I am trying out the Nighthawk router and I am comparing its features to Linksys and Asus routers. The router has the latest firmware version. I have a few questions about using the Nighthawk router. I am, more less, confused about some of the features such as time scheduling and blocking sites. Also, I don't understand the purpose of OpenDNS if I can block most sites on the router itself. I am sure that OpenDNS does a better job at blocking sites and categories.
1. How do I block a site such as Facebook on individual device? I don't want to block it from other family members. I have tried both OpenDNS and blocking the site on the router itself from preventing both an iPod and Macbook from accessing Facebook. Both the iPod and laptop let Facebook come up. I have tried to block Youtube on the router and OpenDNS with the same result. I can, still, access the site on my iPod and laptop.
2. How do I set a time schedule on individual devices? I don't want to turn off or disable the wireless to go off at a specific time, I just want to block a device from accessing the internet at specific times like 8pm to 9am.
3. Do I use the Netgear Genie to access the router from outside my home? I like using my work computer to login to my home router to change settings and so on.
I like the Nighthawk router but I need to work through some of these issues such as time scheduling and being able to block sites to individual devices. Perhaps, someone can offer some suggestion on what I am doing wrong and explain some things.
1. No you cant block apps through LPC. It can only filter HTTP/HTTPs service.
2. To set a time schedule per device; a. LAN IP reservation - so the IP wont change and blocking services always works b. Block services - where you configure the service and the IP to be filtered (if you want to completely block that device IP set Service to "ANY" or all services) c. Schedule - the timeframe you want to set
3. 2 options Remote Genie - where you use the NETGEAR Genie -KB guide here Remote Management - HTTPs access using WAN IP or dynamic DNS -KB guide here
Thanks for the response. I was able to block sites and set a time schedule on the Linksys and Asus router. Doing this task was very simple and straightforward. To followup with your answers.
1) I am not looking to block apps on the router. That would be a great feature to have but most home routers don't support it. I am looking to block www.facebook.com or www.netflix.com PER device. I want to block sites without affecting other devices. For example, I want to block www.facebook.com or www.youtube.com so that an iPod or computer doesn't have access to those sites. I don't want Mary to have access to those sites on her iPod or laptop.
2) If Mary's iPod or laptop has an IP of 192.168.0.123, I would static that number on the router and set the time schedule to whatever I want. For example, I want to give Mary from 2pm to 8pm EVERYDAY on her laptop internet access. Next, I want turn OFF the internet access at 8pm to 2pm the following day.
Again, I was able to block sites PER device without affecting any other device in the house. Also, I was able to set a time schedule PER device on both Linksys and Asus routers. It was very easy to do it on those routers and I am looking for the same easy method on the Netgear router.
1. You can use the per device filtering feature on the NETGEAR Genie app/program and set the filtering level to "High" or "Custom" on the devices you would want Facebook and YouTube to be filtered on. You can check the link below.
2. As for setting a schedule for Internet access on specific device/s, you can follow storm1985's advice of setting up Address Reservation for the devices then block all services on a set schedule. You can check the links below.
Dexter~ Thanks for the reply. Netgear has an odd way of doing things. Both Linksys and Asus use a grid to block time which to me is easier than how Netgear does it.
1. After I block a site, how long do you wait for it to take affect on the router? I thought I had tried this on my iPod and I was still able to access FB or Youtube on the browser and app. Yes, I understand that I can't block apps on a device. I just want to block sites like FB or Netflix on specific devices both laptop and iPod.
2. I will try to to set a schedule for internet access based on Storms advice.
I will try the suggestions and advice and I will post my results.
If you are using the per device filtering, LPC settings may take a while to take effect since the filtering is done on their servers. This is the only available solution for you to somehow block/filter sites that fit to a certain category set by OpenDNS on a per device level.
So, I have the router up and running. I am using my iPod as the test device. The iPod is connected to the router. So, I have set the iPod to 192.168.1.101 in the reservation. I have the iPod set to HIGH for the filtering.
1. Even though I have the filter set to high, I am still able to access FB and Youtube on my iPod. I can access FB on the browser and Youtube on the app. I really would like to cover both app and browser access but I know that I can't block app access.
2. I go to Advanced and Schedule to set the time schedule. I don't want to set a time schedule for all devices. How do I specifically set a time schedule on my iPod?
