Do you find yourself in a position where your children are on their gadgets all day because you have free Wi-Fi at home? We also know just how annoying it is when they do not hear what you are saying. Rest easy. We’re not here to give you a list of parenting fails, but we simply have some valuable tips on how to forget about Wi-Fi for children and make sure your beloved Wi-Fi won’t be hacked in the future. We are ready to improve the Wi-Fi experience in your home and make it safer!
Here, you learn how to disable Wi-Fi for specific devices on your network, which are sorted into detailed instructions. Here are some of the most common and practical approaches:
Method 1: Change Wi-Fi Password
If your kid isn’t tech savvy, then simply changing the Wi-Fi password is one of the best ways that you can employ. Here’s a simple guide to transforming your Wi-Fi password:
1. To open Wi-Fi settings, try to write your router IP address in the line of a web browser.
2. To log in to your router, please type in your Username and follow your Password.
3. On this page, click Wireless from the menu.
4. To do this, go to the Terminal, enter Wireless Settings, type your new password, and press Save.
Method 2: Hide Your Wi-Fi Network
If changing your password doesn’t resolve the issue, another option is hiding your Wi-Fi. By doing this, your Wi-Fi won’t appear when anyone searches for networks. You can only connect to Wi-Fi on your PC by manually typing the Wi-Fi name and password.
1. Regarding the previous understanding, go to your router’s configuration page.
2. For Windows XP, network, click wireless from the list.
3. Uncheck the Show SSID box and click the Save button.
Method 3: MAC Filtering to Restrict Specific Device
Each device has its own MAC Address built into the set to connect to Wi-Fi networks. If you want to limit one or several devices, any MAC filtration effectively bars the gadget with this number from the connection to WiFi. On the other hand, if you doubt the particular MAC of any device, you can add the MAC of your device only to the white list so that the unknown MAC will not connect to your known device. Let’s go through the steps together:
1. Connect to the router’s configuration page at your home.
2. Go to Settings > Security > Access Control from the Web interface.
3. Switch on the toggle for Access Control.
4. On the next screen, provide Access Mode as either Blacklist or Whitlist. Here, we have chosen Blacklist.
5. Enter /show IP addressing & expand and copy the MAC Address of the device you want to change.
How to Restrict Wi-Fi Access at Certain Times
If you’d like to control Wi-Fi access during specific times for your kid or anyone else, your router is up to the task. To prevent the usage of Wi-Fi at some particular time, the settings are usually found within the router. Even though the process might be somewhat different based on the router, the basic process stays the same. Here’s a user-friendly guide to help you through it:
1. First, access the router’s settings page.
2. Next on the menu, click on System Tools.
3. Now, type in your desired time and select between Get from PC or Internet.
4. Click on Save.
5. Now move the cursor to the Parental Control option and hit click on it.
6. Flip on the switch on Parental Control.
7. Please, input the device’s name and its IP Address.
That way, following the above simple procedures, you are assured that Wi-Fi access is only restricted to the extent you desire during certain times.
Are There Any Apps to Restrict Wi-Fi Access to Specific Apps?
Absolutely. Some of the best apps are available that can help you block apps that use the internet and access only the particular app you want. These apps prove very useful once you know when your kids are most on their phones and which apps take most of their time.
1. NetGuard: This is a free and open-source application currently compatible only with Android platforms. It allows you to deny specific applications permission to connect to the Internet on both wireless and mobile networks.
2. GlassWire: It is a paid application and comes with functionality for Android, iPhone, Windows, and Mac. It provides its users with more features than NetGuard, such as monitoring the amount of data an app uses in your networks.
3. Family Link by Google: It is called Family Link, and it helps you establish rules for your family. You can use it to set time and options for your child’s available applications. If you want to read more details about it, then you can read our guide on How Does Google Family Link Work.