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    How to block YouTube in PFSense

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Firewalling
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    • H
      Harvy66
      last edited by

      Block external DNS and set DNS to resolve youtube.com to 127.0.0.1

      Keyword blocking, can't be done without a proxy, PFSense is not a proxy so you need 3rd-party software.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • jahonixJ
        jahonix
        last edited by

        @Harvy66:

        … resolve youtube.com to 127.0.0.1

        Then users start using yt.ca  .fr  .de  .co.uk  … you get the picture.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • I
          itthelip
          last edited by

          you can block any site using blacklist in proxy server.

          Path :- Services- Proxy server- ACLs- blacklist

          Enter Website name in Blacklist then no one will have access to particular site

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • M
            moscato359
            last edited by

            @jahonix:

            @Harvy66:

            … resolve youtube.com to 127.0.0.1

            Then users start using yt.ca  .fr  .de  .co.uk  … you get the picture.

            If I go to any of those, it redirects me to youtube.com

            This is the .de version's URL
            https://www.youtube.com/?hl=de&gl=DE

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • M
              mcdiesel
              last edited by

              Here is another method, using new features in pfsense's dns resolver unbound

              https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=131833.msg725378#msg725378

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • C
                chhinfo
                last edited by

                First of all thank to pFsense!
                It's just perfect. Right now we have pFsense box hand dhcp to 15 UniFi router for our company! We just block Facebook & Youtube (Android App + iOS App)!
                I use pFsense 2.2.6-RELEASE (amd64) (I am not sure about other newer version).

                1 - Firewall > Rules > (Interface You wanna block)

                2 - Create Rule to allow the interface can talk to DNS:
                    (for Whom don't know how to create:
                              action = pass
                              TCP/IP Version = IPv4 _Protocol = tcp/udp
                              Source = Staff net {My interface name: Staff, you have your own}
                              Destination = Staff Address
                              Destination port = DNS 53
                              Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                3 - Create Rule for Managers going to any where:
                    (for Whom don't know how to do:
                        => Firewall > Aliases > add new Aliase:
                              Name = Managers
                              Hosts > Add new entry > 10.11.11.253              <= My Staff net = 10.11.11.0/24, and not surprisingly IP 253 is mine
                        => Firewall > Rule:
                              action = pass
                              TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                              Protocol = tcp/udp
                              Source = Alias:Managers
                              Destination = Any
                              Destination port = Any
                              Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                4 - Create Rule for blocking Facebook:
                        => Firewall > Aliases > add new Aliase:
                              Name = facebookApp
                              Hosts > Bulk import from Aliases list > facebookApp.txt                    <= File in the attachment
                        => Firewall > Rule:
                              action = block
                              TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                              Protocol = tcp/udp
                              Source = Staff net
                              Destination = Aliases: facebookApp
                              Destination port = Any
                              Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                5 - Create Rule for Staffs accessing allowed Website

                6 - Create Rule for Managers accessing Google:                          <= this is how youtube app got block

                • My company not allowed Google Search for users, that why Managers group is the target.
                          => Firewall > Traffic Shaper > Layer7 > Create new l7 rules group
                                Check = Enable/Disable layer7 Container
                                Name = youtubeBlock
                                Add entry = httpvideo > action = block
                          => Firewall > Aliases > add new Aliase:
                                Name = googleApp
                                Hosts > Bulk import from Aliases list > googleApp.txt                    <= File in the attachment
                          => Firewall > Rule:
                                action = block
                                TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                                Protocol = tcp/udp
                                Source =  Aliases: Managers
                                Destination = Aliases: googleApp
                                Destination port = Any
                                Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)
                                Advanced features = Layer7: youtubeBlock

                7 - Create Rule to deny anything:
                        => Firewall > Rule:
                              action = block
                              TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                              Protocol = tcp/udp
                              Source = any
                              Destination = any
                              Destination port = Any
                              Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                8 - Test it on android and iOS

                Good luck blocking youtube app @@

                facebookApp.txt
                googleApp.txt_

                C L N 4 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GertjanG
                  Gertjan
                  last edited by

                  Blocking "youtube" - or any other big organization, just watch http://www.wikihow.com/Access-YouTube-at-School to see the start of what might be an answer.

                  Blocking DNS requests won't stand long, as any user can list up in his own host file all the "yahoo" domaine names.

                  edit : I didn't try what @ajchhai proposed - I saw his reply after posting …

                  No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                  Edit : and where are the logs ??

