Internet Explorer

Currently, in any windows window (e.g., 'My Computer'), if I type in a URL address, the URL is accessed via Internet Explorer. Is there a way that I can have this not happen - that URL's will only be accessed via Explorer if I specifically bring up Explorer via an icon? We have AOL, and like its parental controls. I would like my children to only get to the Internet via AOL.

I would even be willing to get rid of Explorer altogether.

We access the Internet via cable.
This did not seem to be a problem when we accessed via telephone line.

Thank you for any assistance you can give?

Steve

 

The only solution that comes to mind is to install a firewall such as Kerio (it's a small, free download and is easy to use). Basically, what a firewall does (in terms of outbound filtering) is to act as an "application gate" and ask for your permission before allowing any program to establish a connection with the internet.

Once you had it installed, you would need to launch each application (for example, by clicking on the Internet Explorer icon or by typing a URL into My Computer) and Kerio would ask whether or not you wished to allow that particular application to establish a connection and you would simply answer "yes" or "no ".

Once you had created all the rules, you would need to set an Authentication Password (in the case of Kerio, you would right-click the icon in the System Tray, select Administration and then Authentication to get to the password screen). This would lock everything down and the firewall would then ask for the password before allowing any new rules to be created or existing rules modified.

This may sound a trifle complicated, but would in fact be a relatively simple and straightforward process.

A firewall would be useful in other ways too. Have a gander at this site and press a couple of buttons!