If youtube is blocked, google is being blocked as well using Firewall > Rules

vinjayz · May 27, 2015, 7:43 AM

Hi!

I blocked youtube using its domain name "youtube.com" by specifying it in an alias under Firewall > Aliases and reject its access from any devices using Firewall > Rules. It successfully blocked youtube however, I have observed that google is being blocked as well. If I am going to use the resolved IPs for youtube, it become unsuccessful as the IP is changing every now and then.

Have I missed something during the configuration?

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

Derelict · May 27, 2015, 7:45 AM

You do understand that youtube is google and google is youtube and that many youtube links are actually google links right? Welcome to the futility of internet filtering.

vinjayz · May 27, 2015, 8:10 AM

That is what I'm afraid of. So it means that I cannot effectively block youtube without blocking google by means of Firewall > Rules? Proxy server is not feasible in my network as users can just easily change the port or can just browse through HTTPS.

Anyway, my other plan is to limit the speed for youtube but this will also mean reducing the speed for google. But I believe speed limiting through Firewall > Traffic Shaper > Limiter is faulty in pfSense 2.2.2?

Derelict · May 27, 2015, 8:19 AM

Attempting to block sites such as youtube or google with simple firewall rules is folly.

vinjayz · May 27, 2015, 8:23 AM

Are there any other way to block them individually?

Derelict · May 27, 2015, 8:28 AM

Many companies charge a premium for what you're asking. Search "web filter" using your favorite search engine. (hint: pfSense wont show up in the results.)

tim.mcmanus · May 27, 2015, 11:57 AM

@vinjayz:

Are there any other way to block them individually?

OpenDNS is a free service (for home users) that you might want to take a look at. They do the work of creating the filters, you benefit. They also have a paid version of their service for businesses and schools. It's a popular and mostly effective service. I used them at home when the kids were little. Now they have mobile devices, so there's nothing I can do anymore… :)

https://www.opendns.com

Harvy66 · May 27, 2015, 3:07 PM

If the issue is bandwidth and not YouTube, then monitor users using lots of bandwidth, figure out what they're doing and tell them to stop.

deanot · May 27, 2015, 11:30 PM

Why not use the package DANSGUARDIAN, if you can figure it out. To me the package is over complicated at best.

If youtube is blocked, google is being blocked as well using Firewall > Rules

PFSense System Specs. –--------------- Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz 4 CPUs: 1 package(s) x 4 core(s) 4 port HP Branded Intel Ethernet Card

PFSense System Specs.
–---------------
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
4 CPUs: 1 package(s) x 4 core(s) 4 port HP Branded Intel Ethernet Card