HOW can I Restrict (a laptop to just 1 Website) on Our wireless network- HOW?

Wutz Linux · 01-14-2013, 05:16 AM

Help!-> We must restrict web access on 1 of our laptops to just ONE website on our own network The laptop never leaves our building.

Equipment: We have our own internet account with cable company. We own our own Linksys router, and there are 2 other computers on the network, Plus the laptop (w/Wireless) we are trying to do this with. It's an old Toshiba Portege laptop pulled out of the closet.

WISH LIST:
1) We need to restrict web access on a laptop to just ONE website only, while allowing the other two computes to be able to work normally.

2) I would really, really like if the laptop could be booted from a CD, (something like Puppy Linux), so we don't have to worry about all the hassles associated with other Anti-Virus software, viruses, etc ...

3) It would most likely hook up to the internet via its internal wireless card.

All we need to do with the laptop is to look up information from ONE website - No other features are necessary, no printer ports, nothing. .. just plain and simple ONE SITE ONLY situation is what we are trying to get.

Does anyone know how to accomplish this? I'm thinking it could be done from the Router, but Im guessing that would slow down the other computers (because of them having to "prove" they are not the laptop each time???? - I'm new at this)

I wish there was a CD ISO I could download somewhere that would just give me that ability. I cant believe I'm the only person who ever wanted to restrict access to a computer... Ive been trying to do this for SIX months and I have not been able to get a single solid fix for this yet!

Can someone Please Help??
THANKS!For you time and consideration! <smile>

(MODERATORS: Posted in the security section because it is a security issue to us, for our needs and situation - If this does not comply kindly inform me for where it should be - Thank You)

rmacd · 01-14-2013, 09:39 AM

If it was up to me, this is what I'd do:

Download and install a minimal installation of, say, Debian
Install just as much as you need to get a web browser up on the go - some 'kiosk' distros are already set up to allow easy configuration so that as soon as the system's booted, browser appears, job done.
Install Squid or similar, set up a basic acl such as below:

Code:

acl allowed_site url_regex ^<the_url>$
http_access allow allowed_site
http_access deny all

Wutz Linux · 01-14-2013, 04:28 PM

Awesome. er,... um...
But I have absolutely NO idea what you mean. Im assuming it would be a fix for what I need, but even if I knew what you were talking about, Id have no idea where to get it, how to install them, what a kisok distro is, ... I have had some exposure to Puppy Linux, that is why I suggested it earlier. I recall it was very very low on its requirement on system resources, and actually worked very well for what we needed it to. However, I got frustrated when I needed to do more with it, and because I didn't know how to use it, (Linux) I quit using it, and ended back on Windows 7 (Can I say that in here? - <smile>).

However, if you want to set it up on an ISO for me so I could burn it, and use it to boot up the laptop. Have a users interface where I could enter the exclusive website I want under and admin field or something like that .. (or edit it before I burn it) ... Id be happy to offer you a gratuity for your services (providing it is permissible on this site). Please let me know if this would be do able for you. Be assured, I will be Googling your above phrases and reading up on them though, and ...
Again, Thank you for your input, Just wish I knew more... <sigh>

rmacd · 01-15-2013, 10:39 AM

I see advertising is against the rules on this forum, so I can only infer that offering to pay for someone's services on this site would not be tolerated. Furthermore, it's best one gives the solutions/instructions in such a way that someone else coming along to this thread will be able to find the answer they're looking for

A 'Kiosk distro' is a phrase you might see a few places - basically means that the distribution has been created with the intention of its being used (and abused) in internet cafes and so forth. You can set up and run software on Windows machines too that'll turn your computer into a sort of internet-cafe-box. SteadyState, for example, is a freeware Microsoft-authored tool which gives you a great deal of flexibility in locking down a system for use as you would see fit.

I note you said you quit using Linux and went back to using Windows out of frustration. For your purposes (and this, I realise, is something I'm suggesting on a Linux forum) it might be worth sticking to what you feel most comfortable with, and setting up a restricted account with an XP install using SteadyState (or finding something similar which will work on Win7) for your kiosk-style computer. At the same time, download Puppy/Debian/SuSE/whatever else and have a play with it on another system. Break it, tear it down, and see what makes it tick - give yourself time to familiarise with how it all works, use this forum for help when you get stuck, and maybe in a few months you'll be re-installing Linux on that laptop you pulled out the closet and setting it up to work just as you like!

rc nai · 01-20-2013, 06:08 PM

A quick google gave me this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=bloc...ient=firefox-a

Hope that helps.