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Level 1

Move your router DNS to Cisco Family Shield

This is the fastest free improvement for a home network. It adds a stronger DNS baseline quickly, but it does not remove every bypass path by itself.

What this level actually does

Cisco Family Shield works at the DNS layer. When a device asks where a domain lives, the resolver can refuse or redirect requests for blocked categories before the browser completes the connection. That makes this level easy to deploy, but also means it depends on devices actually using the DNS path you configured.

Before you change anything

  • Confirm you can sign in to the router with an administrator account.
  • Identify whether the current Wi-Fi comes from the router, an ISP gateway, or a separate access point.
  • Take a screenshot or write down the current DNS settings before editing them.

Implementation steps

  1. Connect a computer to the home network and open the router or gateway admin page.
  2. Find the DNS settings. Depending on the device, they may be listed under WAN, internet, DHCP, LAN, or parental controls.
  3. Replace the current DNS values with Cisco Family Shield DNS servers and save the configuration.
  4. Reboot the router if the platform does not clearly confirm the change applied live.
  5. Reconnect the main test devices to Wi-Fi or renew their DHCP leases so they stop using cached network settings.
  6. Wait a few minutes for DNS caches to clear enough that your next test reflects the new path.
  7. Run the NetHound browser test again on the same network and compare the result to the earlier run.