IP-Hostname Filtering

You may configure OpenRG to block specific Internet Web sites so that they can not be accessed from computers in the home network. Moreover, restrictions can be applied to a comprehensive automatically updated table of sites to which access is not recommended.

• To view the table of Web sites currently being blocked, click the 'IP/Hostname Filtering' tab (see figure 6.15).

Figure 6.15: IP/Hostname Filtering

• To add a new Web site to the table:
  1. Click the 'New Entry' button. The 'Restricted IP Address or Hostname' screen will appear (see figure 6.15).
  2. Enter the web site address (IP or URL) that you would like to make inaccessible from your home network (all web pages within the site will also be blocked). If the web site address has multiple IP addresses, OpenRG will resolve all additional addresses and automatically add them to the restrictions table.
  3. You can select (this is optional, not compulsory) the group of computers to which you would like to apply the filtering rule. You can either select from a predefined table of groups by selecting one from the 'Applied To' combo box, or create a new group by pressing the 'New' link. To learn how to create groups to which you can apply rules, see Chapter 9.5.
  4. You can define (this is optional, not compulsory) the time period during which the rule will take effect. You can either select from a predefined table of schedules by selecting one from the 'Schedule' combo box, or create a new schedule by pressing the 'New' link. To learn how to create a new time schedule, see Chapter 9.11.
  5. Click the 'OK' button to add the web site to the table. You will be returned to the previous screen while OpenRG attempts to find the site. 'Resolving...' will appear in the Status column while the site is being located (the URL is being 'resolved' into one or more IP addresses).
  6. If the site is successfully located then 'Resolved' will appear in the status bar, otherwise 'Hostname Resolution Failed' will appear. Click the 'Refresh' button to update the status if necessary. In case OpenRG fails to locate the web site, do the following:
     • Use a Web browser to verify that the Web site is available. If it is then you probably entered the Web site address incorrectly. See below 'To modify a Web site address currently in the table'.
     • If the Web site is not available return to the 'Restrictions List' screen at a later time and click the 'Resolve Now' button to verify that the Web site can be found and blocked by OpenRG.

Figure 6.16: Restricted Web Site Address

• To modify a Web site address currently in the table:
  1. Click the 'Edit' button button that appears in the Action column. The 'Restricted IP Address or Hostname' screen will appear (see figure 6.16).
  2. Modify the Web site address, group and schedule as necessary. If it is long and/or complicated you may want to use your browser's Copy and Paste functions to copy the address from the address bar to the Web-based Management. Be sure to omit the ``http://'' at the beginning and the ``/'' at the end of the address.
  3. Click the 'OK' button to save your changes.

• To ensure that all current IP addresses corresponding to Web sites in the table are blocked:
  1. Click the 'Resolve Now' button. OpenRG will check each of the Web site addresses in the table and ensure that all IP addresses at which this Web site can be found are included in the IP addresses column.

You may disable a restriction and make the Web site available again without having to remove the site from the 'Restrictions List'. This may be useful if you wish to make the Web site available only temporarily and expect that you will want to block it again in the future.

• To temporarily disable a restriction clear the check box next to the restricted URL.
• To reinstate the restriction at a later time select the check box next to the URL.
• To remove an restriction click the Remove button. The restriction will be removed from the Restrictions List.