Whether you have kids or not, you're no doubt acutely aware of what a crazy, insane place the Internet can be--even for an adult. As such, many parents want to control, at least to some degree, what the eyes of the innocents in their households can and cannot access on the Internet.

Within most NETGEAR routers are basic controls to help you filter content and specific keywords or sites, but now there's an even easier--and free--solution: NETGEAR Live Parental Controls. They've partnered with OpenDNS, one of the leaders in Internet security and infrastructure services, to create this service. That partnership also means that settings can be easily modified remotely, which we'll cover later.

So, how do you get this service at home? It's easy.

How to Install the Live Parental Controls Managament Client

The first step is to install the administrator client for the software on your "main" PC. During the install process, it will verify that your NETGEAR router supports the service, and prompt you for your OpenDNS account information. (It's free, so if you don't have an account already, it will guide you through that.)

Then, you can select a basic level of protection for your home network. There are 5 levels ranging from no protection at all to heavy restrictions on almost all social networking sites, time-wasters, etc.

This will automatically apply the security level you choose on ALL computers connected in your home--and that's it! Users who attempt to access a blocked site will be met with the rather sinister screen shown above.

How to Customize Your Live Parental Controls

Wait a minute, you're thinking. I want to at least watch YouTube or go on Facebook, even through my kids can't, right? Fortunately, this is also easy to set up with Live Parental Controls, but you'll need to first set up what they call a "bypass account."

First, start up the Management Utility and click on the "Change Custom Settings" link.

The beauty of this system is that it's managed by a web-based service with OpenDNS--so naturally, it will open this screen in your default Internet browser. Click the "Add a Bypass Account" button.

It will bring you to the screen you see above. Download and install the user utility first as instructed--note that it is separate from the management utility, as it's designed to be installed on your kid's computer or any other computer you want to extend custom access to without granting any administrative privileges. Next, add the bypass account.

Once you have selected a username and password for the bypass account, it will be available in a tab in the online setup screen as shown above. You can select a completely different setting here than the main setting and even set up a "time block" if you wish, where an access level can be changed for a user only during specific periods of time, e.g., after school or before bedtime.

Now, on any computer in your network that has the User Utility installed, individual users can sign in and receive the appropriate access levels, as shown above.

How to Manage NETGEAR Live Parental Controls Remotely

I'll state again that it's awesome that the Live Parental Controls are linked to such a reputable web-based service. This enables users to remotely control access--let's say Dad or Mom is on a business trip and needs to change settings for little Susie while they're on the go.

From virtually any web browser, including mobile browsers, just type in http://netgear.opendns.com and enter your credentials--and you can change settings from anywhere just as if you were sitting in your own desk chair at home.

Conclusions and Resources

Overall, I'm very impressed with the quality of Live Parental Controls. Now, I don't have any kids yet--but I might someday--and it's good to know these services are out there. Add to that the fact that NETGEAR and OpenDNS are offering this service for free, and it's a no-brainer. In fact, if you are looking for a new router with parental controls, I'd highly recommend a compatible NETGEAR router with this service as the way to go. I've personally had nothing but great experiences with the routers in general, and this additional feature can't be beat--especially for free.

• NETGEAR Live Parental Controls Download Page
• OpenDNS.com
• Live Parental Controls Management Page
• Shop for NETGEAR Products

Compatible Routers

This is the list of compatible routers as listed on NETGEAR's page for Live Parental Controls. Note that this list may not be completely up to date; make sure to verify through the packaging or NETGEAR's site if the router you're looking at supports LPC before buying.

WGR614v10
WNR1000v2
WNR1000v3
WNR2000v1
WNR2000v2
WNDR3300
WNDR3300v2
WNDR3400
WNR3500v2
WNR3500L
WNDR3700
MBRN3000
DGN1000
DGN2000
DGN2200