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Data Blackmail via Router Function?
I'm considering purchasing a NetGear AX5400 router, or maybe a similar model, but I have a question. My current router is an ASUS unit that is comparable in technology to the AX5400. My home net...
Exactly. WiFi is a separate decision from the Firewall/router. Everything depends on the area that requires coverage and the number/type of WiFi devices involved.
Things get more complicated when the area is large enough to require some sort of mesh WiFi system.
If its that much of a concern, why not go the open source route? I use Opnsense for a home built router and then just use my netgear routers/mesh systems as access points for it. Opnsense gives you a lot more controls/blocking/features and isn't very expensive. I just used a cheap N150 PC of that jeff bezo's site that had dual multi-gig ports and a multigig switch. Works great. Plus i setup unbound on it for DNS resolving/adblocking
Oh.. That's interesting. Looks like I'm going to have to do some Opnsense research. Does Opnsense allow me to block specific websites to specific users? In other words, can I block my child from accessing a specific website?
To date, from my ignorant perspective, a firewall/router has just been a box I plug into my modem that I can configure to manage my network. Block camera's from accessing the WAN, assign static IP's and give them labels, etc. I've never employed an entirely different PC to act as a firewall.. although I suspect the boxes I've been using are essentially just that.
Can blocking websites be done at the router/firewall? How does that work with HTTPS? Or is this something that has to be done within the specific PC itself?
I've never employed an entirely different PC to act as a firewall.
There are a lot of inexpensive small form factor PCs that will work. ServeTheHome has done extensive reviews (both videos on youtube and written versions on their website). These include both new and older used platforms.
There is a learning curve here, and if you haven't worked with an enterprise-grade firewall before, it will take a while.
Can blocking websites be done at the router/firewall?
Certainly. But one puzzle here is figuring whether a website is safe for children or not. Router vendors use a third-party cloud service because they really don't want to invest the resources needed to create the needed database and keep it up to date.
Opnsense does have some built-in tools for this that only run on premise. But I think some of the tools will share some info with a cloud service, so you'd want to be careful to research the ones you want to use (particularly ones that are not enabled by default).
Note there are almost always parental controls that you can set up on your child's device(s). You normally should be using those as well, particularly for devices that are portable.
Like what StephenB says, most of these lists/filtering out kiddie stuff takes someone to curate it. There are pre-built lists you can use that get updated. You can even subscribe to something like zenarmor on opnsense. There's a ton that can be done with it. Much more than any of the consumer-grade equipment. But unless you're going to be scouring the internet for things to block, you'll need some type of list/monitoring.
And when you get decent with it (i'm not there yet), you can setup different networks on it so say the adults are on your LAN and you're on another with different screening.
Figuring out if a website is safe for children.. That's been an interesting journey for me these past couple of years. My child's school issues her a laptop and forces her to log into google classroom. Google classroom is a whole different can of privacy concerns and a clear FERPA violation, but the school just ignores it. I won't let a school owned computer onto my network, so I built her a PC that I have control over. She still has to log into her school account, which sends all her browsing through the school's child protection service. And what a useless load of crap their version of child protection is. She's prohibited from going to a website about firearms, but not twitter, facebook, or tictok.. She can't visit a website that deals with fireworks and firework safety procedures, but they'll allow her onto a religious website or social media. She couldn't even go to the website of one of our local grocery stores because for some reason it was blocked (still haven't figured that one out). It would seem someone's compass doesn't point north. I suspect their version of child protection has less to do with actually protecting a child, and more to do with some political agenda.
The parental control in my ASUS router require me to agree to send my data to Trend Micro.. They advertise these features, but don't tell you they're locked out unless you give up your data.
I bought a Netgear router but haven't had time to play with it yet.
I'm kind of stuck at this point.. going to have to learn the Opnsense route of doing this. For now, I just edited the host file on my child's computer so it comes back to 127.0.0.1 when she tries to go to any of the social media websites.
Keeping one's data and children private and safe is becoming a nightmare of unimaginable proportions. I shouldn't complain too much.. I'm her parent, its my responsibility to keep her safe, not anyone else's.. but keeping her safe has left the realm of common sense and good parenting and has migrated into a technology problem. I still can't come to grips with the fact that our school, and schools across the nation, are just ignoring FERPA laws. Her school sent her home with a permission slip they wanted me to sign that effectively has me volunteering to give up her right to school privacy and allow the school to give away her school data. I refused to sign it... Nothing changed, they don't care, and they still force her to send her data to Google and Google's affiliates.
Thank you all for the help and the Opnsense suggestion. I guess I know what I'll be doing during the rainy days.
