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Security guide7 min read

How to set up parental controls on Sky Q Hub

Sky Broadband Shield provides network-level filtering, but older Sky Q Hubs need special care: Sky ended security updates for Q Hub models on 31 December 2025. This guide starts with that support check, then covers Shield and the supported route to Canopy-managed filtering.

By James Mackie, Canopy Families founder · How we research and review guides

Before you start
  • Sky Broadband Shield is tied to your Sky account. Ensure your Sky account password and email are secure — a child who accesses your account can turn the Shield off.
  • The Sky Q Hub admin panel at http://192.168.0.1 is only accessible from within your home network.
  • Changing your Wi-Fi password will disconnect all devices. Reconnect smart TVs and consoles using the new password before your children notice.
  • Sky Q Hub models stopped receiving security updates on 31 December 2025. Ask Sky about a supported replacement before relying on an older Q Hub.

Step 1 — Log into the Sky Q Hub admin panel

  1. Connect a device to your Sky Wi-Fi (not mobile data).
  2. Open a browser and go to http://192.168.0.1.
  3. Enter the admin password. The default is on the label on the back of the hub — look for "Wireless Key" or "Admin Password".
  4. Click Log in.
If the page does not load, try http://192.168.0.254. Some Sky Q Hub models use a different default gateway. Check your router's IP in your device's network settings.

Step 2 — Change the default admin password

The default admin passwords on Sky hubs are predictable. Changing it is the single most important security step.
  1. Once logged in, find Settings or Admin Settings.
  2. Select Change Admin Password.
  3. Enter the current password, then set a new strong password.
  4. Save the change and log back in.

Step 3 — Enable WPA2 or WPA3 Wi-Fi encryption

  1. Go to Wireless Settings.
  2. Under Security, select WPA2-PSK (AES) or WPA3-Personal if your hub supports it.
  3. Change the Wi-Fi password to a strong passphrase — 16+ characters, mixed case and numbers.
  4. Apply and reconnect all devices with the new password.

Step 4 — Replace an unsupported Sky Q Hub

  1. Check the model on the hub label and compare it with Sky’s current router-update notice.
  2. If it is a Sky Q Hub, contact Sky and request a currently supported hub.
  3. Do not assume a generic Guest Network, WPA3, or custom-DNS menu exists on every Sky model.
Sky Max Hub and Gigafast+ Hub settings are managed through current Sky instructions; their menus differ from the older Q Hub.

Step 5 — Connect Canopy-managed NextDNS

Do not hunt for similarly named fields or enter DNS values into DHCP, gateway, or IP-address fields.
  1. Start a Canopy Families full-access subscription or 14-day trial; a managed NextDNS profile is included.
  2. Open Home Safety → Router Setup and select your exact Sky model.
  3. Sky does not document a universal custom-DNS route across Q, Max, and Gigafast+ hubs. Use Canopy Device Setup, or a compatible third-party router, when Router Setup identifies no supported DNS menu.
  4. Run Test connection in Home Safety before treating the setup as active.

Step 6 — Enable Sky Broadband Shield

  1. Go to sky.com and sign in to My Sky.
  2. Navigate to My Account → Products & Services → Broadband.
  3. Find Broadband Shield and click Manage.
  4. Switch Shield On.
  5. Select the filtering level: "Child Safe" (under 13) or "Adult Content" (13+).
  6. Save. The change takes effect within a few minutes for all devices on your connection.
Sky Broadband Shield works at the Sky network level, upstream of your router. It applies even if a device changes its DNS settings — making it the most robust layer for ISP-level filtering.

Router menus vary by model and firmware. These instructions were checked against the manufacturers' current support material; use the route shown for your exact model.

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