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Enables/disable internet access based on a time schedule

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zzynx:
Hi,

I'm looking for a simple and lightweight freeware windows application that controls internet access based on a time schedule I can specify.
Eg. Every evening from 23:00 cut off the internet access till 07:00. But on Saturday and Sunday keep it up until midnight.
No fancy and/or heavy parental control application. Just enabling/disabling internet access.
Of course the program should be secured against
- switching it off by eg. killing it in the task manager
- tampering with the time settings
- ...

Currently I am able to log in to the website of my ISP and enable/disable WIFI access based on MAC-addresses. (I have to use the modem/router my ISP provides me)
But, if I want to switch off the internet access for my son at midnight, I have to do it...well at midnight.
I'd like to go to sleep and be assured that at midnight it will be switched off. (for that MAC address)
So, I miss scheduling. That's why I asked for an application - installed on the pc - that could take care of this.

Being able to control the time schedule remotely (via the internet or via LAN) would be the icing on the cake.

Kind regards

4wd:
You could use Task Scheduler and netsh or devcon.

eg. My network settings are:

Name: Local Area Connection
Static IP: 192.168.0.244
Gateway (router): 192.168.0.2

To disable using netsh I just need to remove the gateway IP:

netsh interface ipv4 set address "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.0.244 gateway=0.0.0.0
--- End quote ---

That removes the gateway IP. You won't have internet access but will still be able to communicate with other computers on the LAN.

To enable:

netsh interface ipv4 set address "Local Area Connection" static 192.168.0.244 gateway=192.168.0.2
--- End quote ---

Then just add them to the Task Scheduler for whenever you want them to run.

If my IP was auto-assigned by my router then:

Disable:
netsh interface ipv4 set address "Local Area Connection" dhcp gateway=0.0.0.0
--- End quote ---

Enable:
netsh interface ipv4 set address "Local Area Connection" dhcp gateway=192.168.0.2
--- End quote ---

zzynx:
Thanks 4wd for this information. It's definitely worth a try.

One remark:
It's not tamper proof (you change the clock and you have internet access again or you run those commands yourself - given you know what is "wrong" with the internet connection)

Another:
Would it be possible to alter that task remotely?

x16wda:
Would it be possible to alter that task remotely?
-zzynx (July 05, 2013, 06:02 AM)
--- End quote ---

Set up the schedule to run on your PC instead of your son's and use psexec or beyondexec to run it on his box.  Of course you have to make sure the firewall settings allow you to get in.  But then you don't have to worry about his pc's time setting, and there's nothing on his pc for him to muck about with.

Of course if he has admin privileges then all bets are off. :-)

40hz:
^Just out of curiosity...have you tried telling your son what the acceptable hours for internet usage are first?

Reason I ask is because there really isn't a simple "technical" solution for what you want to do if he doesn't want to respect your wishes.

In order to make it "tamper resistant" you'd really have to implement the time restriction on a device he has extremely limited access to - like the router. Because anything on his PC is ultimately going to be hackable by him.

True there are a few commercial 'child minder' programs that are relatively bullet proof when it comes to unauthorized overriding. But they introduce potentially problematic hidden programs, and modify way the PC performs its normal bootup sequence - a move which is generally considered not to be a good idea. And even that can eventually be gotten around by somebody with enough technical acumen.

So (if it is at all possible) I think you might be better off trying to reach a genuine agreement with your son on this matter. At least it's worth a try IMO.

If nothing else, it could lead to a very interesting discussion between the two of you.
 :)

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