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Welcome to the SurfGuardian Support page. We've put together a list of answers to questions you might have about SurfGuardian.
Product FAQs
- I've already signed up for the SurfGuardian FilterPak. How do I get the filtering software?
You may download the filtering software at SurfGuardian download page.
When you click on the download link at that page, you will have the option of running the program from its current location, or saving it to your hard drive.
Selecting "Run From Its Current Location" will walk you through the entire set-up process in one step. The actual program (filterpakwin710.exe) will be saved in your Temporary Internet Files.
Choosing "Save It To Disk" will only place the program (filterpakwin710.exe) in the folder you choose. You will then have to run the program in order to install the filter. However, once you save the program to your hard drive, you
may then place it on a portable medium, such as a CD-ROM or Zip disk, to install it on additional computers. Alternately, you may place the program in a shared directory and access it across the network. This is so you don't need to download the program
from the Internet for each individual computer.
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- What should I do to get SurfGuardian's Filtered Internet Services?
First thing to do would be to proceed to the the sign up page and give
the required information. During step 2 of signup, select Dialup Access + Filter Service.
At the last step of signup, DOWNLOAD THE DIALER SOFTWARE. After getting the Dialer Software, you may proceed
to the Download Page to get your FilterPak-- SurfGuardian's filtering software.
Once your account has been initialized and activated, you'll get safe and worry-free access to the Internet.
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- Exactly what kind of web sites are filtered/blocked?
There are standard criteria for site-blocking. These are: sites with pornographic or recreational nudity, sexually explicit language, or criminal activity. Criminal activity includes, but is not necessarily limited to, hate speech,
wagering (gambling), drug promotion, illegal weapons construction/modification/sales, and crime instructions. Users of the FilterCube and FilterPak for MS Proxy can add other categories of sites to be blocked.
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- What products do SurfGuardian offer?
We offer software and hardware Internet filtering products. The FilterPak (software) can be installed in your computer and is highly compatible with most Operating Systems. The FilterCube (hardware) is easily integrated into network
environments.
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- How much do the Filtering services cost?
The rate for the Basic FilterPak is set at $4.95/month. For the FilterCube, please fill out our request quote form and we will send you the information you need.
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- I can't seem to log-in to SurfGuardian, what could be the problem?
The first thing to check would be if you entered your SurfGuardian log-in name correctly. Please make sure that you follow this format: username@surfguardian.net. It's the same as your SurfGuardian-assigned email address.
You may also want to re-type your password, if you've forgotten your password, please click here.
Kindly contact support@surfguardian.net for assistance.
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- I've just signed up online with SurfGuardian. What's the next step?
You'll be receiving an account confirmation/welcome e-mail from SurfGuardian once your application is approved. With it you'll also be given information on logging-in to and initializing your account. Please follow the instructions
given therein to start using SurfGuardian services.
You can also call Customer Support at (866) 808-4177 for assistance.
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- How does SurfGuardian filtering work?
There are slight differences between how the software and hardware packages work. But here's the basic principle: SurfGuardian maintains a database (a list) of web sites that are blocked. When someone tries to go to a web site, thei
r request is first sent to that database and checked against the list of blocked sites.If the requested site is on the list, the user is told that the site is blocked. If the request is for a safe site, it is sent to the Internet for normal processing.
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- Can the filtering software be uninstalled? How?
Please read this section thoroughly as faulty uninstallation may affect some very important system files on your computer.
VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MODIFY THE SYSTEM AND/OR DELETE BY SIMPLY REMOVING THE SOFTWARE FROM YOU PROGRAM FILES. UNINSTALL USING ONLY THE PRESCRIBED PROCEDURE.
Strict guidelines have been up to ensure that all uninstallations are authorized. You will need a numerical code to begin uninstalling the FilterPak.
To get this code:
- Right-click the S4F(FilterPak) icon in the system tray.
- Select "S4F Options"
- Select "Maintenance" from the menu.
- Click on the box marked "Uninstall S4F".