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • B
                    bjokib
                    last edited by

                    I am going the DNS route. For now, the kids won't be able to change the dns server on their device… yet.

                    Thanks for the suggestions though.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • C
                      Chinojames @chhinfo
                      last edited by

                      @chhinfo hey brother need your help. i want to use scheduling on my pfsense. i want to block facebook, instagram, and youtube on a certain time and only they can access facebook, instagram and youtube for one hour and after that block again. I tried it but only facebook and instagram works, not youtube because of so many ip address they have. I tried also using squid, pfblocker, and openDNS, but the problem is, it will permanently block. Hope you can help me. Thanks 😁

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • L
                        LVNona @chhinfo
                        last edited by

                        @chhinfo Hi! Yes I also very interested how you can block by schedule?

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • L
                          LVNona @chhinfo
                          last edited by

                          @chhinfo said in How to block YouTube in PFSense:

                          First of all thank to pFsense!
                          It's just perfect. Right now we have pFsense box hand dhcp to 15 UniFi router for our company! We just block Facebook & Youtube (Android App + iOS App)!
                          I use pFsense 2.2.6-RELEASE (amd64) (I am not sure about other newer version).

                          1 - Firewall > Rules > (Interface You wanna block)

                          2 - Create Rule to allow the interface can talk to DNS:
                              (for Whom don't know how to create:
                                        action = pass
                                        TCP/IP Version = IPv4 _Protocol = tcp/udp
                                        Source = Staff net {My interface name: Staff, you have your own}
                                        Destination = Staff Address
                                        Destination port = DNS 53
                                        Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                          3 - Create Rule for Managers going to any where:
                              (for Whom don't know how to do:
                                  => Firewall > Aliases > add new Aliase:
                                        Name = Managers
                                        Hosts > Add new entry > 10.11.11.253              <= My Staff net = 10.11.11.0/24, and not surprisingly IP 253 is mine
                                  => Firewall > Rule:
                                        action = pass
                                        TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                                        Protocol = tcp/udp
                                        Source = Alias:Managers
                                        Destination = Any
                                        Destination port = Any
                                        Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                          4 - Create Rule for blocking Facebook:
                                  => Firewall > Aliases > add new Aliase:
                                        Name = facebookApp
                                        Hosts > Bulk import from Aliases list > facebookApp.txt                    <= File in the attachment
                                  => Firewall > Rule:
                                        action = block
                                        TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                                        Protocol = tcp/udp
                                        Source = Staff net
                                        Destination = Aliases: facebookApp
                                        Destination port = Any
                                        Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                          5 - Create Rule for Staffs accessing allowed Website

                          6 - Create Rule for Managers accessing Google:                          <= this is how youtube app got block

                          • My company not allowed Google Search for users, that why Managers group is the target.
                                    => Firewall > Traffic Shaper > Layer7 > Create new l7 rules group
                                          Check = Enable/Disable layer7 Container
                                          Name = youtubeBlock
                                          Add entry = httpvideo > action = block
                                    => Firewall > Aliases > add new Aliase:
                                          Name = googleApp
                                          Hosts > Bulk import from Aliases list > googleApp.txt                    <= File in the attachment
                                    => Firewall > Rule:
                                          action = block
                                          TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                                          Protocol = tcp/udp
                                          Source =  Aliases: Managers
                                          Destination = Aliases: googleApp
                                          Destination port = Any
                                          Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)
                                          Advanced features = Layer7: youtubeBlock

                          7 - Create Rule to deny anything:
                                  => Firewall > Rule:
                                        action = block
                                        TCP/IP Version = IPv4
                                        Protocol = tcp/udp
                                        Source = any
                                        Destination = any
                                        Destination port = Any
                                        Check => Log packets that are handled by this rule)

                          8 - Test it on android and iOS

                          Good luck blocking youtube app @@

                          facebookApp.txt
                          googleApp.txt_

                          Hi where is can get facebookapp.txt and googleapp.txt?
                          Links doesnt work
                          Thanks

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • F
                            fatt
                            last edited by

                            hi, @chhinfo could you please reattach the aliases for facebookApp.txt and googleApp.txt because link doesnt work.

                            thanks

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • N
                              novice.pfsense @chhinfo
                              last edited by

                              @chhinfo
                              Thank you so much for your contribution in such detail.
                              Although I have not tried your presented solution but I understand that it would be quite helpful for a Novice user like me. Kindly re-attach your following files:
                              facebookApp.txt
                              googleApp.txt_

                              Thank you once again.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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