Parental controls enabled on the router for a specific computer but the rules do nothing


Recommended Posts

My niece has a nasty habit of wanting to sleep all day and stay up all night, her dad decided to enable the parental controls on the router (Linksys EAB300) and restrict the internet to cut off at after a specified time. However this does not happen, neither does the block certain websites. Is this something related to the router itself? The connected PC is connected via Ethernet and shows up on the network map.

would not surprise me if it was a bug in the firmware.

 

you could try installing OpenWRT to see if that works better. shouldn't be an issue reverting back if you need either with linksys routers (Y)

 

https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/firewall/fw3_configurations/fw3_parent_controls

After a quick Google search ... it seems that you need to disable IPV6 on the router.

 

Another option, depending on the device, why not enable those parental controls...or I don't know...grounding the kid.  :) 

  On 27/09/2019 at 13:16, Brandon H said:

would not surprise me if it was a bug in the firmware.

 

you could try installing OpenWRT to see if that works better. shouldn't be an issue reverting back if you need either with linksys routers (Y)

 

https://openwrt.org/docs/guide-user/firewall/fw3_configurations/fw3_parent_controls

Expand  

I will mention this to him, see what he thinks. Thanks!

  On 27/09/2019 at 13:20, Jim K said:

After a quick Google search ... it seems that you need to disable IPV6 on the router.

 

Another option, depending on the device, why not enable those parental controls...or I don't know...grounding the kid.  :) 

Expand  

So is there any reason to enable/disable IPV6? Other device I suspect you mean the desktop? Yeah it Windows 10, and I will look into enabling the controls on the system. As for grounding the kid, trust me, if she were my child this would not be an issue at all, but her dad is lazy and doesn't want to be a parent.

  On 27/09/2019 at 13:20, Jim K said:

After a quick Google search ... it seems that you need to disable IPV6 on the router.

 

Another option, depending on the device, why not enable those parental controls...or I don't know...grounding the kid.  :) 

Expand  

that is a bad limitation on the linksys firmware if the parental controls don't effect IPV6 traffic ....

another reason to go OpenWRT with the LuCi webUI; it should be able to apply the rules on all interfaces :)

 

  On 27/09/2019 at 14:57, jnelsoninjax said:

So is there any reason to enable/disable IPV6? Other device I suspect you mean the desktop? Yeah it Windows 10, and I will look into enabling the controls on the system. As for grounding the kid, trust me, if she were my child this would not be an issue at all, but her dad is lazy and doesn't want to be a parent.

Expand  

disabling IPV6 won't hurt anything in most cases but it honestly shouldn't be needed.

 

and yes he means the parental controls in the Windows Control Panel on the desktop itself; that I'd leave as a backup option as depending on how persistent the kid is that would be easier to circumvent than router level blocing.

  On 27/09/2019 at 15:02, Brandon H said:

it honestly shouldn't be needed.

Expand  

It isn't needed, ipv6 has no actual need currently..  And yeah it can be a bit of a pain to curtail from a security point of view. Unless you have the skill set and tools to properly manage it.. The simple solution is to just disable it.. And should be done at the router and the desktop - since what happens if the user just smart enough to turn it back on via the desktop..

  • 3 weeks later...

So lets get some specifics of what your trying to block exactly and how.. What specific site are you trying to block? 

 

Also problem with schedules other then just turning off wifi completely at a specific time is if the states are not flushed on the schedule.. If they went to say www.domain.com before the time to be off hit, then the state has been created already.  And if the control does not kill that state - then they would still be allowed.

 

Does the schedule prevent any new connections?

  On 18/10/2019 at 11:10, BudMan said:

So lets get some specifics of what your trying to block exactly and how.. What specific site are you trying to block? 

 

Also problem with schedules other then just turning off wifi completely at a specific time is if the states are not flushed on the schedule.. If they went to say www.domain.com before the time to be off hit, then the state has been created already.  And if the control does not kill that state - then they would still be allowed.

 

Does the schedule prevent any new connections?

Expand  

Not trying to block sites, trying to disable internet access at certain times.

  On 27/09/2019 at 12:58, jnelsoninjax said:

neither does the block certain websites

Expand  

But you stated you tried both..

 

Ok so your just trying to do a schedule thing at say 9pm no internet for client xyz...   After the time of cut off, try going to something you are sure have not gone to before..  If new stuff is blocked - but old stuff still works its most likely just states are not being killed.. If you can go to stuff that your sure client has never gone to before, then it just not working at all.

While it may prevent Internet access, I'm not sure that this is the way forward if the plan is to prevent her staying up all night. As an example, I have a couple of TB worth of music, tv, films and games. Even if someone cuts my Internet access I have days of material to work with.

 

If he wants his daughter to go to bed at a reasonable hour the best idea is to impose a restriction like, "no phones or laptops in the bedroom."

 

EDIT: Actually, I think we've had this discussion before. In which case that means the last attempt didn't work, I'm not sure implementing the "no internet access" will have an affect either. If the father is annoyed by the behaviour the only thing for him to do is step up and set some ground rules.

  On 18/10/2019 at 11:19, BudMan said:

But you stated you tried both..

 

Ok so your just trying to do a schedule thing at say 9pm no internet for client xyz...   After the time of cut off, try going to something you are sure have not gone to before..  If new stuff is blocked - but old stuff still works its most likely just states are not being killed.. If you can go to stuff that your sure client has never gone to before, then it just not working at all.

