Lack of parental control on uverse system

[rick-1000]

I just moved from comcast to att uverse.... love the DVR functions however I was setting up my gateway to restrict my kids internet access times. NOT   ATT does not allow parental controls on the 2wire gateway. (2wire has the function but it seems ATT does not allow users this function..... I dont know why...... I spend hours on the phone with no answers apart from we dont have that feature.)  

Can somebody help me.

I had comcast with a linksys router, the software allowed me to restrict any device to times of use, sites, time limits ect.   If I dont get these functions back I'm leaving Uverse.

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

You can probably hook up your Linksys router behind the U-Verse gateway, and then use the parental control software on the Linksys.

Search the High Speed Internet forum for using the DMZ Plus feature of the 2Wire router.

[rick-1000]

I looked for the info on DMZ....  I'm a little confused.... many articals..... do you turn "on" DMZ on the 2wire and the linksys?    The notes only talk about DMZ on linksys 54   ......  My linksys router is WRT400N no help in linksys site only reference to the 54 product.    seems like the DMZ on the 400 works a little different looking at the settings.....   Can you help me?   Can you explain what DMZ is?   Thanks for any help 

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

Basically, the DMZ option is a feature of the U-Verse router that allows you to tell the U-Verse router to send all traffic to another device, in this case your Linksys router.

Thus, instead of all computers being plugged individually into the U-Verse RG (RG = Residential Gateway, the U-Verse 2Wire 3800HGV router), you would plug the WAN port of your Linksys into the RG, and then plug all computers into your Linksys.

To help you with this, I need to know what version of the RG firmware you are running.  Go to the following link:

http://192.168.1.254/

If this comes up with a page asking for your password or comes up to a page with a menu of options on the left, you have the older RG firmware (version 5).

If this results in a "Page not found" message, you have the new version of the RG firmware (version 6).

Let me know what you have, and we'll go from there.

[rick-1000]

I have the menus on the left of the page.  I guess v5

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

OK, basically, what you're going to do is this:

1. Power up your Linksys router without connecting it to anything.
2. Plug your computer into your Linksys router in one of the LAN ports.  Restart your computer.
3. Using your computer's browser, log into the Linksys router.
4. Change the IP address range that the Linksys hands out to a range that the U-Verse router doesn't use.  The U-Verse RG uses 192.168.1.x, so for example, set the Linksys up to use 192.168.2.x on the LAN.
5. Once this change is made, you'll need to restart your computer again to get a new IP address in the new range.
6. Log back into the Linksys.  Set the WAN IP addressing method to DHCP.
7. Plug the WAN port of the Linksys into one of the LAN ports of the U-Verse RG.
8. The Linksys should get an address from the RG in the 192.168.1.x range.
9. Unplug your computer from the Linksys and plug it back into the RG.  Restart your computer again.
10. Now log into the U-Verse RG using http://192.168.1.254.  Go to Firewall -> Firewall Settings.
11. Select your Linksys from the pull-down menu, make sure the IP address you're selecting matches the IP address the Linksys obtained in step 8.
12. Scroll down to the very bottom and select "Set to DMZ Zone".  Click OK.
13. Unplug your computer from the RG and plug it back into the Linksys.  Restart your computer.
14. Restart the Linksys router, it will now get a new IP address via DHCP.  This will be the outside IP address that the RG has.
15. With your computer plugged into the Linksys, verify you can access the Internet.
16. On your computer, browse to http://192.168.1.254 to log into the RG.  Go to the Home Network tab.
17. On the right, click the Disable button under the RG's wireless interface to disable wireless on the RG.  (You will use wireless on the Linksys now).
18. Finally, move any wired computers to the LAN ports of the Linksys instead of the UVerse RG.  Re-set up any wireless computers to connect to the Linksys.
19. Leave all DVR/STB units plugged into the RG directly, do not plug them into your Linksys.

Now you can use any parental controls you need on your Linksys.

[rick-1000]

OK Just went to my linksys router to change the ip settings and (see below,I did a print screen) it will not let me change the 3rd number of the IP just the 4th starting #  of the "Start IP address" box  (I hope you see this its very small for some reason.  Do you know why, or what I'm doing wrong. Thanks Rick



[rick-1000]

Sorry it will NOT let me change the 3rd # just the 4th....

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

In step 4 of my procedure, you'll change the IP address of the Linksys in the Setup -> Basic Setup page, in the second group of settings.  The first group is where the pulldown menu that says "Automatic Configuration - DHCP".  The second group has IP Address and Subnet Mask settings.

You were looking in the 3rd group where it says "Start IP Address".  That's a DHCP configuration item, we don't need to change that.

