bypass hosts

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    rotblitz

    What do you mean by "configured my parental controls"? Do you mean content filtering at your OpenDNS dashboard?

    "How can I set my machine to bypass the parental controls?"

    To bypass your OpenDNS settings you would have to configure another DNS service, different from OpenDNS, on that "machine".

    Just by chance, you aren't talking about a Netgear router with Live Parental Contols (LPC) powered by OpenDNS, do you? This has an explicit feature of bypass accounts.

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    clangnbang

    Yes I am talking about my web content filtering. I was hoping there was a whitelist that I could add hosts to. I have a FiOS Actiontec Router.

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    rotblitz

    Yes, there is a "never block" list you can add domain names to, same as an "always block" list, and all the categories you can select for blocking.

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    clangnbang

    That will allow a domain like www.playboy.com for example to be accessible for every host on my network. I want my machine to be able to bypass the web content filtering. Im looking for a hostname whitelist.

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    rotblitz

    I see. You have at least these options:

    • Either put entries for those whitelisted domain names into your local hosts file,
    • Or configure a different DNS service on this computer,
    • Or use a Netgear router with OpenDNS' LPC enabled. You can configure bypass accounts then.
      http://netgear.com/lpc
    • Or use an Enterprise version which comes with a bypass feature.
      http://www.opendns.com/business-security/

    And no, there is no "bypass hostname whitelist" or something like that in any OpenDNS Home version, no matter if free or paid.

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    srudenko

    I had the same question as the original poster and found this post. I had a Netgear router with LCP and it offered bypass accounts and bypass utilities.

    I got a new router (not Netgear). I configured it to use OpenDNS but if I understand this correctly is that in order to be able to create bypass accounts and get the application I need to sign up for OpenDNS Enterprise instead of Home?

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    rotblitz

    A Netgear router with LPC is currently the only home version which comes with an explicit bypass feature.

    According to what I said above, without Netgear router you still have these options as home user:

    • Either put entries for otherwise blocked domains into your local hosts file,
    • Or configure a different (non-OpenDNS) DNS service on this computer.

    Another thinkable option would be to run an own internal DNS server where you can configure to what external DNS service your queries are to be forwarded, also based on the machine raising these DNS queries.

    Upgrading to an Enterprise/Business version is an option too, but probably too expensive for home purposes unless spending money doesn't play any role in your life.

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    srudenko
    OpenDNS should consider adding the bypass feature to their VIP filtering. Its a paid service so it would make sense
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    rotblitz

    They could implement a lot of the business level features in VIP, but why would they want to do it?  It would make their business level services less attractive for home users.  OpenDNS is not a charity, but a commercial organization already giving a lot of free stuff and services to the internet community.

    That said, no, it wouldn't make sense, not from an OpenDNS perspective.

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    brkasche

    The response by Rotblitz is an outdated perspective and a failed strategy, That is why OpenDNS got bought out. I hope the current owners realize the home users need some way to allow the parents to view their adult oriented material. We don't need multiple networks like a business. I don't want my kids to figure out what adult sites were whitelisted, because they will! And when it happens they will tell people, including any Ex-spouse along with their lawyers. Give the VIP home users something, we will pay more than $20 p/y, but we are not a business. I just bought the VIP upgrade and I am already disappointed, that as an adult I am getting stuck with the same policies as my kids. I don't want to drink the same kool-aid. ;)

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    rotblitz (Edited )

    "The response by Rotblitz is an outdated perspective"

    Indeed - after 5 and a half years.

    "I don't want to drink the same kool-aid."

    What prevents you from configuring another DNS service on your device, as I proposed more than 5 years ago already?  It's up to you what you filter and block.  You do not need to complain about that OpenDNS does exactly do what it is supposed to do and what you have configured.

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