How to Block MySpace from a Home Network

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MySpace is one of the largest social networking sites on the Internet. There are many reason you may wish to block access to this site on your computer(s). There are three ways to block MySpace from a home network. You can use blocking software, modify your router, or modify the allowable hosts file for every computer on your network.

Steps

Use Blocking Software

1. Choose blocking software, the kind used to protect children from porn on the Internet. Such as Website Block, WebWatcher, PC Tattletale and NetDog.
2. Get a parental controls software from a parental controls software package.
3. Add mySpace to the "always blocked website list" in the parental controls software or NetDog blocker,
   • Optionally, you can set a password in NetDog.

Block Myspace using Hidetools Parental Control

1. Download Parental Control
2. Run Hidetools Parental Control
3. Click Block Websites, then click Add
4. On the Add prohibited website address window, type Myspace
5. Click OK, and then visit myspace.com to make sure you have successfully blocked Myspace on your computer.

Block Myspace with a Router

1. Add the IP numbers below to your Outbound Packet Filter settings.
2. Enter these in the Destination IP field and set port 80 for all of them: 63.208.226.219 63.208.226.24-63.208.226.28 63.208.226.40-63.208.226.43
3. Check the instructions that came with your router for the exact process if your router has specific requirements.

Block the Hosts File

1. Modify the Hosts file on each computer by hand if you do not use a router.
2. Identify the hosts file for your operating system: Windows XP & Vista C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts Windows 2000 C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts Windows 98 C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts Linux/UNIX /etc/hosts
3. Make a backup of the Hosts file and put it somewhere safe, in case you mess up.
4. Open the Hosts file in Notepad or other plain text editor.
5. Copy the following: #block myspace.com 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.219 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.24 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.25 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.28 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.40 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.41 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.42 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.43
6. Paste the IP numbers above into the Hosts file after the 127.0.0.1 localhost entry.
7. Save and close the Hosts file.
8. Open a browser and test to see if you can reach mySpace.

Tips

The finished file should looks something like this: Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp. This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows. This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name. The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one space. Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol. For example: 127.0.0.1 localhost #block myspace.com 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.219 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.24 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.25 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.28 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.40 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.41 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.42 127.0.0.1 63.208.226.43 You can also check Open DNS. This is completely free and easy to configure, and will (usually) make your internet connection faster.

Warnings

• By design the Hosts file does not have a file extension, don't give it a file extension.

Sources and Citations

How to block Myspace

• NetDog : http://www.netdogsoft.com

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