- You will see a numerical code on the next dialog screen. Please take note of this code.
You will now need to call SurfGuardian Customer Support at (866) 808-4177. The Customer Care representative will be asking you for the numerical code. Please understand that our Customer Support personnel will ask you confirmator
y questions. This is just to ensure the validity of the uninstallation request.
After the request has been verified, you will be given a 4 case-sensitive alphanumeric characters. Please take note of this code. At the uninstall FilterPak screen, type in the 4 case-sensitive alphanumeric characters in the field
provided at Step 2. Follow the instructions to complete uninstallation.
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- About that list of blocked sites, is it always updated?
Yes. There is a 24-hour refresh rate. Updates occur every business day at 3pm Central Time.
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- Can I get a web site added to the blocked-site database?
Yes, please go to the block/unblock page. You may also submit the URL (web address) of a web site you think should be blocked to request@surfguardian.net. We wi
ll evaluate the web site and inform you of the action we will be taking.
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- What do I do if I think a site shouldn't be blocked?
Yes, unblocking is allowed. Please go to the block/unblock page. You may also submit the URL of a web site you think should be unblocked to request@surfguardian.net
. We will evaluate the web site and inform you of the action we will be taking.
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- Does filtering affect the speed of an Internet connection?
No, the speed of your connection still depends on the service you use (dialup, broadband, etc.). Apart from not being able to view blocked sites, your Internet experience remains the same.
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- I run my network on MS Proxy, do I need to install filtering software on each of the computers?
The FilterPak works well with the MS Proxy platform. Only one installation is required to filter for all the connected computers. More information on the FilterPak is available at the Products page.
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- The network I belong to has at least 55 computers, can SurfGuardian filtering handle a network that large?
Yes, we can. Networks that large may need the FilterCube-- SurfGuardian's hardware package. It works as a filtering server for your local system. More information on the FilterCube is available at the Products page.
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- How accurate are the filtering services? Are all "bad" sites blocked?
No filtering system can completely block all undesirable web sites. This is simply because of the vast number of web sites and the rate at which new ones are created. However, our filtering system has a 90-99% blocking average.* Thi
s gives you a reliable amount of protection. We also continually update our database, and you can take a part in this by submitting block/unblock requests to request@surfguardian.net.
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Other FAQs
- How can I get more information on SurfGuardian products?
Please send e-mail to sales@surfguardian.net for more information on SurfGuardian's products.
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- How can I pay for SurfGuardian products?
We accept payments by credit card only.
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- Do you accept cash/check payments?
Sorry. We accept payments by credit card only.
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- Where should I address billing concerns?
Billing inquiries may be sent to billing@surfguardian.net.
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- Who do I contact for technical support?
Should you have any technical questions or concerns, please e-mail support@surfguardian.net.
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- I've forgotten my password, what should I do?
You can call Customer Support at 866-808-4177. Our Customer Support representatives will help you retrieve your password.
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- How do I submit web sites for blocking/unblocking?
Please go to the block/unblock page. You may also submit the URL of a web site you think should be unblocked to request@surfguardian.net. We will evaluate th
e web site and inform you of the action we will be taking.
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- I just submitted a site for blocking, why can I still access it?
There might be one or several reasons for this:
It may not fit our criteria for blocking. That is, it may not contain nudity, criminal activity or any of the criteria listed under the categories.
It may have been added to our database, but you can still access it from your Temporary Internet Files folder. Please clear your cache. In Internet Explorer, go to "Tools," then "Internet Options." Under the section labeled "Te
mporary Internet Files," click "Delete Files." In Netscape, go to "Edit" and select "Preferences." Click on "Advanced," then "Cache." Click on both boxes marked "Clear Memory Cache" and "Clear Disk Cache." Actual paths and labels may vary from version to
version.You can always use the "Help" function in your browser for further assistance.
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- Can I get a web site added to the blocked-site database?
