If you’ve got smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming consoles and smart TVs connected to your home network, keeping track of what every device can access isn’t always easy.
Installing separate filtering apps on every device can take time, and some devices don’t support them at all.
Fortunately, there’s a free way to add basic protection across your home network without downloading anything.
By changing your router’s DNS settings to Cloudflare for Families, you can block access to websites associated with adult content, malware and phishing.
In this guide, I’ll show you how it works, where to find the settings and how to check that the filtering is working.
The steps apply to many home routers, including FRITZ!Box models. The exact menus may vary depending on your router.
Watch the Video Walkthrough
Prefer to follow along? Watch my video below, then use the instructions in this guide as a checklist.
What Is Cloudflare for Families?
Cloudflare for Families is a free DNS filtering service that helps prevent devices from connecting to certain types of websites.
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Think of it as the internet’s address book.
When you enter a website address into your browser, DNS helps your device find the server hosting that website.
Normally, your router uses DNS servers supplied by your internet provider, although your setup may already use another service.
Cloudflare offers an alternative.
Its family filtering service checks domain requests against categories of websites associated with malware, phishing and adult content.
When a domain is blocked, Cloudflare returns a non-routable address instead of the website’s normal address.
The connection then fails rather than loading the blocked site.
There are two filtering options available:
| Cloudflare DNS service | What it blocks |
|---|---|
| Malware protection | Known malware and phishing domains |
| Family protection | Known malware, phishing and adult-content domains |
For this guide, we’re using the second option.
Important: DNS filtering works at the domain level. It cannot inspect everything displayed inside a website or guarantee that every unsuitable page will be blocked.
Step 1: Find Your Router’s Login Details
Before changing anything, you’ll need access to your router’s administration page.
Start by checking the label on the back or underneath your router.
Look for information such as:
- Router IP address or administration address
- Administrator username, if provided
- Router administration password
Common local router addresses include 192.168.1.1 and 192.168.0.1.
However, your router may use something different.
If the details aren’t printed on the router, check the manufacturer’s documentation or the information supplied by your internet provider.
Use the router’s current administrator credentials rather than assuming the original password is still valid.
Only change settings on a network you own or are authorised to manage.
Step 2: Open Your Router’s Settings
Once you’ve found the administration address:
- Connect your computer to your home network.
- Open a web browser such as Firefox, Chrome or Brave.
- Enter your router’s administration address into the address bar.
- Press Enter.
- Sign in using your router’s administrator credentials.
You should now see your router’s settings interface.
Don’t worry if yours looks different from the one in my video. Router manufacturers organise their menus differently.
We’re looking for the settings that control which DNS servers the router uses.
These might appear under Internet, WAN, Advanced Settings or DNS.
Before changing anything, make a note of the existing DNS configuration so you can restore it if necessary.
Step 3: Find the DNS Settings
In my video, I’m using a FRITZ!Box router.
On many FRITZ!Box models, you can find the DNS settings here:
- Open Internet.
- Select Account Information or Type of Connection, depending on your model.
- Open the DNS Server tab.
If the DNS Server tab isn’t visible, you may need to enable the router’s advanced settings view.
You should see options for obtaining DNS servers automatically from your internet provider or entering your own addresses.
We’re going to replace the automatic settings with Cloudflare’s family filtering addresses.
If you’re using another router manufacturer, check its official documentation for the corresponding DNS settings.
Step 4: Enter the Cloudflare Family DNS Addresses
Cloudflare provides separate addresses for IPv4 and IPv6.
Use the addresses below for the service that blocks both malware and adult content.
IPv4 Settings
Select the option to use custom DNSv4 servers.
Enter the following:
| Setting | DNS address |
|---|---|
| Preferred DNSv4 server | 1.1.1.3 |
| Alternative DNSv4 server | 1.0.0.3 |
Both addresses belong to Cloudflare’s family filtering service.
It’s important to use the correct addresses. Cloudflare’s ordinary 1.1.1.1 service does not provide the same content filtering.
IPv6 Settings
If your router has IPv6 enabled, configure the corresponding family filtering addresses there as well.
| Setting | DNS address |
|---|---|
| Preferred DNSv6 server | 2606:4700:4700::1113 |
| Alternative DNSv6 server | 2606:4700:4700::1003 |
These are Cloudflare’s official IPv6 addresses for malware and adult-content filtering.
If your router doesn’t use IPv6, you don’t need to enable it just for this guide.
Once you’ve entered the addresses, double check them before saving.
You can compare them against Cloudflare’s official DNS documentation.
Step 5: Save Your Router Settings
After entering the addresses:
- Check that the IPv4 addresses are correct.
- Check the IPv6 addresses if you’ve configured them.