3. On the network map, why does some devices go grey as if they are offline? Shouldn't devices have a constant connection?
I want to fine tune the blocks and time schedule PER device. Although the router is fast, I want to continue to use it but ONLY if I can block websites PER device and specifically set a time schedule PER device.
I have one other question. I have a lot of devices which includes the following:
4 iPod Touch 5 and 6 gen
4 iPhones 5, 6, 6s Plus
3 Amazon Fire TVs
2 Chromebooks
Xbox 360 and Playstation 3
2 iPads
Wireless printers
2 ATVs
Wired computers
To get the best speed on all devices, what would be the best band to use 2.4 or 5? Do I split the devices and put some on one band and others on the other band? I know 2.4 has a stronger signal.
1. Please make sure that the DNS values on the router UI are set to 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. Filtering only works on browsers and is a feature limitation.
2. Only a single schedule can be configured. Under Block Services you can set the Service Blocking to Per Schedule and when you add one, you can use the option "Only this IP Address" or "IP Address Range" that includes the device/s that you want limit for the Internet access.
3. Devices will appear grey if they are not connected to the network.
4. You will only be able to block websites per device through the Per Device Filtering of LPC if the website/s fit under the OpenDNS categories. Setting time schedule for Internet access can be done with the suggested combination of Address Reservation, Block Services, and Schedule options on the router.
5. It depends if the device/s are dual band, how you use them, and their location from the router. It is highly recommended that if a device can connect to the 5GHz band and is used for streaming and/or gaming then it should connect to that while leaving the rest to the 2.4GHz for regular browsing and general Internet use.
When speaking with OpenDNS support person, they told me that my router could not be identified by them. I did send them my MAC address. I am not sure what that means but I am waiting on there answer. I have the DNS values already added to the router. Configuring this router is more of a hassle than it needs to be. On a Linksys and Asus routers, blocking sites and setting a time schedule is straightforward, very easy and they make it easy. Everything is done on the router itself.
On the router, I have set an IP reservation belonging to my iPod. In OpenDNS, I have set a time schedule from 9pm to 9am and filtering set to HIGH. I am not sure that is restricting internet access to my iPod and the filtering is working as it should. At 8pm, my iPod is set to HIGH for filtering but I am still able to access FB or Youtube or Movie Star Planet. Netflix still comes up and I can watch a movie. I am not sure that filtering is working properly on devices.
My two goals:
1) I need to be able to set filters to block social media (FB, Twitter, KIK, etc..), movie streaming (Netflix, Youtube) and games (Movie Star Planet) PER device on an HOURLY basis. If I don't want my daughter to access Netflix for two hours in the afternoon, I should be able to make that quick restriction and it takes immediate affect on ALL of her devices. After two hours pass, I can grant her Netflix access.
2) I need to be able to set a time schedule PER device on an HOURLY basis. I need the ability to set a time schedule to block internet access after 9pm on certain devices. During the day, if I don't want my 2nd daughter to have internet access on ALL devices, again, I should be able to make the quick restriction to block time on all of the devices. After an hour or two has passed, I can grant her access on her devices.
I am able to achieve both goals on a Linksys and Asus rotuers. Without any trouble or delays, I can block sites and time to certain devices without affecting the rest of the devices in the home. I don't understand why is it so complicated on a Netgear router.
I have another question. Lets say you have 2 adults and 3 kids in the house. The adults have iPads, Macbooks and Windows laptop while the teenagers have iPods, Windows laptop and Android phones. The adults are on the 5 band and teens are on the 2.4 band. The filtering is set to HIGH and the 2.4 band wireless radios are set to turn OFF between the hours of 8.30pm to 9am every day. The 5 band radios are NOT set to turn off.
Lets say the time is 7pm, what happens if one of adults is on FB and clicks on a link to read an article but it is blocked. How is the adult suppose to access this article or link if it comes up blocked on the iPad?
Continuing with a similar situation, what happens if you grandparents that come over to the house and they have iPads and Macbooks. Obviously, you want to give them unrestricted internet access with no blocks to any site.
I guess the question that I am asking, how do you give adults unrestrictive internet access regardless of the device? I don't want to install something like Netgear Genie on there device just to give them access to sites which is normally blocked by OpenDNS or the router. On the router, if I know the IP or MAC address to the device, can I set unrestrictive access to that device which ignores any OpenDNS blocks?
