Blocking bittorrent with home router

edanto

A family friend has an internet connection that strangers would regularly use. They're asking about blocking torrents etc, and I'm wondering if there have been any advances lately in custom firmware/routers that might facilitate this?

1. dd-wrt
This dd wrt page describes a few things that can be done to make torrenting more difficult and slower, and I'll certainly try all that. It does say

"To ensure fairer allocation of network capacity for all users, it may be desirable to throttle (degrade) peer-to-peer file sharing. (It's difficult if not impossible to block it completely.)"

So that makes me think, this might be a wild goose chase.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Peer-to-Peer_%28P2P%29_Throttling

2. Old box/firewall
A more advanced plan might be to use an old box and run endian firewall or something similar on it, but I'd be a bit out of my depth and I'm looking for something that's ultra low maintenance

3. Microtek
I can't see exactly what product might do the job, but they are mentioned in this thread
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/archive/index.php/t-318691.html

Any other ideas? Don't mind paying a few quid for it (maybe e50 a yr) if it's effective and ultra low maintenance. Set & forget would be ideal.

edanto

Any ideas guys n gals?

offmeheadpal

if its a UPC router i go into port filtering and block ports 444 to 65535 Both TCP and UDP

There is a way around this as the torrent app may still use a lower port, but its worked for me so far, although ive been keeping an eye out to make sure im not blocking skype or other useful apps.


if its just throttling, any modem thaty supports tomato will do

Dardania

Better solution might be to get some iTunes vouchers for the children...

Dd-wrt idea sounds great

I use DD-Wrt myself and while it is pretty solid generally it can fail and need a reboot sometimes when it has a heavy load and depending on the unit it is installed on.

If I was installing a hardware firewall I would install it on an alix board and install pfSense, it's probably over your budget.

I have never installed one myself, though it is on my to-do list.

Here is an interesting guide for installing it.

MrFrisp

I use OpenDNS.

It's easy to use,and I can block anything via the Router,so the kids can't access anything I block on the pc,laptop,androids,,etc.
.

Skill Magill

K9 web protection would prevent users getting onto p2p sites, but wouldn't prevent them using a bittorrent protocol.
You could then set them up as another user and edit the security settings of utorrent (if thats the one you're using) from everyone to just you.

beauf

Dardania wrote: »

Better solution might be to get some iTunes vouchers for the children...

Dd-wrt idea sounds great

I was thinking it might be a business like a cafe or BB. Or perhaps even someone letting out a room, perhaps to a student or such like. Be handy to have controls on it then.