To think this IT problem shouldn't be insurmountable?

[Greenrememberedhills]

My 14 year old son has an iMac, with administrator rights. I am a basic windows laptop user without any special techy knowledge. DS is driving me nuts not getting out of bed in the morning, and I think he sneaks back on the computer after bedtime.

I have discovered that if we become the administrator and not him we can put timer controls on the machine. I want DH to do this but he says it's too difficult or that DS will lose all his stuff or that it will prevent DS downloading software for his hobby.

Is it possible to change the administrator to me or DH and let DS continue to have and not lose all his stuff? If so, can anyone advise a simple way to do it?

All advice gratefully appreciated.

DH is away during the week.
DS isn't easy to manage, so a solution which relies on appealing to his better nature is unlikely to work; been there, done that.

Thank you.

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

A "scuffle"? For a similar incident, DD (then 15) lost all privileges bar heating and light, no takeaway food, and a promise that the next incident would mean police. A letter was sent to school informing them she would need to complete homework at school if computers were involved, and why. There was no shouting on our part, nor any other emotion.
19 soon. Lovely company, good cook, gives rib-cracking hugs.

[borisgudanov]

I'd go in to the router admin interface and use that to pap him aff the network.

[Moreisnnogedag]

Sorry but there are big issues here, first and foremost your dh. Your ds is ruling the roost and having a 'scuffle' is unacceptable. What consequences were there for that?

Why is just taking the damn thing away not the obvious answer? Have it in lounge/your bedroom until he understands that it's a privilege.

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

He'll spend a load of time googling how to get around the restrictions (I would), so you need to know how to check the router is still set correctly and working as you want it to (plus also check his computer is still set to the correct timings).

If you can do this yourself you could reward him with extended access time for adult behaviour because you can amend the settings yourself. Or indeed seriously restrict it if necessary. If he's that tech savvy you need to get savvy too on the bits you need to know.

Good passwords are to use the first letters of words in song lyrics (you can then sing it in your head while typing it in), substitute numbers for letters too. Hard to guess if you don't know it (or remember if it's long)

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Looks like you can manually assign an IP address for the Mac on your router. Every time the Mac connects to the internet the router will give it the same IP address for the connection it makes to the computer.

Some info on how to do this here might be helpful.

You can follow the 'add a schedule rule' info here to then add a time frame the router will allow that IP address to access the internet.

You don't need to touch his computer. However make sure you change the router password to something totally unguessable so he can't hack in and change either the password (so you can't access it) and/or change the settings giving him full access again.

It won't stop him using the computer to watch a DVD or use software on it, it will only restrict access to the internet.

If you're not sure what to do try phoning a tech savvy friend to take you through the instructions. It can be quite scary the first time.


To set up timer controls you'll need to access his computer. You will definitely need his password even if the computer auto logs in. You can then enter the account preferences > Users (it will prompt for entry of his password), set up a new account as an administrator and change his account to a regular account. He won't lose anything but he will bug you for the administrator password every time software runs that triggers this (or his wants to install something). You obviously need an administrator password he can't guess or remember (change it regularly while he's at school!!)

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

You've probably already seen this, but it might give you some ideas.

ee.co.uk/help/phones-and-device/home-broadband/bright-box-wireless-router/bright-box-advanced-user-guides/bright-box-router-firewall-features

If he is super tech savvy, there are probably ways to bypass these settings, but you can at least make it hard for him to access the internet.

[Greenrememberedhills]

Itsall, it is an EE Brightbox.

[Greenrememberedhills]

Thank you Deux.

Thanks all. I need to go out now.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

OP, what router do you have?

[Greenrememberedhills]

Whereyouleftit I do think I may have been too lax in the past. Two other older children still at home are getting quite fed up and complaining with the hassle I'm having with him at bedtimes and in the morning and they both have exams coming up- GCSEs and As.

Although I don't want to get into it on this thread, DH hasn't been too helpful over the years and has often undermined me. He has an extremely permissive approach, which really hasn't worked with youngest DS, as he struggles to manage himself.

[Deux]

I'm assuming your DS set up the mac? If so, one of the things you have to do is set up a computer account (not the same as an Apple ID). It requires an email address and you then create a password. This then becomes the default administrator account. So to change the settings in the admin account you'd need to get him to divulge the email address he used, the password he created (which has to be input to allow any downloads) and the security questions he answered, if any.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

If he has the admin password and is "incredibly tech savvy" I would guess that he is bypassing K9.

[siobahnagain]

.........................maybe anticipate that after disabling the Mac that 'the problem' will migrate to him using his mobile/games console after lights out and that sleep disturbance isn't uncommon in teenage boys even without these distractions

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

What will happen if you dont intervene and let him get on with it - would it be so bad? Is it worse than reading books with a torch until stupid o'clock?

[Greenrememberedhills]

Deux- can you say more? Why do I need his email address?

He is incredibly tech savvy. He is the youngest in a larger family, and also probably a bit aspergers but undiagnosed, and does not take kindly to not getting his own way at the moment.

[ihatethecold]

Bloody hell op.
Who is in charge.
His size is irrelevant. Why would you have a tussle over the power cord?

[WhereYouLeftIt]

"I think he's too big to remove the power chord. Nearly 6ft. I've tried twice in the last year and a scuffle broke out on one occasion, as he tried to stop me- which I'm extremely keen to avoid."


I would have removed the iMac from his room at the first opportunity for that. Placed it in a public room, he could only use it there from then on.

[Greenrememberedhills]

That is a brilliant point about the electrician especially if it was just sockets!

[Deux]

Just been thinking of your conundrum some more. You'll need your DS's password and the email address he used when he set up the 'Computer Account'.

If you set yourself up as the admin then if your DS is tech savvy and knows the email address you used he could possibly bypass this. Make sure on any security questions that they are not ones he could guess/answer.

[Greenrememberedhills]

I think he's too big to remove the power chord. Nearly 6ft. I've tried twice in the last year and a scuffle broke out on one occasion, as he tried to stop me- which I'm extremely keen to avoid.

There is no violence in our house. However, youngest DS is pretty protective of his stuff, to say the least. The best solution I think would be one which one which avoided all that.

[NatashaRomanov]

Just remove the mac from his room. He can't use it according to your rules, he doesn't get it.

[britnay]

if you can't trust him to behave responsibly then just remove the power cable.

[egnahc]

when our house was rewired the electrician suggested putting a cut off to each bedroom fuse box. he said it was popular with families with teens- mine were babies. I often think of that man! never had to use it- the fact that I can is enough!

[ivykaty44]

reading on the sofa..

[ivykaty44]

Oh and I can turn of the wifi downstairs and I also have the option of turning of the electric supply to the upstairs of the house

I enjoy easing on the sofa so this helps….