Just got a an R7000 and am currently running stock firmware - not updated to the firmware released yesterday. I love it in every way except for the nonsensical parental controls. I'm fine with the use of OpenDns parental controls for the filtering, its the bypass account capability that I have a problem with. Whoever decide that in order for a user to select a bypass account with different filters than the default that the admin password be used was a moron.Does the newest version of Netgear Genie released in conjunction with the latest firmware change the parental control functionality including how the bypass accounts work? (I don't want to update the firmware until its been proven to be stable) . The release notes don't indicate there is any change but you never know...If the new release has no change perhaps someone can help me with this question. Once I've logged into genie, signed in with the admin password (!) and signed into a Bypass account, I can find no way to logout of genie to stop a subsequent user from, for instance, turning off the parental controls. To make matters worse the bypass override appears to apply to the whole PC rather than a particular windows account so if I override using a bypass account, my kids on their Windows sign-ins also have bypass authority. perhaps I'm misunderstanding things but the whole bypass functionality is completely broken and unusable.Its so bad I'm tempted to return the router which other than this I like...

I have a NetGear R7000 which I purchased almost a year ago. Like most people I really like it, what I hate is the Network Genie Bypass Account setup. It really is horrible. I have finally set aside time to set up all the parental controls and my main concern is the grandkids access "things" on the internet they shouldn't be. I have two laptops for them to use, other than that everyone else and the major users are all over 50. Just because you set up a bypass account for a particular family member does not mean they are computer / network savy. I just need something that is VERY EASY to log on to and utilize the bypass settings. Plain and simple. This featured needs a MAJOR OVERHAUL. It is way too complicated for something that should be so simple. Anyone have any suggestions?

Our kids have their own computers so we just run NetGear Genie on the adult machines. I don't know how to solve your problem, except to uninstall NetGear Genie, and turn off the parental controls by logging into the router itself when you are using the computer and the kids are not. Go to http://routerlogin.net/adv_index.htm. I just found a NetGear Genie for iOS, so I don't have to use my Verizon data when the WiFi is restricted for the kids and it allows access to my mail on my iPhone.You may want to see http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=92847&highlight=PARENTAL+CONTROLS for more information.

By the way, I downloaded the new NetGear Genie and it has a logout button for the bypass account. So it looks like your request has been heard.

Ye,e tehre has always been a Bypass logout button. The only problem is that is doesn't reaply the restrictions, when you logout of teh bypass. Once bypass has been applied that access seems to stay even if you logout of the bypass account. Only way round appears is to reboot (since the overide also seems to apply to all Windows accounts also!Also, the different Genie clients seem to be in varying degrees of disarray. The IOS and Android ones seems best in that it has a logout button for both the Bypass account as well as the Router Admin logon. However the Windows client has the situtation above with no way to logout of Genie.It seems in other forums/discussions that Netgear used to had a 'User utility' that was used by individual users without the need for the router admin password - so it seems that Netgear originally had the right idea but then for some reason retired the "User Utility' in favor of the Genie which has basically made the whole parental controls function on the R7000 (and other Netgear routers?) useless for anyone wanting differing levels for different people or groups of people (e.g. in a family). Almost seems like cost savings were the cause of the retirement of the User Utility just leaving Genie? In any case, if I could I would return the router (but its too late) - hopefully the lost sales/returns Netgear will suffer will eventually force them to fix this capability - since I believe nowadays this is perhaps the most important function for most families.

I used to have a Netgear WNDR3700 which had that User utility and it worked just fine. That router unfortunately died this past weekend and I replaced it with the R6250 and that darn Genie app is a nightmare in this area. I've spent a couple of hours trying to get the parental controls setup and it keeps telling me that I'm not connected to the Internet when I have a working wired connection. I do like some features of the Genie app, but this isn't one of them. I'm debating what my next move will be now.

Parental Control And Netgear Genie

11 Replies

guerrid
Guide
Jan 24, 2015
Our kids have their own computers so we just run NetGear Genie on the adult machines. I don't know how to solve your problem, except to uninstall NetGear Genie, and turn off the parental controls by logging into the router itself when you are using the computer and the kids are not. Go to http://routerlogin.net/adv_index.htm.

