Website Restrictions

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

• To block access to a website:
  1. Click the 'Website Restrictions' tab in the 'Security' management screen (see figure 6.26).

     Figure 6.26: Website Restrictions

     
  2. Click the 'New Entry' link. The 'Restricted Website' screen will appear (see figure 6.27).

     Figure 6.27: Restricted Website

     
  3. Enter the URL (or part of the URL) that you would like to make inaccessible from your home network (all Web pages within this URL will also be blocked). If the URL has multiple IP addresses, OpenRG will resolve all additional addresses and automatically add them to the restrictions table.
  4. The Local Host combo box provides you the ability to specify the computer or group of computers for which you would like to apply the website restriction. You can select between any or a specific computer address in your LAN. If you choose the 'Specify Address' option, the screen will refresh, and an 'Add' link will appear:

     Figure 6.28: Add a Specific Host

     

     Click the Add link to specify a computer address. Specifying an address is done by creating a 'Network Object'; to learn more about network objects, see chapter 11.17.

  5. The Schedule combo box allows you to define the time period during which this rule will take effect. You can select between 'Always' or a specific schedule. If you choose the 'Specify Schedule' option, the screen will refresh, and an 'Add' link will appear:

     Figure 6.29: Add a Specific Schedule

     

     Click the Add link to specify a protocol; to learn more about creating new time schedules, see chapter 11.11.

  6. Click 'OK' to save the settings.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 'resolved' into one or more IP addresses).
  7. Click the 'Refresh' button to update the status if necessary. If the site is successfully located then 'Resolved' will appear in the status bar, otherwise 'Hostname Resolution Failed' will appear. In case OpenRG fails to locate the website, do the following:
     1. Use a Web browser to verify that the website is available. If it is, then you probably entered the website address incorrectly.
     2. If the website is not available, return to the 'Website Restrictions' screen at a later time and click the 'Resolve Now' button to verify that the website can be found and blocked by OpenRG.

  You may edit the website restriction by modifying its entry under the 'Local Host' column in the 'Website Restrictions' screen.

• To modify an entry:
  1. Click the Edit action icon for the restriction. The 'Restricted Website' screen will appear (see figure 6.27). Modify the website address, group or schedule as necessary.
  2. Click the 'OK' button to save your changes and return to the 'Website Restrictions' screen.

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

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

• To temporarily disable a rule, clear the check box next to the service name.
• To reinstate it at a later time, simply reselect the check box.
• To remove a rule, click the Remove action icon for the service. The service will be permanently removed.