Can I block websites forever?

[cockneyjay]

I want to know if there is a way that I can possibly block a website?

I've done this on terminal but I know that there's always going to be a simple say of unblocking them with just a little research. What I'd ideally want is a way of blocking a site and never being able to unblock it.

For example, can I put a password lock on the changes I make in terminal? That way they can't actually be unblocked. This is pretty important so I appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Weaselboy]

Is this for another user on the Mac? You could setup parental controls on a second account and within parental controls you can blacklist or whitelist specific websites.

 

[cockneyjay]

Thanks but no this is for me.

 

[IowaLynn]

I want to know if there is a way that I can possibly block a website?

I've done this on terminal but I know that there's always going to be a simple say of unblocking them with just a little research. What I'd ideally want is a way of blocking a site and never being able to unblock it.

For example, can I put a password lock on the changes I make in terminal? That way they can't actually be unblocked. This is pretty important so I appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks,

Jay

why not just block from router's own firewall? can be days/hours and more and every router has the feature.

 

[Demigod Mac]

Thanks but no this is for me.

Modifying the HOSTS file should lock it down so long as the user doesn't have admin/root access. If they do then you would have to tinker at the router level.

 

[cockneyjay]

I really appreciate all the help but I'm a complete beginner at this kind of thing. I have no idea how to block the router's own firewall or really even what those things are.

Perhaps explain how I can do that as though you're speaking to a child? lol

All it needs to do is block selected sites forever with no way of me retrieving them.

Thanks.

 

[ActionableMango]

All it needs to do is block selected sites forever with no way of me retrieving them.

I can't think of any way to block a website yourself, forever, with no way to unblock it yourself. None of the proposed solutions so far will do this--if you have permission/rights to enter the block, you will also be able to remove the block yourself.

If you aren't technically inclined, you could have someone else block the sites in the HOSTS file or at the router level, and since you aren't technical enough to know what any of this means, you wouldn't be able to get around it. But "forever" is a long time and eventually you'll have a new computer, or a fresh install of the OS, or a new router, and the block will be gone.

 

[Demigod Mac]

http://osxdaily.com/2012/08/07/edit-hosts-file-mac-os-x/

Add an entry like so:

127.0.0.1 siteyouwanttoblock.com

The site will utterly not work at all on the Mac after doing this.

 

[ZMacintosh]

dont go to them....

..i mean if you know how to block them, youll figure out the way to unblock them then...?

 

[H2SO4]

I really appreciate all the help but I'm a complete beginner at this kind of thing. I have no idea how to block the router's own firewall or really even what those things are.

Perhaps explain how I can do that as though you're speaking to a child? lol

All it needs to do is block selected sites forever with no way of me retrieving them.

Thanks.

Little Snitch?

 

[cockneyjay]

In an ideal world I'd like something where I block a website and if I ever want to unblock it I'd need a password to do that? But the idea would be that I enter a password impossible to remember and then forget it the next day.

 

[ActionableMango]

You might try asking this question in the OS X forum as you might get more help there. This forum you've posted in is specifically about the Mac Pro model of computer, which isn't really related to the problem at hand and will limit who might be able to answer you.

Here are two imperfect options, but they are the best I can come up with:

1) You can log in to your router and set up a website block there. Then change the administrative password to something you cannot remember. The benefit to this option is that it will block all computers and devices on the network. However, this is far from a perfect solution because of course you can reset the router settings, and you may have to if you ever need to change anything else in the settings.

2) From the admin account, create another user account in OS X. Use parental controls to restrict the website for the new user account. Change the admin account's password to something you cannot remember, and just start using the new user account as your main account. This is also not perfect--although you can go a long time without needing the admin account, potentially forever if you are a really light user, there is still the possibility you'll need it at some point. It also only blocks the one computer, so any other computers, tablets, smartphones, etc will not be blocked.

 

[IowaLynn]

Little Snitch?

A, you should always login to your router when you got it to
B, change the default password
C, check for and update the firmware
D, it is simple to do. Routers in the last 10 years have gotten progressively easier.

Every router has a setup screen with easy to use interface that is graphic. Check the vendor's web site for guide, faq if in doubt. The defaults shoulkd be on the router itself to get you started.

Blocking by IP addres, by keyword (maccleaner, etc) or a phrase "donot/goo/here" (or whatever) in the Setup section for filter and block sets - and to log when and by who. And you can allow PC-1 full web access but limit PC-2.

Router will have its own Parental Controls.

 

[crjackson2134]

In an ideal world I'd like something where I block a website and if I ever want to unblock it I'd need a password to do that? But the idea would be that I enter a password impossible to remember and then forget it the next day.

It's really hard to understand why you want to block yourself unless you are addicted to porn or something.

You can probably call your internet provider and request the sites be restricted on their end provided you don't have a long list to block. Surly you realize the only way to block the sites permanently from your own use is to just stop trying to go there.

 

[Gav Mack]

You might try asking this question in the OS X forum as you might get more help there. This forum you've posted in is specifically about the Mac Pro model of computer, which isn't really related to the problem at hand and will limit who might be able to answer you.