Yes, FilterPak users may submit requests for the blocking of web sites they deem inappropriate for viewing. Click here to block a web site.
You may also submit the URL (web address) of a web site you think should be blocked to request@surfguardian.net. We will evaluate the web site and inform you of the action we will be tak
ing.
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- What do I do if I think a site shouldn't be blocked?
Yes, unblocking is allowed. FilterPak users may submit requests for the unblocking of web sites. Click here to unblock a web site. But please take note that this i
s not a bypass system, but only a re-evaluation request. Only sites that do not meet blocking criteria will be unblocked upon re-evaluation.
You may also submit the URL (web address) of a web site you think should be unblocked to request@surfguardian.net. We will evaluate the web site and inform you of the action we will be t
aking.
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- Do you filter newsgroups (NNTP Usenet)?
Yes. Though their use is generally declining, newsgroups or more properly, worldwide bulletin boards, can be filtered. Primary targets are those that post pornographic and illegal content.
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- What about other online activities like multi-user games or ICQ-based applications? Are they affected?
No, they are not. Such applications do not use browsers and are, therefore, not routed through our servers.You'll still be able to enjoy other online activities and have a safe Internet.
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- Will I be able to log-on to chat?
Yes, filtering does not interfere with most chat programs. But we urge you to use these Instant Messaging resources wisely-- just so your safety is always ensured.
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- A friend who recently got filtering had problems viewing his own web site. Will filtering really affect my web development needs?
Not really. Filtering does not affect web authoring tools like FrontPage and Dreamweaver. However, when a web host resolves numerous URLs into one IP, problems may arise as one of those URLs may belong to a blocked site. You may try
informing your web host about the problem and ask them to assign you a different IP. You may also e-mail us at support@surfguardian.net for assistance.
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- Can the filtering software be uninstalled? How?
Please read this section thoroughly as faulty uninstallation may affect some very important system files on your computer.
VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MODIFY THE SYSTEM AND/OR DELETE BY SIMPLY REMOVING THE SOFTWARE FROM YOU PROGRAM FILES. UNINSTALL USING ONLY THE PRESCRIBED PROCEDURE.
Strict guidelines have been up to ensure that all uninstallations are authorized. You will need a numerical code to begin uninstalling the FilterPak.
To get this code:
- Right-click the S4F(FilterPak) icon in the system tray.
- Select "S4F Options"
- Select "Maintenance" from the menu.
- Click on the box marked "Uninstall S4F".
- You will see a numerical code on the next dialog screen. Please take note of this code.
You will now need to call SurfGuardian Customer Support at (866) 808-4177. The Customer Care representative will be asking you for the numerical code. Please understand that our Customer Support personnel will ask you confirmator
y questions. This is just to ensure the validity of the uninstallation request.
After the request has been verified, you will be given a 4 case-sensitive alphanumeric characters. Please take note of this code. At the uninstall FilterPak screen, type in the 4 case-sensitive alphanumeric characters in the field
provided at Step 2. Follow the instructions to complete uninstallation.
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- What are NNTP, Usenet and ICQ?
NNTP, or News Network Transfer Protocol, is the protocol used by news servers and clients to manage information posted on Newsgroups. An NNTP client is included as part of a Netscape, Internet Explorer, Opera, or other Web b
rowser. You may also use a separate client program called a newsreader.
Usenet is a collection of user-submitted notes or messages on various subjects that are posted to servers on a worldwide network. Each subject's collection of posted notes is known as a newsgroup. There are thousands of new
sgroups and most are hosted on Internet-connected servers. They can also be hosted from servers that are not part of the Internet. Usenet uses Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP).
ICQ ("I Seek You") is a program that lets you know when friends and contacts are online on the Internet. ICQ allows you to page them and chat with them, as well as conduct PC-to-PC calls, PC-to-phone and phone- to-phone call
ing cards calls. ICQ allows you to send messages, files and URLs directly to your friends.Your contact is signalled of an incoming event in real time and has immediate access to it.
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*U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, May 2001
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