[rick-1000]

Just got a better image of my linksys window, under "Start IP address" it only lets me change the 4th row. (100)

[rick-1000]

Dont know what I'm doing wrong but it will not see the linksys router .... I get to #7 on the instructions.... do #9 log back into the RG #10 and it does not see the linksys.   ( It seems like the look and feel of the RG has changed see pic below, maybe ATT updated the firmware last night)  

I dont see any WAN IP addressing   so I did this

Just to recap. #4      I changed in the linksys Network setup -> router address -> ip address to 192.168.2.1

restarted computer #6   network setup -> dhcp sever setup -> dhcp enabled

I dont see any WAN IP addressing

Any help would be great. Thanks

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

Add a step 8 1/2:

8 1/2.  With your computer plugged into the Linksys, attempt to browse the Internet.  If this works, then when you continue to step 9, the Linksys should now be listed in the RG's devices list.

The update you got to the RG changes the look and feel of the user interface somewhat, but the instructions still mostly apply.  If you get stuck unable to find something, post back here.

THe WAN IP addressing I'm talking about in step 6 refers to the very first pull-down menu on that page, which says "Automatic Configuration - DHCP".  This is already the correct setting, so you shouldn't need to change anything.

[rick-1000]

Nope it did not work....... on step 8 1/2 it could kinda see the web.... but very slow, somethings it would time out.   However went to step 9 and 10 but the linksys did not show up in the list 

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

In step 10, for the new RG firmware, you're going to go to Settings->Firewall->Applications, Pinholes, and DMZ.  It's on the following page:

http://192.168.1.254/xslt?PAGE=C_3_1

Are you sure the Linksys is not in the list there?  It probably won't be listed by name, but by IP address, and the IP address will be a 192.168.1.x address, not a 192.168.2.x address.  To find out which IP it should be, look in the Linksys interface while you're in step 8, go to Status->Router in the Linksys interface.  Down on that page you'll see "Internet IP Address".  This is the 192.168.1.x address that you should be looking for in the RG's list in step 10.

You're almost there.  As soon as you can click on the Linksys's IP address in step 10, you should be able to quickly complete the rest of the steps.

[rick-1000]

OK Got it..... but it was not that easy..... when looking for the ip address of the linksys.... it had the same as my pc it was the only other number listed so it was very comfusing.... so I went ahead and did it anyway....... went fine after rebooting it looks good now.    But I do still see some old 192.168.1.x numbers on my linksys.... I think it remembers the old ip address untill the device is on then it will refresh the ip address.   Is that true?

I have another question:   Now that I'm passing thru using DMZ is the RG behind the firewall (the TV coaxial and the linksys only things plugged in to the RG) how could they be affected?

Thank you so much for your help.... I think I worked on this over 5 hours, but now I can restrict my kids internet use. Why does ATT not post this or teach the phone tech support how to do this.  I just got to dead ends at ATT till you helped me out. Thanks again. Rick

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

  Awesome, glad it's working!

Ya, AT&T's tech people aren't trained on this stuff.  They don't have any material on this kind of configuration, so they basically say "you're on your own".

Yes, the RG and the STBs are protected by the RG's firewall.  Your Linksys is fully open to the Internet, like it was with your last provider, and it's firewall is protecting your computers.

[rick-1000]

I am still a little confused.... Just looked at my linksys router....

Looking at the status window it looks like this

with the ip address 99.102.93.154

but when I look at the status -> local network it looks like this

Is this OK? why is the RG assigning the 99.102.93.154 address but but linksys local network shows 192.168.2.1.

I guess I expected it to be in the range 192.168.1.x  assigned from the RG.... hope I make sense. Thanks again Rick

[enchantress_1]

Hi Rick! Im glad you got it working for your linksys router..Actually the ip address that you get on the status page of the router 99.102.93.154is what you call a WAN (wide area network) Ip address which the most popular WAN would be the INTERNET itself (Starts will 99.x and below). The Ip address 192.168.2.1 is what we call now as LAN (Local area network) ip address in which this are ip addresses used by your computers in a local basis to communicate with each other like if you wanna do File/printer  sharing etc.

I also worked for linksys before and doing a piggyback on the two wire using the linksys was a bit hard to troubleshoot before because we thought because the 2wire was a modem router that the router part of it should be turned off first before it can be cascaded,which is from what i learned now would not be the case.

Dont worry bout this..This is just basically how networking goes. As long as you had it working it would also help others.

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

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rick-1000 wrote:

I am still a little confused.... Just looked at my linksys router....

Looking at the status window it looks like this

with the ip address 99.102.93.154

but when I look at the status -> local network it looks like this

Is this OK? why is the RG assigning the 99.102.93.154 address but but linksys local network shows 192.168.2.1.

