Spotify barely touchs the side folks. i've looked into it before. Get yourself a download tracker and each computer and you should be able to monitor your DL and UL.

Just to put this into context,

I pay less per quarter than the OP, including Sky TV.

Seriously. Go to SamKnows, find an LLU provider, and stop BT making your bottom sore. And have a word with your lad, he'll go blind.

Slightly off topic but I use OpenDNS to restrict access (Facebook is banned in our house) and also to track internet useage. Easy to set up (if you have a fixed IP address, slightly harder if not) and if you set up your router it covers all devices on that connection.

Slightly off topic but I use OpenDNS to restrict access (Facebook is banned in our house) and also to track internet useage.

Given that the OP struggles with wi-fi connections I suspect setting up custom DNS may be beyond him (and most non-geeks).

If kids really want access to a particular site they will find a way around your restriction anyway (e.g. use the IP address to avoid DNS and basic filtering; use a proxy to bypass your filter; figure out how to set up their own DNS etc etc). Teenage boys with time on their hands and one hand down their pants can be surprisingly resourceful and cunning. 😀

Also: you ban FaceBook??

I was thinking about this earlier and forgot to mention it.

"We watch what he does / his access is restricted" is very admirable, and very naive.

Also: you ban FaceBook??

Yes, we ban Facebook, what's wrong with that?
es, there's always a way around any restriction but it works so far, given the age of my son.

Yes, we ban Facebook, what's wrong with that?

Nothing. It's entirely up to you what you want to censor in your own home.
Just seems a slightly surprising choice is all. I just read yesterday that people now spend more time on FaceBook than Google, so it's become a pretty big thing to try to ignore.

I suppose it's a bit different if your son's 6 compared to if he's 14.

I just read yesterday that people now spend more time on FaceBook than Google,

which is a good reason to ban it. At least Google has a use.

Something being popular is a good reason to ban it?

Popular, no. Waste of time (in my view), yes.

LOL, okay, well if you're going to try to ban every website that exists purely for entertainment and communicating with friends without having "a purpose" then I suspect you'll find yourself very busy over the next few millennia.

Good luck! 🙂

well if you're going to try to ban every website that exists purely for entertainment and communicating with friends without having "a purpose" then

you shouldn't be here? 😆

You know, I've never understood the mentality of people who complain about things that they've gone out of their way to be put out by. Like, people who'll see a forum thread's title, read through several pages of the thread knowing it's about something they don't like, and then post an entry complaining about how boring it is. What, did we force you to read it?

You don't like Facebook, fine. I'm not a huge fan myself. However, some people disagree with you and enjoy using it. Where's the harm? Shall we ban all the movies you don't like, burn all the books you're not interested in?

What's more a waste of time; spending time on a 'pointless' website, or taking time out of your day to complain that other people are doing it?

Hang on here. I didn't complain about Facebook, I just passed a comment. You're the one who's wasting time complaining at my view about it. Maybe you should stop wasting your (and my) time.

What's more a waste of time; spending time on a 'pointless' website, or taking time out of your day to complain that other people are doing it?

I would say taking the time to complain about people[/I] complaining about FaceBook is the biggest waste.

Whereas complaining about people complaining about people complaining about FaceBook is entirely productive and useful way to spend the day.

Any complaints? 😉

richardmars, you are one big hypocrite thats for sure, spending time on a social networking site whilst you ban your family from another. I guess you could be saving up a rebelion for the future, although I don't know how old your kids are…

You are not Austrian are you?

Basically, my house, my rules. You may not like it, but do I care?

do I care?

clearly a bit, I think.

Please dont let your lad goto Africa to use Spotify……

And we often loose everything when BT Openzone overrides our own BT Homehub, I have to call India most months to have it reset. But this BT Openzone will somtimes override my HTC HD2 phones network?

Assuming 1) it's not someone elses Openzone, and 2) you're using a home hub, the default is, I believe, to take some of your connection to create Openzone. You can get it disabled, or you can use your own router. This would then at least stop you connecting to the paid for connection?

I would say taking the time to complain about people complaining about FaceBook is the biggest waste.

Whereas complaining about people complaining about people complaining about FaceBook is entirely productive and useful way to spend the day.

Any complaints?

It wouldn't be the Internet if I didn't. (-:

And rich, sorry, my first paragraph there was unrelated to you. It was a badly laid-out post, I should read what I'm writing a bit more carefully.