If you do not want to install the Genie app on their devices to use the bypass login, you can set the filtering level to "None" on your select devices by the previously suggested Per Device Filtering. Please check the link below.
Did you ever figure out how to do what you wanted with controls by device/by kid/by hour? Or did you end up buying a different router? What you outline is what I would like to do...also I would like to specifically block certain sites, not just a black/white list but rather by time of day and specifically not just by general category of social etc. I would love to hear what solution you ended up with in the end as I am looking at this right now too and this nethawk seems to have limitations. thanks. Liz
@lizpadula- Sorry for the late response. Let me first say, most preteens and teenagers love their devices regardless if it is a phone, iPod, game system, laptop or something else that connects to your router. Obviously, I can't speak for every preteen and teenagers enviroment. I try to put myself into my own teenagers life and try to find out which sites and Apps they are using today. That is the purpose for me to have "testing" devices. I use an iPod Touch 5g and a Windows laptop.
I tried using the Nighthawk r8000 router in two different configurations. The first part, I configured it and was using, cough.. cough.. OpenDNS to set the content filtering level to most of the devices. I set the router to turn off wireless at 9pm which affects EVERY DEVICE. There was no way to set a time schedule on a single device. I used this configuration for about a week and I used an iPod and a wired computer as test devices to make changes to the configuration. Also, I wanted to see what sites were blocked and which Apps were blocked based on the configuration. Unfortunately, I was disappointed because not many sites were block as I hoped for.
The second part, I configured the router but instead I didn't use OpenDNS at all and I didn't use parental controls as PC is tied to OpenDNS. I used the same methods as I did in Part 1. I didn't see any benefits of this configuration except you can't do much unless you use OpenDNS.
In my conclusion, Netgear sucks. PERIOD. The router is a waste of money and time. The Genie App is terrible too. Does a "perfect" router exist? No, of course not. My definition of "perfect" must include the following features ie. Speed, Parental Controls, Firewall, Time Schedule, Web History or Log and a good App to manage the router. Everyone uses the router in a different way. Trust me, I have used Linksys 1900ac, Asus 68u, Apple Time Capsule and HomeHalo router. None of these are "perfect" routers but Asus came close to being a really good router.
Currently, I am using a Synology rt2600ac router. Synology is based on there NAS products and they have only two routers ie. 1900ac and 2600ac. The 2600ac is more expensive than the 1900 due to hardware reasons. This router is not "perfect" but Synology is heading in the right direction in terms of features. I like what I see so far.
I am SO disappointed in the lack of flexible device access scheduling on this router. I cannot believe a company with the consumer base of Netgear hasn't figured out that parents want flexible control on a per device basis in their household. I just "upgraded" to this modem router (xfinity user) because I wanted fuller support for the xfinity service i have, and because netgear has in general been more on the ball with needed firmware udpates.
Netgear--seriously--content filtering is at best a very limited form of parental control. I have teens in my house, and desperately need a way to schedule their access by device by day and by hour--variable. I did figure out how to block services on a schedule, but it only allows me to set one schedule, so I can only block access to services in one way regardless of the day of week. OMG--my kids have different weekday/weekend access schedules!!! Are you kidding here? Get some parents involved in your product ideation.
I have said this time and time again. Netgear SUCKS. They are clueless when it comes to parental controls. They use OpenDNS for content filtering which they suck too. Don't waste your time and effort fixing OR looking at fixing something that you that is out of your control. Stop using their product. Depending on your budget, buy a Linksys, Asus or Synology router.
My c7000 has two channels the 2.4 and 5, I went to advance setup then wireless and set a time block on channel 2.4 so at 10pm my 2.4 wifi goes off but the 5 continues to work. My son does not have the password for the 5 so all his electronics go off and the rest of ours work.
I have said this time and time again. Today I will say it again, Netgear SUCKS. They are clueless when it comes to parental controls. They use OpenDNS for content filtering which they suck too. Don't waste your time and effort fixing OR looking at fixing something that you that is out of your control. Stop using their products. Depending on your budget, buy a Linksys, Asus or Synology router. Buy something other than Netgear products.
You will find discussions just like this one on the support forums where they support other makes.
Some of the technology behind Parental controls, like other services, comes from third party suppliers. So whoever you buy hardware from, you may end up back at the same place.
It might be worth doing some background reading if you want to find an alternative that avoids the bad stuff that you see in Netgear's approach.
