Solved Any free method of restricting internet access to certain websites?

[The Minimalist]

In my workplace, my employer is able to restrict internet access to only a specific list of websites by using a paid service. (I forgot the name of it.)

Now, I would like to do the same to my home computer. Is there any free method of restricting my internet access to a list of trusted sites, and block everything else?

(I tend to be clumsy and accidentally click on ads, causing malware to spread to my computer.) Currently, I only use a few websites frequently. If there are more trusted websites that I need, I will add them to my allowed list in the future.

There are other computers connected to my home router, but I only want to restrict one computer only. Thanks!

 

[mickey megabyte]

it's a lot simpler to set up a blacklist and block certain sites using the hosts file than it is to have a whitelist.

are you sure you want to have to 'add to allowed list' each single time you want to visit a new site?

what model is your router, and which anti-virus and firewall programs are you using?

oh, and what browser?

 

[The Minimalist]

If it doesn't give too much trouble, I should be fine with taking the trouble to add to the whitelist frequently.

Router: D-Link DIR-600 Model 1
Antiviruses: Avast! and Malwarebyte
Browser: Internet Explorer 8

Thanks in advance!

 

[F5ing]

You might try this free DNS service.

OpenDNS - Cloud Internet Security and DNS

 

[The Minimalist]

@Sibbil: Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[mickey megabyte]

have a look here: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ent-advisor-allow-block-unrated-websites.html

(i've never tried it myself.)

alternatively, i found this - again, i've never tried it, but it should work ok.

A computer's internet access can be limited to a certain set of websites with the following instructions.

1) Open Internet Explorer
2) Go to Tools > Internet Options
3) On the Connections tab, click "Lan Settings..."
4) Check "Use Proxy Server" and click "Advanced"
5) Under HTTP, enter 127.0.0.1 for the proxy server
6) Enter allowed websites or key words into the box under "Do not use proxy server for addresses beginning with...", separated by semicolons.

ex: http://www.google.com;http://msn.com;*yahoo*

Note: The * denotes a wild card character in the example above, and it tells Internet Explorer to allow any web address containing "yahoo".

found here

 

[The Minimalist]

@Sibbil: Sorry to bother you again, but is this going to affect the internet access of the other computers linked to the same router?
I only want to restrict one computer.

 

[cyclic]

Good advice Mickey, I have advocated this before when firewalls and others fail.
Editing the hosts file is easy, quick and effective.

 

[The Minimalist]

Thanks for your suggestions Mickey Megabyte!

 

[The Minimalist]

Thanks! Except for displaying problems on facebook, everything works very well.

Does this LAN setting affect only one computer or all computers linked to the router?

 

[mickey megabyte]

which LAN setting?

 

[F5ing]

@Sibbil: Sorry to bother you again, but is this going to affect the internet access of the other computers linked to the same router?
I only want to restrict one computer.

See this thread:

OpenDNS Community > Forums > Router vs multiple computers

 

[The Minimalist]

@Mickey Megabyte: I am referring to the OpenDNS LAN settings.

@sibbil: Thanks! It is successfully done now.

 

[F5ing]

Great to hear! And thanks for marking the thread as solved, as well as posting back that it worked for you.