First published: Oct 27, 2021 Updated 2 times since publishing That’s when I started looking for a more comprehensive solution and came across the Gryphon Mesh Wi-Fi router. The Gryphon Mesh System is much more than just a router or Wi-Fi extender. It’s a robust online security tool that enforces parental control features at a network level. Meaning; any device connected to my Wi-Fi can be assigned a Managed Device and be subjected to the parental control features. Gryphon also provides malware detectors and anti-phishing protection. It does all this and extends the Wi-Fi to cover my entire house, up to 3,000 square feet, while maintaining my high-speed internet connection. You can try Gryphon risk-free, thanks to a 90-day money-back guarantee. I tested this policy by contacting the customer support team after 65 days and was able to get a full refund without any hassle. Download Gryphon for Free!
Managed Devices: These include any device that you assign to a specific user, such as a computer, phone, or tablet that can access the internet. You can set parental control rules on these devices and monitor their online activities. Unmanaged Devices: You can’t place restrictions or pause the internet on these devices. You can assign an Unmanaged Device to a User or Guest profile to move to the Managed devices, and then you can set restrictions. Things: These are IoT items commonly found in a smart house. They include lights, refrigerators, locks, and a thermostat. While you can set usage restrictions or pause their connection, it’s not recommended that you do. TV & Entertainment: You can put time restrictions, block, or pause, the internet access for Smart TVs, Alexa devices, media servers like Fire Stick or Roku.
Through the mobile app interface, you can create user profiles for all the devices and apply the settings you want to ensure that your family is protected.
Powerful and Smart Web Filter:
Web filters need to be more sensitive than just blocking porn and drug-related websites. Of course, these are important, but I’m looking for more comprehensive protection. Not only does Gryphon blacklist over a million websites, but they also use something they call Crowd-Ranking. It is extremely valuable when it comes to borderline or questionable websites. Gryphon can access aggregated lists, view real reputation rankings for the website, and evaluate the data to determine whether the site should be marked as appropriate or inappropriate. You can customize the web filters based on the age of the people in your house. The six options are:
Toddler Elementary School Middle School High School 18+ Unfiltered
When my kids disagree with the final decision of Gryphon to block the website, it allows them to send a request to unblock the site. I see the request on the app, and I can unblock the site from anywhere.
Customizable Screen Time Features
Even though Gryphon is working from the network or router level, it allows me the flexibility to set screen time restrictions per device. This is important since giving all the kids the same bedtime or homework time just wouldn’t work. Gryphon has a screen time schedule feature, which is broken up into 15-minute blocks of time. The schedule has three different settings for when the internet is blocked; homework, bedtime, and suspend.
Homework: The internet will still work since the kids often need it to complete their homework. However, you can choose to block specific apps or websites to limit distraction. Bedtime: The internet is blocked until morning. Suspend: If you want additional time throughout the day when the kids can’t access the internet, just add some Suspend blocks to the calendar, and the internet will be blocked.
You can create one schedule for the whole week, a separate one for weekdays, or create custom schedules every day. In addition to creating schedules, you can also set up a daily screen time limit for each device. Click on the Users link to go to the profiles and then choose which profile you want to set the time limits for. Click the Gear icon and open the Screen Time Management setting. Then, open the Allowed Time link, and choose how much time you want to allow your child to spend online.
There is a rewards feature that I think is a great idea. You can arrange with your kids that they’ll earn additional time by completing chores or doing their homework. Once they do it, press the Rewards button in the user profile and add the extra time. Once they finish with the extra time, it will revert back to the regular schedule. There is also an unscheduled Suspend option, where I can block the internet at my discretion. It’s great for times when I need the kids to do chores, go outside, or just stop looking at a screen. I challenged my kids to try and get around the screen time rules to see if it had any weaknesses. They used a VPN, tried incognito mode and other online proxy tools, but couldn’t use the computer or phone during downtimes. The one exception is when my son turned off his Wi-Fi and used his data network plan, and since that wasn’t connected to the Wi-Fi, Gryphon couldn’t do anything about it. A VPN can be used to bypass the web filter, although Gryphon has a Block VPN feature to prevent this from happening.
