Why Is Linksys Parental Controls Not Working? Complete Fix Guide

If your Linksys parental controls not working, we have the best solution for you!

By the end of this guide, you won’t only know what might be causing the issue, but how to efficiently troubleshoot as per Linksys user recommendations.

To fix Linksys parental controls, first, make sure that the feature is toggled on and hard reset your router and modem. Next, you can try resetting the settings and updating the firmware.

Let’s have a look at the reasons why your parental controls do not work and then how to solve the problem as fast as possible.

Why Linksys Smart WiFi Parental Controls Not Working?

When the Linksys parental controls aren’t functional even when enabled, it is most likely to be a firmware-related issue.

Users share that in most cases, the parental controls will not work appropriately with older versions of your Linksys router/modem.

Besides the firmware, here is what else might have happened:

1. Incorrect Setup

When you’re targeting a specific group of sites’ access to be denied from the parental controls, you must make sure that the link is correct.

2. Device not Connected

In case you’re using a different WiFi where the parental controls aren’t enabled, they won’t work for your device.

3. Bridge Mode

Enabled bridge mode on your router won’t work with enabled parental controls.

4. Time Zone

In case the device you’re trying to observe the parental controls is set to a different time zone than the one that has configured them, they won’t work on time.

5. Parental Controls not Toggled

Lastly, the parental controls could have been disabled for the WiFi and you must turn them back on.

Having in mind all of these possibilities, we’ll start excluding them one by one so let’s jump right in!

How To Solve Linksys Parental Controls Not Working?

Before proceeding any further, we hope that you’ve tried restarting your router/modem as well as your mobile device.

Keep in mind that after turning the parental controls ON, it requires a restart in order to start working. So, if you haven’t restarted your devices yet, now is the time to do so.

If the issue is still there after the reboot, proceed with the following solutions:

Solution #1 Power Cycle Your Router

The hard reset will completely discharge your router which is the most effective type of reboot.

Here is how to perform a power cycle on your Linksys router:

1. Unplug your Linksys router’s power adapter.
2. Unplug your modem’s power adapter afterward.
3. Wait for about 3 minutes in order for the devices to discharge properly.
4. Plug the router first and then the modem.

It is recommended to use a standalone wall outlet for both network devices since power dividers often cause power delivery problems and functionality issues.

Solution #2 Reconnect The WiFi

If your Linksys parental controls are not working, sometimes the feature is simply bugged.

This is why we suggest reconnecting from the WiFi through your device in an attempt to resolve any temporary glitches.

Here is how to reconnect to the WiFi:

1. Unlock your device.
2. Access the quick menu and turn off the WiFi.
3. Go to the options and turn on the WiFi.
4. Forget the WiFi network.
5. Connect with the network that has the parental controls enabled.

Once you’re done, check if the problem is fixed now. If, however, the problem persists and parental controls do not work, proceed with the next solutions.

Solution #3 Block Specific Sites

If you’re able to access sites you want to block on your parental controls, you should know about a feature that will allow you to do exactly that.

This process is straightforward and there won’t be any button that will run the operation. You will have to pick the specific site’s URL and paste it to implement the block successfully.

How To Block Specific Sites With Linksys Parental Controls?

To block specific sites using the Linksys parental controls, follow the steps down below:

1. In your smart WiFi option, head to the Parental Controls tab.
2. From there, scroll down until you find the button labeled Block specific sites.
3. Press on it once toaccess the tab.
4. Copy the site URL you want to forbid for the network and paste it down in the field.
5. Once you’re done, click the “Confirm” button at the bottom of the page to apply the changes.

From now on, the selected WiFi network and its users will be unable to access the links you’ve inserted in the field.

If that does not work, make sure that the link is correctly inserted without typos.

Solution #4 Keep Router Up To Date

A major reason that could be preventing your Linksys parental controls from working properly is outdated router firmware.

Keep in mind that in order to update your Linksys router, you will have to access the smart WiFi tab using the provided by the manufacturer’s credentials.

Here is how to access the firmware update settings:

1. Paste “192.168.1.1”, in your web browser and search.
2. Use “admin/admin” to log in.
3. Go to the Firmware tab located under the Basic section.
4. Press on Check For Updates.
5. Wait for the checker to finish and apply the update.

Your router is most likely to restart during the process and you must ensure that its power supply is not going to be disrupted in any way.

Solution #5 Change The Time Zone

If the parental controls feature is inactive on some of your devices, even when enabled, it is possible that the time zone has been changed.

For this solution, you will have to make sure all devices connected to the protected WiFi are in the same time zone.

Here is how to align the time zones:

1. First, login through your router and find the exact time zone it is in.
2. Next, log through each one of your devices connected to the WiFi network and head to the settings.
3. Go to the Date and time tab and make sure the time zone is exactly the same as the routers.

Once you’re done, reboot your router and try the parental controls again. If it does not work, maybe there is a general OS issue that you’ll need to address with the help of our next solution.

Solution #6 Factory Reset Your Router

If Linksys smart WiFi parental controls not working even after all previous solutions, we suggest factory resetting your Linksys router.

Keep in mind that you will have to re-establish your network’s options once the reset is done.

This is good because you’ll have to set up your WiFi and Parental Controls from scratch and avoid mistakes that you might have made.

Here is how to factory reset your Linksys router:

1. Make sure your Linksys router is turned ON.
2. Locate the factory reset button on the back of your router and press it.
3. Hold it down for 30 seconds or until all LEDs on your router start rapidly blinking.
4. Release the button and wait.

After several minutes, your router will boot and you will be able to set up everything through the app.

An alternative method to set up your WiFi and Parental Controls would be to log in to the router’s control panel just like in solution #4 and proceed accordingly.

Read Next: How To Reset Linksys Velop In Minutes?

Bottom Line:

To fix Linksys parental controls, first power cycle your router and make sure the firmware is up to date. Next, align all time zones on the involved WiFi devices, block specific sites using the smart WiFi feature and factory reset your Linksys router.

Now when you’re familiar with the reason why Linksys parental controls not working, we hope that you’re fully capable of fixing the issue on your own.

Even if you struggle at some point, don’t hesitate to reach out for further assistance by Linksys!

For more guides such as this one, check out our technical blog!