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Home Network

Cloudflare for Families (1.1.1.3)

Change two numbers in your router settings to block adult content and malware across every device in your home. Free, takes 5 minutes, and requires no ongoing maintenance.

Approach: DNS FilteringDifficulty: EasyCost: FreeBack to network overview
About home network controls

Router and DNS controls apply to every device on your home network simultaneously — phones, tablets, laptops, smart TVs, and gaming consoles — without installing anything on each device. They are the highest-leverage parental control layer available to parents.

⚠️ What network controls cannot do: They do not work when children switch to mobile data (4G/5G) instead of home WiFi. A VPN app on a child's phone bypasses DNS filtering. HTTPS prevents routers from reading page content — they can only block or allow entire domains, not individual pieces of content within a site.

Coverage at a glance

Yes — including smart TVs, gaming consoles, tablets

All WiFi devices

No

Mobile data

Medium

Bypass resistance

5 minutes

Setup time

What it blocks

  • Adult content using Cloudflare's maintained database.
  • Malware and phishing domains.
  • Sites distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

What it cannot block

  • Content within allowed domains such as individual YouTube videos or Instagram posts.
  • VPN bypass.
  • DNS-over-HTTPS if manually enabled on a device.
  • Mobile data.

Step-by-step setup

Complete setup guide

  1. 1

    Log into your router admin panel

    Open a browser and go to 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. The username and password are printed on the label attached to your router. Look for a sticker on the back or bottom.

  2. 2

    Find the DNS settings

    Look for a menu item called Internet, WAN, Advanced, Network, or DNS. The exact location varies by router brand. Find the fields labelled Primary DNS and Secondary DNS.

  3. 3

    Enter the Cloudflare for Families addresses

    Set Primary DNS to 1.1.1.3 and Secondary DNS to 1.0.0.3. These are different from standard Cloudflare DNS. The .3 addresses specifically include family filtering.

  4. 4

    Save settings and restart the router

    Click Save or Apply, then restart the router by unplugging it for 10 seconds. The change applies to every device on your WiFi automatically.

  5. 5

    Test that it is working

    On any device connected to your WiFi, try to visit a known adult site. It should be blocked with a Cloudflare block page. That confirms the filter is active.

  6. 6

    Note the limitation for conversations

    Tell your child that the home WiFi now filters adult content. Frame it as a household standard, not a punishment. They will likely discover it on their own, so it is better that they hear it from you first.

Tip

This is the highest-impact action on the page relative to the effort required. Five minutes, free, and it protects every device simultaneously, including the PlayStation and smart TV that no app-based control reaches.

Warning

Cloudflare for Families does not work when your child switches to mobile data. It also cannot inspect content inside a site — it blocks or allows entire domains. A child on filtered WiFi can still access inappropriate YouTube videos because YouTube itself is an allowed domain.