OK, I just "discovered" something extremely cool. I would like to recommend this to all of you as I think you would all benefit from it. Please see: OpenDNS | Providing A Safer And Faster Internet
In brief, when you are surfing the web, you use Doman Names to surf to different addresses on the web. Long ago, people figured out that typing out Internet Protocol addresses was hard to remember. People are better at typing names than remembering IP addresses. Thus the Doman Name System (DNS) was created. Essentially what it does is translate between a Domain Name and an Internet Protocol address. Thus, when you type http://www.puritanboard.com, the DNS translates that Domain Name to an IP and then sends it to your computer so you can browse to the site.
I hope that doesn't sound hopelessly complicated and that you are still with me. Anyway, many ISP's do a horrible job of setting their DNS servers up. When you connect to your ISP, every ISP runs their own DNS. For instance, I've been getting intermittent errors in being able to connect to sites at home so I did some searching and found openDNS. Instead of using my service provider's DNS, I now have my browser and my home router pointing the OpenDNS's server. Not only is it faster but it actually has some really cool features.
One of the key features is the ability to block all adult sites. Thus, PARENTS, you can block adult sites from your kids at the DNS level so that all computers in the home cannot surf to those sites. It can also block phishing sites and other dangerous sites on the Internet. It has a few other cool features.
I think some of you techies will jump on this right away. The rest of you check it out. It has good instructions on how to set it up for yourself. If you can't figure it out then so be it but I'm pretty excited I got this.
In brief, when you are surfing the web, you use Doman Names to surf to different addresses on the web. Long ago, people figured out that typing out Internet Protocol addresses was hard to remember. People are better at typing names than remembering IP addresses. Thus the Doman Name System (DNS) was created. Essentially what it does is translate between a Domain Name and an Internet Protocol address. Thus, when you type http://www.puritanboard.com, the DNS translates that Domain Name to an IP and then sends it to your computer so you can browse to the site.
I hope that doesn't sound hopelessly complicated and that you are still with me. Anyway, many ISP's do a horrible job of setting their DNS servers up. When you connect to your ISP, every ISP runs their own DNS. For instance, I've been getting intermittent errors in being able to connect to sites at home so I did some searching and found openDNS. Instead of using my service provider's DNS, I now have my browser and my home router pointing the OpenDNS's server. Not only is it faster but it actually has some really cool features.
One of the key features is the ability to block all adult sites. Thus, PARENTS, you can block adult sites from your kids at the DNS level so that all computers in the home cannot surf to those sites. It can also block phishing sites and other dangerous sites on the Internet. It has a few other cool features.
I think some of you techies will jump on this right away. The rest of you check it out. It has good instructions on how to set it up for yourself. If you can't figure it out then so be it but I'm pretty excited I got this.