As a business, ensuring that your company is secure and your customers are protected is high on your list of priorities. However, many businesses may not realise that they can use internet filters to protect their security and keep their WiFi network protected.
In this guide, we’ve explained how businesses can use content filtering software, as well as the reason why you may want to incorporate this into your business’ WiFi network:
What is WiFi content filtering?
If you’re offering guest WiFi to allow your customers to connect to a network controlled by your business, you’re essentially providing people with access to the internet.
Simply put, content filtering is a method that businesses can use to prevent people accessing the network, from visiting certain sites. Because almost anything can be downloaded or accessed on the internet, web filtering software will prevent customers who are connected to the network, from accessing non-family-friendly content or downloading malicious software.
Who can use it?
If you’re a business and you’re offering a WiFi connection to anyone visiting your premises, you’re able to use content filtering within your network. This means that whether you’re offering hotel, restaurant or stadium WiFi, you’re able to use web filtering software to block those connected to the network from accessing certain sites.
How to use internet filters
Once you have web filtering software installed within your business WiFi network, you can use it to:
Block certain sites
The most common use for WiFi content filtering software is to block your customers from accessing certain sites. Many types of software will run by blocking a list of recommended sites by the Internet Watch Foundation. However, you may also have the option to block websites by category if you’re looking to tightly control the content that is accessible to your users.
Blocking users from visiting unwanted websites is often the main use of content filters for businesses operating in public places. It is useful to be able to prevent customers from watching content that isn’t family-friendly content in a public area.
Limit Social media access
By using web filtering software, you can also block employees using your business WiFi, from accessing social media websites.
Aiding with your employees become more productive in working hours, you may want to add other websites that could act as a distraction to the block-list.
Provide additional security
Because this type of content filtering will prevent users of the network from accessing certain sites, your business is provided with additional security. This is because customers are unable to download malicious software, which protects the network against hacking, malware or phishing attacks.
Protect against excessive WiFi bandwidth use
With slow WiFi being named as one of the biggest modern stresses, you may be surprised to learn that you can use WiFi content filtering to improve the speed of your network connection.
By preventing customers from taking advantage of your WiFi bandwidth and using it excessively and blocking them from downloading large media files such as videos, the speed of your business WiFi will automatically improve for other users on the network.
As you can see, there are a variety of ways that your business can use internet filters to improve your customers’ experience of using a secure network. Keep in mind that the security of your network is essential and you should always consider blocking sites that pose a risk of damaging the connection.