EBLOCKER FAMILY, User Manual

Page 1: ...17 10 2017 Page 1 of 81 User Manual eBlocker GmbH All rights reserved Errors and omissions reserved eBlocker GmbH Kaiser Wilhelm Str 47 20355 Hamburg Germany ...

Page 2: ... displayed on all devices 13 5 4 The eBlocker icon is not showing on any device 14 5 5 Removing common problems 14 5 6 Some apps don t work 15 5 7 The eBlocker completely stopped operating 16 5 8 More help Our forum and support 16 6 Tips and Tricks 16 6 1 The individual setup eBlocker overtaking the DHCP server 16 6 2 Inserting the eBlocker certificate 17 6 2 1 macOS 17 6 2 2 Windows 22 6 2 3 Andr...

Page 3: ...rofiles 48 8 2 13 What happens if the daily internet usage time is limited 49 8 2 14 What happens if the internet access is denied 50 8 2 15 Add own lists to the Blacklists 52 8 2 16 Add whitelists to blacklist categories 54 8 2 17 Add own whitelist categories 55 8 2 18 Change of user through controlbar 56 8 2 19 Migration of Parental Control to eBlockerOS 1 0 58 8 3 Devices 58 8 3 1 Devices Gener...

Page 4: ... 1 DNS beta 74 8 10 2 WebRTC 74 8 10 3 HTTP Referrer Header 74 8 10 4 Google Captive Portal Check 74 8 11 Expert Tools beta 75 9 Quick guides 77 9 1 Delete cookies cache and browsing history in browser 77 9 1 1 Firefox 77 9 1 2 Chrome 77 9 1 3 Internet Explorer 77 10 Glossary 78 Appendix A Technical specifications not valid for software licenses 80 Appendix B Safety notes 80 Appendix C Manufacture...

Page 5: ...ofessionals We still have a lot of ideas and are developing many more features that we are providing you monthly via updates Thank you very much for supporting our idea of a free and private Internet by purchasing our eBlocker This manual explains all functions of eBlocker and will support you during commissioning If there are still some questions left please go to forum eBlocker com for answers a...

Page 6: ... hardware The difference is determined by their software after activating the license Our eBlocker Pro is available already The eBlocker Family that is based on eBlocker Pro is currently December 2016 under development We are planning to gradually provide all Family functions via updates till Q1 2017 But whether eBlocker Pro or eBlocker Family Now your privacy belongs to you again and not to the I...

Page 7: ...h the adapter and the power supply Automatic configuration Wait for 5 minutes until your eBlocker has automatically configured itself Start an Internet browser and go to http setup eblocker com Start The eBlocker icon appears at the top right of your browser With a click on the icon you will be lead to the so called controlbar in which you can read the most important information about the page you...

Page 8: ...number on the type plate at the bottom of the package and at the bottom of the device It has the format SNXXXXXXXX The license key is placed on the license card which is included in the device packaging Please use a valid email address in the activation process If you want to transfer your eBlocker license to another device sometime your email address will also be needed then ...

Page 9: ...ur browser has probably collected numerous tracking cookies of different providers already Therefore we recommend to delete all your cookies at first so the trackers can lose their track You can read more about how to delete cookies in your respective browser in section 9 1 4 3 Activate support for HTTPS SSL encrypted connections How you can activate support for HTTPS SSL encrypted connections we ...

Page 10: ...pps that are infected with malware These infected programs can transmit mobile data e g contact details unnoticed and without authorization or even send fee based SMS to service numbers Use exceptions sparingly Some apps are only compatible with eBlocker if they are not monitored by eBlocker Corresponding exception lists for these apps can be activated in the settings by clicking on Apps They will...

Page 11: ...ave summarized some tips for help Pause eBlocker Click on the eBlocker icon in the upper right corner of your browser window With the Pause feature you can pause the eBlocker for a few minutes for the device you are using Try to reload the according website afterwards If the pause feature worked and you visit this website frequently we recommend adding an exception for this website Add exceptions ...