- Click Apply or Save.
- Follow any additional instructions displayed by your router.
Some FRITZ!Box models may ask you to confirm the change using a physical button on the device.
The router may also take a few moments to apply the new configuration.
Once it’s finished, devices using your router’s DNS service should begin using Cloudflare for Families.
You shouldn’t need to install an additional application on each device.
However, the new settings only affect devices that actually use the configured DNS service. Some network configurations or individual devices may behave differently.
Step 6: Test That the Filtering Works
Don’t assume everything is working simply because the router accepted the new addresses.
Cloudflare provides official test pages specifically for checking its filtering services.
You can find them in the Test 1.1.1.1 for Families section of Cloudflare’s setup documentation.
There are separate tests for malware filtering and the additional adult content filtering.
To check your setup:
- Connect a device to your home Wi-Fi.
- Open Cloudflare’s official test instructions.
- Use the test pages provided there.
- Check whether the browser blocks the test domains.
A blocked test page may produce a normal browser connection error rather than a customised warning screen.
That’s expected.
If the tests don’t behave as expected, double check your router’s DNS addresses.
Some devices may also need to reconnect to the network or refresh their cached DNS information before the change takes effect.
Test the devices and network connections you actually want covered rather than assuming one successful test proves the entire network is protected.
What Does This Protect on Your Home Network?
The main advantage of configuring filtering at the router is convenience.
Instead of setting up a separate DNS filter on every compatible device, you can configure one service for devices that use your router’s DNS settings.
This can include:
- Smartphones and tablets.
- Windows, Linux and Mac computers.
- Gaming consoles.
- Smart TVs.
- Other connected home devices.
However, this doesn’t mean every device is automatically protected in every situation.
A device may have its own DNS configuration, or a separate network connection may use different settings.
Guest Wi-Fi networks and other connections should also be tested individually.
Cloudflare for Families is best treated as an additional network protection, not a guarantee that every device and application is fully filtered.
What Cloudflare Family DNS Cannot Do
There are several limitations worth understanding.
It Doesn’t Work Outside Your Home Network
Changing your home router’s DNS settings doesn’t automatically change the settings on other networks.
For example, a smartphone using a mobile data connection is no longer relying on your home Wi-Fi router.
It Doesn’t Block Every Unsafe Website
Cloudflare uses domain classification to determine which sites should be blocked.
New or incorrectly classified websites may not be caught immediately.
A domain can also contain a mixture of content, and DNS filtering cannot selectively remove individual posts, videos or sections from that domain.
It Doesn’t Replace Device Security
DNS filtering won’t remove malware that’s already installed, prevent every phishing attempt or stop someone from voluntarily sharing sensitive information.
If you’re concerned about deceptive websites, my guide to spotting fake CAPTCHA scams explains some important warning signs.
It’s also worth keeping devices updated and reviewing their security settings regularly.
It Isn’t a Complete Parental Control System
Cloudflare for Families doesn’t provide detailed screen time limits, individual account supervision or age specific rules for every application.
It can be a useful starting point for a family network, but it works best alongside appropriate device controls and conversations about online safety.
What If a Website Stops Working?
DNS filtering can occasionally block a website that you believe should be accessible.
If that happens, don’t immediately assume your internet connection is broken.
Check whether:
- The website is unavailable for everyone.
- The router is using the correct DNS addresses.
- The problem began after changing the DNS settings.
- The domain may have been incorrectly categorised.
Cloudflare provides a way to report incorrectly blocked domains through its official documentation.
If the router stops resolving website addresses after the change, consult your router’s manual and restore the previous DNS configuration you recorded earlier.
Is Cloudflare for Families Worth Using?
For a free service that can add basic filtering across compatible devices on your home network, I think it’s worth considering.
The main advantage is that there’s relatively little to maintain once you’ve configured the router.
You don’t need a separate subscription or an additional application just to use Cloudflare’s public family DNS service.
But it’s important to have realistic expectations.
This is a DNS-based filter, not a complete internet security system.
For additional browser level protection, you can also review settings such as tracker blocking and HTTPS protections in my Brave Privacy Settings Guide.
Combining sensible browser settings, device security and network filtering gives you a more practical approach than relying on any single feature.
Final Thoughts
Adding Cloudflare for Families to your home router is a straightforward way to reduce access to known malware, phishing and adult content domains.
On a supported router, the basic setup can take just a few minutes.
The important part is entering the correct DNS addresses, saving your existing configuration and checking that filtering actually works on the devices you use.
It won’t make your home network completely secure or replace parental controls, but it can provide an additional layer of protection without a subscription.
If you prefer video tutorials, you can also follow Safe Web Life on YouTube for more practical privacy and online security guides.