Expand  

I tried the website blocking when the time did not work. I will try again this evening when the schedule is set to run, I am assuming that just because time X is reached and the computer is still actively accessing the internet (Netflix, YouTube, etc) it will not just stop because the time is reached. Is this a correct assumption?

  On 18/10/2019 at 11:47, Nick H. said:

While it may prevent Internet access, I'm not sure that this is the way forward if the plan is to prevent her staying up all night. As an example, I have a couple of TB worth of music, tv, films and games. Even if someone cuts my Internet access I have days of material to work with.

 

If he wants his daughter to go to bed at a reasonable hour the best idea is to impose a restriction like, "no phones or laptops in the bedroom."

 

EDIT: Actually, I think we've had this discussion before. In which case that means the last attempt didn't work, I'm not sure implementing the "no internet access" will have an affect either. If the father is annoyed by the behaviour the only thing for him to do is step up and set some ground rules.

Expand  

You are correct, Nick, daddy needs to grow up and make his baby be more responsible, but I suspect that it will not happen, and at this point anything I try to say/do is pointless.

  On 18/10/2019 at 12:25, jnelsoninjax said:

the computer is still actively accessing the internet (Netflix, YouTube, etc) it will not just stop because the time is reached. Is this a correct assumption?

Expand  

Yeah the only way for active stuff to be killed is for that the router to kill all active states/sessions when the schedule kicks off - unlikely that some soho 20$ shitbox does that ;)

yep, I blame the firmware which is why I recommended trying to install openWRT on it to see if that helps before jumping to a new device :)

 

it tends to be hit or miss with the advanced features on consumer routers with the OEM firmware

 

edit: I have a Linksys WRT1900AC router so I can tell you from experience some things just don't work properly in their default firmware. OpenWRT allows me to do SO MUCH more with it.

  On 18/10/2019 at 13:24, Brandon H said:

OpenWRT allows me to do SO MUCH more with it.

Expand  

Yup 3rd party firmware is really the only way to get these things to do more than get you connected... I doubt they do any sort of testing of their so called "advanced" features ;)

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Microsoft PC Manager 3.17.4.0 (Offline Installer) by Razvan Serea With Microsoft PC Manager, users can easily perform basic computer maintenance and enhance the speed of their devices with just one click. This app offers a range of features, including disk cleanup, startup app management, virus scanning, Windows Update checks, process monitoring, and storage management. Microsoft PC Manager key features: Storage Manager- easily uninstall infrequently used apps, manage large files, perform a cleanup, and set up Storage Sense to automatically clear temporary files. Health Checkup feature -scans for potential problems, viruses, and startup programs to turn off. It helps you identify unnecessary items to remove, optimizing your system's performance. Pop-up Management - block pop-up windows from appearing in apps. Windows Update - scans your system for any pending updates. Startup Apps - enable or disable startup apps on your PC, allowing you to optimize your system's startup performance. Browser Protection - rest assured that harmful programs cannot alter your default browser. Also enables you to change your default browser. Process Management - allows you to conveniently terminate any active process, ensuring optimal system performance and resource utilization. Anti-virus protection - Fully integrated with Windows Security. Safeguard your PC anytime. Quick Steps: Download Microsoft PC Manager Offline Installer (APPX/MSIX) with Adguard Adguard serves as a third-party online service, offering a user-friendly method for directly downloading appx, appxbundle, and msixbundle files from the Microsoft Store. Official download links will be generated for both the app's various versions and its dependency packages. How to download Microsoft PC Manager Offline Installer (APPX/MSIX) 1. Initially, you must find the app URL within the Microsoft Store. Access the Microsoft Store via your browser and search for "Microsoft PC Manager". Once located, copy the app URL, which includes the product ID, either from the address bar or from the provided link below. https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9PM860492SZD 2. Now paste the app URL into the designated area, then click the check mark button to produce a direct download link. 3. To download, right-click the relevant link and select “Save link as…” from your browser's menu. Occasionally, Microsoft Edge may flag the download as insecure. In such cases, consider utilizing alternative browsers such as Google Chrome or Firefox to successfully complete the download. Microsoft PC Manager is a completely free tool optimized exclusively for use on Windows 10 (version 1809 or newer) and Windows 11. Download: Microsoft PC Manager 3.17.4.0 | from Microsoft Store View: Microsoft PC Manager Home Page Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
    • You might want to update to 1TB drive.  They are not very expensive these days, there are plenty of options - simple look I would think you could find a 1TB ssd or even nvme somewhere between 50 and 100 bucks. when I have moved to larger ssds in laptop in the past, you can just connect the drive via usb - image.  Then take the old drive out, put in the new drive and there you go..  If your concerned about how much space you have left this prob your best bet..   
    • I see! Wasn’t aware of that. Even though they started off with desktop app for Mac before Windows. Should be on it’s way soon! 🤞
    • support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-defender-update-for-windows-operating-system-installation-images-1c89630b-61ff-00a1-04e2-2d1f3865450d
    • It's a Developer Beta 1 not even a Public or User Beta, I doubt any of the design is 100% finalized yet.
  • Recent Achievements

    • First Post
      Johnny Mrkvička earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      viraltui earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Month Later
      serfegyed earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Dedicated
      firey earned a badge
      Dedicated
    • Dedicated
      fettermanj earned a badge
      Dedicated
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      627
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      223
    3. 3
      Michael Scrip
      217
    4. 4
      Xenon
      149
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      139
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!