DNS Filtering for Whole-Home Safety
DNS filtering is a more powerful way to block inappropriate content across your entire home network — including on devices that have their own data connection.
What Is DNS Filtering?
Every time someone visits a website, their device asks a DNS server for directions. A DNS filter checks those requests against a list of known harmful or inappropriate sites and blocks them before the page loads.
Free Options to Try
CleanBrowsing (cleanbrowsing.org) — offers a free Family Filter. Just change your router's DNS settings to their addresses.
OpenDNS Family Shield (opendns.com) — another free, family-safe DNS service. No account needed for basic use.
Cloudflare for Families (1.1.1.3) — free filter for malware and adult content.
How to Apply a DNS Filter
Log into your router (see Guide 11 for how to do this).
Find the DNS settings — usually under Internet or WAN settings.
Replace the existing DNS addresses with those from your chosen service.
Save and restart the router.
Tip: DNS filtering works quietly in the background — most children won't notice it's there. It won't block everything, but it reliably blocks the vast majority of harmful content.
