NetProtector® Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the most common questions asked about the NetProtector product.
General Questions
Why would I want
NetProtector®?
How do I lock the
Internet?
How do I unlock
the Internet?
When would I use NetProtector®?
I have a password on my dialup software - isn't that enough
protection?
Can you access any part of the Internet when NetProtector® is
in the lock position?
Can
my children still Instant Message their friends when
NetProtector is in the lock position?
How do I limit or control my children's access to the
Internet?
Will
NetProtector® slow down my Internet speed?
Can the keys be easily duplicated at any hardware store?
How many keys does NetProtector® come with?
What operating system is required to use NetProtector®?
What type of computer is required to use NetProtector®?
What
type of modem is required to use NetProtector®?
What
browsers does NetProtector®
work with?
If I turn NetProtector® on and off often, won't the lock go
bad
quickly?
Does the rest of the computer functions, other than Internet
access, work when NetProtector® is in the locked position?
Does the computer have to be on to use NetProtector®?
Installation Questions
How easy is it to install?
How do you install it?
Does NetProtector® work with a dial up Internet connection?
Does NetProtector® work with a cable Internet connection?
Does NetProtector® work with ADSL Internet connection?
Is there any software to install?
Does NetProtector® work with a T1 line?
Do I need to have any computer skills to install NetProtector?®
Filtering and Blocking Software
Can NetProtector® be used with filtering and blocking
software?
Why wouldn't I just use filtering and blocking software?
Does NetProtector® filter web information?
My kid is a computer wiz - will he be able to hack his way
in and disable the program?
Multiple Computer Use
Can NetProtector® be used when a router is connected between the
computer and Internet?
Can NetProtector® control multiple computers at once?
What are the benefits of NetProtector® vs. the existing
filtering software products on the market?
Does NetProtector®work with a T1 line?
General Questions
Q: Why would I want
to buy NetProtector®?
A: NetProtector® is the simplest way to promote a
safe Internet environment for your children. When you are
unable to supervise your children's Internet usage, or you
want to limit the time they are online, NetProtector®
turns your Internet connection off with a simple turn of a
key. The rest of your computer functions are still in
tact, just the Internet is disabled.
Q: How do I lock the
Internet?
A:
You simply put the key into NetProtector® and
switch it to the locked position and remove the key. Q: How
do I unlock the Internet?
A: You simply put the key into NetProtector® and
switch it to the unlocked position and remove the key.
Q:
When would I use NetProtector®?
A: You would use NetProtector® when you did not
want your children to access the Internet. This is
useful when your children should be doing their homework,
if they have been on the Internet too long, or if you are not
able to supervise their Internet usage. Q: I have a password on my dialup software - isn't
that enough protection?
A: No. Children are very computer savvy. They might get
around a password on the dialup software in two ways. First,
they can install another dialup account without you knowing
(there are free ones out there). Second, they can install a
program that records keystrokes. These programs record every
word you type into the computer. This way they can learn the
dialup password and even the passwords for the Internet
filtering/blocking software. Q:
Can you access any part of the Internet when NetProtector® is
in the lock position?
A: No. NetProtector® does NOT filter
Internet content; it is a locking device. When NetProtector®
is in the lock position the Internet cannot be accessed at
all. Filtering products were tested by Consumer
Reports. Most of the products they
tested failed to block 1 in 5 objectionable sites. (Consumer
Reports, "Digital chaperones for kids", March 2001).
Their conclusion was "Filtering software is no
substitute for parental supervision."
Q: Can
my children still instant messages with their friends when
NetProtector is in the lock position?
A: No. Children cannot access anything on the Internet
when NetProtector® is in the lock position.
All other non-Internet computer functions such as word
processing still works (so children can still do their
homework).
Q: How
do I limit or control my children's access to the Internet?
A: You control exactly when Internet usage is available by
using a key to turn NetProtector® to the lock or
unlock position. When NetProtector® is in
the lock position, Internet access if not
available. When NetProtector® is in the unlock
position, Internet access is available.
Q: Will
NetProtector ®slow down my Internet speed?
A: No. Your internet connection will be just as fast as
before.
Q:
Can the keys be easily duplicated at any hardware store?
A:
NetProtector® uses tubular security keys which can only be duplicated at a by a locksmith. There are
over 20,000 combinations possible with our locks. We still
recommend that you keep your
NetProtector® keys in a secure place. Q:
How many keys come with NetProtector®?
A:
Two keys come with NetProtector®.
Q:
What operating system is required to use NetProtector®?
A:
NetProtector® works with Windows 95, 98, NT,
2000, ME, XP, any Mac, or Linux OS.
Q:
What type of computer is required to use NetProtector®?
A: NetProtector® works with any computer. Q:
What
type of modem is required to use NetProtector®?
A: Any internal modem (dialup connection), external cable
modem connected by Ethernet cable, external ADSL modem
connected by Ethernet cable, or external DSL modem connected
by Ethernet cable is required. If you don't know if you have an Ethernet
connection, contact us for more details.
Q: What
browsers does NetProtector ® work with?
A:
NetProtector® works with all browsers including Internet Explorer and
Netscape.
Q:
If I turn NetProtector® on and off often, won't the lock go
bad quickly?
A: No. NetProtector® uses a commercial
grade lock that will not go bad quickly.
Q: Does the rest of the computer functions, other than Internet
access, work when NetProtector® is in the locked position?
