Safe internet use for guests

[edong]

My cousin has this 'business' of having exchange foreign students who stay at her home for a few weeks. Usually or always, these guests want internet access. My cousin has wired modem/router and using only one cable located in her bedroom. I suggest that she buys another cable to be put in the living room at least, for the use of the guests. I did not suggest wireless because my cousin (80 years old) may not know how to set it up. And I live 600 miles away.

I'm worried about some guests using her internet in NOT so wholesome or worse, illegal activities. Downloading pirated materials or illegal porn, are on top of my list. Is there a 'simple' way that I can tell her to avoid this? Thanks.

[edDV]

You don't mention if this is a cable or DSL connection so difficult to recommend a specific model.

But second level routers like the Netgear WNR2000 have so called "Guest Network Access" that allows internet access separate from LAN or file/printer sharing.
http://www.netgear.com/home/products/wirelessrouters/work-and-play/WNR2000.aspx

Guest network access Provides separate security and access restrictions for guests using the network

That doesn't control what they connect to but keeps them out of the home network. To control site access, one would need to apply the "parental access" restrictions either through the router or on a public PC.

Best to hire a local net administrator if grandma or you can't set this up.

[AlanHK]

Actually, a standard wifi router is the simplest and probably best solution, assuming the guests have laptops or netbooks.
Get one with a simple button that can turn on/off the wifi while leaving the wired connection live.

You should get someone to set it up using WPA passwords.
That may be beyond your grandmother, but routing ethernet cable through the house is probably even more so, and not much safer.

If she's sharing her home with them, and doesn't trust them, regulating Internet access is the least of her worries.
She should simply tell them that she expects them to use it for entirely legal content only. No technical method she could install could stop a determined person from bypassing any controls, and such are likely to block many entirely benign sites and cause annoyance all around.

If her ISP has a monthly download cap or worse excess charges she should tell the visitors and that they will have to pay any extra charges.

[edDV]

I agree that net savvy house guests could get to the router and bypass the settings. The "guest access" settings are the same as setting up a DMZ outside the local network but all that is needed to defeat these settings is a paper clip and physical access to to the router. The paper clip resets the router to factory settings with login as "admin" and password is "password". From there the perp can log in remotely and program the router as desired.

[Poppa_Meth]

I'd set up OpenDNS filters too if you are worried about the content guests are accessing.

PS. Are hot Japanese schoolgirls involved in this situation?

[lordsmurf]

I'd use two routers with a crossover. The second router is open wifi enabled, but has a different IP from the main router (with or without wifi), and thus blocked from main network access. The second router can also have content aware filtering put into place, port blocking, etc.

If physical security is a concern, lock them in a closet. (The routers, not the students. Then again...)

If it's too hard, hire somebody to help.

[freebird73717]

I'd set up OpenDNS filters too if you are worried about the content guests are accessing.

I agree. Have her hire a neighborhood kid to setup opendns on a wireless router for her then lock the dang thing up like LS suggested.

[edong]

Thanks, guys. I knew it would be too technical even for me.

Anyway, I will suggest that she hires a pro. But I doubt she will. She won't spend the money because she has zero idea of the risk involved. In the meantime, I told her to put a sign on the wall "No Illegal Activities When Using the Internet." Will that be enough defense when the music industry or the government agencies go after her? Of course not. Actually, internet access is not required for the host to have, I don't think. It's just added necessity for the guest's satisfactory stay. Instead of going out to internet cafe.

There is hope. She accepts only females for obvious reason. And I believe that females are less prone to commit that kind of stuff. Do I hear some protests? Oh, I forgot, in the news many who got sued were women.

@poppa_meth - you naughty boy!

[edDV]

...
There is hope. She accepts only females for obvious reason. And I believe that females are less prone to commit that kind of stuff. Do I hear some protests? Oh, I forgot, in the news many who got sued were women.

@poppa_meth - you naughty boy!

If drugs involved, hacking the router is the least of worry. Protect financial identity.