Blocking Web Sites

Spector Pro gives you the flexibility to block access to all web sites, block access to specific web sites, or allow access to specific web sites.

Examples

What happens when Spector Pro is configured to block a web site and the user attempts to access it? The behavior of the Internet browser varies depending on which browser you are using.

Limiting Web Site Access

Close all applications that are running and log off all users to ensure that new settings affect these applications and users.

NOTE: Use this window to block a web site if the local user has not yet accessed it. Once a web site has been accessed, it is easier to block it from the Web Sites Visited Activity window.

To block specific web sites:

1. If you  have determined that you want to block access to one or more web sites, from the Block Web Sites pane click Block Web Sites Access.

2. You can either create an include Block Access list or an exclude Block Access list. Click to make the appropriate selection:

• Block web sites in list- Select this if you want to block only the specific web sites listed here.

• Allow access ONLY to web sites in list - Select this if you want to block all web sites, except for the ones listed here. If you want to block access to ALL web sites, click here and do not add anything to the list.

NOTE: Adding web sites to this list may cause unintended consequences. For example, if you enter f”r;cnn.com” with Allow access ONLY to web sites in list, you might expect that the user will be able to browse anything on the www.cnn.com web site. For the most part this is true, except that the www.cnn.com web site automatically loads pages and information from other domain names in order to provide all of its content. So, only part of the www.cnn.com web site might be displayed because Spector Pro will block any content from domains outside cnn.com.

3. Click Add. The Web Site Access window opens.

4. Enter the domain name of the website you want to add to the list.

NOTE: If you enter a domain name, then all access to the domain is locked. For example, if you enter "yahoo.com" as the domain name, then mail.yahoo.com, new.yahoo.com, and weather.yahoo.com are blocked, along with anything else that has xxx.yahoo.com in the URL.

If You enter a specific name such as "mail.yahoo.com," then only web pages whose address begins with mail.yahoo.com are blocked. For example,  mail.yahoo.com/us/florida/visit.htm is blocked.

5. Click OK to accept the entry, or Cancel to reject it. The window closes and if the selection was accepted, the program is added to the Block Access List.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each web site you want to add.

To delete an entry in the Block Access list, click to select it and then click Delete. A confirmation message appears asking if you are sure you want to delete the selected web site. Click Yes to accept the deletion, and the entry is removed.  

7. Click OK to save the changes you have made, or Cancel to remove them. The Settings window closes.

To block all web sites:

1. If you have determined that you want to block access to all web sites, from the Block Web Sites pane click Block Web Site Access.

2. Click Allow access ONLY to web sites in list.

3. Do not add any web sites to the list.

4. Click OK to save the changes you have made, or Cancel to discard them. The Settings window closes.

Blocking If You Use a Proxy Server

If you are using a proxy server and the server does not use a standard port for HTTP (port 80) and / or secure HTTPS (port 433), you must enter the proxy server port(s) in the Advanced Web Site Settings window before you can block any web sites.

For example: Your proxy server address for HTTP traffic is 192.168.1.100:2280 (with 2280 being the port number). Enter 2280 in the HTTP field.

To locate the port number(s):

1. In Internet Explorer, select Control Panel > Internet Options, and then click the Connections tab.

2. Click the LAN Settings button to open the LAN Settings window. If a proxy server is used, Use a proxy server for your LAN is checked off.

3. Click Advanced to open the Proxy Settings window.

4. Record the port number(s) appearing in the HTTP and Secure fields.

NOTE: If the proxy server is configured to use the same port for HTTP and HTTPS, an IP address and port are displayed only in the HTTP field. Record the port number.

To enter the port number(s) in Spector Pro:

1. Click the Settings button to open the Settings window.

2. Locate Web Sites Visited and click to open the Web Sites Visited pane.

3. Click Advanced. A warning appears. Click Yes to proceed. The Advanced Web Sites Settings window opens.

4. Enter the appropriate port number(s):

• If there are two ports associated with the proxy sever, enter the HTTP port number in the HTTP Ports field, and enter the Secure port number in the HTTPS Ports fields.

• If there is one port associated with the proxy server, enter the port number in the HTTP field.

Importing / Exporting Web Site Lists

The Import / Export feature allows you to save a list of web sites that has already been constructed in Spector Pro, so that you can import it to other networked computers. This is especially useful if you have multiple installations of Spector Pro.

NOTE: An exported file is not hidden or protected by our stealth technology. Anyone with access to the directory where  you save it, can view it.

To export a list of web sites:

1. From the Block Web Sites pane click Export. The Export To window opens.

2. Navigate to the folder where you would like to save the list of web sites.

3. Enter a name for the list in the File name field, using .txt at the end.

4. Click Save. A text file is saved to the location you have indicated, and resembles the sample list below.

To import a list of web sites:

1. From the Block Web Sites pane select either Block web sites in list or Allow access ONLY to web sites in list.

2. Click Import. The Import From window opens.

3. Navigate to the folder that contains the list of web sites. (It must be a .txt file). The file name appears in the File name field.

4. Click Open. The web sites contained in the file appear in the Block Access list.

5. Click OK to save the changes you have made, or Cancel to discard them. The Settings window closes.

Next you will review Blocking Chat / IM.