OT ish: Blocking MSN Messenger

I wish to block MSN Messenger (but retain web access) for periods (to avoid my
two lads being distracted by it, when doing homework (that still requires web
access)).

Which ports do I need to block on my router, I've tried several;

6891 - 6900, 1863, 5190, 6901

but it still works :-(

TIA

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

"Mark Carver" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I wish to block MSN Messenger (but retain web access) for periods (to avoid
>my two lads being distracted by it, when doing homework (that still
>requires web access)).
>
> Which ports do I need to block on my router, I've tried several;
>
> 6891 - 6900, 1863, 5190, 6901
>
> but it still works :-(
>
> TIA
>
> --
> Mark
> Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.
Install Zone Alarm, set it to ask about connections and programs that are
allowed to use the Internet. When it asks about MSN just say "no". Or go
into the settings and say no to connecting. That is providing they don't
know how to use the PC.
Children these days know quite a bit so it might be worth asking them!

gtl wrote:

>
> Install Zone Alarm, set it to ask about connections and programs that are
> allowed to use the Internet. When it asks about MSN just say "no". Or go
> into the settings and say no to connecting. That is providing they don't
> know how to use the PC.
> Children these days know quite a bit so it might be worth asking them!

No, they're wise to that one :-)

They've got their own PCs connected via a 4 port router in my study to the
net. What I'd like is to block the ports on that router, that's obviously
password protected on both LAN and WAN sides.

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

"Mark Carver" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> gtl wrote:
>
>>
>> Install Zone Alarm, set it to ask about connections and programs that are allowed to use the Internet. When it asks
>> about MSN just say "no". Or go into the settings and say no to connecting. That is providing they don't know how to
>> use the PC.
>> Children these days know quite a bit so it might be worth asking them!
>
> No, they're wise to that one :-)
>
> They've got their own PCs connected via a 4 port router in my study to the net. What I'd like is to block the ports on
> that router, that's obviously password protected on both LAN and WAN sides.
>
> --
> Mark
> Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.


Make sure you turn off uPNP cos messenger uses that, then block the ports as well.

Mark Carver wrote:
> gtl wrote:
>
>>
>> Install Zone Alarm, set it to ask about connections and programs that
>> are allowed to use the Internet. When it asks about MSN just say
>> "no". Or go into the settings and say no to connecting. That is
>> providing they don't know how to use the PC.
>> Children these days know quite a bit so it might be worth asking them!
>
>
> No, they're wise to that one :-)
>
> They've got their own PCs connected via a 4 port router in my study to
> the net. What I'd like is to block the ports on that router, that's
> obviously password protected on both LAN and WAN sides.

Lock down everything except for port 80, and hope msn can't tunnel
through http?

--
Phil

http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/31307.html

Mark Carver wrote:
> gtl wrote:
>
>>
>> Install Zone Alarm, set it to ask about connections and programs that
>> are allowed to use the Internet. When it asks about MSN just say
>> "no". Or go into the settings and say no to connecting. That is
>> providing they don't know how to use the PC.
>> Children these days know quite a bit so it might be worth asking them!
>
>
> No, they're wise to that one :-)
>
> They've got their own PCs connected via a 4 port router in my study to
> the net. What I'd like is to block the ports on that router, that's
> obviously password protected on both LAN and WAN sides.

Actually, having answered you once... you can't. If you do manage to
block msn and they are at all web savvy, they'll use the web-only
version off the website...

I don't think msn is necessarily a distraction, either - you can also
use it to collaborate. Perhaps it would be better to try and sell the
kids on the idea of "you use it responsibly, or I take it away"?

--
Phil

http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/31307.html

Phil Newnham wrote:
>
> Actually, having answered you once... you can't. If you do manage to
> block msn and they are at all web savvy, they'll use the web-only
> version off the website...
>
> I don't think msn is necessarily a distraction, either - you can also
> use it to collaborate. Perhaps it would be better to try and sell the
> kids on the idea of "you use it responsibly, or I take it away"?

Thanks Phil, and the others for the responses. Yes it is a case of 'be
sensible or lose it', the other alternative is to lock their machines into a
cut down mode and use a password protected log on for 'leisure applications',
but if as you say there's a web portal of MSN, I'm buggered.

Bloody Bill Gates again eh ?

--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply.

Mark Carver wrote:
> Phil Newnham wrote:
>
>>
>> Actually, having answered you once... you can't. If you do manage to
>> block msn and they are at all web savvy, they'll use the web-only
>> version off the website...
>>
>> I don't think msn is necessarily a distraction, either - you can also
>> use it to collaborate. Perhaps it would be better to try and sell the
>> kids on the idea of "you use it responsibly, or I take it away"?
>
> Thanks Phil, and the others for the responses. Yes it is a case of 'be
> sensible or lose it', the other alternative is to lock their machines
> into a cut down mode and use a password protected log on for 'leisure
> applications', but if as you say there's a web portal of MSN, I'm buggered.
>
> Bloody Bill Gates again eh ?

http://webmessenger.msn.com/?mkt=en-gb

This is one of the few Bill Gates things I rather like, cos it means you
can use msn on a machine even if you're not an administrator. Which can
be handy. Not really helpful in your case, I'll admit, but then I'm very
rarely on that side of the fence

--
Phil

http://www.usefilm.com/photographer/31307.html

On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 22:48:37 +0000, in uk.telecom.broadband , Mark
Carver <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>Thanks Phil, and the others for the responses. Yes it is a case of 'be
>sensible or lose it', the other alternative is to lock their machines into a

Install NetNanny or equivalent - these things can block chat tools.

>cut down mode and use a password protected log on for 'leisure applications',

Do that anyway - you shouldn't let your kids in with an admin
account...

>but if as you say there's a web portal of MSN, I'm buggered.

many routers can block specific websites.
--
Mark McIntyre
CLC FAQ <http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/C-faq/top.html>
CLC readme: <http://www.ungerhu.com/jxh/clc.welcome.txt>

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"Mark McIntyre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Tue, 29 Nov 2005 22:48:37 +0000, in uk.telecom.broadband , Mark
> Carver <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>Thanks Phil, and the others for the responses. Yes it is a case of 'be
>>sensible or lose it', the other alternative is to lock their machines into
>>a
>
> Install NetNanny or equivalent - these things can block chat tools.
>
>>cut down mode and use a password protected log on for 'leisure
>>applications',
>
> Do that anyway - you shouldn't let your kids in with an admin
> account...
>
>>but if as you say there's a web portal of MSN, I'm buggered.
>
> many routers can block specific websites.

The routers that do this seem to block a maximum of six URL's; there's
plenty of web-based messenger's out there...don't under-estimate kiddies!