Does it just block websites or does it allow you to block all the ports you don't want. Like, those used for instant messaging, ftp, and that type thing?

This, from the looks of it, makes simpler what I was thinking with using the squid proxy running on a separate gateway machine. I over geeked it in my head.

Though, there is still the issue that we can't avoid this content in our world. Kids can go to their friends houses or a million other places and get the content. So, we now unable to live in a bubble of protection like we used to. We have to teach others (and specifically the next generations) how to live in a world where we can't live in a bubble.

Matt Farina
Geeks and God Co-Host
www.mattfarina.com

It blocks ports by category. For instance it has three categories of blocking for web programs. Chat (online IM programs), online gaming, FTP and file sharing. Each category has a list of the type of progams such as AOL IM, Yahoo, Xbox, Limewire, World of Warcraft, Bearshare etc... You can block all or just specific apps as well as block them at specific scheduled times. Also you can have logs recorded and emailed to the admin account daily of all sites visited or just blocked sites. I pasted the info from the blocking help page below.

Internet Category Blocking Help
The "Internet Category Blocking" page allows you to configure the current iBoss™ Internet website category blocking settings, log settings, Stealth Mode, and Identity Theft Detection options.
Categories
These are categories from which Internet websites are grouped. You may choose categories from this list that you wish to block on your network. In addition to blocking access to these website categories, the iBoss™ will also log attempted access violations if logging is enabled. Descriptions of these website categories are listed below.

Adult
Sites suitable for adults only (including sexual content).

Audio & Video
Sites with streaming audio and video (a TV station is usually in the entertainment category).

Web-Based Chat
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) and other web-based chat sites.

Dating & Personals
Sites with content containing dating, love, romantic poetry, or friend sites.

Drugs
Sites including hard drugs, soft drugs, and other medicines.

Entertainment
Sites including entertainment, lifestyle, hobby, arts, museums, food, fashion, electronic cards, magazines, horoscopes, desktop wallpapers, photos, portals, events, fansites, church, and non-business private interest.

Finance & Investment
Sites of banks, stock markets, stock brokers.

Forums
Sites where people exchange non-business information.

Gambling
Sites with gambling and gambling related content.

Games
Web-based games and sites about games.

Illegal
Sites containing illegal activity content.

Jobs
Sites for job searching and applications.

News
News related sites.

Private Websites
Sites suitable for adults only (including sexual content).

Web Proxies
Sites that can be used to download content of other sites. Proxies are used in an attempt to circumvent a URL filter.

Shopping
Online stores and auctions targeted toward consumers.

Sports
Sites with sports or sport-related content.

Travel
Sites for travel agencies, airliners, tourism, hotels, and holiday resorts.

Violence & Hate
Sites with content containing violent behavior.

Warez & Hacking
Sites containing illegal software, illegal software codes, and hackers sites.

Web Based E-mail
Sites offering private email accessible with a web browser.

Website Classification

Website URLs may be part of more than one category. For example, www.usatoday.com is classified as "news" while www.usatoday.com/sport is classified in "News" and "Sports". The nature of the content is more important than the strict definition, so an advertisement with nudity is classified as "Adult" rather than "Advertisement", and a forum about games is classified as "Games" rather than "Forum".

The general impression is also taken into account when a website is categorized. For example, most buyers at ebay.com are consumers rather than business users and therefore ebay.com is considered to be a shop for consumers and part of the "Shopping" category.

Category Scheduling
You may choose to always block the selected categories, or instead use advanced scheduling to block (or allow) the selected categories at certain times of the day and week..

Logging
Allows you to enable and disable logging of violation attempts for the current set of blocked website categories. Log reports may be viewed on the iBoss™ Reports page. The report information includes date, time, website address, and category of the violation.

Stealth Mode
Allows you to stealthily monitor Internet activity without blocking access to forbidden sites. With both Logging and Stealth Mode enabled, you can monitor Internet web surfing activity by viewing the log reports on the iBoss™ Reports page while remaining unnoticed to Internet users on the network.

