[AC-Admins] ANTHROCHAT.NET: inappropriate content

[Scott Garron]

On 11/22/2010 05:52 PM, James Charnley wrote:
> I realize that you have limited control who accesses your website
> but I would like to be able to block it from my sons computer.Don't
> laugh, I'm hopelessly computer illiterate and could use some help in
> accomplishing this.

      Unfortunately, it does take a considerable amount of computer savvy
to effectively block certain sites while allowing browsing of others.
There are a number of commercial software products as well as hardware
firewalls out there to allow strict configurations and parental
controls, such as that, but even with those, there are ways around them
when pitted against an enterprising youth.  It's a bit like the way
child safety caps work for keeping the adults out of the Tylenol while
the kids seem to have no trouble at all getting them open.

      Even so, if you want to make the effort (something is better than
nothing, right?), do a search on Google search for something like:

parental controls for internet browsing

or

home web content filtering

... or something to that effect.

      One product that I've heard of is called "Net Nanny" (
http://www.netnanny.com/ ).  I don't know how effective it is or really
much about it, but I've at least heard its name in reference to the kind
of controls you are seeking.

      The only content filtering software that I, personally, have
configured and used is an open-source product, called Dansguardian.  I
volunteer some of my time to help manage a network for a grammar school
and use Dansguardian on the school's linux-based router.  It takes
quite a bit of technical skill to get working, but seems to be very
effective and able to be fine-tuned.  In addition, it is an open
source, community-developed product, so it's free of charge.

      My suggestion would be to consult a network administrator that's
more local to you (maybe a friend or colleague) who could help you
through this or a similar process.

      While you are researching that and trying to configure something to
work for blocking the use of AnthroChat, you'll need some more detailed
information about how AnthroChat works.  In addition to being a
web site, AnthroChat is also an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network.  Even
if you block the web site, IRC client software can be used to connect to
the chat servers without the use of the web site at all.  Our IRC
servers listen on the following ports for IRC clients:

6601 (SSL)
6667 (plain)
6697 (SSL)
7000 (plain)
7667 (plain)

      Currently, the IP addresses of all of our IRC servers are as
follows, but this is subject to change:

67.18.92.223
80.68.92.126
93.190.168.240
112.140.178.97
207.30.25.40
208.71.174.156
216.55.85.235

      If there's any other information that you think you need, don't
hesitate to e-mail me back and ask questions.

-- 
Scott "Simba" Garron
One of AnthroChat's Founders