How to control LAN users?

[Robin Laing]

George Yanos wrote:
> * Bob Goodwin <bobgoodwin at wildblue.net> [2007-09-20 14:09:36 -0400]:
> 
>> Styma, Robert E (Robert) wrote:
>>>  
>>>>> 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.
>>>>    
>>> Real VNC is easy to install on the windows boxes.  vncviewer is
>>> available on all the FC installs.  If vncviewer is not in /usr/bin,
>>> yum install vnc
>>> should do the trick.
>>>
>>> The windows versions of vnc can be downloaded from:
>>> http://www.realvnc.com/
>>> It installs and you put it in service mode.  You have that
>>> option on the install.  You can take the default options and
>>> set a password.
>>>
>>> On you linux box, you can run:
>>> vncviewer otherbox:0
>>>
>>> (the :0 is optional if you took the defaults)
>>> You will get prompted for the password, and then the remote
>>> desktop will appear.  I use this across ssh tunnels to help
>>> out some windows friends when they get stuck.  It is easier than
>>> talking them through a problem blind.
>>>
>>> Under the covers, vncserver (on the windows box) listens on
>>> port 5900 (if you use the default display number of 0)  vncviewer
>>> connects on that port.  Note if you use display 1, then the port
>>> is 5901.
>>>
>>> There is a web interface at 5800, although I don't usually use that.
>>>
>>> This may do what you want.  It also allows you to do remote maintenance
>>> on the target machine.
>>>
>>> Bob Styma
>>> Phoenix, AZ
>>>
>>>  
>>
>> I obtained copies of VNC, put it on a CD and installed in the twin's XP 
>> computer, took some guesses at the configuration and it appears to 
>> work.   I obtained the dhcp assigned address from the router data screen 
>> in Firefox.  Vncviewer recognizes that address and the password I 
>> assigned, brings up an XP screen, and it looks like I can control the 
>> remote computer. 
>>
>> As I said I am pretty much Windows illiterate.  It appears that I can 
>> turn the computer off from here, that's a step in the right direction.  
>> But it would be better if I could break the internet connection as I can 
>> with system-control-network or service network stop.  I don't know the 
>> Windows equivalent?
>>
>> I would also like to be able to see activity on its eth0 to the Ethernet 
>> bridge and the internet although that's not essential.  Most helpful 
>> would be how to deactivate the connection to eth0.
>>
>> If that can't be done then I will simply shut down the computer when it 
>> is left running and idle during the day.  That will be an improvement 
>> though not ideal.
>>
>> Bob Goodwin
>>
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> 
> Why not get a small router and give them ip numbers pointing at your
> small router as a gateway.  Turn off the gateway and they loose connectivity.
> 

My router has firewall settings that I can enable for certain times.

Create rules for those computers and enable them at fixed times.

You may have to use fixed IP addresses based on MAC addresses and have fun.

Even if they leave the computer on, it is blocked at the router.

-- 
Robin Laing