Identity Theft / IP Address Blocking
Allows you to prevent identity theft attempts by notifying you when someone is trying to steal your personal information through Internet Phishing. Internet Phishers send fraudulent E-mail and pop-up messages that claim to be from a business or organization that you may deal with — for example, an Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The iBoss™ protects you from potential Internet Phishing attempts by displaying a special Identity Theft Detection web page.

Enabling this feature will also block users from navigating to websites using IP address URLs

The iBoss is wonderful! I use it on a home network with 8 machines. I am very concerned about Internet speed which is why I am still using this product. There is no noticable speed loss when browsing the web and it's very stable - never has to be cycled at all. My network is up 24/7 and I've never had a problem with it and it works exactly as advertised. Very satisfied with it!

Hey Matthew...would you (or any other users of the iBoss) be willing to record and submit an audio review of the product? Something around 2 minutes or less? If so, you can email it to Geeks and God at Gmail dot com

If you could, that would be really helpful to others, as we'd play it on the show (many people listen, but don't visit the site...an audio review would give them access to the information here).

Thanks for considering....

-Rob Feature
Geeks and God Co-Host
www.bobchristenson.com

I'm looking at the iBoss. We are currently using bSafeOnline, which does OK, but doesn't protect various laptops that I bring home from work.

Also, I set it to cut off all Internet at 10:00 pm. But if my kids have started a Runescape session, it allows that to continue.

A couple of questions.

1) Will it cut off Runescape action at 10:00, if a session was already started or will it just prevent new sessions from starting?

2) If I happen to be working on a powerpoint for the pastor's sermon and go past 10:00 pm, is there a way to override or reset that setting after 10:00 pm?

Thanks.

Why not disable the software and say, "Hey kids, it's time for bed!"?

I see the value in protecting our children (or even ourselves) from some types of content. I also see the value in limiting the total time online. But it's really important to connect with our families at the end of the day. Let's not let the cool tech gadgets interfere with the family's communication.

-NP

The situation is that I need to go to bed at 9:00 pm to be able to get up in time to get to work and get (for me) a reasonable amount of sleep.

I have teenage boys and I don't think it's reasonable to send them to bed at 9.

Also, we went through a time when they were sneaking back up in the middle of the night to play Maplestory.

We have rules. We have consequences. But sometimes it's easier for all of us if the temptation is not even there.

I would just call the iphantom people and ask all the questions. They are pretty responsive from my experience in the past. 1.877.PHANTECH (742.6832)

I just went through the user manual and see that there is a password override for the Internet Sleep function.

Being phone-o-phobic and since the thing has a 30 day return on it, I think I'll just order it and give it a shot.

Thanks all.

if u got a family member aroud 13 years old its no point to innstal it they will bypass it

btw im 14 and my parents have tried the same thing

Almost all routers have functionality that allows you to set times when the internet is available. You just set 9 pm to 8 am as no access times on any router I've ever had. You have the cable modem whatever installed in your bedroom and hooked up to a wifi router. Kids connect wifi.

Tony

try parental control
download parental control here

Opendns.com is a good free alternative.

as for me on my Mac I use ActyMac DutyWatch

Personally,I use OpenDns and Aobo parental control software both.

I prefer use ActyMac DutyWatch too.I use it for my childrens.It's really good computer's monitoring program.Try)

Try porn filter,it can block unwanted website,I have applied it as parental control software.

We are trying to accrue a list of Parental Controls here at parental control software.

Open DNS is what I use at my clients as well on our church network. Highly customizable, free, and simple.

I use ProteMac KeyBag and I like it.

I use internet filter TrafficWasher about half of year and I'm simply happy with it!
Our family has three kids and everyone has his own computer. I installed this program on all computers and now I can control all the program settings remotely from my computer through network. I can change the settings, I can view the log and moreover, I receive the reports by email.
Plus, this program bans the sites with the forbidden words in the pages content. So, you need no to update the list of the forbidden sites every time.
I recommend!

You can use ProteMac KeyBag. KeyBag creates a digital record of instant message chats, sites visited, notes written, and amount of time spent on the computer.
http://www.protemac.com/keybag/