Internet Explorer 5.5, Restrict Access to Specific Websites 2

[loopdaloop]

Managing workgroup environment for student computers in a training lab environment. Would like to restrict access to based on Instructor's specific website(s)needs. Is there any way to restrict access to specific web sites using IE 5.5, group policies, or 3rd party software? Would like to implement from each workstation. Intent is to restrict Internet roaming and prevent downloads or viruses while students are in the labs.X-)

 

[tlcscousin]

A proxy server would allow restricting sites.There are free ones out there.I have tried msproxy server 2 and found it fairly good and very easy to set up for what you want.

 

[ianf]

So many different solutions, so little time. Firewall, proxy or restrict the PCs connected to the web.
The first two are obvious, the third I'll explain.
If you are working in a lab environment, the students will have specific targets, why not set up an internal web-site to meet those targets. This will prevent the need to get into the outside world (?) & all the problems associated with it. Keeps the instructor honest too !

More specced-up Proxy Servers will allow site restriction, but this is more the job of a firewall. OK, it's semantics, but proxy to enable sharing, firewall to disable access.

I've not seen a group policy that would restrict the actual sites that an account could visit. Whether it could get to the net or not, fine, but not a sub-set of the net.

You can prevent any installations at all, but I'd guess that this would restrict teaching.
You can minimise the risk of viruses in an open system, by stopping all scripts & activeX controls runnning when you surf (IE 5.5 Internet Options > Security).
You can tell each installation of IE5.5 that you don't trust certain sites, but this is really tedious to set up, cos you have to type in each & every one.

The problem with proxies is that they are sharing the connection, if all your students are doing the same thing at the same time a straight proxy will slow things down, what you need is a caching proxy that will store pages that are repeatedly requested.

I'd go with a firewall with a caching proxy myself, to enable restriction of net access on a per user or MAC address basis while maximising response time for frequent requests & logging actual usage, but then I'm paranoid.

Enough already ! Ian

"IF" is not a word it's a way of life