Restrict Internet Access

Is there a way to eliminate web surfing that is easy to toggle and will not affect the function of other programs that require internet access. I need to remove browsing capability on 4 work computers. One has to transmit information out but I would like to eliminate browsing on this computer as well. Can I do something via the network map or internet options?

Thanks

 

Forgot to mention the computers are all XP. 3 are hard wired and 1 is wireless.

 

I imagine you could use a firewall to block Internet Explorer, or the ports it uses. Some ports are 80 or 8080. 443
You could just allow the ports or programs you want to use.

 

We use Firefox primarily but I imagine that the same logic could apply.

Can you elaborate on the how?

 

What router are you running? Some allow you do block internet access using the MAC or IP address.

E

 

Its a Linksys, actually two.

Is there a way to do it through the network map or internet options at each machine?

 

I didn't see the thumbnail you posted. Where would I get to that screen?

The other issue is that we ended up with two routers in sequence. One goes to four PCs and then to another router which provides wireless to the laptops. I want to restrict access on three of the four PCs and one laptop. I need to leave one PC and two laptops free to use the internet. We have an internal network that needs to work unrestricted to all computers.

A little complicated I know but I need to be this selective. I also need to have one of the websurfing restricted PCs free to send information out via a billing service. This is why I was thinking that addressing each individual machine might be easier.

Hope that clarifies things and doesn't complicate them.

 

That kind of setup is beyond my skills... :-D

To access your Linksys routers, go to a computer that is wired to the router you want, and open your browser and type in 192.168.1.1 That should get you to the setup screen. You might want to go to Linksys' website and download your manual. http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Sate...nksys/Common/VisitorWrapper&lid=3731477881B01

E

 

It's actually more simple than I made it seem. Internet to router. Router to 4 PCs and a second wireless router. I guess I would need to go to the first router but then I couldn't be selective.

 

The router documentation may say how to block addresses if it supports it, or at least get to the control panel. It often involves using a browser to go to http://192.168.1.1 using the password 'admin' unless those were changed. You would not need to do this with the wireless router, but only the one directly connected to the Internet, since it handles all Internet traffic. As for sending out, if the router doesn't have an appropriate setting, it may have a firewall. You could set software firewalls on each computer to allow only the programs you want to use Internet. The hardware firewall would be good also, but it may be a different setup (ports only or something). The firewall's documentation should tell how to set this up.

 

I needed to acheive something similar and ended up effectively "hiding" Internet Explorer so that user would have to have a little bit of know how in order to access it then installed a program that could protect any executable with a password which I applied to firefox. The password then only gets given to those users who need access.

 

Hankyknot,

How did you achieve this? Sounds like just the solution.