Having their children freely surf the World Wide Web is every parent’s greatest nightmare. Although the internet is a terrific place for kids to meet new people and learn new things, it is also full of harmful and dangerous stuff.
Fortunately, parents can now purchase a variety of routers with excellent parental control features to safeguard their children’s internet safety when browsing the web. Check out our top selections for parental control routers.
What is the best router for parental control?
When selecting the best parental control router, you must first determine its primary purpose and then make an informed decision. Here’s a quick review of the finest routers for various categories and needs:
- Best Overall: ASUS AC3100
ASUS AC3100 features exceptional Qam technology, a strong dual-core processor clocked at 1.4 GHz, and ASUS protection powered by MicroTrend. This powerful device offers the best of both worlds: performance and safety.
- Best WiFi Coverage: Eero Pro
Eero Pro is a whole-home WiFi system that is compact, stylish, and easy-to-use. It is powered by proprietary TrueMesh technology, which leverages multiple wireless access points and provides users with a reliable internet connection.
- Best Affordable Router: Linksys EA7300
The Linksys EA7300 can give up to 1,500 square feet of internet connectivity to more than ten devices. It is really affordable and filled with useful features.
- Best Performance: Gryphon
Gryphon is a powerful device that provides up to 3,000 square feet of wireless coverage. It includes some of the most effective parental control options on the market.
- Best Smart Home Integration: Netgear Nighthawk AC 1900
Netgear NightHawk AC 1900 can connect up to 30 devices and provides up to 1,800 square feet of internet coverage. It supports WPA2 security protocols and includes a variety of additional capabilities such as firewall, DoS, and VPN.
- Best for All Age Groups: Circle with Disney
Circle allows parents to monitor web content and control screen time. It is a lightweight, simple device that is ideal for those who are not technologically knowledgeable.
ASUS Dual-Band Gigabit Router AC3100
ASUS Dual-Band AC3100 is an excellent home router that supports content filtering. It provides optimal performance, the fastest internet browsing speed, and can reach up to 2100 Mbps.
It appears futuristic, and it boasts four high-performance antennae that allow this dual-band router to provide a whopping 5,000 square feet of coverage. It includes specific AiProtection features for enhanced parental control settings.
| + Powerful 1.4 GHz processor that can handle demanding tasks | – It’s quite expensive |
| + Amazing speed and coverage | – It’s bulky |
| + Advanced cyber threat protection | – It has a weaker range |
| + Eight-gigabit ethernet ports |
Netgear Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router AC 1900
Netgear Nighthawk AC 1900 is an amazing wifi router that has parental controls and time limits. It has dual-band capabilities and can achieve speeds of up to 1.3 Gbps.
It is packed with cutting-edge technology, such as a strong 1 GHz dual-core processor, dynamic QoS, Beamforming Plus, voice commands for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and so on.
Users can connect several devices, making it suitable for simultaneous HD content streaming. They can also filter content, check usage history, and pause internet access.
| + Great performance | – Coverage is not that great |
| + Great parental control features | – It’s not easy-to-use |
| + Offers great threat protection | – It’s expensive |
Gryphon Secure Smart Mesh System
Gryphon Secure Smart Mesh System is one of the most visually appealing routers you’ll come across. It’s a complete bundle because it includes a plethora of excellent features to suit its appearance.
It uses clever mesh technology with tri-band wireless to cover up to 3,000 square feet. It is incredibly user-friendly and has excellent parental controls.
Parents will be able to restrict content and screen time, view browser history, enforce safe search, and suspend internet access using Gryphon’s smartphone app, which can be loaded on tablets, smartphones, and desktops.
| + Powerful CPU | – Some features require a subscription |
| + Comes with a smartphone app | – It’s less advanced than other routers on this list |
| + Good WiFi throughout your home | – It’s expensive |
Circle with Disney
Circle with Disney is a creative, inventive router with an elegant design. What’s amazing about it is that it can function as a router or as an extension of your existing home router, allowing it to just apply parental controls.
Parents will be able to establish time limits, block off time, monitor their children’s mobile devices, and provide rewards for extra online time. If you want to have complete control over your home network, this could be the right solution.
| + Affordable | – The set-up process is time-consuming |
| + Easy-to-use | – Disney ads that can’t be turned off |
| + Comes with a dedicated app |
Eero Pro Mesh WiFi System
Eero Pro Mesh is a dependable device that serves as a whole-home WiFi solution. It is powered by unique TrueMesh technology, which uses many access points to ensure an extraordinarily robust internet connection.
It provides approximately 1,750 square feet of coverage, a second 5 GHz radio, tri-band, and MU-MIMO technology.
| + Real-time malware protection | – Users have to purchase a monthly subscription to enable content filtering |
| + Great content filtering features | – No URL blacklisting option |
| + Easy-to-use |
Linksys EA7300 Dual-Band WiFi Router
The Linksys EA7300 Dual-Band router is an excellent low-cost solution with amazing capabilities. It supports up to 1.7 GHz internet speeds and has MU-MIMO for lag-free gaming.
Users can connect up to ten wireless devices and utilize the device for continuous video streaming and conversation without buffering. It also includes an app with parental controls, allowing users to block any unrecognized devices and filter material.
| + Affordable | – The internet connection is a bit slower |
| + Comes with an app | – No recent firmware updates |
| + Has MU-MIMO support |
How to use your router’s parental controls?
Setting up parental controls on routers may appear to be a tiresome chore when compared to Android, but it is not that difficult.
Below, you will learn how to restrict WiFi usage at home and how to access several types of controls to keep your child safe online.
How can I block inappropriate sites on my router?
This is often accomplished through either the router’s dedicated app or the manufacturer’s website.
Netgear Nighthawk, for example, has an OpenDNS-powered interface that allows users to block certain URL addresses and set custom filters.
How to set time limits on a WiFi router?
Setting time limitations can be done using either the router’s app or the router’s setup page. Parents can choose to automatically switch off the internet at particular times or to disconnect specific devices from the internet.
How to access your router’s settings?
Again, this may be done using the app or the router’s web setup page. Users should enter the router’s IP address, which is typically 192.168.11 for most devices. If that is not the correct address, Windows users can find it by right-clicking the internet icon and selecting the settings option.
→ Mac users should click the WiFi icon and locate the Open Network Preferences option.
→Then, they should just enter their credentials, which are either printed on the back of the router or can be found in the instruction manual.
Aside from basic parental control capabilities, your router should provide strong virus security and a range that covers your entire house.
With so many different brands, it can be difficult to determine which routers are good and which are not.
As a result, before making a final purchase, conduct thorough research on each item. The internet can be a scary place, therefore every parent should prioritize keeping their children secure.
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