Free Internet Content Filtering – Keep Your Family Safe ( . . . or your employees working )
The Internet is a wonderful tool, but like the real world there are 'bad' areas.
In this Tech Tip we cover a free web-tool designed to keep most of the bad stuff off your home computer and away from your family.
The web-tool is openDNS.
By default your computer uses the DNS (Domain Name Server) defined by your ISP (Internet Service Provider.) The DNS connects you to the web sites you want to visit. Without going into a lot of techy detail, a DNS converts a human readable “www.google.com” into the IP Address of the Google server. You can think of a DNS as a look-up table, or conversion system.
OpenDNS works the same way, but has the added benefit of filtering the web sites that your computer is allowed to visit. This filtering is fully customizable by you.
Here's a “How-To” Summary:
Change your network config to use the DNS servers at openDNS.
(Their DNS IP Addresses are 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220)
Register for a free openDNS account and customize your Internet filtering.
Install the openDNS updater – so openDNS will still filter, even if your IP Address changes.
Step-by-Step Instructions – Choose your Operating System
Windows XP - Windows Vista - Windows 7
If you are a "visual" person, here is a short openDNS video.