Setting up parental control on the D-Link DIR-600L router

Question

I am using the D-Link DIR-600L Wireless N150 Cloud Router, and I would like to setup or add a filter in the router to block inappropriate content, not allowing any of the connected users to access such content.

I tried OpenDNS and changed my DNS IP to 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123 (source), but my ISP blocks these addresses. I asked on the OpenDNS forum for a solution and was answered that there is none.

I have looked into installing K9 Web Protection, but I would need in this case to install and set it up on all devices.

I can set the router's WiFi to block individual websites, but I would like to block them all.

I have not found how I can use my router to block by keyword.

Solution 1

As regarding your question about using keywords to filter-out content, here is what the manual says about the setup page for Parental Control:

Website URL:
Enter the keywords or URLs that you want to block (or allow).
Any URL with the keyword in it will be blocked (or allowed).

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As regarding your question of how to use OpenDNS, I am a bit puzzled about why your ISP would block it. As far as I know, there is no censorship of the Internet in India.

You can check it by entering in a Command Prompt (cmd):

nslookup -type=txt which.opendns.com 208.67.220.220

If the answer text contains "not an OpenDNS resolver", then your ISP has really redirected your DNS queries.

If it does not say that, then your ISP does not redirect your DNS queries, and you should be able to reach and use OpenDNS. In that case, it would help if you told us how you did the setup of OpenDNS in the router, because the problem might be caused by a simple mistake.

Your real problem might be that your DNS queries are raised over IPv6, so your OpenDNS settings cannot take effect. Having IPv6 enabled for the Internet connection will circumvent OpenDNS, since the OpenDNS servers you are trying to use have IPv4 addresses.

In this case, go into the Properties of the network connection on your PC, uncheck the IPv6 protocol, press OK, then reboot.

Use the link http://welcome.opendns.com/ for testing the correct working of OpenDNS.

Solution 2

if you'd like to use opendns:

The following would be complicated to setup, but here is the concept.

1. set up an ssh tunnel proxy for a computer running linux on your local network (you can use an ssh tunneling service).

2. set the nameservers to opendns and have it tunnel your dns loookups through your tunnel.

3. set up a dns server on the linux computer.

4. set your router's dhcp to give your new local dns server as the dns.

your dns lookups should be able to go through, and they will be filtered with opendns.

Solution 3

(Given that you can't use OpenDNS:) You can't do this (yourself).

"Filtering out inappropriate content" is an enormous job. Don't try to do this yourself.
Earlier in my career I was a developer of Parental Control software (program now discontinued).
To block effectively you need to use a Bayesian filter based on URLs, keywords and other characteristics.

• Just blocking URLs yourself will keep you busy forever. We had a database of 150000-200000 filter rules (largely blocking on domain names) and new ones continually appear

• Blocking on just keywords will give you lots of false positives.

• You can't handle the 'other characteristics' (e.g. certain strings in the URL)

Leave it to the professionals to update the filters. If you have good experiences with K9 install that on all relevant computers and have it auto-update its filters.

You may not like this answer, but it's the correct one ;-)

Comments

[Daniel B]

You want to protect the network? You’ll have to force all traffic through a filtering proxy. Your router probably cannot do this, so you need to add another router “after” (Router<->Network → Router<->Filtering Router<->Network) it.

[harrymc]

Is the router the DIR-635 RangeBooster N 650 Router? If it is, is it revision A or B? Are you using the latest firmware update (menu Tools/Firmware)?

[smali]

@harrymc sorry its dir 600L flipkart.com/d-link-dir-600l-wireless-n150-cloud-router/p/…

[harrymc]

There are apparently two possible sub-models : A and B. Which one is yours?

[smali]

I didnt find this info but here is complete desc of my router us.dlink.com/products/connect/wireless-n150-cloud-router

[Everett]

How did you establish that your ISP was blocking these addresses? Di you try pinging them? As your link connects to a page for FamilyShield CUSTOMERS, did you go through the process of signing up as indicated here: goo.gl/BS0tpo ? The reason I ask is that your IP may not have been whitelisted as a customer on the providers side of this service. Just trying to eliminate a possible error in configuration.

[smali]

this is only for windows I am looking for router level filtering

[smali]

thanks for professional advice but will wait, Might get a solution.

[harrymc]

-1. MIA does not apply to his router. You could also have gone to the trouble of searching if his router is really supported by OpenWrt or DD-WRT. And why is it "the only solution"?

[harrymc]

Also, OpenWrt and DD-WRT only support early models of the DIR-600: A1, B1 and B2. Model L is never mentioned.

[Dhaval Ptl]

Parental Control is not working. I turned on parental control, choose option to deny site, added site URL, save settings and rebooted my router. But still filtered site is opening. Please guide.

[harrymc]

The manual seems to insist on using keywords, so entering an entire URL might be too much. Try to enter just the website name or some part of it.