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How to Set Up Parental Controls on a Linksys Router

Authored by:
Support.com Tech Pro Team
This Guided Path® was written and reviewed by Support.com’s Tech Pro team. With decades of experience, our Tech Pros are passionate about making technology work for you. We love feedback! Let us know what you think about this Guided Path® by rating it at the end.

Introduction

In This Guide
You'll Learn How To:
  • Enable and manage Parental Controls on your Linksys router
Before We Begin:
  • Be at your computer
  • Have your router's administrator password
Linksys

1 Choose Model

Linksys has a great many routers available, and many will have slightly different interfaces.

If you're not sure, you can look on the bottom of your router for the model number.
Bottom of Linksys Router sticker with Model Number highlighted.

? Which Linksys Router do you have?

  1. CG7500
  2. E900
  3. E1200
  4. E1700
  5. E2500
  6. EA2700
  7. EA2750
  8. EA3500
  9. EA4500
  10. EA5800
  11. EA6100
  12. EA6200
  13. EA6300
  14. EA6350
  15. EA6400
  16. EA6500
  17. EA6900
  18. EA7300
  19. EA7500
  20. EA8300
  21. EA8400
  22. EA8500
  23. EA9200
  24. EA9300
  25. EA9500
  26. MR8300
  27. WRT32X AC3200
  28. WRT32X
  29. WRT54GL
  30. WRT1200AC
  31. WRT1900AC
  32. WRT1900ACS
  33. WRT3200ACM
  34. My Router is not listed

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In This Guide
You'll Learn How To:
  • Enable and manage Parental Controls on your Linksys router
Before We Begin:
  • Be at your computer
  • Have your router's administrator password
Linksys

Linksys has a great many routers available, and many will have slightly different interfaces.

If you're not sure, you can look on the bottom of your router for the model number.
Bottom of Linksys Router sticker with Model Number highlighted.

  1. Open your preferred web browser.
    Main Desktop Browsers.
  2. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
    Chrome browser with address entered and highlighted.
    This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
  3. Enter your password, and select Log in.
    CG7500 Log in with Password and Log in button highlighted.
    The default password is "password".

Enable Parental Controls

  1. Select Parental Controls at the top.
    Linksys CG7500 Configuration Page Menu with Parental Controls highlighted.
  2. To enable Parental Controls, place a check mark next to Enabled at the top.
    Parental Controls with Enabled box checked and highlighted.

Add or Edit

  1. To block access, either on a schedule or at all times, select the Block Internet Access button for the device.
    Parental Controls with Block Internet Access button highlighted.
  2. To edit a schedule you've already setup, select Manage in the bottom list.
    Parental Controls with Manage button highlighted.

Controls

Parental Controls Block Internet Access

Device
The name of the device. This is what the device calls itself.
MAC Address
MAC stands for Media Access Control. This is the hardware address of the device, and how the router keeps track of it.
Manage All Day
  • Never - Don't block access for this device, ever.
  • Always - Always block access for this device, basically making it go offline and stay that way.
  • Specific Times - Set specific times when this device won't be able to access the Internet.
Managed Days
What days of the week the schedule will apply. For example, just Monday through Friday.
Manage Time Start
Sets the start and end time, in 24-hour format, to start and stop blocking access. For example, to block access from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM, you'd enter 21:00 to 07:00.
Block Specify Sites
Only block access to specific sites, rather than the whole Internet.
If you make any changes to a schedule, don't forget to select Apply to keep those changes.
Block Internet Access controls with Apply highlighted.
If you make any changes at all to Parental Controls, don't forget to select Save at the bottom to keep your changes.
Parental Controls with Save button highlighted.

Your router offers no parental control options.

Instead, you can perform parental control on the computer or device itself.

  1. Open your preferred web browser.
    Main Desktop Browsers.
  2. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
    Chrome browser with address entered and highlighted.
    This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
  3. Enter your Username and Password, and select Login.
    Linksys Cisco Router Access Login with Username Password and Login highlighted.
    The default username is "admin".
    The default password is "admin".
  4. If a warning message opens, select OK.
    Warning message with OK highlighted.

Enable Parental Controls

  1. Select Access Policy at the top.
    Linksys Router controls with Access Policy highlighted.
  2. Select Enabled at the top.
    Parental Controls with Enabled selected and highlighted.

Add Device

  1. Under Target Devices, select Add.
    Target Devices with Add highlighted.
  2. A separate window will open. Select the device you'd like to manage, then select OK.
    Add device with device and OK button highlighted.

Controls

Parental Controls

Schedule
  • Never - Don't block access to the devices listed, ever.
  • Always - Always block access to the devices listed. They will not be able to access the Internet at all at any time.
  • Specific Times - Block access based on the time.
    • School Nights - Sunday through Thursday. For example, if your child's bedtime is 9:00 PM on Sunday night, and it lasts till 7:00 AM on Monday morning.
    • Weekends - Friday and Saturday. For example, if your child's bedtime is Midnight on Friday into Saturday till 7:00 AM Saturday morning.
Block Specific Sites
Sites entered here will always be blocked, and the Target Devices in the list at the top won't be able to access them.
If you make any changes at all to Parental Controls, don't forget to select Save Settings at the bottom to keep your changes.
Parental Controls with Save Settings highlighted.
  1. Open your preferred web browser.
    Main Desktop Browsers.
  2. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
    Chrome browser with address entered and highlighted.
    This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
  3. Enter your Username and Password, and select Login.
    Linksys Cisco Router Access Login with Username Password and Login highlighted.
    The default username is "admin".
    The default password is "admin".
  4. If a warning message opens, select OK.
    Warning message with OK highlighted.

