How do I limit access to specific devices access to broadband for specific times of the day ?

[tag123]

I want to limit my kid's devices acess to the internet. Can anyone tell me how I can do this ? I'd like to disable after a certain time, the scheduling functionality looked ideal, but I don't know how to add devices to a named schedule

[Mark]

You can choose who has access to your WiFi and when through our Broadband app @Papatronski. You can find more help doing this and loads of other things through our dedicated app here. 

[Dwarfy]

No you can't only the basics, you can schedule the complete wifi on or off, and you can manually block devices, but you can not do device block on a schedule or control wired devices.

I don't want to turn off the wifi completely as I have other devices that I want to remain connected.

I want to be able to turn the kids internet off at a set time every day (wired devices and wifi devices) I want to be able to adjust the time and even disable the block at say school holidays.

I could do this with my 3rd party router, I cannot do this on the previous vodafone dsl router or this new gigafast router.

My current choices are put up with it, or buy a 3rd party router and gamble that it would work.

Why can't vodafone just update the software with some better features?

I mean even the schedule for the wifi is global and not seperate for the main and guest!!!

I queried this over a year ago and it seems that mac address display is the only thing added!

https://forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/Other-broadband-queries/Suggestion-for-Broadband-update/m-p/2627461

[Beth]

@Dwarfy Unfortunately there aren't any direct features we can add to set this up for you. I have thought of another solution which may help though. You should be able to create a Guest Wi-Fi in your Vodafone Broadband app. You could set this up free of charge and connect your children's devices to this Wi-Fi and then you'd be able to turn this off with the schedule also within the Vodafone Broadband app whilst you are still able to use the main Wi-Fi.

I'm also aware that you can get certain apps through Google Play or the Apple Store to be able to block the Wi-Fi to certain devices at certain times but I'd recommend reading the reviews before committing to any just in case there is an additional charge. I hope this helps, please let us know how you get on.

[Dwarfy]

Hi Beth and thank you for your, reply, But the simple response is no you can not.

You can enable the guest wifi and set a duration on the app but you can not set a schedule that only affects the guest wifi. it's all or nothing.

Here is what is said on the schedule page of the router

"Schedule the times when you want your Wi-Fi to be automatically switched on or off. Please note: if your Wi-Fi is switched off, both the main and Wi-Fi 2 networks will be disabled."

I've not tried this time but I'm willing to bet that turning back on via schedule only turns on main and not guest too, just like the previous dsl modem.

I have to wonder what knowledge is had about the router and app software, people keep pushing the app but it is mostly not much use.

Also even if this was possible like you suggest it doesn't help with wired devices.

I have come to terms with the basic functions of the supplied router, I even accept that a free router is just a working router, but there should be a better system in place for those that need more from the router, Like parental controls and content restriction, ip binding and address reservation.

These are all things that can be placed in the expert mode and only used by those that need them.

[Papatronski]

I agree with everything dwarfy says and the people advising are trying to be helpful but clearly don’t understand the question or the limitation of the app.  

You can manually turn off the guest WiFi , which I do every night   But sometimes I forget or am asleep before my kids have reached the end of their screen time. 

plus, one of my sons is on a wired connection that is not affected by guest wifi

plus they want to connect to play minecraft on a shared local server and this is not possible on the guest WiFi. 

[Ardvark21]

Have the same issue as @Papatronski, @Tag123 and @Dwarfy and completely agree. Turning off wifi and/or removing devices is not practical for a desktop in the bedroom connected on ethernet. Really shocked to find out the Vodafone router doesn't support this functionality. Vodafone please, please please listen to the feedback and look to add this feature to future routers.

@Papatronski, @Tag123 and @Dwarfy, in the end I've resorted to using Screentime functionality for Apple devices and recently discovered that Windows 10 has similar functionality under the family parental controls so will see if this fixes this issue for the desktop devices. 

[Papatronski]

Thanks. Let me know if it works and how to do it. 
papatronski

[Saidas]

I am having the same problem with not being able to turn off my son's ethernet connection remotely. Can I ask whether you found a modem that worked or another solution?

[Papatronski]

No, the only solution I have found is to find out the MAC address of all devices and then use the Vodafone app to ‘block’ my son’s devices manually each night. 
Obviously this isn’t foolproof because sooner or later he will figure out how to use a con or something that hides his MAC address but for now when his computer is on wifi I can see it in ‘devices’ and I can switch off the internet to his computer only.  There is no way to schedule this or make it automatic. 

[Papatronski]

Typo… not a ‘con’.  I meant a VPN.