Page 12: ...s Click Devices in the Settings menu Search for the device on which you want to disable SSL Your current device is displayed in bold type and is easy to identify Open the settings for the device by clicking on the appropriate line and deactivate SSL for the device with the slide switch shown ...

Page 13: ...ne in general but the eBlocker icon is not showing on all devices we have summarized some tips that can help Activate device Open your browser window and click on the eBlocker icon Go to Settings and then select Devices On the right side you will see a list of all devices connected to the eBlocker in your home network Check whether your device its manufacturer or IP address is displayed For inform...

Page 14: ...n activate devices is described in section 8 3 If your device is activated but the icon is not showing please read section 5 3 5 5 Removing common problems Plug in your cable correctly Please check your scope of supply with your delivery Make sure that your delivery is complete and check if you are really only using the accessory cable and the power supply Test if the cables are plugged in correct...

Page 15: ...and possibilities on your device While most browsers and sites work fine with your eBlocker some incompatibilities with apps may occur There may be problems with individual apps especially when your eBlocker is activated for encrypted connections SSL Usually the problems can be removed easily if the corresponding website that is communicating via SSL through an app is excluded from the analysis by...

Page 16: ...tings afterwards The eBlocker might reboot now Wait for the reboot and go to the eBlocker settings again Click on system and shutdown your eBlocker Remove the device from your computer and from the power supply Don t forget to reconnect your computer to the network and or to reactivate your Wi Fi Now connect your eBlocker to your router and to your power supply again 5 8 More help Our forum and su...

Page 17: ...the eBlocker certificate We recommend our customers to add the eBlocker certificate into their operation system first Most of the browsers and programs need to use the eBlocker certificate to have access to HTTPS sites Several programs have their own certificate stores How the eBlocker certificate is inserted into these certificate stores we describe in this segment 6 2 1 macOS You have added the ...

Page 18: ...TTPS sites with Safari Google Chrome Opera Vivaldi Yandex The following browsers have their own certificate store The eBlocker certificate has to be inserted into the according certificate store Firefox Cliqz based on Firefox Seamonkey Thunderbird email program Firefox or Cliqz Open the eBlocker SSL configuration site Click on the button add certificate Make sure that the first checkbox Trust this...

Page 19: ...ntrolbar now on HTTPS sites with the Firefox or Cliqz browser Seamonkey Go to edit and then to settings Choose Privacy Security and go to Certificates Click on Manage Certificates After the Certificate Manager opens click on Import Choose the eBlocker certificate from the download directory and confirm with OK ...

Page 20: ...confirm this process with OK Close the Certificate Manager and the settings with a click on the button OK You can have access to the eBlocker controlbar on HTTPS sites now with the Seamonkey browser Thunderbird email program Go to the menu and click on Preferences Go to Advanced and click on View Certificates ...

Page 21: ...17 10 2017 Page 21 of 81 After the Certificate Manager opens click on import and choose the eBlocker certificate from the downloads directory ...

Page 22: ...s is selected Confirm with OK Confirm the Certificate Manager and the settings with OK The certificate is now inserted into the Thunderbird email program 6 2 2 Windows You have inserted the certificate with only a few clicks Please use the Microsoft Internet Explorer or the Edge browser Open the eBlocker SSL configuration site ...

Page 23: ...ton add certificate After the dialog appears go to save and then click on open Click on Install Certificate The Certificate Import Wizard opens Click on Next Go to safe all certificates into the following storage and click on browse afterwards ...

Page 24: ...17 10 2017 Page 24 of 81 Choose the second register Trusted Root Certification Authorities and confirm this process with OK ...

Page 25: ...Windows Most of the browsers and programs can have access to the eBlocker certificate Here a list of a few common browsers you can have access to the eBlocker controlbar on HTTPS sites with Microsoft Internet Explorer Microsoft Edge Google Chrome Opera Vivaldi Yandex The following browsers have their own certificate store The eBlocker certificate has to be inserted in the according certificate sto...

