Windows 7 Parental Controls

[Matt Meiser]

Anyone using these? My daughter just got her first laptop. For now I don't want her accessing the internet at all from it. Originally I'd planned to just configure my router to block access to the WAN side for her MAC addresses, but then the computer can't keep itself up to date and even when I log on to do updates I'll have to fiddle with the router to get to the Internet. And that doesn't prevent access should she connect to another network intentionally or unintentionally. She's not going to be allowed to take it anywhere but we can still see our next door neighbors' network occasionally.

I'm thinking of just blocking her account from using IE, Firefox, and Windows Live Messenger using the parental controls. She's not an admin so she can't install anything, not that I'm all that worried about her doing so yet. She can't really do anything of concern with anything else that's installed, at least that I can think of. Plus I like the idea of blocking her from logging in at night when she should be sleeping.

[Jim Becker]

Matt, the Win7 Parental controls are significantly hobbled as compared to those that were in Vista. (Strange since Win7 is a billion times better than Vista in most respects. I suggestion you consider using K9 (free). That's worked wonderfully on our daughter's Netbooks which are also running Win7 Home Premium.

[Mike Olson]

I don't remember what news article I read this on but, disable the webcam if there is one built into the laptop and don't let her get an external one. Predators have been convincing kids "boys & girls" to do bad things in front of them. As for the parental controls, thankfully i haven't had to worry about that yet. I'll probably have to deal with that in a couple years though.

[Matt Meiser]

For now I just want to block her totally from web, IM, etc access from her computer. The agreement was that if she wants to use the web she'll have to use the family (mom's) laptop with us there. She's only in 3rd grade so she doesn't NEED to use the internet for anything yet. She doesn't have email, Facebook or any of that right now either. I think Win 7's parental controls will do what I want for now but I did download K9 last night to install and try out because it won't be long before we do need to give her some access. A quick read leads me to believe K9 is mostly a web filter? I'm already using OpenDNS though I haven't set up any filtering. I'll probably need to start thinking about doing that soon too.

I thought it would be a couple years before we went down this road. About 2 years ago she started talking about when she could get a computer and I made some comment about when she could save $300 we'd pay for the rest thinking that would put it off. Since then she's been very careful to put any gift or chore money in bank account almost every time. Last week she crossed the $300 threshold. Originally my plan was to sell her our HP but there's really no reason to replace ours yet and I found a Celeron-based Acer machine that should work very well for her. A little more processor power and memory than a netbook with a full size screen, keyboard, and a DVD drive. Good thing I finished her desk!

[Jerome Stanek]

why not just disable the wireless card and when you need to use it enable it. No internet problem solved.

[Matt Meiser]

She needs LAN access--we use Windows Home Server for file storage and computer backup. Plus that doesn't let the computer keep itself updated either.

[Dennis Peacock]

Matt,
I can talk "turkey" with you on this topic. :D
First....get OpenDNS and use it. $10 per Year....price is good.
Second, I'm trying out a web filtering service provided by FamilyFellowship.com ($50 per year). This will allow you to configure her a "Profile" and you control time limits when she can or cannot use the internet. If you block all time slots via the tool (web interface and server based filtering) then she uses the computer and if the web browser is started up...? It throws up the block page. So far it works really well. You can try it for $5.95 and they will refund your money if you don't like it within the 30 day try it period.

Other than that, you will need an app like NetNanny.

[Matt Meiser]

Dennis, their site is painfully slow right now, but some questions on FamilyFellowship.com...It looks like you install an application on the computer that then does all the checking against data on their servers? Sounds like I can install it only on her computer and if need be in the future take away her login on any other computers.

Since I work from home I'm not too keen on setting up anything that would in any way limit my access or slow it down any worse than it is.

Win7 Parental Controls don't allow you to select programs to block, only programs that are allowed--so you have to select every exe on the machine you want them to be able to run. Stupid...

[Dennis Peacock]

Dennis, their site is painfully slow right now, but some questions on FamilyFellowship.com...It looks like you install an application on the computer that then does all the checking against data on their servers? Sounds like I can install it only on her computer and if need be in the future take away her login on any other computers.

Since I work from home I'm not too keen on setting up anything that would in any way limit my access or slow it down any worse than it is.

Win7 Parental Controls don't allow you to select programs to block, only programs that are allowed--so you have to select every exe on the machine you want them to be able to run. Stupid...

Correct Matt. With FamilyFellowship.com, you install a small 2 MB client. She gets on her computer and the default profile startup is her profile. If time restrictions apply, then it will deny her internet access but full use of the computer (for homework and such).

[Jim Becker]

K9, not only provides filtering, but it will also enforce time limits, TOD limits, etc. It's fairly complete. The only downside is it's not the best for a computer that has multiple users who have different needs since it applies its rules globally on the machine.