| |
|
| |
Servers & Network |
- Background
- While proxy servers temporarily cache your internet content for faster network access, content filters can assess web traffic entering your network, and block access to web sites according to pre-determined rules.
Content filters are often installed in conjunction with a proxy server - in small networks they are often running on the same hardware.
Which content filter?
- The biggest decision to make when planning an internet content filtering system for your network is whether you want to DIY, or pay for a commercial product, or find a solution somewhere in between.
There are many comercial providers of both filtering software, and dedicated filtering appliances. Some of these are listed below.
The first choice for DIY (for ease of setup and administration) is Dandguardian, running on a Mac.
A number of commercial software filtering solutions are also built around the Dansguardian software.
Details of some of the options are listed below:
|
| |
- DansGuardian (Home Page)
- If you would
like to setup a local content filter at a school, or you have a broadband connection
at home and are interested in setting up a content filter to
keep the kids out of trouble, this is the product. Free for non-commercial use.
Danguardian comes from the Linux world, but an OSX Installer has been developed by Dave Lopata.
For Mac
OS X:
Dave
Lopata's OSX DG Installer
a complete DG/Squid install, including a GUI console
for DG. No GUI config (yet) for Squid settings, so departmental schools may also need to install WebMin to manage "upstream" settings such as parent proxy, etc.
For Red Hat Linux:
Red
Hat DansGuardian Installer: go to Downloads:stable:Red Hat for the RPM
DansGuardian
WebMin module (Use WebMin to admin DansGuardian)
Alternatively (for OSX):
If you like to tinker with these things, you can combine Squid and DG, using a WebMin interface....
SquidMan (a
neat OSX Squid installer with a GUI)
WebMin
- OSX Package (Provides a web interface to administer
DG)
DansGuardian
WebMin module (Enables Webmin to config DG)
Wazza's
SquidMan-DansGuardian-WebMin setup notes (pdf - 1.5 Mb)
See also:
Other Mac OSX Info
Mac
OS X Squid-Dansguardian Installer (Installs DansGuardian and Squid, but
cannot be easily re-configured for parent proxies, etc.)
Webmin
installation instructions (from phpMac - incorporated
into Wazza's notes above.)
|
|
- ClarkConnect (Linux)
- Includes firewall and security tools, file, print, web, e-mail, proxy, antivirus, antispam, content filtering, VPN servers (Free version for Home use).
CensorNet (Linux)
- Content
filter & firewall - an open-source project built on the
Dansguardian filter.
SquidGuard (Linux)
- An ultrafast
filter, redirector and access controller for Squid. Filters
by URL, not the content of pages (unlike DansGuardian). Free,
but Unix tech experience essential!
SafeSquid (Linux)
- Internet
Proxy, content filtering web-gateway, Internet Access Manager,
Internet Bandwidth use optimiser. Free edition available.
iSherrif
- Commercial filtering tool, suitable for small and large organisations.
ClickSafe
- Commercial Web & email filter appliance. Just plug it in to your network!
Suitable for small and large organisations, including schools.
SafeSquid (Linux)
- Internet
Proxy, content filtering web-gateway, Internet Access Manager,
Internet Bandwidth use optimiser.
See also:
- WebSense
LightSpeed
iPrism - a content filtering "appliance".
-
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|