Here are two imperfect options, but they are the best I can come up with:

1) You can log in to your router and set up a website block there. Then change the administrative password to something you cannot remember. The benefit to this option is that it will block all computers and devices on the network. However, this is far from a perfect solution because of course you can reset the router settings, and you may have to if you ever need to change anything else in the settings.

2) From the admin account, create another user account in OS X. Use parental controls to restrict the website for the new user account. Change the admin account's password to something you cannot remember, and just start using the new user account as your main account. This is also not perfect--although you can go a long time without needing the admin account, potentially forever if you are a really light user, there is still the possibility you'll need it at some point. It also only blocks the one computer, so any other computers, tablets, smartphones, etc will not be blocked.

I vote for option 2. I have lost count of how many kids just press the factory reset button on their router to bypass option 1, especially in the UK e.g. with the sky and BT routers as the vast majority of users use the default settings for wifi etc.

My kids have windows boxes and I use the Windows live family safety filter which has up until very recently been excellent for years , far better than the parental controls on OS X. At this current moment though I cannot change any settings on it until Windows 10 is out later this month as they have split the users and devices up causing me to get 20 odd emails of their activity instead of 3 every Monday until it's launched. A tad annoying :-|

 

[cockneyjay]

It's really hard to understand why you want to block yourself unless you are addicted to porn or something.

You can probably call your internet provider and request the sites be restricted on their end provided you don't have a long list to block. Surly you realize the only way to block the sites permanently from your own use is to just stop trying to go there.

Addiction yes... but why does it have to be to porn? lol Why not gambling, shopping, or social media?

 

[cockneyjay]

My problem with setting up another user account and then blocking sites on my main admin account is that I have a lot saved on my admin account. I'd be really afraid to lose all of my documents in the switch.

 

[crjackson2134]

Addiction yes... but why does it have to be to porn? lol Why not gambling, shopping, or social media?

I said porn or something. I think the or something covers it. I understand, no judgement

 

[\-V-/]

You can install the K9 filter software ... set up a black list of sites you don't want to access ... and then have someone else set the password for you so you can't access the filter ever again.

It's free for Mac or Windows: http://www1.k9webprotection.com/

You can't uninstall the app without the password.

 

[crjackson2134]

My problem with setting up another user account and then blocking sites on my main admin account is that I have a lot saved on my admin account. I'd be really afraid to lose all of my documents in the switch.

Create a new admin. account and log into it. Then from the new account, change the 1st admin. account to a user account. Once this is done, have a trusted friend change the password on the new admin. account so that only he/she can access it. Your new admin. friend can use parental controls to block all the unwanted sites on your user account.

 

[H2SO4]

A, you should always login to your router when you got it to
B, change the default password
C, check for and update the firmware
D, it is simple to do. Routers in the last 10 years have gotten progressively easier.

Every router has a setup screen with easy to use interface that is graphic. Check the vendor's web site for guide, faq if in doubt. The defaults shoulkd be on the router itself to get you started.

Blocking by IP addres, by keyword (maccleaner, etc) or a phrase "donot/goo/here" (or whatever) in the Setup section for filter and block sets - and to log when and by who. And you can allow PC-1 full web access but limit PC-2.

Router will have its own Parental Controls.

Yeah I suppose. Been using Little Snitch for years and it’s great for capturing as it happens connections.

 

[Toutou]

echo "Insert the address to be blocked. No www, no quotes, no spaces.";echo "examples:";echo "google.com";echo "*******.com";echo "wikipedia.org";echo "YOUR TURN:";read site;tabs="        ";line="/";bird="hosts";semi="0.0.0.0$tabs";copy="$semi$site";echo "You inserted \"$site\"";sux="$semi""www.""$site";secure="private";trick="$copy\n$sux";thingis="$line$secure$line""etc$line$bird";sudo chmod ugo+rwx $thingis;echo -e "$trick" >> $thingis;sudo chmod 644 $thingis;

Take this code, copy it, open Terminal, paste it (maybe press enter). You'll be prompted for an address without the www. or anything else. Enter one, press enter. Works (tested) with youtube.com, *******.com, facebook.com, autoforum.cz, dfens-cz.com, zoznam.sk ...

If it works, great. If not, hey, it's 1:20 here and I tried

PS: It's just a very simple script that prevents your mac from loading those pages, magically. It's not a malicious code. Ask anyone who knows Bash. I made it confusing and ugly as fck intentionally.

PPS: It will ask for your password, that's necessary. Nothing will show up as you type (no asterisks or anything) - that's how terminal works. Enter the password, then press enter.

 

[satcomer]

Long ago I gave up on software, firewalls and Terminal hacks. I then started using OpenDNS.com. Using a personal Dashboard I block a number of web sites and also add a couple of "always allow" sites.

What I foubd most kids and many adults don't understand DNS! They could never really figure it out or hack it. Just make sure the kids have no access in your gateway router, that is important. This way no software or hacks will slow me down during updates to OS X. Plus in 5 years using it I have noticed kids rarely notice anymore. If they do I quickly figure out what not to block I add to my "allways allow" list in the OpenDns Dashboard for my Home nework.

 

[Dimwhit]

It's going to be really hard to block a site in a way that you won't be able to unblock it. I think the best option given was contacting your ISP. They may have a way on their end, then you can't change it back.