How to Block Websites

The need for blocking websites may arise due to many reasons. Parents may want to know how to block websites for keeping their children away from adult or inappropriate content. On the other hand, a company may want to block certain inappropriate sites for not letting employees access unethical sites. There are several software and applications that can be used for blocking websites. These software vary in features and functionalities, and so in price. Blocking websites is an easy step by step procedure, and can be done in just minutes. However, there are different procedures that you would need to follow on different web browsers.

Blocking Websites Without Any Software

If you want to block a website or sites without any software, the first thing you need to do is to click 'Start', and type 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc' in the run column. You can also access this link through explorer browsing. In the 'etc' folder, select the 'hosts' file, double click it, and open the file in notepad. In the notepad file, you will view something like '127.0.0.1 localhost'. For blocking a particular site, you would need to add the number 127.0.0.2, followed by the site which is to be blocked. Note that every site you add, you need to increase the last number by one. In the above case, the last number has become '2'.

Blocking Websites on Internet Explorer

If you are using Internet Explorer browser and want to block a particular website, first you need to open the browser window. Click on the 'Tools' tab, select 'Internet Options', and click on the 'Content' option. The next step is to click on 'Enable', which will activate the 'Content Advisor' and the content advisor window will be displayed. You need to select 'Approved Sites', enter the address of the website in the 'Allow this website' column, and click on 'Never'. After clicking on 'Apply' and 'OK', you will need to select a password for preventing other users modify your setting. After setting up a password, the specified website becomes inaccessible.

Blocking Websites on Firefox

If you are using the Mozilla Firefox web browser, and want to block websites, you first need to open the Firefox browser. Select the 'Tools' option, and after that choose 'Add-ons'. The next step would be to select 'Get Add-ons' and then 'Browse All Add-ons'. In the search bar, try to find add-ons that allow the browser to block inappropriate sites. One of the common add-on is 'ProCon Latte'. You should now install the add-on, and restart the browser. When a new session of the browser opens, select the 'Tools' option, then 'ProCon'. You need to open 'ProCon Setting', and then select all the four check boxes. After doing so, select the 'Set Password' option and set a password. Click the 'Main Filter' option followed by the 'Edit List' option, and enter in the names you want to add in the 'Blocked Sites' category. The next step is to select the 'Apply' tab, and close the preferences window.

Blocking Websites on Safari

If you want to know how to block websites on a Mac OS with a Safari browser, you need to make adjustments to the user's account. The first step would be opening the 'System Preferences', and selecting 'Parental Controls'. In case there are multiple users accounts, you are required to choose one which you want to set the restrictions on. Select the 'Content' button, and under 'Safari', specify the kind of limitations that you would like to set. Enter the websites that you want the browser to block, and the websites that you want the browser to allow. And after doing so, exit all the windows, and the settings would be saved by itself. You will be able to open only those websites which you had specified in the settings.

Hopefully, the above explanation should have given you good information on how to block websites on Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari web browsers.