{"id":4669,"date":"2020-08-20T12:27:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-20T12:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azoora.com\/blog\/?p=4669"},"modified":"2020-08-17T12:37:16","modified_gmt":"2020-08-17T12:37:16","slug":"how-to-block-any-website-anywhere-computer-phone-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azoora.com\/blog\/technology\/how-to-block-any-website-anywhere-computer-phone-network\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Block Any Website Anywhere (Computer, Phone, Network)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are many reasons you might want to learn how to block certain websites, permanently or temporarily. You might be a parent or a business manager that wants to hide dangerous, unproductive, or inappropriate sites from your children\/employees. Alternatively, you may be a self-employed worker who needs to control their own productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible to block websites both on your own computer, a mobile phone, or across an entire network, and there are several ways to pull this off. Manually through device settings, using downloadable software\/apps, or even browser extensions are all ways to revoke access to distracting websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve collected all these methods here with the best software and easy step-by-step instructions, suitable whether you\u2019re blocking for yourself, another individual, or an entire organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Would You Need to Block a Website?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Site blocking is a tactic commonly employed by parents, schools, and businesses to hide distracting domains. Games and\u00a0social media\u00a0are good examples of that. It\u2019s one way to control what children or employees are doing without having to constantly monitor them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But that\u2019s not the only reason to block a website. Many students, self-employed workers, and creatives use blocking software for a similar reason: to keep them focused on their work. Ever catch yourself scrolling through social media in the middle of an important project? Productivity software temporarily bans access to these sites so you can stay focused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another reason to block websites is because you find them annoying, upsetting, or just don\u2019t want to see them anymore. A permanent block gets them out of your way forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever your reasons, you have several ways to temporarily or permanently hide websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Block Websites Manually<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you need a straightforward solution for Windows 10 or Mac that doesn\u2019t require downloading any special software, you may want to try manually blocking sites. This can happen through your computer or router. Depending on the method you use this disables sites on your own machine only or across the entire network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The downside to all of these is that they\u2019re harder to do if you\u2019re not experienced with computers. They are also more annoying to revoke if you just want a temporary ban. Only use one of these methods if you want to hide a website permanently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Block Sites with Hosts File or Firewall<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Both Windows 10 and Mac have a hosts file you can use to disable websites. With this trick you can redirect all traffic from that domain to your local machine, causing them to simply stop loading. Here\u2019s how to do it in Windows 10:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Open File Explorer by clicking the folder icon in your taskbar. Click the bar to the left of\u00a0Search<\/em>\u00a0and paste in:\u00a0C:\\Windows\\System32\\drivers\\etc<\/code><\/li>
  2. Double click the\u00a0hosts<\/code>\u00a0file and open it using Notepad or some other\u00a0text editor. Create a new line at the bottom of the file by tapping Enter.<\/li>
  3. On the new line, paste in the IP\u00a0127.0.0.1<\/code>\u00a0and then type the URL of the domain you want to block. For instance if you want to hide Facebook, the line will look like this:\u00a0127.0.0.1\u00a0www.facebook.com<\/code><\/li>
  4. To block more sites, create a new line for each, and follow the step above again. Make sure to save your changes and close the file.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    In Mac it\u2019s a little more complex, but the process is similar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Press F4 and type in \u201cterminal\u201d to find and launch the Terminal.<\/li>
    2. To open the hosts file in the Nano text editor, type in sudo nano \/private\/etc\/hosts<\/code> and enter your computer password.<\/li>
    3. Create a new line at the bottom of the file, then type in 127.0.0.1<\/code> followed by a space and the URL of the domain you want to block, just like Step 3 and 4 in the Windows tutorial above. When you\u2019re finished, save the file and close it.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Enable Parental Controls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Both Windows and Mac come with parental controls built in that can help you block websites for other users on a machine. Here\u2019s how to enable it in Windows 10:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      1. Type in \u201cAdd, edit, or remove other users\u201d into the search bar and click the result to open the Family & other users<\/em> tab. Click Add a family member<\/em> to create a second user.<\/li>
      2. Create a Microsoft family account<\/a> to set up a family group on your computer.<\/li>
      3. Log in to your family account, click the new user\u2019s name, and click Content Restrictions<\/em>. Then find Web Browsing<\/em> and turn on Block inappropriate websites<\/em>. Then you can add new websites to block, or only allow specific sites.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        And here\u2019s how to set up Parental Controls on Mac:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        1. Create a second user account. Open the Mac menu and click System Preferences<\/em>, then Users & Groups<\/em>. Tap the plus button to create a new account.<\/li>
        2. Open the menu, click System Preferences<\/em>, and then Parental Controls<\/em>. Select the new user account to set up restrictions. Click Web<\/em> and enter the sites you want to block.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Block Sites Through Router<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          No matter what operating system you use, changing router settings lets you block sites across all browsers and computers. Keep in mind that this will affect everyone in your household or business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          1. Find your router\u2019s IP, and type it into any browser\u2019s address bar to get to its settings page. Try 192.168.1.1<\/code> or 192.168.0.1<\/code>, or use this guide<\/a> to find it. You\u2019ll also need your router username and password. If you haven\u2019t changed it, the username is usually admin<\/em>, and the password admin<\/em>, password<\/em>, or leaving it blank. If that doesn\u2019t work, check your router\u2019s manual.<\/li>
          2. Once you\u2019re in your router settings page, look for a setting called Block Sites<\/em>, Access Restrictions<\/em>, or something similar. You might find it under Security<\/em>, Parental Controls<\/em>, or Advanced<\/em>. Every router is different, so again consult your manual.<\/li>
          3. Once you find the setting, enter the domains you want to block. Now no one connected to this network can visit that site.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            Use Productivity Software<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            For single-computer, temporary blocking of distracting websites, time management software is often the best solution. These programs are downloadable and highly customizable, allowing you to set what times you\u2019re allowed to visit certain sites or start a timer that blocks all access to distracting social media. They can also track browser usage and highlight the sites that are draining away your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            Here\u2019s What You Can Use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

            A few great examples of productivity software for freelancers and self-employed workers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n