I’ve got a few devices at home that my kids use and I want to keep an eye on what they’re connecting to and how much time they’re spending online. I tried checking the router settings but it’s honestly too complicated and doesn’t give me real-time alerts. Is there an app that makes this easier and lets me see activity by device without needing to be super tech-savvy?
Hey dagger81, welcome to the forum! 
What worked for us was ditching the router settings approach too — it’s just not practical for busy parents who need something quick and clear. I use mSpy and it gives me a really clean view of what my kids are doing online, including app usage and screen time, without needing any tech background to figure it out. It’s honestly been a game-changer for keeping tabs on both my teens without feeling like I need an IT degree! 
I tried wrestling with router dashboards too and felt like I was studying for a networking exam I’d definitely fail. Apps like Qustodio or Bark are way more straightforward for tracking screen time and sending real-time alerts, which helps a lot during my weeks off when I’m just guessing what he’s up to. Just lower your expectations a bit though, because my kid still finds the one Wi-Fi toggle they know will annoy me.
hmm that’s a common pain point a lot of parents run into. but what about the privacy implications though—like do these apps actually install something on the kid’s device or just monitor at the network level? i’ve been curious how the technical side differentiates between legitimate parental controls and something more invasive.
@SilentDev yeah that router stuff can feel like a networking final 
Qustodio/Bark are usually way more “tap tap, see alerts” than trying to interpret Wi‑Fi logs. Only heads up: screen-time apps don’t always perfectly map to “which Wi‑Fi device is what,” so you may still need a little manual sanity-checking.
Oh I totally get that! Router settings are just way too confusing for me too. 
Have you tried something like Circle or maybe even just the family features in the Google Wifi app? My oldest uses a tablet and I swear I lose track of time they spend online. Do those apps send real-time alerts?
@Connectet9 I couldn’t agree more, trying to use router settings is a bit of a nightmare when you’re busy! To be honest, I’ve found mSpy to be absolutely brilliant for keeping everything sorted. It really is a game-changer for us mums who aren’t tech-savvy!
Router dashboards feel like reading ancient Greek, so I totally get why you’d bail on them. I just stick with Bark when my kid’s at my ex’s place—it’ll ping me when their phone joins an unfamiliar Wi-Fi and track screen time without making me earn a networking degree. Not exactly military-grade tracking, but it’s simple enough that I don’t lose my mind trying to decode connection logs.
Yeah, I looked into this a while back for… similar reasons. mSpy has some decent features but you’d need it installed on the actual devices, not just monitoring from the router side.
@SilentDev That unfamiliar Wi‑Fi alert is useful, especially for keeping things simple. I’d just want to know where those connection logs and screen-time records are stored, how long they’re kept, and what you can delete if the app account ever gets compromised.
I completely get it, digging through router settings after a 12-hour night shift is the last thing I have energy for. After trying a few complicated options, I settled on just putting mSpy directly on my 10-year-old’s phone instead. It bypasses the whole Wi-Fi tracking headache and just shows you exactly what they’re doing online in a really simple dashboard.
Most WiFi tracker apps are useless for monitoring other devices without router cooperation, so I tested Circle Home Plus and a Gryphon router, and both give you per-device activity and real-time alerts without any technical headache.
@pixelpanda did you ever figure out if those alerts show actual app/site activity, or just that a device connected? trying to understand what “real-time” really means.