The usefulness of Wi-Fi at home is continually on the increase, beyond just the necessity of connectivity for remote work and schooling, internet browsing, content streaming, music downloads and online gaming. The speed, reliability and downward tendency in bandwidth costs, of fibre-based connectivity especially, are contributing to home users embracing the Internet of Things (IoT) and the growth of smart home adoption is driving major industry trends.

Craig Blignaut, Product Manager at Vox says: “This growing pervasiveness of connectivity amongst the multiple users and things in a home does have a downside too. The more connections you have to your home Wi-Fi, the more vulnerable you become to the ever-present cyber criminals on the World Wide Web.”

“Not every homeowner has the technical skills, understanding and know-how to easily create a connected home environment with protection that will safeguard their families from the dangers of cybercrime and, as such, we have collaborated with Minim to create Vox Wi-Fi Home Manager,” says Blignaut.

With an average of 10 devices per home and increased wireless streaming, a concept that Blignaut refers to as Digital parenting, is fast becoming essential. That, coupled with an exploding security concern and an increase in IoT hacking – where intruders enter your home network through IP cameras and the like –according to Blignaut, means that there is no better time to acquire the smart protection that your family and Smart Home needs.

Vox Wi-Fi Home Manager is powered by Minim software, an AI-driven Wi-Fi management and security platform, that comprises an easy-to-use mobile app that, when paired to software installed on your router, gives you full Wi-Fi network management, and network threat detection and device management. It is designed to equip users with self-care access for optimising and personalising their home internet experience with parental controls, privacy settings, ad blocking, security alerts, speed tests, and more.

“We chose Minim as the best-of-breed foundation for our solution,” says Blignaut, “as they are a creator of innovative internet access products that dependably connect people to the information they need and the people they love.”

Minim offers apps with usable security for consumers and their care providers to protect connected devices and optimise Wi-Fi performance, leading to higher customer satisfaction. Minim partners with ISPs like Vox who want to help make home connectivity as safe as drinking water.

With the sheer size of the internet and the amount of information and content it provides, it is impossible to manage and police children’s online activities.  Reliable software and AI will go far beyond controlling screen time and indicating what a child has accessed on the internet. It will monitor, detect and prevent access to malware and virus attacks in the background, it can enable enhanced control to pre-determine the online activity of children.

It also facilitates better control and visibility of a home’s Wi-Fi and connected network.  When a new device joins the network, the administrator/homeowner will have the ability to select or create a profile for that user and then link all of that user’s devices to his or her profile.  An age-appropriate maturity and security setting applicable for that user can then be selected, all from the App.

“You and your family now have the peace of mind to enjoy a connected, digital, online life that’s safe and free from intrusions on your home network, while we, your ISP, takes care of continuous monitoring, detection and mitigation of the ever-increasing online threats, ” says Blignaut.

Vox Wi-Fi Home Manager is available to all Voxs’ FTTH customers, irrespective of which Fibre Network Operator (FNO) is the provider of the physical fibre line.