Page 26: ...t the first checkbox Trust this CA to identify websites is selected see image below Click on OK to insert the eBlocker certificate in Firefox You can see the eBlocker controlbar now on HTTPS sites with the Firefox or Cliqz browser Seamonkey Go to edit and then to settings Choose Privacy Security and go to Certificates Click on Manage Certificates After the Certificate Manager opens click on Import...

Page 27: ...confirm with OK Make sure the first checkbox Trust this CA to identify websites is selected and confirm this process with OK Close the Certificate Manager and the settings with a click on the button OK You can have access to the eBlocker controlbar on HTTPS sites with the Seamonkey browser ...

Page 28: ...17 10 2017 Page 28 of 81 Thunderbird email program Go to the menu and click on Options Go to Advanced and click on View Certificates ...

Page 29: ...r certificate from the downloads directory Open the eBlocker certificate and make sure that the first checkbox This certificate can identify websites is selected Confirm with OK Confirm the Certificate Manager and the settings with OK The certificate is now inserted into the Thunderbird email program ...

Page 30: ...ller than version 6 it is sufficient to save the certificate only at Wi Fi If the eBlocker certificate is not opened automatically you can find it in your download folder 6 2 4 iOS You have added the certificate with only a few clicks Open the iOS Safari browser Open the eBlocker SSL configuration page Click the button Add certificate The iOS settings open automatically and the profile of the eBlo...

Page 31: ...17 10 2017 Page 31 of 81 Starting with the iOS version 10 3 the added eBlocker certificate has to be activated again ...

Page 32: ...17 10 2017 Page 32 of 81 Open iOS Settings and navigate to General About Certificate Trust Settings There you will find the previously added eBlocker certificate that you can now activate ...

Page 33: ...range translucent icon that is visible on the top right of every browser that you use If trackers or advertisements are blocked on the site the total number of blocked requests will be displayed Through a click on the eBlocker icon you can have access to the controlbar 7 2 eBlocker controlbar Through the controlbar you have quick access to the most important functions for the currently loaded page...

Page 34: ... The controlbar lets you can see how many connections to data collectors and advertising networks have been prevented on each page By clicking on the Tracker and Advertisement icons you can view the list of all blocked connections eBlocker wants to protect your privacy but the eBlocker does not try to avoid possible content blockings of the publishers Websites such as bild de for e g recognize tha...

Page 35: ...17 10 2017 Page 35 of 81 Just like the module for filtering advertisements the module for filtering trackers can be deactivated or activated globally or individually for a website ...

Page 36: ...work If SSL HTTPS is activated on the eBlocker HTTPS requests will also be anonymized We are now able to support alternative networks with the OpenVPN protocol For information on how to set up and use the Tor network see chapter 8 6 For information on how to set up and use other networks see chapter 8 7 With Check connection you can check whether a connection via a Tor anonymizing network exists o...

Page 37: ...and cloak your device with a click on the device you want be cloaked 7 7 Pause Pause deactivates the eBlocker for the current device you are currently surfing with on the Internet The eBlocker Dashboard opens in a new browser tab as soon as you click on Pause in the eBlocker Controlbar You can extend the pause in the Dashboard by 5 minutes end the pause or access the eBlocker settings 7 8 Settings...

Page 38: ...the net by clicking on the eBlocker icon at the right top of every browser site and through your controlbar see 7 Some settings can be adjusted easier and sometimes only through the so called console You can have access to the setting console by clicking on the icon Settings after opening the controlbar see 7 2 The functions of the setting console are divided into following areas General Devices S...

Page 39: ...ware and filter rules are currently in operation You can enable automatic updates if you have activated a valid license for this device You can also determine at what time these updates should be implemented Automatic updates are activated by default in the general settings and are implemented in your local time between 02 00 o clock and 03 00 o clock If you deactivate the automatic updates you ca...

Page 40: ...password Navigate to eBlocker Settings Parental Control The section Parental Control is divided into four subpages We describe the functions detailed in the following sections User User Profile Website Blacklists Website Whitelists 8 2 2 User and Protection profiles In order to activate Parental Control for individual devices in your home network all devices that should be protected must first be ...

