Though the Internet has made things easier and brought us closer, it is equally a dangerous space. So, letting your children roam around freely is not a wise move, let alone secure. The solution? Parental controls. But device-level parental controls don’t cut it often. Instead, you can go for a router with parental controls. Yet, finding the right Wi-Fi router with parental control can be pretty tough. I’ve made it simpler for you, though.
What Is Parental Controls on Routers?
Parental controls refer to a set of software-based utilities that allow parents to control what their children have access to, especially on the Internet. You can always set up these options on specific devices like your computer, smartphone, or gaming consoles.
Depending on the device, you may have options to block sites, control how much time kids spend on specific sites, or pause the internet during specific times of the day. While these are detailed and impressive, all the options are not available on all devices. It means you need to go network-level.
Why Do We Need Parental Controls on Routers?
When you control these aspects at the router level, parental control becomes a piece of cake. First, you will always have easy access to what your kids do on the Internet. Second, these advanced parental control options allow you to set up individual profiles and set up preferences for each.
Sometimes, routers allow you to create a kid-friendly network as well. This way, even if your kid uses a new device, they cannot access inappropriate content using the Wi-Fi network. All these options can provide you with peace of mind while assuring that your children are on the safe side.
Routers with parental control options are always better than simply blocking a few websites. Because these services are regularly updated, they remain a dynamic database of sites to keep your kids away from. You’d also have options for time-based restrictions.
That said, you may have trouble finding the best router with parental controls for your home.
Top 5 Best Routers with Parental Controls
These days, you don’t have to compromise other features like performance and speed just because you need parental controls. As long as you get a decent router from a trusted brand, you can expect the basic parental control options, and you can continually expand them using additional subscriptions.
Choosing the Best Router for Parental Controls
We have considered a couple of aspects while choosing the right Wi-Fi router with parental controls. As you can guess, the primary criterion is the presence of a dedicated set of tools for parental control. That is, we are expecting basic options for Mac-based filtering and timing-based controls.
However, we have always tried to find routers that come up with a dedicated application that lets you control different kids’ profiles and specific settings.
At the same time, we wanted to offer a variety of routers that would fit the purpose, such as a larger house or multi-device settings. After all these considerations, we have chosen the five best routers with parental controls. And each of them offers something that the other one doesn’t.
#1 Synology RT6600AX: Overall Best Router with Parental Controls
If you need a Wi-Fi router with robust parental controls, you can’t go wrong with the Synology RT6600AX. It packs the power of tri-band connectivity, offering maximum performance for gaming, streaming, etc.
Because it’s a product from Synology, the Synology RT6600AX packs advanced network management tools. For instance, you can create up to five separate networks, and you can enable up to 15 Wi-Fi SSIDs across these networks. So, you can assign one of these networks to your kids and have complete control.
The Synology app is also great when it comes to network monitoring. For instance, it feels easy to keep track of connected devices and speed consumption. You can also set up parental control options with the help of different profiles, internet schedules, quotas, reports, etc.
The web filtering options from Synology are also great. For instance, you can choose between multiple web profiles, including Child, Guest, etc. For each, you can choose customizable filters and schedules and ensure the Safe Search option for search engines. You can let users request to unblock specific sites, too.
Parental control options aside, the Synology RT6600AX Wi-Fi router offers speeds up to 6.6Gbps across the three bands. It also works great with VPN servers, making it suitable for those working from home. Its 2.5GbE Ethernet port works fine with most Internet Service Providers out there as well.
In the end, I can easily recommend Synology RT6600AX for most households out there. Its control expands to the network, allowing it to isolate and protect IoT devices as well. So, if you want to keep your network secure for everyone, this router from Synology makes a lot of sense.
#2 ASUS RT-AXE7800: Best Gaming Wi-Fi Router with Parental Controls
If you or your kids are into gaming, you can’t compromise performance and reliability. In that case, you can go for the ASUS RT-AXE7800 Wi-Fi router, which packs a punch.
Though ASUS has optimized the ASUS RT-AXE7800 for performance and gaming, it has not compromised on the security front. On the other hand, you get advanced options for parental controls, VPN, built-in network-side security, etc. ASUS Safe Browsing offers everyone an additional protection layer.
With the ASUS RT-AXE7800, you get advanced parental controls with options for dedicated profiles and time-based controls. These work on top of the built-in VPN and Instant Guard layers. So, even if you forget to block a specific site, the router won’t let your kids access it.
The parental control options from ASUS are pretty impressive because you can not only pause internet access for some time but also add exceptions to each rule. So, it’s a good way to reward your kids if they have been spending quality time so that you can let them browse the web for some more time.
Similarly, the AiProtection Pro plan from Asus lets you choose between multiple layers or protective layers so that you have some control over what happens in the network. This is also one of the routers that you can easily turn into a mesh network because it’s part of the AiMesh feature.
As a gaming router, the ASUS RT-AXE7800 Wi-Fi router can handle speeds up to 7.8Gbps and can offer a total coverage of up to 2,500 sq. ft. That is, when you invest in this parental-control-friendly router, you get beast-level performance as well.
#3 NETGEAR Orbi RBK752: Best Mesh Router with Parental Controls
If you have a large house, you may need a mesh router for the space. The NETGEAR Orbi RBK752 is a mesh router that offers advanced parental control options without breaking the bank.
