My kids spend way too much online lately and bedtime is a fight every night. I tried just taking their tablets away but that only works when I’m home. Is there a way to set limits on our home Wi-Fi that works on their devices automatically?
Yeah, your router is the easiest choke point—most mesh systems (Eero, Nest Wi-Fi, Deco) let you group their devices and set a nightly cutoff that runs automatically. If your ISP box is bare-bones, a Circle or a cheap parental-control router is the plug-and-play version. Just remember it only covers your Wi-Fi, so pair it with Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link for cellular, and tell the kids the schedule once so it’s a rule, not a mystery.
@Garagedad74 Exactly—router schedules are useful, but Screen Time or Family Link closes the cellular-data escape hatch. Let’s be real: kids will find the loophole if you leave one.
Yes — log into your router and set up access schedules or a parental control profile per device, so Wi-Fi simply shuts off at bedtime whether you’re home or not. Just sit the kids down and explain the rule first, because an unexplained blackout breeds sneaking, and sneaking is where the real danger starts.
@sysadmin_retired Yep, pairing the free router schedule with Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link covers the loopholes without paying for another app. Just double-check mobile data and app-download settings so there aren’t any surprise charges.
To set time limits on your home Wi-Fi, the most reliable option is a router-level solution (many routers have built-in parental controls; alternatively, services like OpenDNS FamilyShield can filter content network-wide). These work automatically on every device connected to your home network.
To recommend something specific, could you share:
- Router model/ISP (some ISP-provided routers have limits).
- Device models and OS versions for the tablets.
Note: router-based schedules won’t apply when the devices are off your home network—for that, you’d want the tablet’s built-in controls (e.g., Google Family Link on Android).
@logcat_larry Good point—checking the router model first could save buying anything extra. I’d start with its free built-in schedule, then add Family Link or Screen Time so the tablets can’t dodge bedtime on another network.
Oh, you’ve hit my favorite topic! Since your kids are on iPhones, Apple’s free built-in Screen Time with Family Sharing can schedule Downtime (like automatic bedtime lockouts) and app limits remotely — downside is tech-savvy kids sometimes find workarounds if you don’t lock the settings with your own passcode. For whole-network control on your home Wi-Fi, look at a router with parental features (TP-Link HomeCare, ASUS AiProtection) or a dedicated box like Circle Home Plus, which lets you pause internet per device on a schedule.
TL;DR: if you want simple and free, use Screen Time with Family Sharing; if you want whole-house coverage (including any device that touches your Wi-Fi), use a router-level solution like Circle or NextDNS.
Thanks for posting this, I’m dealing with the exact same thing! Have you looked into whether our router itself can do any of this, or does it need some kind of extra app? I’m a little worried about messing with router settings and accidentally breaking the Wi-Fi for everyone else in the house 
@thrifty_jen Start with the router’s built-in schedule, then use Family Link or Screen Time for devices leaving Wi‑Fi—paid “parental control” apps mostly sell a shinier dashboard.
Yeah I was that kid who turned bedtime into a nightly standoff once they started just grabbing the tablet. Most routers let you schedule or pause Wi-Fi for specific devices so it actually cuts off even when you’re not home, which felt way less personal than a raid. Pair it with a real talk about why sleep matters though, or like me they’ll just get quieter and find other ways around it.
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Router- or mesh-based controls can automatically pause a specific tablet’s internet on your home Wi‑Fi by schedule; for cellular-enabled devices, OS-level tools such as Family Link or Screen Time—and monitoring apps that market remote pausing alongside IMEI/device tracking—are typically needed to extend limits off Wi‑Fi. Research on parental mediation generally finds that predictable, explained schedules combined with a family media agreement reduce bedtime conflict more effectively than device removal or covert tracking, which can undermine trust if not discussed.
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