Does anyone know if I can "block" a website address

[jampot]

Its in the title really - My ds keeps typing in the same website address which really isn't appropriate for his age and I wish to try and block it - any of you technowizards know?

not a technowizard here, but I was thinking you could try the following if using Internet Explorer.
You need to access Internet Options either by right-clicking on the IE icon on your desktop and choose Properties or by going into teh Tools menu which should be at the top of the page when you have the browser open (between Favourites and Help? depending on your settings) and choose the last option listed on that menu which is called Internet Options.
Once there, click on the Content tab , you should see a Content Advisor option at the top there, with two buttons Enable and Settings.
Click on Enable , choose the Approved Sites tab, type in the website address you wish to become inaccesible and opt for Never. Click on Apply at the bottom, press OK and it should work.
HTH

if you are on AOL, you can click edit at the top of the screen and select 'clear history toolbar'

go to 'Tools' Internet Options - Security - Restricted Sites - type in the website address - Bingo!

go to 'Tools' Internet Options - Security - Restricted Sites - type in the website address - Bingo!

Or another (techy) method would be to find the "hosts file" on your PC (using xp pro/2000/nt this is c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc, for xp home it is c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts or for 95/98/me it is c:\windows) and edit it to add a line like this:
127.0.0.1 hostname
(to get the hostname leave out the bit of the address which you want to block and anything after the the next "/") - e.g mumsnet (not that you'd want to block it!) would be
127.0.0.1 www.mumsnet.com

If your hosts file already has an entry for "localhost" with a different number (possibly 0.0.0.0) then you should use that number instead.

You can do this to block all sorts of adverts too - have a look here for details of how it works, and to get a current list af advert sites.

lunarsea - I use this method also but you're forever having to update it - and these advert sites have multiple addresses - its a bloomin' nightmare

Just tried Branster & Jools Too method and they are still letting the site appear.

Oh should have said the file is just called "hosts" with no extension - just realised that it wasn't obvious from what I wrote before.

Joolstoo - you don't need to keep updating it to block a single site, which is what jampot wants to do. I just posted the extra info in case anyone found it useful (and anyway blocking some ads is better than having to see them all!)

jampot try -

To specify Web sites that others can always or never see

In Control Panel, open Internet Options.
On the Content tab, under Content Advisor, click Enable.
If you've already enabled Content Advisor, click Settings, and then type the supervisor password.

Click the Approved Sites tab, type the Internet address (URL) of a Web site, and then choose whether you want others to always or never have access to this site.
Repeat this process for each Web site that you want to set access for.

Note

You can also open Internet Options by clicking the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, and then clicking Internet Options.

got this from the Help menu (block websites)

Do you have a pesonal firewall jampot?

am trying to get through your method lunar - but its scaring me

if you use lunarseas method - i don't think she said open Hosts in Notepad to edit - if she did - sorry

thanks JT - i have been cruising round my comp looking for what to do

thanks JT - i have been cruising round my comp looking for what to do

Help - where do I find hosts

Jampot. do you have a fire-wall???

If your version of windows is xp pro/2000/nt it is c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

If your version of windows is xp home it is c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

If your version of windows is 95/98/me it is c:\windows\hosts

twoforone- yes I do have a firewall - it comes pre-loaded with xp home.

Lunar - embarrassed as I am to admit this, what do I actually do with those string of letters?

just add them as an extra line at the bottom of the file. As long as there is at least one space between the IP address (the string of numbers seperated by dots) and the site name it should work.

jampot, don't know if you have sorted it yet, but am afraid i can't figure out what LunarSea means, and i thought i was ok-ish with computers!
All i do know is that i invested in a personal fire-wall after many problems with my computer. The one that i got (Mc Afee) has got parental controls on it as well as anti-virus and a fire wall.
It is fantastic if you have children that are getting to a 'curious' age. You can set certain times where they are alowed onto the internet, and block particular web-sites, and also ones that are not suitable for younger people.
It really is worth the money!

twoforone - no lunar is making me feel woefully inadequate - I am now scared of her!

jampot - if you are still having trouble email me, with a copy of your hosts file, and the address you want to block, and I'll send you back an amended version.

I 'think' i know how to get into c:\windows\system32.......etc, but can't see hosts.
I run XP home too. Have you got that far yet?

right computer now asks me for a password on all internet sites - aarggh even though the site in question is "restricted" - help again

go to Start choose seach and do a file search for 'hosts' in 'c'drive - open it in Notepad (it'll prompt you to either seach the web or choose aprogramme - Notepad)
go to the last line and type in

127.0.0.01(space)name of website (URL) save and close