See What Websites Your Kids Visit
Even though the web filter is really good, I still like that Gryphon shows me the browsing history for each device. It gives me added insight into what my kids are looking at, researching, and interested in.
I can use this data to recognize a disturbing trend, see if my child is being cyberbullied, or just how much time they spend on different social media sites. The browsing history also lists any blocked sites that my kids attempted to view.
Remove Inappropriate Results from YouTube and Google
Gryphon will automatically enforce SafeSearch for Google and YouTube. This filters any result that is deemed inappropriate. This tool is mostly helpful for unintended results from an innocent search.
Built-In Security Tools
Gryphon uses machine learning to recognize all the different types of internet-connected devices in your house. Whenever one of the devices acts in a way that isn’t normal or has a significant change in behavior, it triggers an alert. This helps it locate viruses, malware, and ransomware. While Gryphon is powered by ESET, it isn’t trying to replace your antivirus software; rather, it works with it to improve the level of online security in your house. Using the ESET malicious website database, the Gryphon router can block dangerous websites and prevent intrusions to your network. This will protect you and your kids from hackers trying to penetrate your network, stolen data, and identity theft.
The first thing I did was register my Gryphon account. Then you’ll receive a QR code. Next, disconnect your old router, plug in the Gryphon router, and connect it to your ethernet cable. Then, scan the QR code to pair the router with the app. Gryphon allows multiple SSIDs and gives you the option to divide them by bands, making it easier to manage.
Gryphon uses a default 192.168.1.1 network code and the default DNS address of 8.8.8.8. Both of these addresses can be changed. The router settings and the parental control setting are all managed through the mobile app. Gryphon doesn’t have a web-based interface, which they claim is for security purposes. To set up parental controls, open the user profiles from the dashboard. Create a profile for each family member, and assign their phones, tablets, and computers to their account. Give each profile a name, age range, and you can also add their picture or avatar. Then, simply click on the menu tabs to set time restrictions, turn on SafeSearch, or adjust the web filter.
The security features run in the background and work 24/7 to protect your network from unwanted intrusions, malware, and viruses. I was truly impressed by the assortment of instructional videos and tutorials accessible directly from the mobile app. I watched videos on everything from getting started, connecting new devices, setting up profiles, and how to use all the parental control features. If you’re having technical difficulties, the app does provide a direct link to connect with technical support. If you don’t understand what all this means, the important takeaway is that without these options, thousands of potential vulnerabilities that exist on a standard router have been closed off. Additionally, Gryphon partnered with ESET to scan all websites for phishing attacks, ransomware, and other types of cyberattacks. With both of the routers, you can check the speed using the internet speed tester on the mobile app. If you notice your internet is slow, you can contact technical support through the mobile app and see if you improve your connection. It’s also important to note that if your child is using a VPN on the computer, phone, or tablet, it can circumvent the web filters while it won’t affect the screen time limits. Gryphon does have a VPN blocking feature that prevents the VPN from connecting to prevent your kids from gaining unfiltered access to the internet. A parental control router like Gryphon can monitor any device, set time limits, and enforce an unbreakable web filter, for most IoT devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, and smart speakers. You can also set it to enforce your rules on your children’s friends’ laptops and phones when they’re at your house. Gryphon comes with a premium ESET anti-malware and antivirus subscription free for your first year. At the end of the year, you can either renew the subscription or continue with the basic protection package. All routers come with a 90-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy with your Gryphon router, you can contact customer support, and they’ll help with the return and refund. There is also a 12-month warranty that protects you from the hardware being damaged or breaking from normal wear and tear or electrical surges. But you don’t have to take my word for it when you can try it risk-free for 90 days, with its proven money-back guarantee.
