Home Network
Home Network & Router Controls
The most powerful parental control layer most parents never use — applies to every device in your home simultaneously.
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.
DNS Filtering
Change two numbers in your router settings to block adult content across every device in your home. Free and takes 5 minutes.
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.
Setup time
5 minutes
OpenDNS FamilyShield (208.67.222.123)
A free DNS filter from Cisco that blocks adult content, phishing, and — uniquely — proxy and anonymiser sites children use to bypass other filters.
Setup time
5 minutes
NextDNS
The most customisable DNS filtering option available. Block specific apps like TikTok or Instagram at the network level with a single toggle. See every domain every device in your home contacts.
Setup time
20–30 minutes
Built-in Router Controls
Use parental controls already built into your TP-Link, ASUS, or Netgear router. Free and surprisingly powerful.
TP-Link (HomeCare / Parental Controls)
Most TP-Link routers include HomeCare — a built-in parental controls system managed from your phone via the Tether app.
Setup time
15–20 minutes
ASUS (AiProtection / Family Zone)
ASUS routers with AiProtection (powered by Trend Micro) offer one of the strongest built-in filtering systems in any consumer router.
Setup time
20–30 minutes
NETGEAR (Smart Parental Controls / Circle integration)
Netgear Nighthawk and Orbi routers integrate with Circle, giving you per-app time limits, content categories, and bedtime enforcement from a polished app.
Setup time
20–30 minutes
ISP Controls
Your internet provider likely has free parental controls you have never activated. Start here if you want the easiest possible first step.