What is a URL filter in a Router?
What is a URL filter in a router? A URL filter is an important function that you can use to block users from accessing certain websites. It enables you to restrict the user’s access based on a specific criteria, such as by their IP address or domain name. This article will discuss how this works and what it does for your network’s security.
What is a URL filter in a router?
URL filter in a router is similar to an internet content filter. It can be used for many reasons, including parental controls over what their children are allowed to view online, filtering of websites that may have viruses or other malware on them, and even companies limiting access to certain types of sites within the workplace.
How Does URL Filter Work?
A router can prevent users from accessing certain websites by blocking the web address. This means that instead of seeing a particular website, such as Facebook or Instagram, when they type in this site’s specific URL, it will display an error message and not allow them to view the page.
This is done through special configuration settings in your router which tell it how to handle these requests and help you control what sites are allowed on your network. Not only does it block the IP addresses for these sites but also blocks based on domain names too so if someone tries typing any variation of a blocked site name (such as .com/.net/.co), they won’t be able to get there either. You can set up both individual URLs & entire categories of sites that you want to block.
What are the benefits of having one installed on your network?
There are a number of benefits to using a URL filter in your router.
- First, it is more effective at blocking certain types of sites than some software that you may use on individual computers because the settings will be applied across all devices connected to the network instead of just one or two. This means fewer issues with employees forgetting they have parental controls enabled and less likelihood for children to find ways around them by downloading VPNs onto their smartphones which can allow them access even when restrictions are in place on school-owned laptops/computers.
- Second, having this protection built into your internet connection helps improve overall security and keeps unwanted eyes out from seeing private data such as email addresses & passwords that we input online every day without thinking twice about where these requests are going and who might be able to steal them. A recent study found that an average of 25,000 logins & passwords are stolen every single day so it is important to take the necessary steps needed in order to keep our information safe.
- Third, if you have a business with employees working on sensitive data or expensive equipment such as laptops, tablets, phones or other hardware which contain confidential company info then using these settings can help prevent these devices from being compromised by outside sources who may attempt to gain access through phishing scams containing links for fake login pages where they will try getting their victims’ credentials before gaining full control over your network infrastructure.
How do I set this up?
There are two main ways that you can configure your network’s settings to enable URL filtering.
- The first way is by manually adding specific sites or blocking entire categories of websites through the router management console which will vary depending on different models so it would be best to check out how-to guides for your particular model & follow their instructions accordingly in order to get yours set up correctly.
- The other option is with a separate service such as OpenDNS (who also offers both free and paid versions) where they have prebuilt lists of most major website URLs, including social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest along with photo/video sharing apps like YouTube & Snapchat among many others allowing you one thing to worry about when setting this up.
Examples of URLs that should be blocked by your filter:
- Pornography websites
- Gambling sites
- Dating websites
- Violent or criminal activity sites
- File sharing, download and torrent pages
Conclusion:
There are many different tools & resources out there that can help you protect your network and information from malicious software as well as other potential security risks online. Using these settings is a great way to have more control over what users see when surfing the web but it’s important to remember that URL blocking should just be one part of a layered defense strategy for protecting yourself which also includes using an antivirus on all devices connected to your home internet connection, installing critical updates for programs such as Java or Flash whenever they become available, avoiding suspicious emails/pop ups from appearing while browsing online and being cautious of opening attachments in email messages no matter how enticing or urgent their request may seem.
