advice on network software

[breadandbubbles]

im going CRAZY trying to find a solution to this.

my parents run a foster home. theyre running a Linksys WRT54GT router, with tomato. they dont know this, because theyre terrible with electronics, and couldnt care less.

now running off the router they have:

3 PSPs, wireless

2 iPod touches, wireless

2 laptops, wireless

3 desktops, wired

2 original xboxes, wired

1 xbox 360, wired

1 PS3, wired

now what i want is fairly simple, or so i thought

if the kids jerk around and act like as***** and steal s*** or break s*** or whatever, i go into tomato and block the MAC address of whatever device from the internet. were not legally allowed to take it away from them under certain circumstances (violent ones), so we jsut cut the internet on them and until they get their s*** together.

the problem is, my parents have no idea how to use tomato, and im not always available. i can do it remotely, but not if im working or something. and sometimes if a kid wont get off the computer, theyd like to just be able to shut down the internet right away.

now, what im looking for is some sort of software the can run on their main desktop that allows them to allow or disallow the internet to a specific device. so if thomas is acting like a s***, they open up their program, click thomas' xbox, and disable the internet to it.

i found Network Magic, but it seems like it only works on PC's, not xbox's and iPods. am i wrong?

it doesnt support wireless devices because im using Tomato apparently. if i used the default firmware, it would probably work, but thats a s***ty option. there has to be another way.

please, i cant find ANYTHING. ive been looking for weeks. any help at all?

[DigeratiPrime]

I haven't used Tomato firmware in a while, but DD-WRT has Access Restrictions. You can create a policy for each device, based on IP or MAC, with the default setup as Deny and Disable. When you need to just check Enable and Apply. However IMO this feature has been buggy in some builds.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Access_Restrictions

[breadandbubbles]

I haven't used Tomato firmware in a while, but DD-WRT has Access Restrictions. You can create a policy for each device, based on IP or MAC, with the default setup as Deny and Disable. When you need to just check Enable and Apply. However IMO this feature has been buggy in some builds.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Access_Restrictions

right but i really dont want them to go into any access restriction settings for any firmware. im looking for a desktop GUI.

[DigeratiPrime]

Only thing I can think of is Firewall Builder

http://www.fwbuilder.org/

Otherwise I think you will need to find another gateway device that has management software.

The reason most network products use web management is so they are immediately cross platform and dont need java.

[breadandbubbles]

Only thing I can think of is Firewall Builder

http://www.fwbuilder.org/

Otherwise I think you will need to find another gateway device that has management software.

The reason most network products use web management is so they are immediately cross platform and dont need java.

it makes perfect sense to use web management, im jsut extremely surprised there isnt something consumer friendly in the way of desktop management. think of the market! when you run that disc that comes with your router, it actually DOES something! that would be wicked, and im surprised it doesnt exist.

i tried firewall builder, but...im a little confused about what im looking at.

do i have to install this with any device im using? if so, then it wont work with ipods, psp's, xboxes, or gameboys right?

[breadandbubbles]

Only thing I can think of is Firewall Builder

http://www.fwbuilder.org/

Otherwise I think you will need to find another gateway device that has management software.

The reason most network products use web management is so they are immediately cross platform and dont need java.

it makes perfect sense to use web management, im jsut extremely surprised there isnt something consumer friendly in the way of desktop management. think of the market! when you run that disc that comes with your router, it actually DOES something! that would be wicked, and im surprised it doesnt exist.

i tried firewall builder, but...im a little confused about what im looking at.

do i have to install this with any device im using? if so, then it wont work with ipods, psp's, xboxes, or gameboys right?

*BUMP*

im sorry guys, i really need help with this. it boggles my mind that more people arent interested in this.

[DigeratiPrime]

Firewall Builder helps create a conf (settings) file and upload to a network firewall via ssh all within its simple gui. The idea is you dont need to be familiar with the syntax of different firewalls and helps manage multiple devices on a network.

Another idea I have is to setup ICS on your pc so that it becomes the gateway and use a firewall on that to block traffic from certain devices.

[breadandbubbles]

Firewall Builder helps create a conf (settings) file and upload to a network firewall via ssh all within its simple gui. The idea is you dont need to be familiar with the syntax of different firewalls and helps manage multiple devices on a network.

Another idea I have is to setup ICS on your pc so that it becomes the gateway and use a firewall on that to block traffic from certain devices.

thats not a bad idea. ill look into that!