Only allow navigation on specific domains and urls (blocking the rest) using Privoxy on OpenWrt router

Only allow navigation on specific domains and URLs (blocking the rest) using Privoxy on OpenWrt router

In this article, we will guide you through the process of configuring Privoxy on an OpenWrt router to only allow navigation on specific domains and URLs while blocking the rest. Privoxy is a non-caching web proxy with advanced filtering capabilities that can be used to control and modify web page content.

What is Privoxy?

Privoxy is a free and open-source web proxy software that runs on various platforms, including OpenWrt routers. It acts as an intermediary between your devices and the internet, allowing you to filter and modify web page content according to your preferences.

Why use Privoxy on an OpenWrt router?

Using Privoxy on your OpenWrt router provides several benefits:

• Enhanced privacy: Privoxy can remove or modify headers, cookies, and other potentially sensitive information from web page requests, improving your online privacy.
• Content filtering: By configuring Privoxy, you can block access to specific websites, domains, or URLs, ensuring a safer browsing experience for you and your family.
• Bandwidth control: Privoxy allows you to limit or block access to bandwidth-intensive websites, ensuring a smoother internet experience for all devices on your network.

Configuring Privoxy on OpenWrt router

Follow these steps to configure Privoxy on your OpenWrt router:

1. Access your OpenWrt router's web interface by entering its IP address in your web browser.
2. Login using your credentials.
3. Navigate to the "System" tab and click on "Software" in the dropdown menu.
4. In the "Download and install package" field, enter "privoxy" and click "OK" to search for the package.
5. Locate the "privoxy" package in the search results and click "Install" to install it on your router.
6. Wait for the installation to complete.
7. Once installed, navigate to the "Services" tab and click on "Privoxy" in the dropdown menu.
8. In the Privoxy settings, enable Privoxy by checking the "Enabled" box.
9. Specify the listening IP address and port for Privoxy. You can leave the default settings if you're unsure.
10. Scroll down to the "Actions" section and click on "Edit" next to "Actions file" to configure the filtering rules.
11. In the actions file, you can define your filtering rules to allow or block specific domains and URLs. For example, to allow navigation only on example.com, you can add the following line:

Replace "www.example.com" with the domain or URL you want to allow. You can add multiple rules to allow or block additional domains or URLs.

12. Save the actions file and restart Privoxy to apply the changes.
13. Once Privoxy is configured, you need to set up your devices to use the Privoxy proxy. This can usually be done in the network settings of your device. Consult the documentation for your specific device to learn how to configure the proxy settings.
14. After configuring the proxy settings, test the setup by accessing a website that should be allowed or blocked according to your filtering rules.

Congratulations! You have successfully configured Privoxy on your OpenWrt router to allow navigation on specific domains and URLs while blocking the rest.

Conclusion

Privoxy is a powerful tool that can provide enhanced privacy, content filtering, and bandwidth control on your OpenWrt router. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can configure Privoxy to allow navigation only on specific domains and URLs while blocking the rest, providing a safer and more controlled browsing experience for you and your family.

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