Page 41: ...to the device 8 2 3 Three easy steps The following steps must be carried out to activate Parental Control for your home network Create an eBlocker user for all family members see section 8 2 4 Assign the appropriate protection profile to each user The eBlocker provides sample profiles that can be adapted to your needs Or you can set up additonal protection profiles yourself see section 8 2 7 Assig...

Page 42: ...s of a user Click on the name of a user The current settings and details for this user will be displayed You can change the name of the user select another protection profile for the user and specify whether the user is allowed to accept other devices by entering a PIN or not In addition you can see which devices this user is assigned to as main user and whether the user is currently active on oth...

Page 43: ...age User Profiles The eBlocker provides a default Standard Profile as well as a few sample profiles with Parental Control restrictions The Standared Profile does not contain any restrictions on Internet access It is automatically assigned to all existing and new devices in the home network In addition the eBlocker provides predefined Protection profiles for different requirements as examples and s...

Page 44: ...so see to which users the profile is currently assigned Initially no Parental Control restrictions are activated in a new profile and no users are assigned to it You can now adjust the following settings to create a Protection profile according to your needs Deny or allow access to certain categories of websites Allow Internet access only at certain times of the day Limit the maximum Internet usag...

Page 45: ...ofile and save the settings The filters are then generated for this profile This may take a few seconds because some lists have literally millions of entries You can adjust the website category filter at any time by clicking on the Edit button Further details on the category filters and how you can create your own categories of blacklisted or whitelisted websites can be found in sections 8 2 15 an...

Page 46: ...n click the minus symbol next to the slot To completely disable the restriction on time slots deactivate the corresponding sliding switch 8 2 10 Limit the maximum Internet usage per day In addition to the time slots which define the time of day when Internet usage is generally allowed you can set a maximum internet usage time for each day of the week So it is for example possible to allow Internet...

Page 47: ... these restrictions completely Note The corresponding online time is available for each user individually It is not divided among different users of the same profile 8 2 11 Assign a user to device To activate Parental Control for a device a user must be assigned to that device Navigate to the eBlocker Settings Devices see section 8 and click on the device to which you want to assign a user ...

Page 48: ...e devices to the same user Then the same filter rules apply on all these devices The Internet usage time per day is summed up for all these devices 8 2 12 Controlbar for users with protection profiles If a protection profile is set for a user that contains one or more parental control restrictions this user is provided with a modified and restricted controlbar Via the additional menu item Online T...

Page 49: ... on the devices would unintentionally consume the usage time E g because the apps might regularly check for updates Therefore the following page is displayed when the user tries to go to any page using an Internet browser To activate the Internet use the sliding switch must be activated From this moment on the remaining usage time is correspondingly reduced The currently remaining time is displaye...

Page 50: ... internet access is denied When Internet access is denied while using an Internet browser one of the following messages is displayed depending on the reason for blocking the Internet access This message is displayed in order to make it clear why the Internet access was denied Please note that other applications and apps may not function as expected and may display unspecific error messages when th...

Page 51: ...wed depending on that other profkle In any case the corresponding user PIN must be entered to switch to another user Restriction of access outside of allowed time slots If access to a website takes place outside an allowed time slot the user will see the following message from the eBlocker instead of the desired Web site The Configuration and Change user buttons have the same function as described...

Page 52: ...er buttons have the same function as described above 8 2 15 Add own lists to the Blacklists Navigate to the eBlocker Settings Parental Control menu and click on the page Website Blacklist The eBlocker aready provides a set of predefined blacklist categories ...

Page 53: ... time and use them in the protection profile Click on the button New category The following dialog opens You can view add or remove your own blacklist categories at any time All your own categories can be selected in the Protection profiles together with the already provided categories see section 8 2 8 ...

Page 54: ...fine exceptions from the standard categories by defining categories of explicitly allowed websites also called whitelists Navigate to the eBlocker Settings Parental Control menu and select the page Website Whitelists Create a whitelist category with websites for which you want to explicitly allow access Initially the list of categories with allowed sites is empty Click on the button New Category t...

