In this day and age, it’s hard to imagine life without a stable WiFi connection, and to make the most of your WiFi, you need a good router.
A lot of good does come from being connected to the world via the internet, yet there is no denying that everything isn’t rainbows and sunshine on the web. There are certain aspects of the internet you want to protect your family from, and a router with parental controls will assist you with it. It is a tough job picking one of these from the abundance of options in the market. But worry no more! We’ve got you covered!
We’ve reviewed some of the best ones out there and have added all the additional information you need to get it up and going. So, keep on reading!
Comparison of the Best Parental Control Routers
Product | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
GRYPHON - Advance Security & Parental Control Mesh WiFi Router
| Best Overall | |
Motorola MG7700 24x8 Cable Modem Plus AC1900
| Runner-up | |
Linksys Dual-Band WiFi Router for Home
| Best for the Money | |
NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router
| ||
ASUS Dual-Band Gigabit WiFi Gaming Router
|
How Can Parents Have More Control Over Their Router?
Routers come with different features. Some have parental controls built into them, whereas some don’t. These allow you to filter the content available to your child, restrict the time they are on the internet,block any inappropriate websites, and much more.
You need to know that your router is basically the main point through which all of your network internet traffic flows. Thus, setting up controls allows you to monitor and filter content on all the devices connected to it. You can configure the parental control features on your router whether or not it comes with them built in .
Why Are These the Best of the Year?
You may be wondering what is it about routers with parental control that makes them so great? Why are we calling the products we recommended the best of this year? Here is the answer to your questions!
VPN Block
Depending on the age or how tech-savvy your kids are, they might just be able to get rid of the restriction you put on their device networks using a VPN. Some products on our list come with a VPN block, which prevents them from doing so.
Price
The general concept is the higher you pay, the better you get! However, that isn’t feasible for everyone. Most people only have a limited amount of money to spend on a product and respecting that, we have a number of options with varying price ranges. The only thing constant with these products is their excellent performance.
Coverage
The coverage of your router makes a world of difference in its performance. One thing you ought to hate is the dead spots in your house, which lack any WiFi coverage. All these products have excellent WiFi coverage.
Design and Quality
The design and quality of this unit matter a lot. This is one thing you wouldn’t want to compromise on, as it could affect the performance and durability of your unit.
Quick Take - Best Parental Control Routers
In a hurry? Below are our recommendations for the best parental control routers:
Review of the Best Parental Control Routers
Here are all the much-talked-about product recommendations! You will surely find your perfect WiFi router amongst these, given that the products we’ve suggested are some of the best. We have various price points and features reviewed and categorized to help you find what you’ve been looking for. So, let’s jump right into it!
Best Overall:
GRYPHON – Advance Security and Parental Mesh WiFi Router
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers have deemed it to be the best consumer router they have tried. They were thoroughly impressed with the performance of the unit. Most commended the brand for having excellent customer service and being highly responsive to complaints, on the rare occasion there were any. People also applauded it for being very easy to set up and control.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Just the ease of operation and excellent performance are what make it stand out so much. This unit truly couldn’t be any easier to set up. Furthermore, the excellent WiFi coverage it provides makes sure there are no dead WiFi spots in your house. The added security software and sturdy design make it a great product.
Who Will Use This Most
This could work for anyone, especially people who aren’t very well-versed in handling technology. It is an easy router to set up. It will be great for parents who want to filter the content their kids watch online or the hours they spend surfing the internet. The enhanced safety features give great peace of mind.
Bottom Line
This product is the definition of a great investment. You will only have good things to say about it once you get your hands on it. The ease of use, combined with the excellent performance, make it worth every penny. The price-point on this product is well justified.
Runner-up:
Motorola MG7700 24x8 Cable Modem Plus AC1900
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers were impressed with the quality functioning of this product. The unit was fairly easy to set-up and manage. People specially commended the product on excellent download and upload speed. Furthermore, the two-year warranty makes it a great option. It saves you from cable costs, thus making it a budget-friendly option.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It stood out to us for having a fuss-free, easy set up. It saves you from spending any money on cable, which makes it highly budget-friendly in the long run. Furthermore, this product comes with a two-year warranty, which is more than what comes with most routers. Plus, it is a durable product with a smart design.
Who Will Use This Most
This modem router combo is highly practical and would work great for people who don’t want to buy two separate devices. It reduces the heating in your set up and also take up less space. Furthermore, the easy set up and management of the product make it great for people who struggle with technology a little.