At its core, the NETGEAR Orbi RBK752 is a powerful mesh Wi-Fi router that can cover up to 5000 sq. ft. area. It can easily handle up to 40 devices, meaning your kids can have great speeds. It offers speeds as high as 4.2Gpbs as well, making it a great choice for high-speed fiber-optic internet connections.
As far as Internet Parental Controls are concerned, you can use the Orbi app from Netgear to manage almost every aspect of it. For starters, you can use the Smart Parental Controls options and Internet filtering to make sure that your kids can access the content that they are supposed to.
For instance, you have the option to set up time limits as well as set up an Internet Bedtime so that they cannot be distracted while they are supposed to sleep. Some other features include a daily limit reward, which allows the kids to access the Internet a little bit more depending on their behavior.
It is also great that the app allows you to set up different network behaviors for different purposes, such as one for playtime, another one for homework, and another one for bedtime. So, these preferences will make it easy to manage the entire network for your kids.
Overall, NETGEAR Orbi RBK752 packs a punch when it comes to all departments. You can let your kids play quality games while keeping everything under limits. It also offers a wider variety of connectivity options if you want to set up a professional network.
#4 ASUS RT-AX5400: Best Affordable Router with Parental Controls
Sometimes, you don’t want to spend too much on performance and speed but still need parental control, right? In that case, you can check out ASUS RT-AX5400, another great option from ASUS.
Unlike the other options we have discussed so far, the ASUS RT-AX5400 is a WiFi 6 extendable router that offers built-in internet security features and advanced parental controls. You also get a built-in VPN that will be on a subscription basis.
It is designed for gaming and streaming, but the additional options make it a great tool for professional users. As far as parental controls are concerned, you get the same set of options that we saw in the gaming router that we just talked about.
For instance, you have the option to go for flexible schedules and different profiles so that you can keep your kids safe from additional screen time. You also have a reward option that will come in handy regardless of how you want to define it.
As far as the speeds are concerned, you can get up to 5.4 Gbps of speed from the device, but it really depends on how much you are paying for the service. I also appreciate the Instant Guard feature, which makes sure that your transactions are secure and that your kids are not exposed to the wild threats on the internet.
Overall, despite being affordable, the ASUS RT-AX5400 does delivery on all fronts. This Wi-Fi 6 router would easily serve your home for a few years, even if you decide to upgrade the Internet connection on the way. I would say you can go for this deal, eyes closed.
#5 NETGEAR Nighthawk RS500: Best Wi-Fi 7 Router with Parental Controls
Choosing a Wi-Fi 7 is a great option to future-proof your home network for at least half a decade. Although Wi-Fi 7 devices are gradually growing, you’d love the parental control options on this NETGEAR router.
As a Wi-Fi 7 router, Netgear Nighthawk RS500 is designed to offer up to 12 Gbps of speed and cover up to 3000 sq. ft. It can easily handle up to 120 devices, which is great for large houses. When it comes to parental controls, you get the same number of options and more from the Nighthawk app.
You can also set it up with the Circle app if you are looking for advanced parental control. This router is designed for gaming and streaming, and even when you are into 4K or 8K streaming, you can make use of all those parental control options.
You get the standard set of parental control options, including specific profiles and time management. Once again, the Circle subscription can add value if you want to grow healthy Internet usage habits in your child. It is a worthwhile investment for most households.
While the NETGEAR Nighthawk RS500 is not cheap, you get a rather complete package. Even if you have a growing family, it can scale itself in terms of speed and multitasking. The router also comes with a 30-day trial of NETGEAR Armor, which can protect everyone.
In the end, this Wi-Fi router is an easy option for most people with the right budget. NETGEAR is also one of the brands you can easily choose these days, considering the security concerns in the United States.
How to Set Up Parental Controls on Routers
You have already seen some of the best Wi-Fi routers with basic to advanced parental control options. After you get one of these devices, you still need to set up parental controls on the device. Depending on the Wi-Fi router, you can choose between two options:
Method #1 Dedicated Controls
All routers we’ve recommended come with a suite of dedicated parental control options. It means you can access these settings by logging on to the router control dashboard. Alternatively, you can use an Android or iOS app to control the network, including parental controls.
In these cases, I’d advise you to go through the initial router setup once. After that, you can either use apps or a web-based interface to access the Parental Controls section. Here, you can explore options like setting up profiles, adjusting time-based blockers, and content restrictions.
Method #2 Manual Controls
If you have a router without dedicated parental control options, you can always rely on manual setup. While a little difficult, these settings can prevent your kids from accessing problematic control. I recommend using MAC-based control so that the settings apply only to kids.
You will need to access the router settings and go to the Network section. You have to navigate to a section where you can find MAC-based network control. There, you can add the MAC address of your kid’s device and choose the specific settings.
You can also use a private DNS service if you prefer that. Alternatively, you can create a specific Wi-Fi network to keep things clean.
Conclusion
Parental controls on routers should not be intimidating or difficult. Instead, you must be familiar with all the options so that you can provide your kids with a safer Internet. So, I recommend choosing a Wi-Fi router that offers dedicated parental control features, including time/profile management. Trust me, you won’t regret spending those extra dollars.
