Need a quick answer? Our top porn blocking recommendation for a large family home is NordLayer DNS filtering.
NordLayer allows you to implement network-wide filtering, and is a much more comprehensive blocking option, with added security measures and more extensive configuration options. It's very effective for homes with big families.
I would define a "large family home" as five or more people living under the same roof. Let's say six, and assume that there's an average of two devices per person in the house.
This could include any of the following:
- Desktop computers
- Laptop computers
- Tablets
- Phones
- Gaming consoles
- TV streaming devices
This is a daunting list of devices that you need to keep track of. In fact, it's my family's situation, except we have eight people in our household.
So what exactly is the best porn blocker for large family homes like this one?
We use a DNS filtering solution called NordLayer.
Read more: How to block pornography
How DNS filtering works
I've gone in-depth on how to use DNS filtering to block porn in other articles, so I won't rehash that here. Instead, I'll just cover the basic structure.
DNS filters give you high-level control of your entire network, meaning you can block URLs (websites) and keywords from a central location instead of having to manage the content permissions for each device.
In other words, you don't need to set permissions on individual devices (although you still could for added safety) as long as they're connected to your home network.
Broad control and more granular, detailed control for specific devices.
Usually this is a Wi-Fi router.
I have it set up on the family computer. The dashboard for NordLayer is password protected, which means only the admin - my wife - can get in and make changes.
It's far better that my wife have the keys than I do.
Whatever rules and filters you set from that centralized location will apply to all devices on the network, including gaming consoles and streaming devices (Smart TVs, Amazon Fire Sticks, etc.).
What about when devices leave your home?
Mobile devices like phones and tablets will be protected at home, but will not have the same restrictions on an external network, unless they connect through a VPN, which probably doesn't apply to large families.
You read more about VPNs if you're interested.
Even if you did, you're not really protected, because nothing is stopping you from disconnecting the VPN.
This is why it's a good idea to still set up local restrictions on phones and tablets, especially for your kids/teenagers.
Especially for Apple devices, it's very easy to set this up using the operating system (iOS).
Laptops could be a similar situation, depending on how they're used. Other programs like Covenant Eyes can be a good fit there, though it does get you away from the benefits of a centralized location.
What you'll need to do is find a way to keep as many devices as possible local, and consider opting for desktop computers instead of laptops.
If you have all of these devices, here's how I would break it down:
- All home network devices: DNS filtering
- Laptops: Covenant Eyes
- iPhones and iPads: Native content restrictions
Are large family households more susceptible to porn use?
Larger families have a more challenging puzzle to solve when it comes to internet safety.
The more people that are in your home, the more difficult it is to manage online safety. That said, it doesn't necessarily mean you're in more danger than any other family, since there are more variables to consider.
How many kids do you have? How many are boys? What are their ages?
Since boys are at a greater risk for being exposed to pornography, that alone will increase the risk overall.
Teenagers are also at greater risk for pornography use.
And it doesn't take much analysis to know that the more devices in your home, the more difficult it is for parents to monitor what is going on.
So, in a sense, it's true that larger families will have a more difficult time with this.
To assess your own home, think about the following:
- Number of kids in the home
- Age
- Number of males
- Number of devices
- Cadence of the household (amount of time any one person is home alone versus the house being mostly full)
- Whether or not the parents (Dad or Mom) are struggling with porn use
Conclusion
If you're a part of a large family, there's greater complexity when it comes to blocking porn.
But the best place to start is with a DNS filtering system at the network level.
As I mentioned before, it's better that the husband not be the one in control of it, just because men are more at risk when it comes to pornography use. The wife should manage it and be the only one with access.
The husband can set it up initially and even tweak the settings on the dashboard, but then hand the password over to the wife.
If she struggles with porn use, it should be a trusted friend or family member outside the home.
Do you have questions about this, or need help? Maybe you just want to share your story?
If so, hit us up in the comments section below.
