How to Block Websites

Want to prevent other Windows PC user from accessing or visiting certain websites you don’t want regardless of the what browser is used or what time of the day they want to visit? You only need to make a few simple additions to the Windows host file. Make your computer safe for children underage to use and browse the internet. This tutorial will help you in making it possible to block sites without having to download or install any additional software.

Blocking a Website in your PC

• Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. If Windows is not installed on C:, substitute the appropriate drive letter.
• Double-click hosts, and select Notepad when Windows prompts you to choose a program. If you don’t get the prompt, or if the hosts file opens in another program, open Notepad (Start, All Programs, Accessories, Notepad), and then navigate to hosts by clicking File, Open within Notepad.

• Place the cursor at the end of the last line, which will say something such as ’127.0.0.1 localhost’ or ‘::1 localhost’. Press Enter to create a new line.
• Type 127.0.0.1, tap the spacebar once, and then type the address of a website you want to block. For example, to block all traffic from YouTube, type 127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com on this line.
• Continue to add the websites you wish to block, each prefaced with 127.0.0.1 and a space
• .

• Click File, Save to commit to your changes. Dismiss any warnings from antimalware software, which may be triggered by your editing of the hosts file.
• Close any open browser windows, and then reopen a browser to test your edits. The blocked sites should not display in any browser.

Selectively Block a Website based on User or Time of Day

You can also block websites selectively through your router’s Web Interface if you want more control.

• Open a browser and enter your router’s IP address into the address bar. Refer to your router’s documentation for the IP address, or, if you don’t immediately know it, try a common address such as http://192.168.1.1, http://192.168.0.1, or http://192.168.2.1.
• Enter your username and password. If you haven’t changed the username and password, and you don’t know the defaults, visit Port Forward’s Default Router Passwords page to find them.
• Browse to the section where you can block websites, computers, and access during certain times of day. Router interfaces vary, but look for a section with a name such as ‘Access Restrictions’.
• Enter the details of the content and the users you’d like to restrict, and save your changes. Your router’s paper or electronic documentation should provide full instructions.

*Note always to take caution when editing host text files, make back up always of your files before editiong.