How to Keep Your Family Safe Online in Today’s Connected World Keeping children safe has always been a top priority for families. In today’s digital world, the risks extend far beyond physical dangers. Every connected device—smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and even appliances—can become a target for cyber threats if not protected. While we often take precautions to prevent physical injuries, digital safety requires a different approach. Cybersecurity tools and habits help guard against scams, malware, and bad actors who attempt to reach into our homes through connected devices. Online Threats Families Face Today Cyber threats are becoming more advanced every year. What used to be an obvious scam email from a “Nigerian prince” has evolved into convincing phishing attacks. These scams often look like messages from trusted sources—streaming services, gaming platforms, or even your employer. Scammers count on users not questioning the source. This puts both children and seniors at higher risk. Smart Devices, Smart Risks Most homes today are filled with internet-connected devices. These go beyond phones and computers. Families now rely on smart TVs, thermostats, video doorbells, speakers, and even refrigerators. While these devices bring convenience, they also open more digital doors. Each of these devices can be a potential entry point for cybercriminals if not properly secured. Building Layers of Digital Protection Staying safe online means creating multiple layers of defense. Here’s how to protect your household: Use a secure router: Advanced routers, like those from Calix, help stop threats before they reach your devices. Download a home network app: Tools like the Wisper Home App allow families to control internet access, monitor usage, and pause connectivity as needed. Keep everything updated: Install updates on all devices to patch security holes. Use parental controls: These help filter content, set time limits, and monitor children’s internet activity. Educate family members: Teach kids and seniors how to spot suspicious messages and links. Wisper Internet works hard to protect customers by blocking threats at the network level. In May alone, more than 13,000 cyber threats were blocked before reaching homes. Kids, Games, and Online Scams Children are often online while playing games or streaming content. During these activities, a scam or suspicious pop-up might appear. Without proper education, kids might click without realizing the risk. That’s why the combination of router security, smart home apps, and good habits is so important. These tools act like helmets and knee pads for the digital world—adding extra protection that works in the background. Protecting Seniors, Too Scammers frequently target older adults, often impersonating trusted companies. A phishing scam might appear as a routine request but can lead to identity theft or financial loss. Talk with seniors in your family about these risks, and review any suspicious messages together. Stay Safe, Stay Informed Cybersecurity doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right tools and knowledge, families can enjoy the internet safely. Wisper Internet helps by providing built-in network security and tools that put you in control of your connected home. To learn more about online threats and how to protect your family, visit wisperisp.com…. Read More
Better Home Internet
Getting Started in the Wisper Home App
How to Use the Wisper Home App to Manage Your Wi-Fi and Protect Your Devices The Wisper Home App is now live and available for all Wisper Care customers! With this powerful tool, you can manage your Wi-Fi network, set up parental controls, monitor smart devices, block malware threats, and create secure guest networks—all from your phone. Here’s everything you need to know about getting started and making the most of the features inside the Wisper Home App. Getting Started with the Wisper Home App Before or during your Wisper router installation, make sure to download the Wisper Home App from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Step-by-Step Setup: Create Your Account Open the app and register with your email address. Choose a strong password and enter your basic location details. Connect to Your Router Scan the QR Code on your new Wisper router for automatic setup. Or enter manually using the router’s MAC address and serial number (located on the device). Set Up Your Network Name your router (to identify it in the app). Choose your Wi-Fi network name (SSID)—this is what your devices will connect to. Create a strong Wi-Fi password (separate from your app login). Once completed, your Wisper Home App is ready to go! Set Up Parental Controls Protecting your kids online just got easier. The Wisper Home App allows you to control what specific devices can access—and when. How to Set Up a Parental Control Profile: Open the sidebar menu and tap Parental Controls. Tap the + icon to create a new profile. Add a name and photo, then select which devices belong to that profile (e.g., your child’s laptop or tablet). 💡 Important: Don’t include the device you use to manage the Wisper Home App! Set time limits, enable device pause, or schedule offline hours. Enable Enhanced Parental Controls under “Enable Applications” to access content filters. Once enhanced controls are active, you’ll be able to: Filter by website categories, specific applications, or URLs View activity and manage settings right from your dashboard Built-In Antivirus with ProtectIQ One of the most powerful tools included in the Wisper Home App is ProtectIQ, a feature that provides real-time malware and antivirus protection for all devices on your network. What ProtectIQ Does: Scans traffic before it hits your devices Blocks threats automatically—no action needed Sends alerts to your app when suspicious activity is detected Tracks scans and blocked threats in a detailed log Lets you manage a Trusted List for safe items accidentally flagged This means your smart TVs, laptops, phones, tablets—even smart fridges—are protected by your network, without needing individual software on each device. Create Secure Guest Networks Need to give Wi-Fi access to visitors without compromising your privacy? Set up a guest network in just a few taps. Here’s how: In the app’s main menu, tap Guest Network. Tap the + icon to create a new one. Enter a name (e.g., “Smith Family BBQ”) and set a network name (SSID). Choose a password using AES encryption for added security. Decide whether the network should be: Ongoing (always on) Or active only between specific start/end dates Once created, you can send the login info to your guests right from the app! Need Help? If you have any questions while using the Wisper Home App, visit the Wisper YouTube Channel for step-by-step videos. You can also contact our customer support team—we’re happy to walk you through any setup or troubleshooting steps. Download the Wisper Home App Today! Take full control of your home Wi-Fi. Protect your kids, your data, and your smart devices—all in one place. 📱 Available now on iOS and Android…. Read More
Keep all of Your Devices Protected with a Secure Network
