[mr-sinizta]

recently i have run into a lot of trouble with the youngsters abusing the computers at home by going on sites that they weren't supposed to be on

the operating system is XP and i wan wondering how i set up parental controls to restrict access to certain sites as i don't see any obvious answer when looking on the internet options tab.

do i have to install a 3rd party software or is there a parental control option on XP ??

[strouprob]

Yes, the best solution is to install third party software.
Go here: http://www.consumersearch.com/www/so...trol-software/

The reason you do not want to try to do this through IE or your router to name a couple of ways is because the list of sites that you will want to block is easily in the thousands. They are called black lists meaning the contents of the list are all the sites that are not appropriate for children...and some adults. lol

These lists in third party softwares are updated on a regular bases so you do not have to worry about it.
Third party software also has access control, so your child cannot easily find a way around it.

[mr-sinizta]

much appreciated

[blues_harp28]

Hi depending on the age of said children.
http://kidrocket.org/
http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
http://www1.k9webprotection.com/

[mr-sinizta]

hi blue

basically the desktops were bought just for them to do any school work they have, i'm not fond of them using stuff like facebook, ebuddy, zorpia, hi5 etc.

mainly all that social networking malarky as it distracts them alot.

thanks

[lunarlander]

Teenagers need space to explore and express their identity and facebook etc is this generation's way of doing it. I let my children surf as long as their grades don't suffer.

[strouprob]

wk2000,

Do you ever take a look at the sites that you children go to? Have you reviewed their IM's? I am sure that you have great children and you are a good parent, but it does not hurt to know where they have been occasionally.

Also, their is a ton of malware that is associated with sites that young people go to.

[lunarlander]

I just hope he doesnt go and ban facebook.

And as to taking care of malware, my surf machine uses Windows Steady State.

[strouprob]

gotcha... Never been on face book, my children are still on the Disney site.

[Five]

I tried locking out sites using the XP setup. It didn't work. They still came in.
My "kid" is 48 years old, but my complaint here is that following his visits I get tons of email from I don't know who, girls inviting, ads for Viagra, how to enlarge etc.
I have set up Block Cookies, but I sometimes forget.

[strouprob]

LMAO........... Sir you are great. My father would have me hung by a tree in the back yard if i did that to him. BTW that is the first time I have ever had to use the acronym LMAO. I am in tears.

Really, sorry for your troubles. Those Microsoft settings do not really work because the threats normally attack from different domain thru out the misery that they put you through.

Are you able to remove the annoyances/threats? Do you need help with that? If so, you should start another post stating your issue. I will keep an eye out.

Also, I have had better luck either using a third party program, or if you are sure which sites he is going to use your router (if you have one) to block the sites their. My kids are very young, but I set up a computer for them that is outside of the LAN. It is a setting in the router for DMZ where you can assign a specific computer to be separated from the others in the house.

[mr-sinizta]

WK2000

one of them doesn't have much of a life outside of the internet and her grades do suffer because when she is supposed to be working shes on youtube, facebook, zorpia etc.

its quite scary when all they do after school is sit on the net and when they have days off they sit on the net all day, i don't know how to tackle it so i assumed if she doesn't have access to those sites she won't go on as much.

but the point is she doesn't kno what she is clicking yes to half the time, i have had to re format the comp twice.

[lunarlander]

Maybe you can try a reward program. When my kids get good grades, they get money to buy stuff. So in your case, rewards can be handed out for joining their school's extra activities like girl guides and other clubs. Money motivates kids as well as us adults.

[strouprob]

If you have a router you can allocate the times when the Internet is enable for your child's computer. If the internet time is limitted meaning only enabled for 2 hours a day, they will be more motivated to use the computer to get their home work done first, which will reduce the time they spend on other sites.

[mr-sinizta]

is there any programs you would recommend that will create a sort of safe for your files that only you have access to, so you enter a password before you can read the files ??