Blacklisting

PLEASE NOTE: Web Filter > Blacklist settings are global and will impact everyone.

Blacklist aka Domain Blocking

How to block access to a website, or App by blocking the Domain Name.

Blocking a website will usually also block the app. However, we recommend using parental controls on iOS and App Locks on Android, if you’re after App control.

1. How to block Twitter
   • Enter only the last part of the domain name – and nothing else.
     • Add
       • Save Filters

In about 15 minutes the website / app will stop working.

 

Some websites require more effort to block. Use ping and / or Web Usage Logs to track down domains associated with the site / app you want to block – enter them into your Blacklist.

1. How to block www.cars.com
   • Fire up ping on your PC (how-to)
   • Ping cars.com
     • which returns ‘cars.com’
   • Ping www.cars.com
     • which returns e2457.e12.akamaiedge.net
2. Enter both ‘cars.com‘ and ‘e2457.e12.akamaiedge.net‘ into the Blacklist.
3. Add
4. Save Filters

Troubleshooting (the website / app will not block):

1. Make sure you have entered just the domain name, and not the full URL (see image above for good & bad entries)
2. Reboot the device you are testing from to clear local caches (at least 15 after you created the block)
3. Test from multiple devices
4. Open a ticket and we’ll research why it will not block

NOTE: When blocking websites / apps via the Blacklist there is sometimes up to 15 min delay.

Example 2: How to block the game Fortnite – this cannot be done using normal tools, so use Schedule Internet Access

Fortnite is made my epicgames.com, and they are an Asian company that has built their system to be virtually un-blockable. Like Tor it uses hundreds of servers that are constantly changing and it works over ports 443 and 80 (which cannot be  blocked).

Fortnite is not a normal website though, and most sites / apps can be blocked by enter the domain name above.

Can fortnite be blocked at all? Yes, using layer 7 filtering which is an advanced, resource intensive (i.e. expensive) method that requires server grade hardware. Which begs the question – if you can know they are playing (Web Usage Monitor) and block it by turning the Internet off (Schedule Internet Access), is the added cost and complexity worth it?

NOTE: Again, blocking a website / app works, but it takes a few minutes to take affect. Same with unblocking so, if you are looking for immediate results we recommend using Web Usage to see what they are doing, and then either verbally reprimand, or use Schedule Internet Access to enforce rules.

 

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