How to bypass parental controls completely...
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How to bypass parental controls completely...
Model :
Hardware Version :
Firmware Version :
ISP :
One of the main reasons for me to buy the DECO, apart from the mesh functionalities, was the parental control. I needed a tool to limit the internet access to get my kids spending more time on homework.
Within days my son was able to bypass completely the parental controls by using one of the many VPN apps available in the Apple App Store...
... I block YouTube, he is using the VPN app to get on YouTube
... I use the WiFi pause for his profile, he is still watching YouTube or can go to any other website
With other words, the full parental control can be bypassed using a VPN app. The only thing that seems to work is to put his device on the blacklist, then directly the WiFi is disabled.
I already reported this some time ago on another thread, have reported it to TP-Link directly, but it's still possible to bypass.
So, if you want to try yourself...
- Get yourself a iPhone
- Assign it to a test profile
- Validate that the WiFi is working and go to YouTube
- Disable for the test profile YouTube
- YouTube stops working
- Install from the App Store the "VPN Master" and start it.
- After you have the VPN working go to YouTube...
- Put the WiFi on pause for the test profile
- And continue to enjoy surfing on the internet
- Put the iPhone on the blacklist
- Notice that the WiFi is disabled
With this post I do not want to encourage children to bypass the parental control, but I want to make the parents aware that putting the devices temporary on the blacklist is the only option to block the WiFi.
And... I hope that TP-LINK will start implementing a solution soon. They can start checking to see the difference between the logic in the "blacklist" and the "WiFi pause"....
Hardware Version :
Firmware Version :
ISP :
One of the main reasons for me to buy the DECO, apart from the mesh functionalities, was the parental control. I needed a tool to limit the internet access to get my kids spending more time on homework.
Within days my son was able to bypass completely the parental controls by using one of the many VPN apps available in the Apple App Store...
... I block YouTube, he is using the VPN app to get on YouTube
... I use the WiFi pause for his profile, he is still watching YouTube or can go to any other website
With other words, the full parental control can be bypassed using a VPN app. The only thing that seems to work is to put his device on the blacklist, then directly the WiFi is disabled.
I already reported this some time ago on another thread, have reported it to TP-Link directly, but it's still possible to bypass.
So, if you want to try yourself...
- Get yourself a iPhone
- Assign it to a test profile
- Validate that the WiFi is working and go to YouTube
- Disable for the test profile YouTube
- YouTube stops working
- Install from the App Store the "VPN Master" and start it.
- After you have the VPN working go to YouTube...
- Put the WiFi on pause for the test profile
- And continue to enjoy surfing on the internet
- Put the iPhone on the blacklist
- Notice that the WiFi is disabled
With this post I do not want to encourage children to bypass the parental control, but I want to make the parents aware that putting the devices temporary on the blacklist is the only option to block the WiFi.
And... I hope that TP-LINK will start implementing a solution soon. They can start checking to see the difference between the logic in the "blacklist" and the "WiFi pause"....
