It may happen that you should restrict access to a certain site. There can be many reasons: the desire to focus on a particular project, and not hang on some site, limit the child's ability to explore the World Wide Web, or something else. But how to implement it? How to block a site so that it does not open and no one can see its content?
What does it mean to block websites on a computer?
Before answering the question of how to block a site so that it does not open, one more question needs to be answered. First, what is blocking? This is the inability to access a specific network resource while maintaining the current operating conditions. When you try to access a blocked site, a message will be displayed stating that the resource is temporarily unavailable or blocked. Moreover, the first option is preferable for the reason that people do not understand that it is being blocked, and do not start looking for an answer to the question of how to block sites on a computer and how to unblock them. In some cases, browsers offer standard workarounds that, as you can see, don't help. Butviewing blocked sites will be impossible if you do with the standard instructions.
Differences in scale
It's one thing to restrict access to websites on one computer. And a completely different level of complexity is the restrictions in the whole network. So, for the first option, the best action is to configure it on the computer itself. But in the second one, you can either bypass all computers one by one, or put a restriction on the access point (router, server). Of course, the second option is more preferable in terms of time costs. But if it requires some employees to leave the opportunity to freely visit all sites, then it will not work.
The easiest way
The simplest answer to the question of how to block websites on a computer is to edit the computer's firewall file. Activate the search for files on your computer and enter the word hosts in the search box. The machine will show you the file on drive C - that's what you need. Run it. Most likely, it will seem to you that the computer could not determine how to open this file. Then right-click on it and select "Open With". In the presented list of programs, look for a notepad and select it.
In the window that opens, go to the end of the file and enter: 127.0.0.1 the address of the blocked site.
Save the file and close. The computer will not have access to blocked sites with such a file. A small note for the future: only a user with permissions can edit this file.administrator. And if you are afraid of messing something up, you can make a copy of the edited file before making changes in order to regain access to blocked sites in the future.
Establishing a lock on the router
If there is only one computer, then the previous option will fully satisfy all requests. And if you use a router and have the ability to access various sites using tablets or smartphones? In such a case, there is a blocking of the router. Take your access point manual and look for information such as Internet address, username and password. Enter the found address in the browser line, then in the form that appears - login and password. Then the admin panel will become available to you.
Once in the admin panel, you should look for the possibility of blocking domains. In many routers, the path is as follows: go to "Settings" and look for "Filtering" or "Domain blocking". There should be an interface that allows everything except certain domains to be allowed. You should indicate where you can’t go, click on the apply button and restart the router.
Blocking with browser extensions
If the subject for whom the blocking is carried out uses Google Chrome or Firefox, then you can set a restriction in these browsers. To do this, you should go to the add-ons section and write something similar to Site block or “site blocking”. And you will be shown the widest range of add-ons that can block the sites of your choice. This solution is a very good answer to the question of how to block sites on a computer, because few people think about checking their extensions. To prevent them from being edited or disabled by another user, extensions can be password protected. Despite the ease of installation, this method has one rather tangible disadvantage - if you remove the browser (and then install it) or the extension itself (from the folder where it is located), then protection is as if it had never happened.
Opportunities to bypass locks
But how to enter a blocked site, access to which was restricted using the previously indicated methods? There are quite a lot of opportunities to bypass the set blocking. Some of them may not work in certain cases. Initially, you should remember about anonymizers - special sites that allow you to receive an answer to the necessary requests. But at the same time, requests do not come from the user's IP address, but on behalf of the anonymizer. Let's say someone wondered how to block sites on a computer, and you want to adequately resist him. The scheme looks like this: you send data to a specific site. It directs them to the network resource you want to visit. The answer comes to the anonymizer. And the received information is redirected to you. The disadvantage of such interaction is a lower data exchange rate, but the main goal - gaining access - is fulfilled. This, of course, is not the answer to the question of how to unblock a blocked site, but go to it anywaysucceed.
You can also bypass blocking using special software. One of the most famous is the Tor browser. Its principle of operation is similar to an anonymizer with the difference that data is transferred not between the user and some server, but exclusively between the users themselves, while they act as servers for other people. In the example, everything will look like this: users of country A are prohibited from visiting site B, users of country C are prohibited from visiting site D. Users forward requests to each other, and the program makes a request from the recipient, then returns the data to the one who is actually interested in them. But you should use Tor wisely - due to the architecture of the program, hacking it and sending someone a virus, trojan, or simply intercepting data like a login and password to a site is not the most incredible event.
Here are the two most popular answers, chosen by millions, if not tens of millions of users, answering for themselves the question of how to access a blocked site.
White list of sites
But another blocking option is possible - creating a white list of sites. This option provides for the creation of lists of addresses that can be accessed. Receiving or sending data to all others will be prohibited. Choosing the right software for you is not difficult, and there are a great many programs that are distributed free of charge and at the same time have the necessary functionality. That's whychoose how to block sites on your computer, it's up to you.
Conclusion
The article discussed various options for blocking access to various virtual resources, not only how to block sites on a computer, but also how to unblock them. If you like something, you can use the option you like.
