LAN Internet Traffic

[n-abounds]

Hey, I'm on a LAN with 3 other computers connected. Is there any way for me to view all the internet traffic coming in and out of it (just the websites that are being loaded)?

 

[beatsme]

Hey, I'm on a LAN with 3 other computers connected. Is there any way for me to view all the internet traffic coming in and out of it (just the websites that are being loaded)?

if you have administrative access to the IIS server, yes. If you're just a node on the network, then no.

why?

 

[n-abounds]

Would just like to know what my kids are up to.

I know their comps come up on iTunes sharing, so I assume they can share some other information.

Then again I don't really know anything.

 

[beatsme]

Would just like to know what my kids are up to.

I know their comps come up on iTunes sharing, so I assume they can share some other information.

Then again I don't really know anything.

mmmm....well, what you'll want to do is set up your kid's computers so that they only have User Accounts, and not Administrative Accounts. That way, you'll be able to set the Parental Controls in Safari. Users will be able to view only those websites that are in the bookmarks bar, and they will not be able to enter web addresses in the address field, use the Google search field, or modify any of the bookmarks.

Just make yourself the Administrator of each machine, and you're all set.

EDIT: btw, you can also restrict which applications the Users have access to, and you can restrict how much access they have to the machine in general i.e. whether they can modify system preferences, etc.

 

[beatsme]

Would just like to know what my kids are up to.

I know their comps come up on iTunes sharing, so I assume they can share some other information.

Then again I don't really know anything.

I guess you also could look at CyberPatrol, if you were of a mind to. They've got a version for the Mac platform, though I'm afraid I know absolutely nothing about it.

 

[n-abounds]

Thanks! I'll look into it- I didn't know they had any solution over LAN.

 

[brbubba]

Certain implementations of Linux based firewalls will have varying degrees of monitoring ability. I've used IPCop before and it will list every website visited. Are you more interested in what your kids are surfing or what kind of ports they are using e.g., bittorrent?

 

[Queso]

Sometimes your Internet router can be configured to log which sites are being visited and e-mail you once a day with the log. I get mine to do that anyway, just to ensure that my Macs aren't connecting to anything they ought not to be (of course they're not, but you can't be too safe can you?)