Virgin Media Community

[Manesh_parmar]

Hope someone can shed some light on this problem. I had previously had websafe switched on to child safe mode and also added a list of websits to block. This worked well and when I wanted to I could switch it off and access what I wanted and then switch it back on again when I was done and the existing list of websites which were blocked were still there. 

Today i switch it off and then when I turned it on again the list had gone and I dont have a back up list.

I tried adding a few more which it lets me but when I go to save, I get a message saying unable to save please try again and presents me with the same page with the sites I tried add removed so need to add again. Whats going on!!! not impressed the slightest.

[SCA1972]

@Manesh_parmar I see from your previous posts on here you have had issues with Web Safe not working in the past.  I'll ask the @ModTeam to get one of the forum team to pop by and try to assist as it seems there is something not right with your account for this to keep happening.

Personally I would recommend you look for a better parental controls solution because, as you have discovered, the VM offering is not reliable.  It is also very easy for anyone in your household to bypass the controls by setting a different DNS on their device, as the filtering only works through the VM DNS.

Open DNS provide a similar free (but arguably better) service to VM with DNS based parental controls:

https://www.opendns.com/setupguide/#familyshield

Open DNS like Web Safe can be bypassed at the device level.  If you need control at that level then look at the device's parental control settings.

If you want central control on one device then I'd suggest a third party router and put the VM hub into modem mode.  Some suggestions here of ones with good parental controls:

https://www.lifewire.com/best-parental-control-routers-4160776

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Scott

My setup: VM TV 360 box, M350 Fibre broadband with Hub 3 in modem mode connected to a Netgear R7000 router. Telewest/VM user since 2001.

[Gareth_L]

Hello Manesh_parmar

Sorry to hear this has happened

We are in the process of updating out Websafe page 

I have a feeling the transition has caused a few errors

Sadly yours being one of them 

Can you please try the new websafe page here and let us know how you get on 

Gareth_L

[Manesh_parmar]

Thanks for your response, same issue, if I add a website to block and click save, sometimes its saves it sometimes it does not and get an error "Sorry the changes you made were not saved, please try again"

Very flakey!

I shouldnt have to be considering buying a new route that gives me the expected features. I know its your fault, you are just trying to help 🙂

[Manesh_parmar]

Thanks for you response - I have been looking at routers and what I specifically want is to be able to specify which websites I want blocked and not rely on the built in filters for children etc.

I was looking at the synology RT2600ac but cant seem to find the specific info I'm after.

Does your netgear R7000 allow this?

[SCA1972]

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@Manesh_parmar wrote:

Thanks for you response - I have been looking at routers and what I specifically want is to be able to specify which websites I want blocked and not rely on the built in filters for children etc.

I was looking at the synology RT2600ac but cant seem to find the specific info I'm after.

Does your netgear R7000 allow this?

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I don't have a need to use parental controls on my R7000 so can't comment on how they work.  A quick Google brings up this thread which seems to answer your question about blocking specfic sites on the RT2600ac:

https://community.synology.com/enu/forum/17/post/117190

As for your comment that you shouldn't need to buy your own router.  You don't have to, there are other free options as I mentioned previously.  Although as they are free, you get what you pay for.

The government forced all ISPs to provide parental controls and Web Safe is clearly a basic compliance product that if I was a parent I would not trust, although I doubt that I would trust any tech to be 100% effective.

______________________
Scott

[Manesh_parmar]

Thanks Scott

I did find that thread too, it was about 4 years old so kind of discounted it thinking the latest and greatest version would have changed.

It is also specifically talking about https.

Done a bit more searching and it doesn't look like its going to be the right one for me.