How to Limit Screen Time for Kids Via Wi-Fi Access

Wed, Mar 30, 2022 4:49 AM Internet Bundles Broadband Deals

With just a tap of a button, monitor your children's screen time. Parents have a lot to worry about when it comes to their children and screen time nowadays. As many kids in the U.S. spend all their time trying to learn remotely from their computers due to COVID-19, this has become even more true. This has left many parents asking how, under such conditions, to limit screen time for their children.

While kids may be looking at screens more hours a day than they were before the pandemic, this does not mean that the rules for screen time need to go completely out of the window.

Your best bet is to control the Wi-Fi access of your children if you are looking for an easy way to get your kids off their electronics at home. Then consider downloading a data monitoring app or parental control app if you are also interested in monitoring the screen time of your children when they are off the home Wi-Fi.

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Buy a parental controlled Wi-Fi

One of the simplest ways to gain control over the screen time of your kids is by buying a Wi-Fi router for parental control. While each parental control router has slightly different functions and settings, most will allow parents to gain control of the screen time of their children in three main ways:

1. Pause Wi-Fi on any device

2. Set the Schedule to turn off Wi-Fi

3. Restrict any devices from accessing a specific website.

The advantage of these features is that to restrict Wi-Fi access for your kids, you do not have to turn off the Wi-Fi for everyone in the house. If your kids need it to do homework, you don't even have to restrict Wi-Fi access entirely, but you want to ensure they don't do anything else.

Here are some top-rated options if you're interested in buying a Wi-Fi router with parental capabilities:

Gryphon Guardian: It comes with an app that offers content filtering, browsing history view, the ability to set bedtime/homework times, the ability to limit screen time, secure search enforcement, YouTube security enforcement, and the capacity to suspend the internet at any time.

Price: $99

App Price: $4.99/mo

Nighthawk® Dual-Band WiFi Router: It works with an app that allows parents to set filters on any device, pause the internet, check the browser history of their children, automatically switch off Wi-Fi scheduling times, track Wi-Fi use, set internet time limits, and more.

Price: 189.99

App Price: Free

Buying a parental control router accessory

If you really are trying to monitor the screen time of your kids, but you are satisfied with your current router, then you can always purchase your router's add-on kit. The computer plugs into your router and then provides you with all of a parental control router's capabilities.

Some of the most common router accessories for parental control include:

Circle Home Plus: This Will allow you to monitor and block content on any device through the app

Price: $129(1-year subscription) or $299 (lifetime subscription)

The CleanerNet Mini Safe internet filter: It enables parents to block the ability of their children to access any website or app. On any computer connected to their home Wi-Fi, parents can also set time limits, pause, track and control internet use. With many, but not all, routers, the CleanerNet Mini is compatible.

Price: $99.99/yr or $9.99/mo.

Download a Wi-Fi Blocking app

You can always download an app to monitor your children's Wi-Fi connectivity if you don't want to purchase any additional equipment.

Wi-Fi Blocker: It helps parents to manage and track the internet access of their children while they are connected to Wi-Fi at home. The WiFi blocker is compatible with many, but not all, routers, so before you buy the software, double-check.

Price: $5.99