa, even though it made me laugh, getting way too personal there.

Regarding being around, yeah, we are around, just not 100% of the time over the shoulder, that is unrealistic, there is a house to manage when we are back from work.

If there is even a remote possibility, that the filtering is not enough to protect my kid, I prefer to use something that does not leave my kid's safety up to the likelyhood that he won't come accross something the filter neglected to predict. That is my basic qualm. If if we rush over there to close the browser real quick, my kid already glimpsed at whatever it was. Sorry but this is no good.

Check out OpenDNS, it's free to sign up. it has default profiles, very customizable options. Seriously, it doesn't cost anything to check it out.

 

[Spiderdad]

Check out OpenDNS, it's free to sign up. it has default profiles, very customizable options. Seriously, it doesn't cost anything to check it out.

Will do, can't hurt to add this extra security.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

Your login = regular DNS servers or use a private vpn service and get their dns servers

kids login = locked down so they can't change the DNS servers, point them at Open DNS.

I'm finding that sitting with my kids while they use the laptop is the easiest way to control it.

Bottom line, put the time in, or don't be surprised when they find out the internet is a cesspool waiting their arrival.

What OS's can you set different DNS servers for each user? Maybe Linux (I'm not sure, my Linux is bad), but surely not Windows or Mac?