stopping downloads

I have gotten a new ISP for a client which has download limitation , so what I want to do is to block downloads to meet up with the 12 GB monthly quota.

set up

20 xp clients
DIR 655 dlink router

I could block download from Internet Explorer
but the problem is that there are other explers

maybe through xp group policy

how do I block downloads from opera and firefox

any other recomendation

In my opinion you have bypassed a few steps. Without making changes it would be good to put a policy in place to see who is doing what, and how much in terms of bytes ... accountability. Is a policy or any action even necessary? If you have 12GB per month and you connection is 768kbps. With this set up it would be impossible to go over 12GB per month even when running at line rate for an entire month, 24 hrs a day. If you have a faster connection speed put a qos policy in place to shape or police traffic, or a time based ACL so that the connection is only open from say 8am to 4pm or whatever is considered normal business hrs.

Some new routers can already do this. You specify the limit to reach and what action to take.

whoops
the 12GB did not last 2 weeks, pearlhack your sugestionn has cost me 2 weeks of internet time Hahaha.. i had wanted to block downloads. my client was furious but i told him that now we have to move to the unlimited package of internet connectivity . the reality is that you can stop file download , it is the basic data

I did not cost you any time, I believe you failed to do your math correctly and you probobly did not do any baseline work. If I was your customer you would be fired

Be sure to tell your customer that you blame this incedent on an internet troll.

i have provided a lot of solutions to the client to be fired. your initial suggestion was very very correct. you cant block downloads, clients will certainly change base since it is a cybercafe. we are now moving to a package that is unlimited, cost higher though but we will still be in business

pearlhack, you sound like a kind of CEO that will fire more employees than he will hire, a kind of of recession CEO. I want to be your best friend.