restrict all web access bar a server gateway.

Hi folks

Strange one here that i cant figure out for the life of me. Basically, we are about to roll out netbooks to our tradesmen to enable them to receive jobs, order stock, close jobs, etc, without having to return to our premises. The netbooks will connect to a gateway on a specific server that contains our database with all the relevant stock/jobs/schedules. However, I want to disable all internet access from the netbooks as, with the PDA's they currently have, they spend a large portion of time browsing the internet instead of actually working. I initially I thought tit would be possible to set up parental controls allowing only access to the gateway of the server, but for some reason it won't allow it. Is there any way, at all, that i can do this without the use of some specialist software? You might have guessed I am not a desktop tech, although quite knowledgable around most OS's. If anyone has any ideas, suggestions (or abuse) please let me know. Regards.

Cheers

CK

My solution would be to use OpenDNS, which, has a option to specify access to only websites on a white list you of course can administer. I can give you more information about doing it this way, if it interests you. Let me know.

That seems like the most straight forward option as I will have to do it to around 40 netbooks. The company that looks after our infrastructure wanted £50 a machine to sort this out and having had a good nosey around the machines we have on the premises they'd probably c**k it up anyway. I imagine I'd need to get the IP address of the gateway to allow openDNS to allow access? Any other information I should be getting my hands on to make this easier?

I think you will also have to make sure they need some some sort of password to change the DNS server, or they might just "fix" their broken internet themselves.

I plan to set up each netbook with a basic user account and deny themk all priveliges, if of course that is possible in windows 7. I haven't really used it before but trying to buy anything new, with guarantee, that still runs xp is next to impossible.

Well first we need to establish how each of these netbooks will connect to the internet, i'm assuming via wireless usb dongle of some kind?

yeah, it will be a 3g dongle. was looking at internal cards but the cost and hassle of installing is not worth it.

Ok, well i have already mentioned this service before in a previous post, my suggestion would be to first create an account and see if it suits your requirements. I have written a rough guide for someone wanting to restrict internet access for someone else. I will write a nice version of this tutorial eventually.. You can find that here

Just had a look at the openDNS set up, it doesn't look suitable for our needs. We won't be using remote access or VPN to access the database from the netbooks, it is a custom designed interface that connects to a gateway on the designated file server. Designed and built by the same company that built our data management system (the database we will be connecting to).

Ohh so its like an extranet that sits on your DMZ? And opendns would only be the web traffic filter. Anyway mabey someone else has an idea, i'm just very hesitant to suggest anything that requires individual configuration for obvious reasons.

Its not even like an intranet. we basically have a gateway that sends and receives nmessages to and from the netbook software/server software to update the system. It's quite a basic system, but I'm not paying for it and I'm only here to roll it out. When i see the money they have spent on the system being developed, I'm pretty sure i could have got them a better system with a better interface and easily updatable for around half the price!!!! And that's not including my fee.

Thanks for the input though mate.