Need IT/Web help

[Junior]

In one of my offices I am having a problem with employees spending a majority of their time on the web. Is there a piece of software where I can block certain websites or limit the time spent online?

[Rabidsquirrel]

I'm not sure limiting time spent online is a good thing, unless your employees have no reason to be on it during work hours. Simple solution: disconnect the internet during work hours. Harder solution: buy filtering software that either monitors internet activity, or simply blocks the websites.

http://www.google.com/search?q=web+filtering+software&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=com.ubuntu:en-US:unofficial&client=firefox-a

[dunng]

You can grab a SonicWall appliance with content filtering on eBay for a decent price... :ss

[12stones]

We've got Barracuda where I work and it does a great job keeping me off sites. Pisses me off completely. It blocks all alcohol/tabacco related sites, so no CA for me. :(

[AD720]

I don't want to tell you how to run your business, but have you had a talk with your employees about what is acceptable/responsible internet use and what is not?

Personally I think overuse/misuse is one thing but like a quick call to or from home sometimes an email might be OK.

Maybe a meeting where rules are laid out would save some animosity when Joe Worker comes in Monday AM and all of a sudden can't check his personal email anymore. :2

[MajorCaptSilly]

http://www.tangent.com/solutions/index.htm

Works well in small/med offices.

You can also implement an internet use policy and monitor them with something like SpectorSoft CNE. Catch and punish a couple people and you'll destroy the problem.

MCS

[gettysburgfreak]

you could threaten to throw them on the curb and replace them with people who will actually work.

[pnoon]

you could threaten to throw them on the curb and replace them with people who will actually work.

Not exactly the type of feedback the OP was looking for.
:hn

[dunng]

And not exactly good for office morale... :D

[kgoings]

You could install http://www.cyberpatrol.com/ on each pc and it would track each PC individually (very stealth). Depends on how far you want to go.

[mosesbotbol]

Increase their workload.

If they are not utilized 100%, you can't blame them for being online.

[nozero]

The General Service Administration uses http://www.websense.com/. I'm not fond of it because it often blocks sites techs use for admin purposes.

[Junior]

I am not trying to be a prick about it, but something has to be done. I have no problem with them going online to check email, and other things. I do not expect any more of my employees than I ask from myself.

Taking out the internet is not an option as I use it to connect to the corporate servers.

I have already had a talk with both of them, and nothing has changed. Actually one of them went to one of the social networks, and aired company laundry (that has been addressed).

I don’t want to have to do anything with the internet in that office. I have other things working now, and am going to take the wait and see approach. I am just trying to stay a step ahead.

[mosesbotbol]

The General Service Administration uses http://www.websense.com/. I'm not fond of it because it often blocks sites techs use for admin purposes.

Websense sucks. We use at work and it does block way too many sites.

[tunes]

Ray - There are many products that will do the trick, both proxy and context filtering but before implementing anything an "acceptable use policy" is a must. Otherwise you don't have a leg to stand on.

[Junior]

I have a use policy in place now. My current one is five years old so it is being updated now. I will give it a month once the new one is in place. I will probably go the cyberpatrol route.

[Kreth]

You could also edit the hosts file if you know the sites you want to block, and redirect to the "localhost" address of 127.0.0.1. Here (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial51.html)'s some info on how to do it.

[AD720]

I have a use policy in place now. My current one is five years old so it is being updated now. I will give it a month once the new one is in place. I will probably go the cyberpatrol route.

If people aren't repsecting your policy I see no reason not to go that route. Kudos to you for being cool about it in the first place, I think a lot of people would just start blocking. It is a shame that your employees are taking advantage.

[SeanGAR]

Explain in detail the acceptable use policy for computers. Explain what they are currently doing wrong. Explain the consequences of not following the policy. I think it is better to treat them like adults than to use a nanny program.

[N2Advnture]

Can't you configure this within your firewall?

[Darrell]

Can't you configure this within your firewall?

That was my thought. That's what we did at the shop to block holts, CI, Famous, etc. So people would not be surfing internet deals on our wi-fi.

[Junior]

Can't you configure this within your firewall?

Can't touch the firewall. I work as an exclusive agent for a large corporation, and they make us use there firewall and antivirus sorfware because we connect to the servers via VPN.