Guest Networks and Network Security We know that visiting suspicious websites on your home internet can leave you exposed to malware and viruses, but did you know that letting guests on your network also leaves you exposed? Leaving your home network exposed also leaves room for hackers to access devices on your networks, like cameras, doorbells, smart thermostats, TVs, Alexa, and any device that is connected to your Wi-Fi. The ‘smarter’ your home is, the more important it is to protect your network. There are several strategies to keep your home network protected. You can set network strong network passwords, create guest networks, or start at the source with your internet provider. Network Passwords The number one way to keep your network protected is to create a strong password. Everyone who comes to your house will ask for your Wi-Fi password, but be careful. Once you give someone your password, they can tell it to their mom, their sister, their dentist, or just strangers on the street. We’ve talked about passwords before, but we’ll go over the basics: For network passwords, the longer the better! You want it to be something you’ll remember, but your friends won’t. A series of letters and numbers will be the best way to protect your network. Don’t give your password out to just anyone. This one is pretty obvious, but limiting the number of people who know your Wi-Fi password will limit the potential risks to your network. Change your password often. Create a system for yourself. Every 5 people you give your password to, change it up! Find a system that works for you, and stick to it. Guest Networks If you have a lot of people in your home for parties, holidays, or just have people over often, you may want to create a guest network. There are two different kinds of guest networks – a temporary network and an endless network. A temporary network has a start and end date. These are the most useful for events, so your guests can have Wi-Fi access while at your home, but the network will timeout when the event is over. You can set a guest password or leave it available. Either way, it keeps people off of your personal network. Let’s say your buddies are coming over for a Super Bowl party. Everyone’s going to be live-tweeting, checking stats, and googling the latest commercial. You don’t know where those searches will take them on the wide web, so you set up a guest network. The network starts the morning of the party, uses the password TouchDown#1, and expires at midnight when all of your guests have hopefully gone home. Now whatever your friends are searching will stay on that protected guest network, and the password for your personal password stays private. The second type of guest network is an endless network. These networks don’t have an expiration date, so you can keep up all the time. These are the most helpful if you often have guests in your home. Network Security with Wisper Home And finally, one of the simplest ways to protect your devices and your network is to start right at the source. Services like Wisper Home App and the Wisper Care plan block any negative invaders before they even get into the house. Wisper Home and other similar services run in the background 24/7 and alert you anytime something tries to get onto your network. It works by protecting all devices on your network, preventing any outside access to those devices, and blocking data from suspicious sites. As we mentioned before, some devices don’t have built-in antivirus capabilities like your phone or computer. Your smart TV or video doorbell has access to a lot of your information but isn’t inherently protected. Protecting them at the source keeps your information safe and private. Network security is important to protect your data, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. Keep your password strong and private, set up a guest network when you need it, and keep all of your devices protected from invaders with Wisper Home…. Read More
How to Get the Most out of Your Wifi
How to Improve Your Wi-Fi Signal While Working from Home Does this sound familiar? You’re on a Zoom call in your home office—maybe even leading a presentation—when everything freezes and your call drops. Or you’re editing a spreadsheet in the cloud, only to lose your progress because your internet crashed. If you’re working from home, this is more than just annoying—it can cost you time, productivity, and credibility. Most of these issues come down to one thing: your Wi-Fi connection. Wi-Fi has become one of the most essential tools in any home office. But how do you get the most out of it—especially if you’re not hardwired into your router? Whether you’re using Wisper Internet or another provider, here are some easy, effective ways to improve your Wi-Fi for remote work. Router Placement: Small Shifts, Big Impact Your router’s location plays a huge role in your signal strength. Here’s how to position it for the best performance: Choose a central location: Place your router in the hub of your home—ideally near your work area. Fewer walls = better signal. Clear the area: Don’t block your router with books, furniture, or electronics. Even a lamp can reduce performance. Go high, not low: Elevate your router on a shelf or table to avoid floor interference and improve signal range. Adjust antennas: If your router has antennas, angle them diagonally or horizontally—especially in two-story homes—for better coverage. Free Up Bandwidth During Work Hours If you’re experiencing lag, someone in your house might be hogging the bandwidth. Streaming movies, downloading games, or running large backups in the background can slow your Wi-Fi significantly. Try this: Schedule high-bandwidth activities outside of work hours. Set limits using parental controls or Wi-Fi profiles to control who’s online and when. Avoid multitasking on your own device—background videos or downloads can tank your work speed. Use Wi-Fi Extenders or Mesh Networks If you’re still struggling to stay connected, it might be time to upgrade your setup. Wi-Fi Extenders (Signal Boosters) These devices amplify your existing signal. Great for reaching dead zones in back bedrooms, basements, or upstairs offices. Most create a separate network, so you’ll need to manually switch networks depending on where you are in the house. Mesh Wi-Fi Systems Wisper recommends mesh networks for the most seamless experience. Mesh systems use multiple “nodes” to create one continuous Wi-Fi network throughout your home. Devices automatically connect to the strongest node nearby, keeping your signal consistent and strong. Best for large homes, families with multiple remote workers, or households with a lot of smart devices. Upgrade with Wisper Internet + Wisper Home Choosing a reliable internet provider is key. Wisper offers high-speed service with options like Wisper Home for real-time parental controls, malware protection, and device management right from your phone. Check availability in your area to see if Wisper can power your remote workday. Summary: Quick Tips to Improve Your Wi-Fi Reposition your router for better signal reach Limit high-bandwidth usage during work hours Use Wi-Fi extenders or upgrade to a mesh system Choose a provider like Wisper that supports remote work… Read More