GuardGetting Started with Guard
Dashboard Setup
1. Create Your Account
You can create an account using any email address or Gmail account. Google authentication is also supported for convenience.
2. Set Your PIN Code
Important: First, set a custom PIN code in your account settings. If you don't set one, the default PIN code "123456" will be used, and some protection mechanisms won't function properly on remote devices.
3. Add a New Device
Add a new device to your dashboard and give it any name you prefer. This will be used to identify the device in your management interface.
4. Configure Categories
In the device section, you can select entire categories if you don't have specific websites you want to block. These categories contain well-known URLs that will be added to the blocked list. New URLs are added over time, and you can suggest new URLs for any category by contacting me or posting in the Reddit thread.
5. Set Up Rules
Rules are the most specific part of the configuration. Here you set schedules for when rules will be applied to specific devices and which URLs should be blocked. Several presets are provided with sets of URLs for common services.
6. Send Instructions to Device
After configuring categories and rules, you need to send instructions to the device. To avoid unnecessary updates, instructions are sent as a complete new state and are limited to 5 updates per 5 minutes. Please make all your changes and send them together in one update.
Remote Device Setup
1. Download and Install
Download the latest version of the Guard Windows app from the download page. During installation, the app will require administrator rights.
2. Administrator Rights
The app is completely open source—I've made all code available to everyone to ensure transparency. Administrator access is only used to modify the hosts file and apply Windows firewall rules. No other system access is required or used.
3. Troubleshooting Installation
If administrator rights are not provided or antivirus software blocks access to the hosts file, the app won't be able to apply instructions. In this case, simply uninstall it from Windows Apps.
4. Locate the App
After successful installation and startup, the app runs hidden from the user. You'll find the Guard icon in the system tray. Right-click on it to either assign the device from the menu or open the admin panel. Before assignment, the default PIN code is "123456".
5. Assign Device
For assignment, you'll need to input the assignment ID and PIN code from your dashboard. Allow approximately one minute for instructions to be downloaded and applied. If you're in the admin panel, you can view logs of current procedures.
6. Admin Panel Caution
Be careful with buttons in the admin panel—they can remove all instructions from the device and should only be used for debugging purposes.
7. Reconnection Setting
The reconnection setting in the dashboard is available for specific cases, such as when using Firefox, which caches DNS and may continue working after rules are applied until reconnection occurs. Use only when needed, as it will turn the connection off and on every time a new rule takes effect.
Support & Updates
These instructions will be updated regularly, and new information will be added as needed.
If you encounter any problems: Simply uninstall the app and, if possible, provide information about the issue by contacting me or posting in the Reddit thread.
Thank you for using and supporting Guard!