YouTube tech guide and DNS mode settings
What are the YouTube modes / how is it different from web filtering?
NB - please also read the guide at youtube.lgfl.net which is for a non-technical audience; it includes a video to outline key information for DSLs and the options and safeguarding considerations.
While YouTube access (block or allow) is controlled via the SchoolProtect web filtering system (and can be different per user group, e.g. blocked for students / allowed for staff), the content that is served within the YouTube site is NOT set within the filtering system. It is based on your choice of safety mode (strict, moderate and open - the latter includes pornography and other adult content and is not appropriate for schools), which is established by your DNS settings.
This page is to help you change between strict and moderate mode within the schools network on your Windows DNS server. Follow the instructions below in conjunction with the instructions at youtube.lgfl.net and please only make a change if approved by the DSL or Headteacher (refer them to youtube.lgfl.net so they understand the issues and options).
How do I check which YouTube mode is active?
To check your mode, visit youtubemode.lgfl.net from a device on the school network
What DNS settings are required for the different modes?
If your school is Inside London (your DNS currently starts with 172.30.178 or 172.30.187), your options are:
Strict - DNS server addresses : 172.30.178.53 and 172.30.178.54
Moderate - DNS server addresses : 172.30.187.53 and 172.30.187.54
If your school is Outside London (your DNS currently starts with 172.30.210), your options are:
Strict - DNS server addresses : 172.30.210.53 and 172.30.210.54
Moderate - DNS server addresses : 172.30.210.153 and 172.30.210.154
How do I configure DNS within my school server to change mode?
NB this is school wide and should never be used for open mode.
- Click Start > Run > dnsmgmt.msc:
or simply press the Windows key on the keyboard/taskbar and search DNS and click the icon below:
- Right click your Server on the top right and choose Properties.
- Click the Forwarders tab at the top of the window popup and you should see something similar to this. Your IP addresses will differ depending on how your technicians have configured them:
- Press Edit and add the forwarders for the YouTube mode you require for the whole site by first removing the current ones (select and delete), then add the entries required as above.
- Once you click OK, this will update your forwarders to look towards LGfL and those servers will handle the YouTube mode enforcement for you. You will notice the Server FQDN will say <Unable to resolve> - this is expected as the servers do not have a name.
- To confirm there are no conflicts, you may wish to check the Conditional Forwarders folder for historical entries for YouTube/Google. If there are any, these should be removed as that is the same as Open mode and therefore not suitable.
Simply right click each item and press delete:
- Once changed, it would be worth clearing the DNS cache to remove any stale records: right click your Server top left again and press Clear Cache.
Repeat this process for each domain controller/DNS server you have within your network.
Testing & Troubleshooting
To confirm if the change has been made, you can ping www.youtube.com to make sure the enforcement is in place.
Pinging www.youtube.com should give you these responses:
Strict : restrict.youtube.com (Resolves to 216.239.38.120)
Moderate : restrictmoderate.youtube.com (Resolves to 216.239.38.119)
Open : youtube-ui.l.google.com (Resolves to various, not the above 2)
Can I override a single video or have a different YouTube modes for staff and students?
Normally no, and not via DNS or web filtering. There is more explanation of why this is the case in the video at the top of youtube.lgfl.net.
However, schools which use Google Workspace for Education can do both these things, e.g. students on Strict Restricted but staff on Moderate; also you can give selected accounts permission to 'approve' videos for the school which are then visible for users logged into Google Workspace. Find out more on the Google help guide but please also note that:
- The 'approver' role by definition can see every video in order to approve it, so avoid making classroom-based staff video approvers as they will essentially have open mode on screens in front of children with major risks inherent.
- Even if you don't use Google Workspace e.g if you are committed to another ecosystem, it may make sense to set up Google Workspace just for teachers to log in and have a better YouTube experience to see videos which are otherwise blocked (some schools disable the other apps to avoid files being spread over different systems but to only allow this extra YouTube functionality.