Private DNS server - with 'blocking control'

[ChrisRLG]

Hi - I normally answer people problems - so this feels strange asking.

I have seen in my travels some software that will do what I need - But can't now find it lol.

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My needs :-

I help at a Church family centre where children are allowed to use the computers - often when a IT experienced person is unavailable - they always have adult supervision, but IT savy people are hard to find to help.

The software I 'found' provides a local private DNS server which 'checks' the website against known lists before providing a IP back to the system. It uses known lists of p0rn, p2p, advert sites etc and can be updated by ourselfs.

For 'known' sites it provide either a black hole or a webpage saying that is a 'resticted/banned site' stopping the restricted activity.

I believe that some schools etc use it for the same form of control.

Does anyone remember it - and where I can find.

It did cost money - about $100 from memory - but we think it will be worthwhile.

[wyrmrider]

I'm not at work but there is a LINUX version
there is also a Linux software firewall that can run on an inexpensive box
and I think other server
you should also be able to set up a "hosts" type file
If no one answers back I'll check it out this weekend

have you checked/ searched the other wilders forums?

wyrmrider

[GlobalForce]

I'm not exactly sure what you're looking for Chris, though you've spelled out your needs.
Would it be something like WinGate?

Possibly this rings a bell?
http://www.incognito.com/default.asp

GF

[ChrisRLG]

Thanks for those links - no that is not quite what I am after.

Should have bookmarked the link - that will serve me right. lol.

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The program I saw was a DNS server BUT all except the items in its banned lists it checked with a 'proper' DNS server of your own ISP (and then onward).

It used standard txt list for the known malware sites, adult sites p2p lists, etc.

Although I use google a lot, it seems to have failed me this time too.

I remember that the latest version had problems for running on win9x and was only advised for WinXP/2k. It was not one of the big players.

The idea was for all the workstations on your LAN, you point to this PC as the DNS and because of the lists you have running it would forward you to a 'restricted warning' page instead of the IP to a bad site.

So no software is required on the workstations, and unless a IT savy child 'knows' the IP address (or another DNS server IP), they will not be able to bypass the banning system.

OK - I keep looking.

[GlobalForce]

Sorry Chris, I had a difficult time trying to query keywords from your post. Add the fact software in question is in your memory (somewhere ), I came up with only remote possibilities. Hope some of these will trigger that mental click.....

http://www.dns.net/dnsrd/

http://www.netdaycompass.org/

http://www.insecure.org/tools.html

Will continue to jumble keywords,


GF

[ChrisRLG]

No - I had already visited two of those

Shame my signature line is not helping neither.

[GlobalForce]

I'm pretty stumped (if I could only briefly share that part of memory ).

I find myself frustrated in being unable to assist, having jumbled many different phrasings in the process.
Besides, I'm anything but a quitter! DNS "Bind" wouldn't be the word eluding your recall, would it? These are a few places
I dug up (again, my comp experience is low-but growing) in an attempt to jar that mental port open. The third is a search
or links page. You wouldn't happen to have that Copernic Agent?

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/

http://www.windowsecurity.com/

http://cui.unige.ch/meta-index.html

http://www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/ict/lan/links.htm

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~cumulus/wireless.htm

Though you've probably seen most of these, I was looking to help out.
In science, one in a hundred is a good success rate .

I will have this thought on standby until it becomes resolved, or you remember .
If it comes to you Chris, please post back.

Edit : Late in Chris, might this be it..."Simple DNS Plus?"


GF