While at school, internet access for students is filtered. Schools choose what sites they want to allow access to at school for educational purposes, and what sites they want to block.
Some schools provide device-based content filtering. In this case, the same tool that filters the device at school may filter the device at home as well. Other times, it’s up to the parents to control what their child has access to online on their school devices. If you are worried about filtering home internet for home and/or school devices, you have some options. Just remember, content filtering should not be a replacement for general oversight of students on devices.
1. Home router built-in parental controls
The router in your home will most likely have parental controls built in. You can change the parental settings to allow only certain sites. For more information and instructions on how to adjust these settings, visit the website of the router manufacturer.
2. Use a web-based service
If your router does not have built in parental controls, you may want to look into a web-based option such as OpenDNS. This will most likely have a cost involved, and price can vary depending on what plan you choose.
3. Purchase a standalone product
Another option if your router does not have an option to place restrictions is to purchase a product for home use such as Circle. Circle is a user-friendly option to place custom settings for each member of the household. You can even set limits on time spent on social media, online gaming, etc.
Sites to allow:
Make sure you allow and test out all of the websites you know your student/child will be using for school. These sites could include Google Classroom, Canvas, Seesaw, Zoom, sites for college coursework, etc.
Regardless of what option you choose to filter content on your child’s device(s), you should also make sure to set a new password from the default on your wireless router.
Note: Keep in mind that student devices provided by the school cannot be altered. Therefore all restrictions set in place have to be controlled externally from another device on the network, or from the router itself.