asked on

How do I restrict Web access only to selected sites?

We have a call centre in our office where the staff need access to our company's web site plus the following webs sites:
http://www.aus-emaps.com/postcode_finder.php
https://maps.google.com.au/
http://www.whitepages.com.au/

We have installed parental controls on the Trend Titanium Micro Security package to prevent them from visiting inappropriate web sites but that still leaves them wasting company time on other web sites.

Is there any way that I can restrict users (using any web browser) from visiting any but the above web sites, bearing in mind that some of the above web sites (especially the postcode web site) have references to other web sites that contain relevant data.

Or is there a better way to prevent them from visiting any but approved web sites?

strung

Fortinet makes a number for products that would likely do what you want:

http://www.fortinet.com/products/fortigate/

Browse their website and see if anything meets your needs or give them a call or send them an e-mail.

SOLUTION

Emmanuel Adebayo

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

SOLUTION

jcimarron

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

Rob4077

ASKER

Thanks for all your suggestions. I will try to explore them all today.

Unfortunately none of us at work are especially computer literate so I will have to find software that is easy to work with or instructions that are easy to follow.

I don't understand the implications of a proxy server but I will try that suggested solution too. However that seems to relate only to IE. The in-house web site works most reliably with Chrome. Is there an equivalent way with Chrome (and Firefox for that matter) to work through a Proxy server?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

jcimarron

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

Rob4077

ASKER

Sorry for the delay in responding. The business is closing for a couple of weeks over the Christmas break and I have not had a chance to try your suggestions as the focus is on getting everything possible done before we close.

If I don't get a chance to finish this by Friday I will close the question and raise a fresh one next year if I have any more questions or have trouble implementing your suggestions.

Rob4077

ASKER

Thanks for your comments. I never got a chance to complete this before the office closed for the holiday break but on looking at the answers, the suggestions on use of proxies seems the right one so I will close and award points. Thanks again

jcimarron

Rob4077--
You are welcome.

Rob4077

ASKER

Just wanted to let you know. I tried this and it kinda works BUT some of the sites, like Google Maps, won't display properly. Reason appears to be because the web pages call on other web pages. Any ideas or is that a new question?

jcimarron

Rob4077--I understand there are parts of the sites mentioned in your original post which rely on links to other sites. Right click on a blank spot in the area which is being blocked and then Properties. The Address line should give you the URL of the blocked site. You can then put that URL into the "Do not use the proxy server for addresses beginning with" window, per the instructions in my earlier post.