Block and Unblock Internet Sites with Firefox

When using the Firefox Internet browser to browse the web, you may encounter websites that you want to block permanently from your browser; especially if you find certain websites offensive, or want to prevent your children from visiting particular sites. Since Firefox does not currently have an option that allows you to block websites, you must add an extension, or add-on, to Firefox that fulfills this purpose. After downloading one of these add-ons to your Firefox browser, you can specify a number of keywords that Firefox can use to block certain websites, or enter the uniform resource locator (URL) of each website you want blocked. You can then return to the add-on preferences at a later date and unblock these websites at any time. Continue reading this article to learn how you can block and unblock Internet sites with Firefox through the use of add-ons.

Steps

Find an Add-On that Blocks Internet Sites

  1. Visit the "Mozilla Add-Ons" website provided to you in the Sources section of this article.
  2. Enter a keyword search phrase such as "block websites" into the search field. The search field is located in the upper-right corner of the Mozilla Add-Ons page.
  3. Go through the list of add-ons. Examples of add-ons that allow you to manage blocked websites are "BlockSite," "ProCon Latte," and "FoxFilter."
    • Review the detailed information about the add-on to determine if the add-on will allow you to block and unblock certain websites. Clicking on the results will taken you to the add-on's information page.
  4. Click on the "Add to Firefox" or "Continue to Download" button to the right of the add-on that interests you, or that you want downloaded to your Firefox browser. You may need to hover your cursor over to the right side of the list for the button to appear, or click the one that appears on the information page . This will initiate the download of the add-on. Some add-ons may require you to accept an End-User License Agreement before proceeding with installation.
  5. Once the add-on has been downloaded, click on the "Install Now" button to have the extension added to your Firefox browser.

Access the Add-On Preferences

  1. Launch a new Firebox browser session after downloading the add-on to Firefox.
  2. Point to "Tools" within your Firefox browser, and select "Add-ons". In Firefox 20.0, you may select "Add-ons" from the Firefox button on the upper left corner of the browser, or directly through the dock at the lower part of the start page.
  3. From the Add-ons Manager Tab, click on Extensions then select the name of the add-on you downloaded for blocking and unblocking websites.
  4. Open the menu options or preferences for your add-on by clicking the Options button at the right side of each add on.

Use "Blocksite" to Block and Unblock Internet Sites

  1. Click on the "Add" button next to the Blacklist section to enter the URL for each website you want blocked by Firefox.
  2. Highlight the website you want unblocked by Firefox, then click the "Remove" button.
  3. Click on "OK" at the bottom of the Preferences window to save your changes.

Use "ProCon Latte" to Block and Unblock Internet Sites

  1. Click on "Profanity List" at the top of the ProCon Settings window.
  2. Enter profanity words, or select keywords from the options already provided to block websites that contain any of these keywords.
  3. Delete any keywords or profanity that you want removed from the Profanity Filter.
  4. Click on the "OK" button at the bottom of the ProCon Settings window to apply your preferences and save changes.

Use "FoxFilter" to Block and Unblock Internet Sites

  1. Open the FoxFilter Settings menu. In Firefox 20.0, FoxFilter Settings is accessed by clicking the Firefox button and selecting Options.
  2. Click on "Blocked" then enter the URL, domain name, or keywords into the fields provided that you want blocked by Firefox.
  3. Remove any criteria you want unblocked from Firefox by deleting that specific criteria.
  4. Click on "Save Changes" to save your FoxFilter preferences.



Tips

  • When a user accesses a URL, domain, or website that contains any of the keywords that are being blocked by the add-on, Firefox will display a message informing the user that the site is blocked, and that they must contact the administrator if they want access to the website.
  • If you are blocking websites to prevent them from being seen or used by your children, enable the password feature of your add-on to prevent your children from unblocking certain websites at any time. The password feature can be accessed from the settings menu of any of the add-ons mentioned in this article.

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Sources and Citations

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