Netgear adds proper parental controls and anti-phishing to its routers

Posted on 4 Aug 2009 at 18:16

Netgear has announced that it will bring OpenDNS parental controls and anti-phishing to its routers.

OpenDNS is an alternative Domain Name System (DNS) server - the internet 'telephone book' where URLs, such as www.expertreviews.co.uk, are turned into computer-readable IP addresses. Unlike your ISP's DNS servers, OpenDNS provides phishing protection by blocking known fishing websites. It also has full parental controls, letting you block categories of sites, such as pornography, that you don't want your children to look at.

OpenDNS claims that its servers are more reliable than the average ISPs', which should reduce internet access problems caused by DNS servers failing, making your computer unable to look up the IP address of the website it wants to access.

Netgear's deal will see OpenDNS' services integrated into the router, so everything can be managed from the router's interface. The WNR2000 will be the first router to have OpenDNS built in, but Netgear plans to release firmware updates for its other routers soon.

Unlike D-Link's similar deal with Best Path Networks, Netgear plans to make its extra security available to the entire world not just the US.

For those people without a Netgear router, you can use OpenDNS for free on any computer or router. Full configuration instructions are available on the OpenDNS website. If you'd like to use the service's parental controls, you'll need to create a free user account and configure the sites you don't want to be available from your network. If your ISP provides you with a dynamic IP address (most do), you'll also need to install a small utility on a PC that tells OpenDNS when your IP address changes.

Author: David Ludlow

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