Hi, We use squid with a series of configuration files of what urls etc. we allow connexion to, so providing a decent filter of unwanted sites because our ISP (schoolzone) fail us in that respect. Our fixed timings are provided by a time switch which turns off the multilink router! By removing the majority of the *.cpl files in the windows system directory, the Internet Explorer settings can be locked and, unless kids hack into the admin account, they can't get at the setup. As admin, I can run the cpl from the admin file or copy it back to the machine temporarily for changes. That way I force all student machines to go out through the proxy and simply take the proxy down to stop access. I use the startup/shutdown script by "rcsquid start/stop/restart/reload". Actually, with over 300 workstations, I only take it down if I'm playing with things, because the chances are that some class somewhere is actually using the Internet during the day. It does mean, however, that I can add nasties to the banned lists on the fly. It's amusing to see their faces when nude "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" suddenly disappears under a proxy "No Access" message. Squid, Squidguard and Calamari fit together quite well if one needs to set up one's own filtering (calamari is the report generator) but they need reasonable reading! I've started using the "Webmin" tool to browse to the server and configure it (all the common configuration components) remotely. See www.webmin.com (or is it www.webmin.org?) for free downloads and it isn't a massive rpm. -- Best wishes, Derek Harding derek@lagham.zetnet.co.uk hardingd@warlingham.surrey.sch.uk
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Derek Harding