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Author Topic: Software to restrict wireless internet connection to other devices at X hours?  (Read 6884 times)

KiTTy

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I’m having an impossible time finding a software (Windows XP) to install on ‘my’ computer (server) to restrict ‘other’ devices (laptops, hand phones, etc) from accessing the wireless internet at X hours.
It is ‘not’ an option to install the soft on the devices that I want to block at X hours.
It must only be installed on my computer to block selected devices while other devices are still able to access the internet.
So simply unplugging the modem isn’t an option.
It could be a software that blocks X devices from any network connection (including internet) during X hours.

Also note that my router is NOT able to do as I use one supplied by ISP and this feature has been left off (confirmed). Nor am I going to use a different router.

If you know of any that meet this critea please post them, Thx! :))


4wd

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So your computer has Internet Connection Sharing enabled which provides internet access to the other devices via WiFi ?

You could use a Scheduled Task to disable/enable the WiFi adapter at specified times using devcon.

KiTTy

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Thank you 4wd.

So your computer has Internet Connection Sharing enabled which provides internet access to the other devices via WiFi ?
Yes - other devices (computers, handphones) can connect to the wireless router to connect to internet.

You could use a Scheduled Task to disable/enable the WiFi adapter at specified times using devcon.

I've taken a look at devcon and without GUI looks very difficult to use unless the user is quite clever with such, not me :) .
Also I don't want to disable all devices connecting to Internet, just the targeted ones at X hours.

Carol Haynes

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If they are connecting directly to the router (and from your previous answer I suspect you are not using Internet Connection Sharing, a feature of Windows connection manager, on the 'server') there is not much you can do from a networked computer to block access.

If you are using a genuine server (not just a standard windows box) you could configure it to be the DHCP server and DNS server (and disable those features in the router) and flush connections between certain times on the server and turn off the DHCP/DNS servers so that no one can connect. That would be fairly straightforward to do with the scheduler because it would only require three command lines so you could set up a batch file to switch off and another to switch on again and schedule their execution.

If your server is just a windows box on the system I suspect the easiest ways to achieve what you want are either buy a router that supports the features you need or buy a timer switch to use in the mains socket to switch off your router between certain hours (they work just like a central heating timer).

By far the simplest solution is to replace the router with one that does what you want.
« Last Edit: October 15, 2012, 03:34 AM by Carol Haynes »

KiTTy

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Thank you Carol Haynes. That is about the information that I have come across so far.
I just find it hard to believe that there isn't a software out there to do this and thought I wasn't searching correctly (have been at it few hours now and tested a number of soft).
If I use the physical timer then all computers are shut off internet which isn't acceptable.

Yes best option, if truly no soft, is to buy a new router  :tellme:

Shades

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In my case I used an 8 year old PC, fitted it with two network cards and a (free) copy of Untangle to handle my networking needs.

One of the network cards is connected to the ISP router, the other card is connected to a router/switch to which all computers in my LAN are connected.

A standard router/switch cost even in these parts of the world next to nothing aymore. And Untangle is very easy to work with, has a rather extensive administration possibilities, which can be accessed by a web browser (after filling in the correct password/username combination of course).

The 8-year old PC only needs a keyboard and monitor when setting it up (very straightforward), after that it can be run without monitor. This solution set me back around 50 USD, most of that was ´eaten´ by my choice in router/switch. 6 Years ago I could buy a Cisco 100MBit/sec router/switch with 24 ports and two years of use at an auction from the US embassy here in Paraguay.