If you have a Vodafone Wi-Fi router wired-in at home, the broadband supplier has treated you to a swathe of new security and smart home features.
Until now, these additions were exclusive to Vodafone Pro customers, the top-of-the-line tier of broadband packages from the brand that bundles mesh Wi-Fi nodes and a 4G back-up connection to ensure you're never left without internet. But Vodafone is now offering its security service Secure Net Home and Who’s Home smart router technology to a further 900,000 broadband users across the UK.
While the latter is available at no extra cost for new and existing Vodafone broadband subscribers, Secure Net Home costs £2 per month.
With both enabled, Vodafone promises to protect all of your devices connected to Wi-Fi from online threats, while you can keep tabs on when family members arrive or leave home, similar to the notifications you'd expect from a Ring video doorbell.
First up, Secure Net Home might lack a catchy name, but it packs some serious power. It offers protection for up to 128x devices dotted around your house — from laptops and tablets to smart TVs and gaming consoles — connected to your Vodafone broadband.
Originally launched in 2024, it's designed to work quietly in the background, blocking viruses and malware at a network level, so you can shop and bank online with confidence.
Available to new and existing Vodafone customers, Secure Net Home adds a slew of security and customisation options
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This is better than standard antivirus, since it halts malicious requests in their tracks before they even reach your devices — keeping your files and personal information safe on your gadget.
Vodafone also offers some pretty comprehensive parental controls that let you filter content to make sure your children only see age-appropriate websites when they're browsing. The full suite of features includes:
- Customisable Content Filters: This lets you tailor internet access to ensure children only see age-appropriate content while browsing online
- Pause the Internet: Internet access can be paused completely on your children’s devices, including smartphones and consoles, ideal for family time, meals, and moments that matter
- Set Bedtimes: Internet access can be automatically switched off at bedtime to help children wind down and develop healthy digital habits
- Focus Time: During homework or study hours, access to distracting websites and apps – like social media or online games – can be limited, while still allowing access to all-important educational resources
- Customisable Child Profiles: To ensure controls suit the needs of each household, Vodafone lets you spin up individual profiles for each child and assign specific devices, with their own personalised filters and limits applied
Next up, Vodafone is expanding the availability of Who’s Home, a free feature that lets you know when someone comes or goes from your house. You’ll get an instant alert when their phone connects to your home Wi-Fi, and another when it disconnects as they leave. If you want to know when younger members of the household have arrived home from school, or when they leave the house, this will provide time-stamp proof.
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It works for anyone who is connected to your WI-Fi network. You could request a notification when your children arrive home or when your partner leaves for work – all done through your router detecting their smartphones. Vodafone is the first UK broadband provider to offer this kind of smart router technology.
Setting it up is straightforward through the Vodafone Broadband app. You create a profile for each family member and link their phone, regardless of what device they use or which mobile network they're on.
Each person receives a text invitation to opt in, and they get reminder messages every three months so they can opt out whenever they want. You'll be kept in the loop about who's chosen to participate and who hasn't, keeping privacy controls firmly with each individual family member.
If you fancy giving Secure Net Home a try, you'll get three months completely free to test it out.
After that, it costs £2 a month, and you can cancel whenever you like without being tied into a long contract. That covers your phone with virus blocking, parental controls and identity monitoring round the clock, plus scam call alerts powered by AI.
As mentioned above, Vodafone's one-of-a-kind Who's Home alerts don't cost you anything extra – it's included at no charge if you've got a supported Wi-Fi router, including the network's Power Hub router on your standard broadband plan or a Pro 2 plan.