How to Set Up Parental Controls on Your Router
Router-level parental controls apply to every device in your home — phones, tablets, game consoles, smart TVs — without installing anything on each device. When a device is on your WiFi, the rules apply regardless of whether the device has its own parental control software.
NETGEAR — Circle Parental Controls
Modern NETGEAR routers use Circle, a parental control service (free tier included, premium available):
- Log in at 192.168.1.1
- Go to Parental Controls (sidebar)
- Download the Circle app on your phone
- Each child gets a profile — assign their devices to it
- Set content filters by category (adult content, social media, gaming, etc.)
- Set bedtime schedules — internet automatically pauses at set times per profile
- Set daily usage limits — e.g., 2 hours of gaming per day
Circle's free tier provides basic filtering and pause internet functionality. The premium tier ($4.99/month) adds app usage tracking, location, and history.
TP-Link — HomeShield and Built-in Controls
Newer TP-Link routers use HomeShield (requires TP-Link account); older models have built-in parental controls without an app:
Built-in (no app required): Admin at 192.168.0.1 → Advanced → Parental Controls → Add → enter child's device MAC address → set internet schedule (block specific hours) → Save.
HomeShield (via Tether app): Download TP-Link Tether app → go to HomeShield → create Family member → assign devices → set content filter, time limits, and bedtime schedule. HomeShield Basic is free; HomeShield Pro adds malware protection and more content categories ($5.99/month).
ASUS — AiProtection and Parental Controls
ASUS routers have two overlapping parental control systems:
AiProtection (Trend Micro powered): Log in at 192.168.50.1 → AiProtection → enable Parental Controls. Provides family protection profiles with content filtering by category, powered by Trend Micro's category database.
Built-in Parental Controls: Under Parental Controls in the sidebar → select a device → set internet access schedule (allow/block by hour per weekday/weekend). This does scheduling without a subscription.
Eero (Amazon) — Eero Labs and Subscriptions
Eero's parental controls are fully app-based:
- Open the eero app → tap menu → Family Profiles
- Create a profile for each child and assign their devices
- Set a bedtime schedule — internet access pauses automatically
- Content filtering requires eero+ subscription ($9.99/month or $99/year) for category-level blocking (adult content, social media, gambling, etc.)
- Screen time limits and detailed usage history also require eero+
Google / Nest WiFi — Google Family Link
Google Nest WiFi integrates with Google Family Link (requires supervised Google accounts for children):
- Set up Google Family Link on your child's device
- In the Google Home app: Wi-Fi → Family Wi-Fi → Add person
- Assign the child's devices to their profile
- Set pause times and screen time limits from the Family Link app
Unlike paid services, Google Family Link is free but requires your child to use a supervised Google account. Content filtering is more limited than dedicated services like Circle or HomeShield.
ISP-Provided Controls
| ISP | Parental Control Service | Access | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity | xFi Parental Controls | xFi app | Free with xFi Gateway |
| AT&T | Smart Home Manager | Smart Home Manager app | Free |
| Verizon Fios | Parental Controls | My Fios app | Free |
| Spectrum | Security Suite | My Spectrum app | Included with some plans |
DNS-Based Parental Controls (Works on Any Router)
If your router does not have good built-in parental controls, change your DNS to a filtering service:
| Service | DNS Address | What It Blocks | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare for Families | 1.1.1.3 / 1.0.1.3 | Malware + adult content | Free |
| OpenDNS Family Shield | 208.67.222.123 / 208.67.220.123 | Adult content categories | Free |
| NextDNS | Custom per account | Fully customizable categories | Free tier / $19.90/year |
| CleanBrowsing Family | 185.228.168.168 / 185.228.169.168 | Adult content + mixed content | Free |
Set these in your router's WAN DNS settings (Advanced → DNS on most brands) and they apply to every device on your network automatically. The downside: a technically savvy child can bypass DNS-based filtering using a VPN. For younger children, this is effective; for teenagers, combine with device-level controls.
What Router Controls Cannot Do
Router parental controls cannot control apps and content accessed over cellular (mobile data) — they only apply when the device is on your WiFi. For phones that have cellular data, device-level controls (iOS Screen Time, Android Digital Wellbeing, or Google Family Link) are needed to cover cellular usage as well.