Bottom Line
All in all, it is a great product with excellent features. The easy-to-use nature, in conjunction with the excellent functionality, make it a great investment. This product is budget-friendly, as it saves you from any cable costs. And the extended warranty is another reason it’s such a great option.
Best for the Money:
Linksys Dual-Band WiFi Router for Home
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Recent buyers were ecstatic about investing in the product. They were happy to have received a product which functions so well, and at such a great price.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It is completely dummy-proof. The setup is very easy and this product has decent coverage, all of which is great news. The affordable price range is what sold us on it.
Who Will Use This Most
This could work for people expecting a standard, easy-to-use router for home use. It isn’t by any means the most technically-advanced product, though, which is sometimes what people are looking for.
Bottom Line
All in all, it's a great investment. This product has made a fan-following for itself due to the simple and easy-to-use features it offers, along with its great WiFi coverage.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers deem this device a powerhouse of a machine. If you want a strong and durable router with powerful parental control options, this is your best bet. The WiFi coverage is pretty decent, which is something that impressed people a lot, as well.
Why it Stands Out to Us
There aren’t many routers in the market which allow you to create several customizable profiles and be able to stay connected with 35 devices. The powerful and feature-filled interface of this device are what made us a fan.
Who Will Use This Most
This could work for people who have many devices connected to the routers or parents who need to monitor many devices.
Bottom Line
This product is a great investment and will surely leave you thoroughly impressed by its performance and durability. It beats many on the market.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were very happy upon purchasing this product. Even though it is a high-end product, they deemed it worth every penny. The performance, design, and speed make it an excellent device to invest in.
Why it Stands Out to Us
It stood out to us for having an elegant, yet powerful design. The design is enough to make you want to purchase it. But more than the design, the performance is what makes this product such a worthy investment.
Who Will Use This Most
This would work for most people who appreciate high-speed routers with an excellent design. It is great for heavy gaming and usage, which makes it perfect for gamers.
Bottom Line
It is a great product. The price-point on this is much higher-end but well-justified. The array of features and excellent performance make it a powerful device.
Perks of Getting a New Parental Control Router
If you're still contemplating whether you should even invest in a new parental control router, the following will convince you to do so by highlighting some excellent perks of the investment.
Managing Time
The internet can be a very addictive place. You may think you have it under control, but you’ll notice soon you’re spending hours on it, basically getting nothing productive done. It is a proven fact that too much screen time can have many adverse effects on your health; therefore, investing in a parental control router will be a great investment and allow you to monitor the time your child spends on the internet.
Filtering Content
As much good there is on the internet, there is a lot of inappropriate content there too which you would want to protect your child from. A parental control router will allow you to block any such website or content which you do not want your child exposed to.
Blocking Certain Traffic
A lot of times, your child may need to use the internet for homework or any other assignments. When this is the case, you can’t simply cut the WiFi off from their device, but what you can do is change the list of restricted websites and for the time-being, restrict gaming and video streaming websites instead.
Conclusion
To summarize it all, it would be fair to say we are all on different budgets and looking for different features. The best product for you would differ according to your needs. Make sure to check on factors such as band availability, WiFi coverage, etc. as they will determine if a router is worth investing in for you.
The recommended products are generally some of the best on the market and are a safe bet. Hopefully, all the information we provided in conjunction with the reviewed products will help you make a good decision. You can always research further to make a more educated decision.
People Also Ask
We encounter many queries about parental control and related topics. Thus, we took the liberty of answering some of your most asked questions relevant to this product. Hopefully, this section will help you get a better understanding of your router and the parental control features it offers.
Can You Put Parental Controls on WiFi?
You can’t put parental control your WiFi, per se, however, you can block the WiFi network on a device. The parental control is set up on the router, not the WiFi network, as it is the center where the internet access to all devices flows from.
How Do I Put Parental Controls on my Router?
Setting up parental controls on your router is quite an easy job. Some routers have this feature built into them. If that is the case, you can easily consult your manual for instructions. It would simply require you to go to the router’s configuration pages and set them up. If your router does not have this built-in feature, you can use OpenDNS and set parental control on any unit.
How Do I Restrict Access to my WiFi?
This can be achieved by limiting the devices which can use your WiFi. Simply, go to the network settings of your router. There is an access policy which monitors these functions. Here, you can restrict any specific device and allow only certain known devices to use your WiFi.
