Stop IP address changes on PCs

Johnathan Lyman said:

All they'd need to do is mimic the mac address of say an adult's computer that may not have restrictions on the router.

Which causes a MAC address conflict and an immediate loss of connection...

But I get your point, so OP please read this:

As my my esteemed fellow geek have proven, there's nothing you can do. Everything can be cracked or broken. Every measure you take have counter measures that makes your efforts useless.

Let the kids surf!

10-7,

Kari

I have a different question to ask, OP. What's your ultimate goal? Is your aim to stop IP address changes, or effectively limit monitor your children's use? These are two very different questions, with two very different answers. I'll happily help you find a solution to either, but the problem is that I think what the real goal is has gotten confused in the multiple solutions and such that have been put forth.

WebMattR said:

I have a different question to ask, OP. What's your ultimate goal? Is your aim to stop IP address changes, or effectively limit monitor your children's use? These are two very different questions, with two very different answers. I'll happily help you find a solution to either, but the problem is that I think what the real goal is has gotten confused in the multiple solutions and such that have been put forth.

There's always software methods. I haven't found a fool proof one but there are some that are crazy hard to break.

GeneO said:

Johnathan Lyman said:

Kari said:

Using MAC addresses your kids can change the IP as often as they want to. If they can not change your router settings i.e. they don't have credentials to router, they can not change MAC filtering rules.

Kari

Then it just comes down to if the kids are smart enough to spoof their MAC addresses or borrow USB wireless adapters from friends or get their own.

I expect there is probably an option in the router to only allow specific MAC addresses.

Anyway, "stealing" an accepted MAC address would do nothing in this case because it would only cause an address conflict, which would not let the kid surf anyway, disconnecting conflicting devices, so I'm still saying the MAC address filtering is the best alternative.

Kari

Kari said:

GeneO said:

Johnathan Lyman said:

Then it just comes down to if the kids are smart enough to spoof their MAC addresses or borrow USB wireless adapters from friends or get their own.

I expect there is probably an option in the router to only allow specific MAC addresses.

Anyway, "stealing" an accepted MAC address would do nothing in this case because it would only cause an address conflict, which would not let the kid surf anyway, disconnecting conflicting devices, so I'm still saying the MAC address filtering is the best alternative.

Kari

Until they discover how to reset the router to wipe the settings.

Just thinking as if I was a teenager again. I was a cheeky little *******.

Johnathan Lyman said:

Until they discover how to reset the router to wipe the settings.

Just thinking as if I was a teenager again. I was a cheeky little *******.

Please, give me a break!

After reading the original question, post #1 again, I even more and more certain that using MAC address filtering is the best available solution.

You seem to really concentrate to try to find all possible arguments, to show the OP that solutions offered do not work. I have basically nothing new to add, just this:

• Although MAC address can be hacked and changed, kids can not surf (what is / was the goal) if they find the way to use an allowed MAC address, because in case of the address conflict, the NIC is disconnected from the network
• If the kids then reset the router, they would need to know the ISP credentials to be able to reconnect and surf again. If they find them, the parents can only blame themselves. Those credentials should not be available to kids

You need to go back to Google and try to find new counter arguments. The last one was lame. Happy hunting!

Kari

EDIT:
A clarification is needed here: I understood that the post I quoted meant resetting the router to the factory defaults, which as far as I know means you have to re-enter ISP credentials. This is of course not needed if router is just reseted, rebooted. Rebooting the router keeps the ISP credentials but it also keeps the MAC address as well as other settings. Only factory reset removes all settings.

Kari said:

Johnathan Lyman said:

Until they discover how to reset the router to wipe the settings.

Just thinking as if I was a teenager again. I was a cheeky little *******.

Please, give me a break!

After reading the original question, post #1 again, I even more and more certain that using MAC address filtering is the best available solution.

You seem to really concentrate to try to find all possible arguments, to show the OP that solutions offered do not work. I have basically nothing new to add, just this:

• Although MAC address can be hacked and changed, kids can not surf (what is / was the goal) if they find the way to use an allowed MAC address, because in case of the address conflict, the NIC is disconnected from the network
• If the kids then reset the router, they would need to know the ISP credentials to be able to reconnect and surf again. If they find them, the parents can only blame themselves. Those credentials should not be available to kids

You need to go back to Google and try to find new counter arguments. The last one was lame. Happy hunting!

Kari

You may be right. But here in America most of our ISPs are nice enough to not require special settings. At least mine is.

Just trying to play devil's advocate, is all.

Johnathan Lyman said:

But here in America most of our ISPs are nice enough to not require special settings. At least mine is.

Please notice the below is very sincere, without a hint of sarcasm. I really want to know this!

This is very interesting, completely new information to me.

Just to check I understand you correctly: Lets say your router breaks down. You order a new one from Newegg, open the box and connect it to the line, connect your PC to it and start surfing? Without entering any credentials whatsoever? Factory settings, no ISP info, nothing?

If so it's something totally new to me! Really.

Kari