I just found a NetGear Genie for iOS, so I don't have to use my Verizon data when the WiFi is restricted for the kids and it allows access to my mail on my iPhone.

You may want to see http://forum1.netgear.com/showthread.php?t=92847&highlight=PARENTAL+CONTROLS for more information.
guerrid
Guide
Jan 24, 2015
By the way, I downloaded the new NetGear Genie and it has a logout button for the bypass account. So it looks like your request has been heard.
iamhives
Initiate
Jan 26, 2015
Ye,e tehre has always been a Bypass logout button. The only problem is that is doesn't reaply the restrictions, when you logout of teh bypass. Once bypass has been applied that access seems to stay even if you logout of the bypass account. Only way round appears is to reboot (since the overide also seems to apply to all Windows accounts also!

Also, the different Genie clients seem to be in varying degrees of disarray. The IOS and Android ones seems best in that it has a logout button for both the Bypass account as well as the Router Admin logon. However the Windows client has the situtation above with no way to logout of Genie.

It seems in other forums/discussions that Netgear used to had a 'User utility' that was used by individual users without the need for the router admin password - so it seems that Netgear originally had the right idea but then for some reason retired the "User Utility' in favor of the Genie which has basically made the whole parental controls function on the R7000 (and other Netgear routers?) useless for anyone wanting differing levels for different people or groups of people (e.g. in a family). Almost seems like cost savings were the cause of the retirement of the User Utility just leaving Genie? In any case, if I could I would return the router (but its too late) - hopefully the lost sales/returns Netgear will suffer will eventually force them to fix this capability - since I believe nowadays this is perhaps the most important function for most families.
TLM14941
Fledgling
Feb 07, 2015
I used to have a Netgear WNDR3700 which had that User utility and it worked just fine. That router unfortunately died this past weekend and I replaced it with the R6250 and that darn Genie app is a nightmare in this area. I've spent a couple of hours trying to get the parental controls setup and it keeps telling me that I'm not connected to the Internet when I have a working wired connection. I do like some features of the Genie app, but this isn't one of them. I'm debating what my next move will be now.
pelbro
Tutor
Aug 17, 2015
I have a NetGear R7000 which I purchased almost a year ago. Like most people I really like it, what I hate is the Network Genie Bypass Account setup. It really is horrible. I have finally set aside time to set up all the parental controls and my main concern is the grandkids access "things" on the internet they shouldn't be. I have two laptops for them to use, other than that everyone else and the major users are all over 50.

Just because you set up a bypass account for a particular family member does not mean they are computer / network savy. I just need something that is VERY EASY to log on to and utilize the bypass settings. Plain and simple. This featured needs a MAJOR OVERHAUL. It is way too complicated for something that should be so simple.

Anyone have any suggestions?
- Rickykdean
  Aspirant
  Sep 12, 2015
  The problem I have is that my iPhone won't stay logged into the bypass account. I can only occasionally use my wireless to access sites that are restricted for general use. In those cases I have to turn off the wireless access on my phone. This used to work with an older version.
  - DexterJB
    NETGEAR Moderator
    Sep 14, 2015
    Hi Rickykdean,
    
    I will need the following information for me to provide you with a recommendation:
    
    1. May I know what is the model number of your NETGEAR device?
    
    2. May I know what is the firmware version?
    
    3. What is the iOS version of your iPhone?
    
    4. What is the version of NETGEAR Genie app that you are using?
    
    5. What version of the NETGEAR Genie app worked for you before?
    
    6. How long does it stay connected?
    
    Regards,
    
    Dexter
    
    Community Team
DexterJB
NETGEAR Moderator
Sep 02, 2015
Hi iamhives,

Thank you for your valued input regarding this feature of the NETGEAR product. To answer your question, no modification on how the bypass account feature work has been made yet. Rest assured this is continually being worked on by NETGEAR to improve user experience through your feedbacks.

Regards,

Dexter

Community Team

Forum Discussion

Parental Control And Netgear Genie