I guess I expected it to be in the range 192.168.1.x  assigned from the RG.... hope I make sense. Thanks again Rick

---

Yes, this is the correct configuration for your router being in the DMZ.  The outside interface (the WAN port) used to have a 192.168.1.x address, by placing it in the DMZ it now gets the 99.x.x.x address, which is correct.

The inside interface (LAN port) has a 192.168.2.x address so it won't conflict with the RG's 192.168.1.x addresses.

With the real outside internet address assigned to your router, this is what makes all internet traffic go through your Linksys.  This is what we want, since that enables you to use all the parental controls.

[zabe]

this seems like it would be easier...

http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB401666&cv=742,902,102&_DARGS=/esupport/sharedSegments/...

does it not work with uverse? 

[snowcrash_1]

Does this work if you have a version 6 RG I guess or is there another set of rules.  Just didn't want to try something and screw it up.

I clicked on that one link at the top and I got page not found so I am assuming I have the new firmware 6.  I have a WRT54GL Linksys that I want to hookup to the RG so any help is really appreciative.

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

The person I was helping in this thread had his RG upgraded from v5 to v6 in the middle of the procedure.  Look at message 12 in the thread and there are some very slightly modified steps after that, but it still mostly applies.

[silveylane]

Very organized info on DMZ - thanks!  I had done this to my WRT610n linksys router about 7 months ago from bits and pieces of info.  Have printed your very nice instructions out in case I ever have to explain what I've done.  Question though--I've noticed since I DMZ'd my linksys behind the 2Wire Gateway, my linksys connected devices have been attacked more often with viruses/trojans.  The only firewall on linksys WRT610n is SPI, which doesn't really seem to do anything.  I noticed that my 2Wire RG has "allowed" for the DMZ setting to the linsys router. 

Question #1:  So if I am thinking right---the only firewall I now have on my devices through DMZ is whatever Norton provides individually to those devices?  Is there a way to set a better firewall for the DMZ linksys router?

Question #2:  I am in a 2 story house and still have trouble with the range of my linksys router for "g" devices.  I tried to hookup a repeater WRE54G to expand the g range on my dmz'd linksys WRT610n.  (This was a nightmare to configure because of having to set the IP on the repeater to 192.168.2.240 and match exactly all the wireless security settings in the WRT610n router!)  However, even after configuring the repeater successfully, it would NOT link to the WRT610n.

Any ideas on how to include a repeater with the 2Wire RG>DMZ'd Linksys WRT610n w/repeater for g?  I have 7 devices that run on "g".  The only device I've found to operate on "N" is Xbox 360.

Many thanks.

Networked to death!

[SomeJoe7777 ACE - Geek]

1. Your Linksys WRT610n is essentially a firewall also, because it uses NAT.  By default, no incoming connections are permitted over NAT, whether the router does further packet inspection on top of that or not.

2. Wireless-to-wireless bridging of any kind is non-standard.  The only way I've heard of people successfully doing it is using aftermarket router firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato.  Out-of-the-box wireless repeaters aren't going to work well, if at all.

Your best bet is to run one Ethernet cable to the location where the second wireless access point is, and use the access point in straight wireless-to-wired bridge mode.

[silveylane]

Thanks for the response.  All I really need is to get "g" broadcasting a greater distance without interferance so I think I will first do some trials on which channels distribute "g" the best without interference from phones and microwave, etc.  I am a retired grandmother and my house seems to run like tech support for my kids and grandkids

[lcleary1959]

I'm not having problems w/ parental control on my computer but my irritation is with the tv parental controls.

Direct TV with all it's problems had great parental control. You could set your kids TV to only work at certian times of day.

So the playroom TV went off at 7 on weeknights 10 on weekends no arguments, reminders, rebellion.. it just went off.

I miss that and would love it incorperated soon.

[ram1220]

 So reprimand your kids. It's not up to AT&T or any other company to be a parent to your kids. You wanted them. You deal with them. Gezz. Parents that use TV and video games as a babysitter and then **bleep** that they can't control their brats really get on my nerves. 

[jfw ACE - Czar]

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lcleary1959 wrote:

I'm not having problems w/ parental control on my computer but my irritation is with the tv parental controls.

Direct TV with all it's problems had great parental control. You could set your kids TV to only work at certian times of day.

So the playroom TV went off at 7 on weeknights 10 on weekends no arguments, reminders, rebellion.. it just went off.

I miss that and would love it incorperated soon.

---

Go to Home Depot, buy an electronic programmable timer and plug your TV into it. Problem solved.

[bashar0x1]

Will this scheme  work for firmware varsion 6 (6.3.7.37-enh.tm)?

Thanks.