How to Find the Best Internet Control Software

There are many components that go into making stable and useful internet control software. Some of the features that you may be interested in looking for include: the ability to monitor MySpace, password capture, recording online sessions, chat recorders, screenshot recording, e-mail monitoring and reporting, website history, website blocking, software monitoring, URL filtering, and stealth operation. Many of these features are invaluable to parents since they need to be able to monitor their children and teens behavior while spending time on the Internet.

So how does someone find the best internet parental control software to keep their children safe while browsing online?

Step 1 A good place to start is creating separate user accounts for the parents and children. Everyone should have their own unique user account. Parents in the house should receive an administrative account and the children would receive limited user accounts. A limited user account should be configured so that there are no software installation privileges. The administrative users would be able to have full online parental control to ensure their child's safety.

Step 2 Make sure that all of the computers that are accessible in the house have been brought up to the same standards of security. Don't just secure the computer in the family room and leave the laptop without administrative passwords…secure them all. This will allow you to have full monitoring control over every computer that your kids have access to.

Step 3 Determine the level of security required for monitoring the Internet behavior of your kids. This should include at bare minimum: e-mail monitoring for kid safe email, a key logger to capture keystrokes, a chat recorder, and URL filtering. Beyond that, it would also be useful to monitor behavior on specific social networking sites such as MySpace.com and take screenshots or recordings at designated intervals.

Step 4 You may also want to create time windows in which the Internet can be accessed via your router. This can usually be done by logging in to the IP address listed as your DHCP server and adjusting the accessibility timetables. For this feature, you will probably have to consult your manual.

Take some time when deciding on the best Internet control software for your family. You will want one that's cost effective and includes all of the important security features discussed above.