How to Set Up Parental Controls on a Linksys Router

Authored by: Support.com Tech Pro Team

1. 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

2. 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.

CG7500

E900

E1200

E1700

E2500

E2700

EA2750

EA3500

EA4500

EA5800

EA6100

EA6200

EA6300

EA6350

EA6400

EA6500

EA6900

EA7300

EA7500

EA8300

EA8400

EA8500

EA9200

EA9300

EA9500

MR8300

WRT32X AC3200

WRT32X

WRT54GL

WRT1200AC

WRT1900AC

WRT1900ACS

WRT3200ACM

All Images in list sourced from https://www.linksys.com/us/c/wireless-routers/ -->

3. Access Router Management

1. Open your preferred web browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
   

1. This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
2. Enter your password, and select Log in.
   

1. The default password is "password".

4. Parental Controls

Enable Parental Controls

1. Select Parental Controls at the top.
   

1. To enable Parental Controls, place a check mark next to Enabled at the top.
   

Add or Edit

1. To block access, either on a schedule or at all times, select the Block Internet Access button for the device.
   

1. To edit a schedule you've already setup, select Manage in the bottom list.
   

Controls

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.

If you make any changes at all to Parental Controls, don't forget to select Save at the bottom to keep your changes.

5. No Parental Controls

Your router offers no parental control options.

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

6. Access Router Management

1. Open your preferred web browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
   

1. This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
2. Enter your Username and Password, and select Login.
   

1. 
   
2. The default username is "admin".
   The default password is "admin".
3. If a warning message opens, select OK.
   

7. Parental Controls

Enable Parental Controls

1. Select Access Policy at the top.
   

1. Select Enabled at the top.
   

Add Device

1. Under Target Devices, select Add.
   

1. A separate window will open. Select the device you'd like to manage, then select OK.
   

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.

8. Access Router Management

1. Open your preferred web browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
   

1. This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
2. Enter your Username and Password, and select Login.
   

1. 
   
2. The default username is "admin".
   The default password is "admin".
3. If a warning message opens, select OK.
   

9. Parental Controls

Enable Parental Controls

1. Select Access Restrictions at the top.
   

1. Select Enabled at the top.
   

Add Device

1. Under Target Devices, select Add.
   

1. A separate window will open. Select the device you'd like to manage, then select OK.
   

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.

10. Access Router Management

1. Open your preferred web browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
   

1. This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
2. Enter your Password and select Sign In.
   

1. The default password is "admin".

11. Parental Controls

Enable Parental Controls

1. Select Parental Controls on the left.
   

1. Select the switch at the top for Enable parental controls.
   

Select Device

1. Select a device from the list on the left.
   

1. Adjust the settings on the right.
2. Repeat for each device you want to setup parental controls for.

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.
  

• 
  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.

12. Access Router Management

1. Open your preferred web browser.
   

1. In the address bar at the top, type in 192.168.1.1, and press Enter or Return.
   

1. This is the default address. If you have changed it, enter that address instead.
2. Enter your Username and Password, and select Login.
   

1. 
   
2. The default username is "admin".
   The default password is "admin".
3. If a warning message opens, select OK.
   

13. Parental Controls

Look Up ComputersIn 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.
   

1. Select DHCP Clients Table.
   

1. 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.
   

1. 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.
   

1. Select Enabled at the top, and enter a Policy Name - such as Parental Controls.
   

Add Devices

1. Select Edit List of PCs.
   

1. 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.
   

Controls

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.

14. What's next?