Internet Parental Guidance

Why is internet parental guidance important? The internet is an extremely efficient tool in helping children learn and develop. However, there is a lot out there that would not want your child to see. There are many websites with content that is not suitable for children at all. Also, e-mail and chat rooms are also ways children could get into trouble on the internet. Many criminals have used these means of communication before. This is why it is so important to always supervise your child while they are on the internet.

There are many things that parents can do in order to ensure that their children stay safe while on the internet. First, they need to learn about the internet by going to the library, school, or community center. Next, they need to get involved by spending time on the internet with their child. Parents also must stay informed about parental controls that can help them to

keep

their children safe online.

Source: Internet Safety

Internet Filters

According to Microsoft internet filters are "software tools that can help monitor web content that can be viewed on a certain computer or network." Internet filters are often used by parents in order to control the computer usage of their children. Including who they can talk to and how long they are able to use the computer for.

Internet filters have many different abilities and can do many things

which is why they are so important to have. They allow parents to block sites based on content and employers to block websites from their employers. They can prevent unwanted sexual content from appearing in search results, warn you before entering suspicious websites (phishing filters), and keep spam out of your

e-mail.

Source: What is an internet filter?

Internet Monitoring, Blocking, and Tracking

Monitoring, blocking, and tracking are all different ways in which someone can either see or prevent what someone else is doing on the internet. Monitoring and tracking software are typically used by employers. These types of software can allow one to see what websites are visited, instant messaging conversations, e-mails, and chat rooms. There are even some programs that will allow you to see exactly what another user has open on their screen.

Blocking programs will prevent users from gaining access to websites

that are considered either inappropriate or "time wasting," such as gambling sites, game sites, etc. These types of programs can also prevent users from accessing certain programs as well. Employers will usually block certain programs such as instant messaging to prevent workers from going off task.

Source: Monitoring and Control

Internet Parental Control Software

Parental control software are programs which allow parents to choose appropriate content for their children while they are on the internet. These programs can block specific websites from their children. However, they can also block sites simply based on the type of content contained on a web page. These tools are very useful for parents so they do not have to sit over their child's shoulder while they are on the computer.

There are many different types of parental control software out today. Content controls allows parents to determine which types of websites are

appropriate. Program controls control instant messengers, P2P file sharing, and other programs. Time controls can control the amount of time a child spends online. Usage logging will log each website visited, programs used while online, and instant messenger chats. Usage alerts will notify a parent by e-mail, text message, or phone call instantly when someone visits a website that is considered inappropriate.

Source: Parental Control Software

Strong Password (How to Create and Use Them)

Anytime you need to create a password for any type of online account, the password should be original and should never be anything that can be easily guessed. Almost all websites suggest that any password should contain a unique group of letters, numbers, and symbols. They suggest that with the blend of all of these characters the strength of your password will be much greater.

Microsoft provides users with a six step formula in order to create a strong password. The first step is to think of a sentence that you will remember. Then take the first letter from each word in the sentence and make that a password. Third, add complexity. This can be done by mixing upper and lower case letters, and adding in numbers. Fourth, symbols or numbers should be added in place of similar letters. Fifth, you should check your password with Microsoft's "password checker" to obtain the strength of your password. Finally, make sure you keep your passwords secret!

Source: Strong Passwords

Wireless Networking Precautions

When using a wireless network to access the internet you must be cautious against threats to your computer and your network as well. According to a study conducted in 2004 60-70% of all wireless networks are insecure! Today most people have wireless internet in their homes on insecure networks. This is a large problem, because (1)anyone can get into your network and see all of your online information, which can include bank account information and credit card information and (2)other people can use your wireless internet that you are paying for! This can not only slow down your network, but also anything illegal performed by a computer on your network will be traced back to you, even if it wasn't you doing it!

So how can one secure a wireless network? Encryption is widely considered the most important tactic in securing a network. WEP and WPA are two types of encryption that require a hexidecimal password to access the network. The use of anti-virus software will also help prevent attacks to your computer as well. Another useful tip is to change your SSID, hackers will often try to log onto networks with common names that they are aware many networks will be using, so changing the SSID will prevent hackers from being able to gain access to your network as well. For the same reason you must also change your networks password from the default as well.

Source: Wireless Network Security for the Home

Fiber Optic Communication

Fiber optic communication is a way to transfer information from one source to another. This form of transferring data is performed by sending pulses of light in the form of an electromagnetic carrier wave. There are many steps that take place in a transfer. A fiber optic transfer is completed as follows: one must create the optical signal by using a transmitter, then the signal must be relayed along the fiber, then one must receive the optical signal and transfer it into an electrical signal.

Fiber optic communication was first developed in the 1970's. Fiber optic communication is commonly used in situations where long distance or high demand is involved. Fiber optic communication is commonly used today to transmit telephone, internet, and cable signals. This is because fiber optic transmissions have a much higher

advantage over traditional copper cables, as they can carry more information with much less interference.

Source: Fiber-Optic Communication