A: Yes. All other computer functions such as word
processing, spreadsheets, and games are all accessible when NetProtector®
is in the locked position. Q:
Does the computer have to be on to use NetProtector®?
A: No. The computer does not have to be on to use NetProtector®.
That is one of the biggest benefits;
parents don't even need to know how to use the computer to use
NetProtector®.
Q:
Do I need to have any computer skills to install NetProtector?®
A:
No. The computer does not even have to be on
to install NetProtector®.
Installation Questions
Q: How easy is it to install?
A: NetProtector® is simple to install. You
just connect two wires and that is it! There is no
software to install or update!
Q: How do you install it?
A: For the Telephone Version, NetProtector®
connects between the modem of the computer and the
telephone wall jack, as shown below. A tamper-resistant
clip keeps NetProtector® from being
unplugged from the back of the computer.
A: For the Cable/ADSL Modem Version, NetProtector®
connects between your Ethernet network port of the computer
and Cable or ADSL modem, as shown below. A tamper-resistant
clip keeps NetProtector® from being
unplugged from the back of the computer.
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Q:
Does NetProtector® work with a dial up Internet connection?
A: Yes. The Telephone version of NetProtector®
works with dial up Internet connections.
Q:
Does NetProtector® work with cable Internet connection?
A: Yes. The Cable/ADSL Modem version of NetProtector®
works with cable Internet connections.
Q:
Does NetProtector® work with ADSL Internet connection?
A: Yes. The Cable/ADSL Modem version of NetProtector®
works with ADSL Internet connections.
Q:
Is there any software to install?
A: No. There is no software to install or update.
NetProtector® is a 100% hardware solution. Filtering
software products were tested by Consumer Reports.
Most of the products they tested failed to
block 1 in 5 objectionable sites. (Consumer Reports,
"Digital chaperones for kids", March 2001). Their
conclusion was "Filtering software is no substitute
for parental supervision."
Q:
Does NetProtector® work with a T1 line?
A:
Yes. NetProtector is connected between your T1 line hardware
and your computer (or router if you have multiple computers).
Filtering and Blocking Software
Q: Can
NetProtector® be used with filtering and blocking software?
A:
Yes.
NetProtector® does not limit any of the
filtering/blocking software. Q: Why wouldn't
I just use filtering and blocking
software?
A: Children can install a program that records keystrokes.
These programs record every word you type into the computer.
This way they can learn the passwords for the Internet
filtering/blocking software. There are also program that
children can download to get around the filtering/blocking
software. Filtering
software products were tested by Consumer Reports.
Most of the products they tested failed to
block 1 in 5 objectionable sites. (Consumer Reports,
"Digital chaperones for kids", March 2001). Their
conclusion was "Filtering software is no substitute
for parental supervision." Most Internet filtering systems work by looking for
certain keywords which indicate the presence of offensive
material. However, this technique can easily produce unwanted
results. For example, if you block access to web sites that
contain the word "breast" you also block out sites
with chicken recipes and mammogram information. Filtering
by keyword also will fail to block sites that have only
objectionable pictures and few or no words. This is a
technique that adult sites sometimes use to bypass filtering.
There are also problems with filtering based on lists of
sites to be blocked. First, these lists are incomplete. Due to
the decentralized nature of the Internet, it's practically
impossible to definitively search all Internet sites for
"objectionable" material. Adult material might be
added to (or removed from) a site soon after the site is added
to (or removed from) a list of blocked sites.
Because the Internet is huge and growing every day, there is
no filtering system that can be 100% effective.
Therefore, NetProtector® is the best way to allow
Internet usage when parental supervision is available. Q:
Does NetProtector®
filter web information?
A:
No. NetProtector® locks out the entire Internet;
it does not filter or block specific information. You either
have full Internet capability or none at all. It is a 100%
hardware solution. There is no software to install or
update. Filtering software products were tested by Consumer
Reports. Most of the products they
tested failed to block 1 in 5 objectionable sites. (Consumer
Reports, "Digital chaperones for kids", March 2001).
Their conclusion was "Filtering software is no
substitute for parental supervision." Q: My kid is a computer wiz - will he be able to
hack his way in and disable the program?
A:
No. There is no software for your child to hack into because
this NetProtector® is a 100% hardware solution.
Multiple Computer Use
Q: Can NetProtector® be used when a router is connected between the
computer and Internet?
A:
Yes. NetProtector® is plugged between the
router and the Internet connection (cable modem, ADSL modem or T1).
The tamper-resistant
clipis installed into the Internet connection. When NetProtector® is
locked, all computers connected to the router will have the
Internet disabled.
Q:
Can NetProtector® control multiple computers at once?
A:
Yes. NetProtector® can be plugged into a
router. Though, when NetProtector® is locked, all
computers connected to the router will have the Internet
disabled. Instead of installing NetProtector® on
the router, you can install it on a single computer.
This way, you can control this computer's Internet connection without
disabling all the other ones. Just be aware that children might try to use the
computer that without NetProtector® to gain access to
the Internet.
Q:
What are the benefits of NetProtector® vs. the existing
filtering software products on the market?
A:
NetProtector® lets you prevent unsupervised
Internet access, and also helps limit the amount of time your
children go online.
Filtering software has many limitations. Keywords fail to block sites that have only
objectionable pictures and few or no words.
There are also problems with filtering based on lists of
sites to be blocked. First, these lists are incomplete. Adult material might be
added to (or removed from) a site soon after the site is added
to (or removed from) a list of blocked sites.
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