How to control LAN users?

[Bob Goodwin]

Styma, Robert E (Robert) wrote:
>  > 
>
> There are a number of issues here which could be pursued.
> First, in an ideal world, you say the users would power down
> their computers when they leave.
>
> You would like to be able to shut down or disable the machines
> without having to go to the machine.  This implies that you have
> a way of knowing that the user has left without actually checking.
> You would become unpopular if you remotely shut down their machine
> while they were in the middle of doing something.
>   
Shutting down the machines would work for me, there might be some 
unhappiness but I could deal with that, but what I'm really looking for 
is a way to open the connection to the internet at my discretion.  I've 
already blocked a number of sites via the router but I never know what 
they are connecting to or what might be streaming data when the 
computers are idle, that's my prime concern.
> One possibility would be to install VNC on each Windows/Mac machine in
> service mode.
> When you believe that they have gone, you could bring up their machine
> and verify that the machine is not being used and also shut it down.
> For the F7 machines, you could ssh over and bring up TOP to see if there
> is any activity and then shut the machine down.  This would save power
> as
> well as achieving the desired end.
> This is a manual process, but I did not see anything in your post which
> precluded this.
>   
A manual process would work fine but I am Windows illiterate and every 
time I mess with a Windows computer I waste a lot of time and don't 
always succeed.
> Another line of thought is to determine what is using the network when
> no-one is supposed
> to be there.  You used the term "leave the house", so this could be a
> residence.
>   
Yes a home system, Daughter's Mac, Son-in-law's XP and the Grandson's 
[HS students] XP box.  I control the internet subscription.
> If you have people coming into your house and using the computers, you
> have more
> serious problems than bandwidth usage :-)
> In an office environment, the cleaning people could be using the
> machines.  Setting the
> machines to lock after a period of time would avoid this.
>   
Other's are trusted family members not likely to do anything stupid, 
portables require the security code and I control that.
> Some sites, like msn.com provide streaming content on their web sites.
> This would continue
> to use bandwidth while no one was there.  Another possibility is some
> sort of malware.
> Identifying the cause of the usage may be useful.
>   
I haven't found a way to monitor what's going out of the router, all I 
see is the XP boxes broadcasting for "Workgroup" periodically, something 
they don't need since they never interconnect.
> Some wireless routers allow you to cut off access based on time of day.
> That may
> or may not be worth looking at.
>   
That would be an interesting feature, I would prefer simple manual 
control though.

And reconfiguring the system in this lifetime is not likely to happen.  
I had the Satellite receiver installed downstairs next to the Mac since 
it seemed the simplest thing at the time.  If I was doing it over I 
would have them put the equipment up here in my room.  I could do it 
myself but for the construction of this place, running wires is 
difficult.  That's the major reason for the wireless system, no wires to 
run.
> Just my 2 cents
>
> Bob S
> Phoenix, AZ
>
>
>   
Thanks for your thoughts.

Bob Goodwin