URL/Domain Filtering on Billion 7800n

It looks like the URL/Domain Filter within the Billion 7800n doesn't work, well partly.

I've added the domain Facebook.com yet my daughter is still able to access parts of Facebook like requesting friends, video chat, chat etc.

Why is this and us there any way of getting this to work?

I also wanted to block (router level) Skype, how could I do this with the Billion 7800n?

If a domain is blocked then I expect it to be, I understand that it's different using an app etc but my daughter is accessing it via IE....

Thanks in advance....

I've found the problem, URL Filter will not work with https

Any ideas as to why?

https: is not port 80 but some other port that I cba'ed to look up and you are prob filtering port 80.

In reply to a post by XRaySpeX:

https: is not port 80 but some other port that I cba'ed to look up and you are prob filtering port 80.

TCP / 443

You could always edit the hosts file on the PC concerned to add an entry for Facebook that doesn't work.

I'd suggest using a private IP address for the file because that will never go anywhere.

If you haven't heard about the hosts file before look at http://www.fpweb.net/support/hosting-basics/edit-hos... for instructions.

The entry for Facebook on the hosts file should look like;

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost
10.0.0.1 facebook.com www.facebook.com

This will stop http://www.facebook.com and https://www.facebook.com working.

Is there any way of getting the domain filter to work on both http and https via the router instead of messing around with host files? I would have thought that if a domain has been blocked then it would be blocked, whether it be by http or https...

The problem for the router is that it cannot inspect the encrypted request made over HTTPS and therefore cannot see the URL being accessed. All it can see is the IP address of the HTTPS server: and that is not enough information for effective filtering.

A software based URL filtering product running on the machines themselves can inspect and control HTTPS:

http://www.bluecoat.com/products/k9-web-security
https://onlinefamily.norton.com/familysafety/loginSt...

The Norton software is quite slick; there is even a phone app to remotely monitor usage.

So if I was to block th ip address of say FB would that work, from the way I've read into it it should but as we all know, things that seem simple aren't always simple...

Facebook utilizes multiple Internet servers to handle incoming requests to its Web site www.facebook.com. The IP address ranges that belong to Facebook are 66.220.144.0 to 66.220.159.255, 69.63.176.0 to 69.63.191.255 and 204.15.20.0 to 204.15.23.255. So if I was to block these addresses would this overcome my issue or not?

Thanks in advance

In reply to a post by shaneosborne:

Facebook utilizes multiple Internet servers to handle incoming requests to its Web site www.facebook.com. The IP address ranges that belong to Facebook are 66.220.144.0 to 66.220.159.255, 69.63.176.0 to 69.63.191.255 and 204.15.20.0 to 204.15.23.255. So if I was to block these addresses would this overcome my issue or not?

Thanks in advance

Well that wont work as it wont allow you to enter address ranges