Router Security Help Needed

[sixonetonoffun]

Ok so here is my issue. Not a lot of detail to give not even sure what router but here goes...

My Ex uses a wireless router off her dsl modem to share access with the kids devices. In the past year she took a new position that keeps her out of the house until late. Leaving our teenagers home alone and un supervised. Pretty common these days for many of us I'm sure.

So she had setup some restricted access users for the kids which worked great for a while until the oldest daughter found out how to do a 30/30/30 reset. Which basically wipes the settings and goes into setup mode.

All social aspects aside. Is there not a way to work around this without physically restricting access?

I'd be open to trying most anything but am thinking that the real issue is between mom and the kids. But if there was anything I could to to help with this besides just backing her up it would be great.

Mom has simply removed the modem but that is a pain in the rear. We've some leverage with the oldest but she is 17 and pretty much runs the household when mom is gone. I feel a little bad because I've nurtured her inner-geek and encouraged her to explore computing. A little Frankenstein on my hands.

Really all I would want is to be able to have time limits for users and dns servers that filter content. But how to defeat the 30/30/30 reset? 3 Lock Box?

[HalationEffect]

Most home routers that I'm familiar with have a physical hardware reset button (it is usually recessed, needing a paper-clip, toothpick or similar to get to it). So, if your daughter has physical access to the router, all bets are off.

[james147]

Unsolder the switch ^^ if locking the devices in a cupboard is out of the question, but then she can always short the contacts to reset the device...

The only real technical solution is to not allow access to the device some how.

Personally I would try creating a deal with the kid as I hated when my dad did this to me I always found a way round it until he stopped doing it.

[dmeyer]

I had a similar issue with my mom. She thought that resetting it would fix it and she used Google to find out how. No matter how much I explained that unplugging it and the plugging it in would fix most of her "problems" she just refuses to accept it. Eventually I used super glue to jam the button but if I need I can just open the case and use a little wire. Apparently my mom kept trying to connect to the neighbor’s WiFi.

[luckyone]

I read part of a solution that used Open DNS and their security settings. That's about all I remember ATM. But it was used for restricting access for children.

[SteveRiley]

Physical access trumps everything. (*) You ex has a human-management problem, which no amount of technical trickery can overcome.

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(*) Possible exceptions include hardware that's certified for FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and Level 4. However, do you want to pay several thousand dollars for an access point so certified?

[NickStone]

Won't software like netnanny, cybernanny etc. work in your case? Set up software like these on your children's user accounts to automatically block sites you don't want your children access to.

[SteveRiley]

Presumably, if the teen is smart enough to find the 30-30-30 reset mechanism, she's smart enough to find ways to evade software-based parental controls.

[sixonetonoffun]

Thanks all. Pretty well confirmed my belief that the solution lies in parenting more then technology. And yes Steve the kids been Dual booting her laptop for a couple of years so securing the access point was really the best shot. For that matter I think to truly lock things down one or two of the neighbors need to set passwords on their wi-fi too! But she will probably come around to moms side if she wishes to drive anywhere in the near future. Use her skills to assist mom instead of get around her. At least thats my hope for a swift and meaningful resolution.