Istorik

I'd like to be able to block individual websites, not whole categories, on my iMac running OS X and Safari. I called Apple but were unable to help me. The commercial programs I've looked at appear designed to block whole categories. On other on-line forums, I've seen detailed descriptions on how to block indivdual sites within a Windows format, but not for the iMac. Suggestions greatly welcome.

I am not a computer person but can follow precise directions. Thanks, Dan

POADB

Hi Dan, welcome to TSF.

Use the hosts file
It's just like in Windows, except it's a little trickier to access.
Use Finder to search for the application Terminal.
In there type: sudo pico /etc/hosts
Enter your root password.
Use the arrow keys to move down to the bottom line and then type:

127.0.0.1 www.thesiteyouwanttoblock.com

There is a space between 127.0.0.1 and www.

User Ctrl+X to exit and Y to Save.

Then type lookupd -flushcache

Quit the Terminal and restart Safari.

Istorik

I found the Terminal application. When I double clicked on it, a small pop up entitled Terminal--bash--80x24 opened up. It listed the last login (not by me), Welcome to Darwin!, then the name of my computer and my name followed by a dollar sign.

I entered in sudo pico /etc/hosts and it indeed asked for my password. I gave the administrative password, but it did not accept it. Is the root password different from the admin password?

Thanks again for your patience, Dan

sinclair_tm

Yes it is. The root password is something that you must enable, and then set. In order to tell you how to do so, I need to know what version of OS X you are using, as there are some differences depending on the OS.

Istorik

It is Mac OS X Version 10.4.11. There were some scary messages when I entered the terminal application. I don't want to scramble the brains of my beautiful iMac.

Thanks,
Dan

sinclair_tm

it always warns you like that the 1st time you use sudo. goto your utilities folder and open the app called netinfo manager. goto the menu security and choose authenticate. here you will have to use the admin name and password. once it accepts that, goto the same menu and select enable root user, and give it a really good password. now you can use sudo from the terminal.

Istorik

Bear with me, but I did establish a root password, but once I was in sudo, it would not accept the password. I exited and changed the password and tried again. Still no dice.

One observation/one question:

1. When I type in the password within Sudo, the cursor does not move. It doesn't show what I'm typing nor does it offer a string of ********. Is there some special protocol for entering a root password?

2. Should there be a space between pico and /etc. Couldn't tell from the original post. I tried it both ways. They both got me to the password stage......

Suggestions?
2.

sinclair_tm

yes, there should be a space. as for the password, no there will be no feedback at all with sudo. remember, use only numbers and lowercase letters for the root password, about 8 characters long.

Istorik

I finally got in to sudo, but using the regular password, not the root password. Anyhow, I proceeded as directed, and entered the web-site I want to block. I only entered one, but if I wanted to enter several, would I also use 127.0.0.1?


I did pause when I got to

lookupd -flushcache

The cursor at that time was at the end of a line of "DOS" text that said File name to write /etc/hosts

Is that where I was supposed to type lookupd -flushcache or on a different line.

Also, as I exited terminal, there appeared to be several intermediate messages/stages. Again, I just don't want to do something that I can't reverse.

sinclair_tm

Okay, after opening the Terminal, typing in the sudo line, entering you password, you are now in the host file. you want to put in the 127.0.0.1 for every site you wished blocked. then you do the control-x, and at the bottom it will ask you if you want to write the file, which is where you were. that is where you push the "y" key for yes, you want to write. then the terminal window should look like it did when you first opened it, only you'll now see thee sudo line you typed. That is where you type the flush cache line.

POADB

I thought my instructions were clear....

Istorik

Gents,
Got it. I just needed to "return" out of that box to the $ line, and then enter in the flush command. It now works.

Many thanks for your patience.

POADB

No problem Istorik.

Istorik

One follow up query: Is it possible to add something to the website address in the terminal utility to block the whole domain? That is, not just www.ebay.com but all the websites that start with that. Some sort of /* code?

sinclair_tm

stopping ebay.com should kill all pages of it, or so i'd think. or if that doesn't work, find the ip address of ebay and block that.

POADB

If you put in http://www.ebay.com - that domain will be blocked.
I think you might need to add https://www.ebay.co.uk too, for the secure server - and any other server before the ebay.com domain. (such as www2)

billdozzer

How do you unblock the web site after?

sinclair_tm

Please start a new thread and give detail about your problem.

MaoDaAmargura

I found the above instructions very useful, with this note: In Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6.x) lookupd has been replaced with (or renamed to) dscacheutil. Thanks for the help.