Controlling Port 80

[Adam Walter]

I am setting up a HP 4000M switch on a network for a local public school. We would like to enable the teachers to control when the students can use port 80. is there any software out there that will allow them to controll web usage without allowing them to directly configuring the switch.

[harry d brown jr]

I'm not sure what the functionalities of the hp 4000m switch is, but these are issues you need to consider:

- block all internet access or just port 80? What about port 443 (https)? ftp?

- block access for everyone in the network, or just a single subnet?

- do you have a firewall?

- is it really worth the effort?

You could look into reverse proxy, where the teacher controls the proxy server.

live free or die
harry

[Craig Rants]

Adam,
You could look at using a host based firewall such as Zone Alarm. However, I know from experience that the kids know much more about this stuff than do the teachers, which really makes it worse because everyone thinks things are under control when the probably are not.

I think you really need to set something up at the switch level, which would really take that control out of the hands of the teachers.

Just my thoughts,
Craig