I've had several parents ask me about blocking adult content on their home Wi-Fi networks. Given that it's just a minimal setup with a router, what are effective methods or tools you all recommend for achieving this?
5 Answers
While I understand the concerns, I also think it's important to allow kids some freedom to explore. Conversations about internet safety can do a lot more than strict filters. It's all about teaching them which situations are appropriate!
One straightforward method is using DNS filtering. I recommend the Cloudflare Family DNS options. For blocking malware and adult content, set your primary DNS to 1.1.1.3 and secondary to 1.0.0.3 - this can help filter out unwanted sites pretty effectively.
Consider using parental controls directly on your router if it supports them. For example, I have an ASUS GT-AX1100, which has built-in filtering options for adult sites. A combo of parental controls and a DNS service like Cloudflare can really help keep things safe. Just remember that kids can sometimes find ways around these measures!
It's worth noting that a typical home router lacks comprehensive filtering capabilities. Even when using blacklists, there are numerous ways for determined users to bypass them.
If you're going the DNS route, make sure to route all DNS requests through your filtering DNS server for better results. Just keep in mind, this approach might not work perfectly with DNS over TLS, but it’s still a solid start. Also, discussing internet safety with kids is really important.
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