topic Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls in Broadband & Landline

Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 15:18:56 GMT

It appears that overnight our broadband parental controls have been turned on, not by ourselves.

We've recently migrated over from BT and until today we've never had parental control turned on and now we're getting blocked from sites, Google safe search is on, and locked etc and the only way to get around it is by using a VPN or connecting to another network or 5G

All the guidance says you can control the settings via the app, but the app isn't working. If we try to manage, or enable parental controls it's just reports and error say it can't be enabled.

Nearly an hour on the phone with support this morning got nowhere. They could only suggest checking the app, a full restore of the hub, reinstall the app etc... no joy.

Edit. Just to also add it's all legit sites that are being blocked suddenly, including National Lottery. The option to turn off or on 'web protect' in the app is also not working.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:32:13 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 When you look at both of the options with your mobile app are they on or off?

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 17:44:19 GMT

On the mobile app for Parental Controls...

The option initially just says "Manage", if you then select you're taken to the WiFi controls sub page, if you're not already in it, after which the option turns to "activate parental controls" which when selected and after about 30 secs just reports the error "Can't active parental controls - try again" but there's no option to try again.

For web protect the option presented is to turn on, when selected it takes you to a web portal which after logging in presents the same option...to turn on. However when selected it reports the error..."we can't load this information...try again"

The errors are the same regardless of being connected to the hub or not.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:23:11 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 That's the problem with apps and why i do not like them, anyway both options are required to be off unless you specifically want them on. When you spoke with CS, did they not have the ability to switch them the way you needed. I go manage bottom of screen, select broadband top of screen, select WiFi controls, spinning balls then can see Advanced Web Protect and Safe search options with on/off toggles. Give it a try that way.

If CS could do as you needed then that is very very wrong.....

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:28:18 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 ? is this a BT app controlling a BT router, or the new EE app controlling the New EE router.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:31:36 GMT

According to CS they cannot change the settings. Very worrying

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:34:15 GMT

It's the ee app controlling a legacy BT Smart Hub. We migrated across.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:39:56 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 Not sure if the apps display the same way, did you try the method i explained earlier? And would be very worried indeed that they could not set the option, that is very poor. App version i have is version 5.38.0 for android.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:46:53 GMT

Same version on Android running on pixel 7 although it's the same on several devices we've tried. Also tried using the same process as detailed above and every variation I can think of...alas it's the exact same issue.

Everything else in the app appears to be function though including groups, speed test, devices connected, change the hub lights etc... it's just the damn parental controls and web protect that very annoyingly, aren't.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 19:45:43 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 Can you post the version of the router you have. Will be a label on the rear gives model number. There are 2 versions off the app, so not sure which one controls which hub... Link to the BT hubs below

https://www.bt.com/help/broadband/learn-about-broadband/different-types-of-bt-hub

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 19:38:13 GMT

Smarthub 2

Model number: GRV9517UAC34-A-SA

As an aside I did try seeing if the old BT web portal would work but my services have all fully migrated across and no longer any option to manage my services on the BT side.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 20:08:11 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 Just had a look on the BT web site, and it is the access controls that are used, so now called wi-fi, so looks like the app is not controlling the functions you need, have you tried powering of the router to see if it clears back incase it has just got mixed up? Run out of idea's. And really poor that EE cannot set them back to defaults.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Wibblemonster1 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 20:11:24 GMT

No joy. Several reboots and at least 2 full factory restores haven't resolved it

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 20:21:50 GMT

@Wibblemonster1 And that's why apps should not be the ONLY method of changing settings.... 🤞Hope EE CS can sort it out for you...

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

spanieldecks — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 08:33:15 GMT

Did you get a solution to this? I have the same issue. No ability to control the parental controls. Random sites being blocked e.g. https://www.giordanowines.co.uk/andrea_uk-3 (wine mail order).

I have a BT full fibre router, migrated to EE. If you try to alter parental controls on the EE account, it says 'manage this on your app'. Get the app, and it cannot alter anything.

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

Michael_D — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 10:40:28 GMT

Hi @spanieldecks

Welcome to the community.

I know how important it is to be able to have access to the parental controls.

Have you spoken with our tech guides at all to get this looked at further?

Michael

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

JimM11 — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 11:32:29 GMT

@spanieldecks More than likely the BT router to the EE app not designed to play nice with each other, sure it's on a todo list somewhere to get sorted out...

Re: Unable to turn off broadband parental controls

spanieldecks — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 14:52:07 GMT

Actually, this is solved! The EE app DOES work with a BT router, but to get it to function, you need to really ignore all the prompts within the app to set it up (don't go to your settings page, don't scan the router QR code e.g.). You need to manually configure the router and enter the admin password as per the BT router admin password. As soon as this happens, the parental controls and other things appear in the app, and function as expected.