Why filter at the DNS level
Children use many devices, and each has its own parental control settings, if it has any at all. Keeping them all configured and up to date is hard, and settings on one device do nothing for a friend's phone on your Wi-Fi. A DNS filter works differently: it decides which domains can be reached, so every device that connects to your network gets the same rules automatically.
Because it works before a connection is made, a DNS filter also blocks content inside apps, not just in the browser. A blocked domain is blocked whether it is opened from a web browser, a game or a chat app.
Categories you can block
In the FirewallDNS dashboard you can switch on category filters that match your family's needs. The categories currently available are:
- Adult content
- Gambling
- Social media
- Additional categories, service blocking (for example a single app) and SafeSearch enforcement [VERIFY: not yet available in the dashboard — confirm before promoting]
Combine with your own lists
Categories are a broad brush. Your allowlist and blocklist let you fine-tune them. If a school resource is caught by a category, allow it. If a specific game or site is causing problems at home but is not in any category, block it by name. The changes apply to the whole network straight away.
Preventing bypasses
Determined children, and some apps, try to get around DNS filtering. The most common methods are changing the DNS server on a device, using a VPN, or using encrypted DNS built into the browser. You can reduce these risks with settings on your router: block outgoing DNS traffic on port 53 to anything other than FirewallDNS, and disable or restrict browser-level DNS-over-HTTPS where possible.
Some FirewallDNS materials describe automatic blocking of known VPN and public DoH endpoints. [VERIFY: whether VPN/DoH bypass blocking is available as a dashboard setting] Until confirmed, rely on router rules and device-level restrictions.
What parental controls cannot replace
No filter is perfect. New sites appear every day, content on large platforms is mixed, and some harmful material is shared through services that cannot be blocked without blocking useful things too. DNS filtering also does not see what happens inside an allowed app or site. Talking with children about what they see online, agreeing on rules together and using device-level screen-time features alongside DNS filtering gives far better results than any single tool.
Time schedules and pausing
Families often want different rules at different times: no social media during homework, or the internet off at bedtime. [VERIFY: schedules and "pause internet" are described elsewhere on the site but are not yet in the dashboard — confirm availability] Where schedules are not available, many home routers offer their own time controls that work well alongside DNS filtering.
Talking to children about filtering
Filtering works best when children know it is there and understand why. Explain that some sites are blocked to keep them safe, agree on what to do if they find something upsetting, and invite them to ask when a site they need for school is blocked. A quick allowlist entry builds trust and reduces the incentive to look for workarounds.
As children grow older, review the categories you block. Rules that suit a seven-year-old rarely suit a teenager, and gradually relaxing them can be part of teaching responsible use.
Guests and visiting devices
Visiting friends and relatives use your Wi-Fi too. DNS filtering applies to their devices as well, which keeps your household rules consistent. If you prefer adults to have unfiltered access, many routers let you create a separate guest network that uses a different DNS server.
Consistent rules on every device
A big advantage of DNS-based parental controls is consistency. The same rules apply on a ten-year-old laptop, a brand-new console and a cheap tablet, without learning each manufacturer's settings. When you add a new device to the household, it is filtered from the moment it joins the Wi-Fi.
Setting it up
Create an account, register your home's public IP address and set your router's DNS server to FirewallDNS. Then enable the categories you want. Our guides cover common home routers such as ASUS, TP-Link, NETGEAR and FRITZ!Box step by step, including where to find the DNS settings.