Page 55: ...tegories Rather than restrict Internet access through categories of blacklists you can also work with categories of explicitly allowed sites Everything that is not expressly allowed is then automatically forbidden Navigate to the eBlocker Settings Parental Control menu and click on the page Websites Whitelists Create one or more categories of explicitly allowed sites ...

Page 56: ...les can be very limited So it may not be possible to load operating system updates and many apps will likely not work as usual 8 2 18 Change of user through controlbar If a PIN has been assigned to one or more users see section 8 2 4 the current user of a device can be changed via the controlbar Through the change of the user the respectively active protection profile might also change Thus changi...

Page 57: ...he controlbar always shows the current user as well as the main user of the device If the device is currently used ba a different user then it can be returned to the main user by selecting Return device If the main user himself has set a PIN the PIN is required for the return Additional functions are available to users with PIN Lock Internet access for the device Only a user with PIN can remove th...

Page 58: ...uld rename or replace the automatically created users and add more if necessary 8 3 Devices The Device function shows a list of all network devices that are identified by your eBlocker in your home network The devices are initially identified by their IP address and as far as the eBlocker can determine by the manufacturer By clicking on the IP address you open further details about the device and ...

Page 59: ...ts are deactivated in the default setting Devices for which the eBlocker is activated are displayed with an orange icon You can define at any time whether or not the eBlocker should analyze each device individually If the eBlocker has been activated for the device further function are available below 8 3 4 Devices General Enable SSL If the SSL function on the eBlocker have been activated in genera...

Page 60: ...through the anonymization network Tor or via a VPN connection see section 7 5 Activate the IP anonymization and then select either Tor or a VPN connection from the selection You can also define the cloaking for a device Open the selection and select one of the predefined cloaking user agents or enter your own user agent see Section 7 6 ...

Page 61: ...r all 8 3 8 Devices Discover new devices or remove devices from the list The eBlocker usually automatically detects new devices in your local network after a short time and displays them on the devices list You can manually search for new devices at any time by clicking the Discover New Devices button at the top of the page However devices that are no longer found by the eBlocker will not be remov...

Page 62: ...ot certificate and private key when SSL is enabled This is used to encrypt the communication to your device when the eBlocker terminates the SSL connection We do not have access to the private key nor to the device itself and have taken high security measures to protect the eBlocker from hacking but of course there is no 100 security We ve made SSL decryption an option If you feel uncomfortable ha...

Page 63: ...e so called security certificate of your eBlocker in your operating system first and then in the browsers that have their own certificate store as described in section 6 2 8 4 1 Define exemptions for end to end encryption If your eBlocker should not be active on specific websites that are encrypted like online banking for example you can add the specific website to the SSL exemption list ...

Page 64: ...even if the connections are encrypted with SSL 8 5 Apps If individual apps are not compatible with your eBlocker you can exclude websites that are addressed by these apps often unnoticed in background so they won t be monitored by your eBlocker anymore Click on Apps for this procedure first You can see a list of predefined exemptions for different apps that you activate or deactivate with one clic...

Page 65: ...to be monitored by your eBlocker automatically In rare cases it is necessary to include IP addresses to the exemption list You can enter IP addresses in the last field Enter one IP address per line Finish the process by clicking save 8 6 Set up and use the Tor network As described in section 7 5 you can disguise your actual IP address by using the anonymization network The eBlocker always connects...

Page 66: ...you by the Tor network An Internet service provider will think that you are located from one of the random chosen countries Thus you can avoid any censorship or can have access to content that is only available in certain regions of the world Please note that the Tor network is an association of volunteering Internet activists that provide service cost free but with no availability guarantee If no...

Page 67: ...nection from any other VPN provider VPN networks can be set up under eBlocker Settings IP Anonymization and VPN Networks There you can also find a link to the list of VPN providers we tested This list is updated regularly You can also use other VPN providers as long as they support the OpenVPN protocol Note Other VPN provider may charge additional costs Connection speed may vary depending on the V...

Page 68: ...on to upload other files if needed After uploading the files you will be shown details regarding ignored or unsupported options from the eBlocker This is generally harmless and the ignored or unsupported options will not lead to any kind of malfunction The eBlocker can still be used optimally Click on Next Enter the username and password you have received from your VPN provider into the respective...

