Geekzone: technology news, blogs, forums
Guest
Welcome Guest.
You haven't logged in yet. If you don't have an account you can register now.


View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic
1 | 2 
Goosey
3014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 867

Subscriber

  #3451668 11-Jan-2026 09:33
Send private message quote this post

Hi

 

 

 

for Mac family, you can easily use the screen time feature.

 

It’s per account, so regardless if they are logged into a phone or MacBook…

 

from your end you go into screen time, then select their account (always becareful on this step as I’ve locked myself out many a time).

 

 

 

Mac screen time settings can be global or by exception, by website, by app, and individual time allowances for all these as well. You can also set always allowed or always blocked e.g. settings.

 

I have a global locked after 6pm and unlocked 9am during school terms…but I do change thus depending on school holidays and have a different regime in weekends. I find it’s easier to just allocate time allowances on web browsing and specific apps.

 

you go thru a bit of learning when the said kid discovers an exploit you have missed..and after quietly celebrating with yourself, you attent to blocking that loophole. (Ir you found you blocked too much).

 

 

 

and when you have had enough, you can simply just push a button and everything is locked regardless of the rules.

 

 

 

 




Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3451681 11-Jan-2026 10:27
Send private message quote this post

Goosey:

 

Hi

 

 

 

for Mac family, you can easily use the screen time feature.

 

It’s per account, so regardless if they are logged into a phone or MacBook…

 

from your end you go into screen time, then select their account (always becareful on this step as I’ve locked myself out many a time).

 

 

 

Mac screen time settings can be global or by exception, by website, by app, and individual time allowances for all these as well. You can also set always allowed or always blocked e.g. settings.

 

I have a global locked after 6pm and unlocked 9am during school terms…but I do change thus depending on school holidays and have a different regime in weekends. I find it’s easier to just allocate time allowances on web browsing and specific apps.

 

you go thru a bit of learning when the said kid discovers an exploit you have missed..and after quietly celebrating with yourself, you attent to blocking that loophole. (Ir you found you blocked too much).

 

 

 

and when you have had enough, you can simply just push a button and everything is locked regardless of the rules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 we use screen time but it can’t control browsing.

 

 They could be doing work for 1 hour or they could be streaming brain rotting YouTube for 10 hours. Can’t fix that with screen time on the Mac.


Jase2985
13730 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6202

ID Verified
Lifetime subscriber

  #3451693 11-Jan-2026 11:27
Send private message quote this post

Batman:

 

michaelmurfy:

 

Gli

 

 

I'm not sure i need the DNS, i think if i can get the apple devices to not change the MAC ids that is a big win for me. it was going very well on android and windows and then we switched them to iphone and macbooks and we lost all their devices from the network id!

 

question. everyone is on the late model iphone and macbooks. will they benefit from the 4x4 flint 3e or should i get the flint 3 tri band. i got the flint 3 ...

 

 

You need some form of DNS, as a way of content control, be it external, ie cloudlfare or quad9 etc as it mean any request to naughty sites gets blocked/dumped, or you run your own, like Pihole or adguard. where you manage whats blocked.

 

Currently i run pihole and its blocking adult content and social media for my kids.

 

 

 

As for the 4x4 vs triband, with will be fine, mobile devices dont need sustained high speeds so either will be fine.




Goosey
3014 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 867

Subscriber

  #3451694 11-Jan-2026 11:29
Send private message quote this post

Again you can.

 

 

 

I block YouTube.com and somewhat liberal with YouTube music or kids YouTube domains.

 

if I need to give access to YouTube then I set a time limit per day. 

 

 


Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3451754 11-Jan-2026 12:50
Send private message quote this post

michaelmurfy:

 

Batman:@michaelmurphy ?

 

Close.

 

so close!


michaelmurfy
meow
13579 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10910

Moderator
ID Verified
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3451931 11-Jan-2026 19:46
Send private message quote this post

Batman: I'm not sure i need the DNS, i think if i can get the apple devices to not change the MAC ids that is a big win for me. it was going very well on android and windows and then we switched them to iphone and macbooks and we lost all their devices from the network id!

 

The router has all of this functionality built in anyway (they're pretty feature packed!). Both the Flint 3 and 3e will be totally fine for your needs.

 

You can set schedules on it too so think it ticks all your boxes including what everyone else is saying here.





Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.


 
 
 
 

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).
Jase2985
13730 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6202

ID Verified
Lifetime subscriber

  #3452038 11-Jan-2026 22:28
Send private message quote this post

@michaelmurfy if you just needed a router what would you recommend? the Marble?


michaelmurfy
meow
13579 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10910

Moderator
ID Verified
Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3452039 11-Jan-2026 22:49
Send private message quote this post

Jase2985: @michaelmurfy if you just needed a router what would you recommend? the Marble?

 

The Marble has quite a few drawbacks with on device storage but as a router if you're only using it for parental controls / ad blocking / VPN then it is perfect. It just means you can't grab additional OpenWRT packages on it as easily as other routers.

 

I travel with one of these and it is fantastic offering pretty good WiFi range too - https://store.gl-inet.com/products/beryl-ax-gl-mt3000-pocket-sized-wi-fi-6-wireless-travel-gigabit-router 

 

For home - the Marble is a great start for a general router. The Flint routers are excellent if you want something a bit more powerful with expandable storage (via USB).

 

I'm actually incredibly impressed with gl.inet routers along with their firmware.





Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R122101E7CV7Q for free setup)

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? Please consider supporting us by subscribing.
Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.


Batman

Mad Scientist
30012 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6217

Trusted
Lifetime subscriber

  #3455717 25-Jan-2026 09:27
Send private message quote this post

michaelmurfy:

 

Batman: I'm not sure i need the DNS, i think if i can get the apple devices to not change the MAC ids that is a big win for me. it was going very well on android and windows and then we switched them to iphone and macbooks and we lost all their devices from the network id!

 

The router has all of this functionality built in anyway (they're pretty feature packed!). Both the Flint 3 and 3e will be totally fine for your needs.

 

You can set schedules on it too so think it ticks all your boxes including what everyone else is saying here.

 

 

got the router and my youtube doesn't get stuck halfway now!

 

anyway, i just had a question - my TPlink router had trendmicro antivirus-antihack-antispam, which i turned on after my 12 year old got all his accounts hacked.

 

question - was the trendmicro security useful in that scenario? my gli flint has no antivirus security - is that a problem? how to max out security on this router?


1 | 2 
View this topic in a long page with up to 500 replies per page Create new topic








Geekzone Live »

Try automatic live updates from Geekzone directly in your browser, without refreshing the page, with Geekzone Live now.



Are you subscribed to our RSS feed? You can download the latest headlines and summaries from our stories directly to your computer or smartphone by using a feed reader.