Hi
I have parental controls enabled for my son. However, I am wanting to limit his time on the internet. The time limit in parental controls limits time logged in to computer. He has a lot of work to do, which he uses the mac for, but I don't want him 'distracted' from his work. Is there any way the internet usage can be controlled independently from time logged in?
Phil B
21.5" iMac 3.06GHz Intel Core Duo, Mac OS X (10.6.5)
Hmm, tricky one!
I can think of a way to do it in theory, but it might be a bit fiddly. Basically, the idea would be
1. In parental controls, make sure the user doesn't have the ability to change system prefs (the point here is that you don't want them to be able to turn airport on manually)
2. Write an applescript to turn airport off after a given delay. There's a post here which should give you some clues how to do it - read all the way down to get the Snow Leopard version and read the comments to find out how to do the 'delay' part:
http://macstuff.beachdogs.org/blog/?p=44
3. Now the only trick you need is how to schedule the running of that script. It could be run when you kid logs in easily by putting it in his 'Login Items' list, but that assumes he's going to use the net right off. If you want something more complicated than that, like only to start timing when he opens safari, I think that's also possible to add into the applescript, but someone else (or your own research round the net) will have to figure out what command you need - I'm afraid I'm not much of an applescript guru myself (Yvan, are you out there? 🙂 ).
Anyway, that's one way you could go about doing it, in theory...sorry I couldn't give you a specific script, though.
Thanks, but...
I could do with some more control. ie a pop-up with a timer would be good. This way the user could control his own use within the time limits set by me.
I know Intego's Content Barrier does this and is quite good, however, having tried this, it did cause some issues on my mac and that darn beachball!!
It seems that the mac's parental control is just too basic (unless there is some kind of add on, or maybe another control panel)!
Phil B
If you're relying on software installed on the computer that's being used by the person you want to monitor and control internet access, then be aware that kids can be smarter than you think and might actually try to circumvent locally installed software. Kids can be very adept to computer technology, and many will know how to access the admin network and/or by-pass parental controls on their own computers.
That being said, I've never tried ContentBarrier but since you have you might know the answer to this. I'm wondering how likely can any user on home network change program settings?
Ideally, I would want something that lets me block or allow specific web sites since sometimes they will need the internet for homework or research. And I won't want them to be able to change any of these settings from their computer. Thanks.
If you happen to be using a Wi-Fi network with an Apple Airport of Time Capsule as your wireless router you can use the Airport Configuration Utility to only allow certain computers to use the network on a certain schedule.
(other brands of wireless routers may allow this functionality as well)
That would effectilvely keep you son off the internet and email but otherwise with full access to his computer.
Matt
Tycoon 24
Re: Content Barrier>
The administrator sets password protection so that other users cannot change any settings. You can set different categories, black lists & white lists for different users, restrict email & chat. It pretty much has everything. However, I had problems with the time settings as CB seemed to have a mind of it's own, whereby it would not always change the times correctly, followed by a spinning beach-ball if you tried to change more than one day's time!. This was easily rectified though by quitting out of CB and then logging back in.
Just to clarify, this is for all users on one mac, not across a network. I use OpenDNS to restrict access to certain sites and categories across my network, which is great, but it does restrict ALL users!!
Phil B
Hi Matt
I have a domed Airport Extreme base station. Not sure if I can restrict users to a specific time.
I haven't managed to find setting for this.
Phil B
Here are the instuctions from AirPort Utility (version 6.0) Help:
Control when a user can access your network
You can control the time and days a computer can access your Wi-Fi network. You can determine when a user can use the network to access the Internet, share files, or play games.
If there are no computers listed, you can adjust the default behavior for any user joining the network by clicking Edit and choosing values from the pop-up menus.
Matt
tou can also go to system preferences, unlock it and add the kid(s) name to create a new account.
Then go back 1 page and click parental controls, unlock it copy and paste the ne user there. Click parental controls. Double click the new user, and all the parental controls will pop up.
Across the top there are the restrictions/allowances which you can select.
APPS,WEB<People,Time limits,Other.
You can then click on the tab anda menu for that item will appear. Say time limits:will allow you decide weekday limits, weekend limits, school nights,weekend, you can enter the hours the mac is available.
Do this with all the tabs, as they all menus that you can set.
Then lock it up.
The password is the admin PSWD
My mistake,
go to ststem prefs, accounts, press + button add new account, highlight new account, click parental controls and the new parenal controlled account should be on the left cloum when you click paremtal controls. Unlock and follow the rest of insrtuctios.
Sorry
This just gives the user time limits for the Mac, not the internet. ie internet 'on' time cannot be restricted.
Phil B
Hi Matthew
I have an Airport Extreme 802.11g.
Airport Utility 5.5.3 which appears to be the most up to date for this Airport. The time limits are not an option. I can only change the MAC address and the name.
Maybe this will only work on newer Airports??
Phil B
(Update).
A quick search shows that 10.7 (Lion) is required for Airport Utility 6.
Maybe now I will upgrade as I am running Snow Leopard (10.6.8).
Message was edited by: Phil Booth (UK)
Phil Booth (UK) wrote:
Maybe this will only work on newer Airports??
Phil B
That could very well be.
I'll try to do a bit more reasearch.
Matt
Pil,
Sorry that feature does not exist, what I do with my kids is set auser tine. If they time out they have to get me to log them back in. Kind of a pain, but it also lets me keepa watchful eye on what they are doing.
Sorry I could not help you, maybe in the future Apple might add this feature. I know I would like it.
At least you can control how long they are online, then make the descion.
My appologizes, as I probaly read thru your post too fast and did not get the gist of what you were loking for. I deal with quite a large number of people all day. Just so you know we are all volunteers.
Peter
Phil Booth (UK) wrote:
However, I had problems with the time settings as CB seemed to have a mind of it's own, whereby it would not always change the times correctly, followed by a spinning beach-ball if you tried to change more than one day's time!
Can you set it to let the kids only use internet at certain times and on certain days? Or do you have to keep changing the settings on a daily or weekly basis? The latter would be annoying.
I know the kids schedules and we have rules for time when internet is ok, but I wouldn't want to have to keep updating the program settings every day or week. Once every few months would probably do the trick..
Phil,
probably one kid at a time, and yes quite annoying,maybe one of the OS has a fix I am unaware of, but this is thebest I can do. Sorry.
Peter
Parental Controls - internet time restriction?