Enable Parental Controls

  1. Select Access Restrictions at the top.
    EA2700 Controls Menu with Access Restrictions highlighted.
  2. Select Enabled at the top.
    Parental Controls with Enabled selected and highlighted.

Add Device

  1. Under Target Devices, select Add.
    Target Devices with Add highlighted.
  2. A separate window will open. Select the device you'd like to manage, then select OK.
    Add device with device and OK button highlighted.

Controls

Parental Controls

Schedule
  • Never - Don't block access to the devices listed, ever.
  • Always - Always block access to the devices listed. They will not be able to access the Internet at all at any time.
  • Specific Times - Block access based on the time.
    • School Nights - Sunday through Thursday. For example, if your child's bedtime is 9:00 PM on Sunday night, and it lasts till 7:00 AM on Monday morning.
    • Weekends - Friday and Saturday. For example, if your child's bedtime is Midnight on Friday into Saturday till 7:00 AM Saturday morning.
Block Specific Sites
Sites entered here will always be blocked, and the Target Devices in the list at the top won't be able to access them.
If you make any changes at all to Parental Controls, don't forget to select Save Settings at the bottom to keep your changes.
Parental Controls with Save Settings highlighted.
  1. Open your preferred web browser.
    Main Desktop Browsers.
  2. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
    Chrome browser with address entered and highlighted.
    This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
  3. Enter your Password and select Sign In.
    Router Login with Password and Sign In button highlighted.
    The default password is "admin".

Enable Parental Controls

  1. Select Parental Controls on the left.
    Router controls with Parental Controls highlighted.
  2. Select the switch at the top for Enable parental controls.
    Parental Controls with switch for Enable parental controls highlighted.

Select Device

  1. Select a device from the list on the left.
    Parental Controls with device list highlighted.
  2. Adjust the settings on the right.
  3. Repeat for each device you want to setup parental controls for.

Controls

Parental Controls

Block Internet access
  • Never - Don't block access, turns 'off' Parental Controls for this device.
  • Always - Always block access. The device will be unable to access the Internet at any time.
  • Specific Times - Select Edit to set certain times to block access.
    Block Internet access schedule
    Each square represents an hour of the day. Selecting a square will turn white squares gray, and gray squares white.
    • White - Device is allowed access during that hour.
    • Gray - Device is not allowed access during that hour.
Block specific sites
Add a site to be blocked for this device.
If you make any changes at all to Parental Controls, don't forget to select OK at the bottom to keep your changes.
Parental Controls with OK button highlighted.
  1. Open your preferred web browser.
    Main Desktop Browsers.
  2. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
    Chrome browser with address entered and highlighted.
    This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
  3. Enter your Username and Password, and select Login.
    Linksys Cisco Router Access Login with Username Password and Login highlighted.
    The default username is "admin".
    The default password is "admin".
  4. If a warning message opens, select OK.
    Warning message with OK highlighted.

Look Up Computers

In order to create Parental Controls on your router, you'll need to look up some specific information from the devices in your home and make note of them, first.

  1. Select Status, then Local Network at the top.
    Router Control Menu with Status and Local Network highlighted.
  2. Select DHCP Clients Table.
    Local Network with DHCP Clients Table highlighted.
  3. Look through the list of devices. When you see one you want to setup Parental Controls on, make note of the MAC Address listed for that device.
    DHCP Active IP Table with MAC Address highlighted.
    Write down the MAC Addresses! They are long, and you will need them for the next step.

Enable Parental Controls

  1. Select Access Restrictions at the top.
    Router Controls Menu with Access Restrictions highlighted.
  2. Select Enabled at the top, and enter a Policy Name - such as Parental Controls.
    Access Restrictions with Status and Policy Name highlighted.

Add Devices

  1. Select Edit List of PCs.
    Access Restrictions with Edit List of PCs highlighted.
  2. Enter the MAC addresses of the computers you want to manage with your Parental Controls. Select Save Settings at the bottom once they're filled in.
    List of PCs with MAC address and Save Settings highlighted.

Controls

Access Restrictions

Allow/Deny
These options depend on how you think of, and want to look at the rest of your settings.
  • Deny - Allows all access, but denies access based on the schedules you set below. For example, if you want to block access during your child's bed time, you could choose Deny, then fill in the time your child should be in bed during.
  • Allow - Denys all access, but allows access based on the schedules you set below. For example, if you want to block access during your child's bed time, you could choose Allow, then fill in the times your child should be awake during.
Days
What day or days of the week this schedule applies to.
Times
What time this schedule applies to.

Service Blocking

Services are aspects, or parts of Internet access you can block.

Blocked Services
If you want to specifically block a service. For example, to make it so your child cannot browse the web, but can access files on a shared network drive, you could choose HTTP and HTTPS to block.
Website Blocking by URL Addresses
Enter addresses here to block access to certain webpages from being accessed.
Website Blocking by Keyword
Your Router will attempt to read the page title, address, and some tags associated with the page, and block the page based on the words you type in.
If you make any changes at all to Parental Controls, don't forget to select Save Settings at the bottom to keep your changes.
Access Restrictions with Save Settings highlighted.
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