Page 69: ...cker Controlbar you will see the VPN network you have just created under the Anon menu item The connection is verified by clicking on the VPN network and a check mark is displayed to indicate successful connection to the VPN network If the connection was not successful no check mark would be displayed In this case go back to settings and verify your username and password After activating the VPN n...

Page 70: ...nnection cannot be used simultaneously with an existing VPN or another existing Tor connection 8 8 System By clicking on System you can apply following settings 8 8 1 Reboot and Shutdown Through this page you can reboot and shutdown your eBlocker To reboot your eBlocker after shutting down unplug the power supply from your device wait for 30 seconds and reconnect your device to the power supply af...

Page 71: ...n 8 8 3 Events The eBlocker detects events like the network connection has been disconnected or power supply has been disconnected without the eBlocker shutdown Such events are recorded here for you as information You will see a notification in the controlbar when a new entry is listed the event list 8 8 4 Diagnostics report If an error occurs you can generate an automatic diagnostic report that y...

Page 72: ... you if you really want to delete the update license from your device If you want to delete the license please enter the email address that you used for activating your eBlocker Please note that this process is irreversible 8 9 Network In most of all cases your eBlocker can be configured in the automatic configuration mode In some cases for example if you have a special networking infrastructure y...

Page 73: ...through the following stages 1 Setting of eBlocker as DHCP server and reboot 2 Deactivation of DHCP services in your router Wi Fi access point 3 Reboot of other network devices Get to know how to deactivate the DHCP service in your Internet or Wi Fi router for step 2 Do not follow this step if your eBlocker has not been set as DHCP server first Attention Only use the individual setup mode if you h...

Page 74: ... network Make sure that Tor is available You can check this in the menu IP Anonymization Tor Network 8 10 2 WebRTC WebRTC is a browser technology that enables real time communication by establishing peer to peer connections This is useful for applications like VolP Internet calls and chats Unfortunately WebRTC reveals your real IP address and even your local LAN IP to establish the connections Eve...

Page 75: ...e the HTTPS SSL connections that runs directly from the app Then you can set rules how your eBlocker should deal with these connections activate eBlocker for connections or deactivate your eBlocker for connections Choose the device on which you are using the app as well as the duration of the recording the maximum size of the recording file and start recording afterwards Use the app as usual Espec...

Page 76: ... the proposed rules may not always be correct because of some connections that are recorded that do not source from the tested app As soon as the app runs smoothly with temporary rules you can save these rules as a new app definition for good ...

Page 77: ...ou want to have deleted afterwards We recommend to add following subjects in order to erase your trace completely Visited websites download chronicles Cookies Submitted search terms form data Offline website files Through the link Today s chronicle you have the option to set a period of time We recommend to choose every subject in order to be fully protected against trackers Finish deleting your b...

Page 78: ...ntegration of network devices into all networks A central server in such case the router assigns the network configuration to all devices The lifetime of this assignment is called lease time The administrator can choose the existence of the lifetime at the router settings The lease time can be indicated in seconds days or even weeks If the DHCP server is changed during operation all computers devi...

Page 79: ...personality profiles can be created and connected Tor Network The Tor network is used to disguise your original IP address and to provide anonymous Internet surfing Suppose you have a certain page you want to visit and therefore you enter the URL into the web browser Your IP address is sent directly to the page you want to visit However if you use Tor you will be directed into the Tor network whic...

Page 80: ...hould be possible at any time In case of wall mounting your eBlocker please ensure that no wires or piping can be damaged behind the mounting surface Please protect your eBlocker from moisture dust liquids and vapors Please do not block the air vents of your eBlocker Never disconnect the power supply or network connection during an update This can damage the eBlocker irreparably Appendix C Manufac...

Page 81: ...17 10 2017 Page 81 of 81 Firmware Version eBlocker Pro Family 1 9_20171019 v29 eBlocker GmbH All rights reserved Errors and omissions reserved eBlocker GmbH Kaiser Wilhelm Str 47 20355 Hamburg Germany ...