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Louiem's avatar
Louiem
Aspirant
Aug 31, 2020

Keyword Blocking?

I tried the Block Sites and Keyword blocking always on Orbi RBR20 for Hulk and Abomination, but still doesnt block any ot them using any browser

Any ideas? really need keyword blocker for any chrome or firefox, edge and if works on Youtube even better....thanks!

4 Replies

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  • CrimpOn's avatar
    CrimpOn
    Guru
    Aug 31, 2020
    Louiem wrote:

    I tried the Block Sites and Keyword blocking always on Orbi RBR20 for Hulk and Abomination, but still doesnt block any ot them using any browser

    Any ideas? really need keyword blocker for any chrome or firefox, edge and if works on Youtube even better....thanks!

    My experience is that Keyword blocking on the Orbi is disappointing.  It does nothing with https connections.  NOTHING.  So,

    • It does work if (a BIG "if") the user types http into a browser and not https, and
    • The browser does not automatically try to find an https web site before settling for an http web URL.

    Since it appears that most web browsers not default to "the user REALLY would rather connect using https if at all possible", that means that for all practical purposes, keyword blocking is no longer relevant.

     

    In my opinion (worth 2 cents on a good day), that is one of the reasons that Netgear first partnered with Disney Circle and now appears to be rolling out their own "Parental Controls" in the upcoming firmware releases.

     

    Several users have posted that they prefer to use the filtering capabilities in OpenDNS. (I have never looked at it myself.)

     

    Sad.

    • Louiem's avatar
      Louiem
      Aspirant
      Aug 31, 2020

      Thank you sir......i have read about Circle but dont see any keyword filter.
      So netgear is coming out w/ its own Parental Controls in a firmware update? i love orbi also just need something for this issue.

      Not Sure how OpenDNS works either, if that would do it, guess i can post to their forum

       

      Lou

      • CrimpOn's avatar
        CrimpOn
        Guru
        Aug 31, 2020

        Wish I could be more help, but I have no one to "control", and thus have not tried any methods myself.

        Disney Circle has an entire community forum where users discuss it:

        https://community.netgear.com/t5/Circle-Smart-Parental-Controls/bd-p/en-home-circle 

        Actually, I believe that Disney Circle is also a hardware product sold independently of Netgear and the Orbi Circle is some arrangement they made to host Circle on Netgear routers.  Disney Circle is a PAID subscription, so people have a choice of installing the Disney product (and paying for it) or using the Netgear version (and paying for it).

         

        This "new" Parental Controls topic came up in discussions of a future Orbi firmware release, 2.7.0.70, which apparently features "something else", which is also a PAID subscription.

         

        OpenDNS has a way to create an account which can be used to control which URL's are allowed.  There may be "free" and "paid" versions.

         

        All I can say for certain is that the legacy "Block Sites" option in Netgear routers is obsolete and pretty much worthless.