Blocking Internet Access

You have the option to block all Internet access or specific Internet applications such as AOL, file transfers via FTP, Kazaa or Yahoo Messenger, or specific Internet functions such as web sites. Every Internet application communicates using a specific Internet port number. Most of these port numbers are not widely known by consumers, so SpectorSoft has provided a list of Internet applications for fyou to select from. Selecting an Internet application simply blocks the port numbers that the application is known to use.

For example, access to web sites is often accomplished through Internet ports 80 and 443. Selecting Web Sites via HTTP / HTTPS puts ports 80 and 443 on the list of ports for Spector Pro to block.

What happens when Spector Pro is configured to block an Internet function and the user attempts to access it? The behavior of a blocked application varies depending on which one you have selected. Users will most likely get an error message of some kind when their selected application cannot reach the Internet.

There may be other Internet applications that you wish to block that are not on the Spector Pro list. You can block additional applications by adding the specific port numbers.  

You can also create a customized blocking schedule from this pane, if you want to limit when to block.

Limiting Internet Access

Make sure that all applications on the desktop are CLOSED. Otherwise, changes to the settings will not take effect.

To block all Internet access:

1. If you  have determined that you want to block all access to the Internet, from the Block Internet Access pane click Block Internet Access.

2. Leave Block All Internet Access selected.

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

To block selected Internet access:

1. If you  have determined that you want to block access to the Internet, from the Block Internet Access pane click Block Internet Access.

2. Click to make the appropriate selection:

• Block All Internet Access - Select this if you want to block access to all Internet functions.

• Block Selected Internet Access (see list below) - Select this if you want to select a specific Internet function in the list below.

3. If you have selected the second option, click to place a checkmark next to each Internet function you want to block.

• Click Web Sites via HTTP/HTTPS to block all web sites.

• Click SMTP/POP Email to block popular Windows programs such as Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, Incredimail and Eudora that send and receive email using the SMTP / POP protocols.

• Click File Transfer via FTP to block all FTP activity.

• Click AOL and HTTP/HTTPS to block access to the AOL application, which is used to send and receive emails and  as well as to access the Internet.

• Click Other Chat / IM HTTP/HTTPS to block all chats that use HTTP and HTTPS such as MSN, AOL/AIM, Google Talk, MySpace, MSN, and chats using IRC protocols.

• Click ICQ, ICQ Lite, MSN Messenger, Trillian, Windows Messenger, XMPP (Jabber), Yahoo Messenger, Kazaa and Kazaa Lite to block those particular applications.

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

To block additional Internet functions not listed:

1. If you  have determined that you want to block an Internet function that is not listed, from the Block Internet Access pane click Block Internet Access.

2. Type the Internet port numbers used by the applications you want to block in Additional Outgoing Ports or in Additional Incoming Ports boxes.

You can either specify a single port on each line, separate them by commas, or specify a range of ports, as shown below:

• Use a comma to separate ports, for example 80,443

• Use a hyphen to specify a range of ports, for example 200-299

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

Next you will review When To Block: Setting Up a Schedule.