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Forum Discussion
BretD
Nov 15, 2017Administrator
Circle with Disney Parental Controls On Orbi WiFi Systems Now Available
Click Here for details on installing Circle with Disney on your Orbi WiFi System.
NETGEAR is bringing peace of mind to parents by managing not only access to appropriate online content but also...
- Mar 26, 2018
The most useful review on this thread by Frank. He gets it.
I just dumped my traditional router for Orbi. 100% of the reason for choosing Orbi is the performance of the system. Every review clearly states it is #1 as a MESH solution, and they are correct. There isn't anything else close for a larger home. Trust me, I have tried many router, extender, dual router and MESH options.
That being said, the parental controls are actually a nice bonus. I had looked at Circle for a year, but just couldn't bring myself to set up a new account and buy a piece of hardware. The fact that it was integrated into Orbi is great. All you do is sign up.
Frank gave an excellent account of the free Circle features. That is good enough for 99% of parents, and better than any other router parental controls I have used. It's also better than a couple subscription services I have tried due to ease of use.
My one complaint was touched on above. The basic features (pause internet, filter content and services by age, monitor usage) are great. I wish Netgear/Disney would offer an option to install the basic features on 4G/LTE using the MDM/VPN solution. I just want to extend the basic features to my kids' phones when not on WiFi. Call it Circle Go Light! I would happily pay $4.99/mo for that, but it is a bit of price gouging to require $4.99/mo to ENABLE THE ABILITY to pay extra for Circle Go!
I respectfully request that you offer this in a future update. Just do it an squash the competition!
PJBannerman
Nov 16, 2017Initiate
This is good news for Orbi owners. The Circle functionality works well. However, having just purchased the Circle hardware ‘cube’ only 5 weeks ago, I am really pissed that I have just forked out $90 for something I will shortly have on my Orbi for free. I have been in touch with the manufacturer and hope they do the decent thing by their customers.
- PJBannermanNov 22, 2017Initiate
So, kudos to Circle for Disney - they will accept a return on the hardware which I will shorty not need. Good customer service.
- GijsZePaNov 27, 2017Initiate
Soon ?
As in several days, weeks, months ?
I purchased the Orbi this weekend because (reading some tests with devices already having the Circle option) I thought Circle was already inside. Having a Synology 1900 AC (with great parental controls and other apps, but bad Wifi) I assumed to have a smooth transition. The current OpenDNS parental control is a farce. I can't figure out how to set a timetable for my teenage kids for specifice devices for example.
Hope to work with Circle as soon as possible.
Martin
- CMOrbiDec 03, 2017Initiate
Currently there is no way to set timelimits on the Orbi/Genie and it looks like Circle will charge you $5/month to use this feature ?
Parental Controls is an important feature for me and with Netgear making the Timelimits/Usage an upgrade/Premium feature - that another $60/year on top of $350+ Orbi router. Ouch...
- jal1996Jan 01, 2018AspirantWe already have the $99 Circle device. We purchased the Orbi in Nov 2017 & it worked with our Circle. Since the firmware update for Orbi that includes the Circle software, Orbi is blocking our access to our Circle device. Our only option to get the services we were receiving with our Circle device is to subscribe to the $5 a month service. That is unacceptable! Unblock my Circle device!