Blocking Applications from your router????

[edwardsen35]

I'm a senior at college and I live off campus with a couple of my friends.  We have a cable modem that is hooked to a router so that everybody has access to the internet.  The router is in my room.  My roommates don't always pay their bills on time and therefore I would dissconnect them from the internet by unplug their ethernet cable.  I reciently discovered that instead of unplugging their cables there is an option in the router so I can pick and choose who can and can't access the internet.  

I was told that another feature available is the ability to block certain applications.  For example, blocking internet access from aol instant messanger?  Am I really able to do this and If I am then how do I do it?

What if I wanted to block certain websites?  Am I able to do this?  

I don't have a gateway machine set up.  Right now I have a cable modem and a router.  Would I need a gateway machine to block certain applications or web sites?

Thank You

-edwardsen35

[psyjax]

jeez. just share the cable, theres plenty of bandwidth for all no? Maybe you should just split the cost of the connection flat out...

whatever.

[edwardsen35]

The reason that I would like to do this is so I can block my sister.  I told my mom that I was able to block my roommates connection and she asked if I would be able to block my sister from certain applications and from certain web pages.  For example when she gets in trouble she isn't suppose to use AIM (she is addicted).  

In regards to sharing the cost of the internet connection, we do.  The problem is when my roommates owe me 150 for utilities and they don't pay...I shut off the internet because I can't shut any of the other utilites off.

-edwardsen35

[Master of Reality]

well... what OS are you using, what type of router?

[mobrien_12]

With a firewall you can block some or all access to and from certain IP addresses or ranges, or the TCP and/or UDP ports that certain programs use.  

I don't know if your router has this capability.

[edwardsen35]

I figured out how to block certain programs.  My router has an option called Access Control.  With this option I can choose which computers and which ports to block.  Therefore if I decide to block AIM, I block port #5190.

Can I block certain web sites or do I need a gateway machine and specialized software?

I have a Multi-Functional Broadband NAT Router and I am running Red Hat 8.0

[JH]

quote:Originally posted by edwardsen35:

Can I block certain web sites or do I need a gateway machine and specialized software?

Sure you need to have a gateway to share the connection. And your machine already is a gateway.

You can block the direct access to web and set up squid to censor web sites content.

[Master of Reality]

i didnt understand that last post either....

you could setup a server that will act as a router/gateway/proxy server and block certain sites with the proxy server.. thats what i do.

[Fett101]

quote:Originally posted by edwardsen35:
I have a Multi-Functional Broadband NAT Router

That helps... What brand and model? Different routers have different features and menus etc. etc.

[edwardsen35]

The Master of Reality / Bob you said:

"i didnt understand that last post either...."

were you talking about my last post???? If you are what don't you understand about my last post?

Fett101:
   
I have a CompUSA Cable/DSL Broadband Router with 4-Port 12/100 Mbps Switch.

Firmware Version: R1.93s

Here are the different menues:

Status

Toolbox

Primary Setup

DHCP Server

Virtual Server

Special AP

Access Control

Misc Items

[Fett101]

It was actually made by Gigafast, and you can access the instruction manuel here. But It looks like your router doesn't support such a feature. The best you could do is use the Access control menu to block specific ports and hope that they don't know how to change what ports thier application uses.

Some port listings and thier corresponding programs.

Link

Link

[edwardsen35]

Fett101 thanks for the help

-edwardsen35