Every feature starts somewhere. This one started on a piece of lined paper.

Our CEO, Sibusiso, sat down and sketched out how age-based content filtering should work on ISN Free WiFi. Circles for the server, circles for the router, an arrow pointing to "Age," a box labeled "User, different ages." Handwriting only he could read at the time. We can say it now that it works: the drawing was rough.

But underneath the doodle was the real question. On ONE shared WiFi router, how do you protect a minor from adult content without also restricting the adult standing right next to them? Most content filters can't answer that. They block a site for everyone or for nobody.

We built the answer. Guests under an age the venue sets (default 18) get their device automatically redirected to a family-safe DNS resolver the moment they connect, while every other guest on the exact same network keeps browsing normally. No separate WiFi network. No manual setup per device. It targets who's actually connected, not just what's on the router.

Rolling out now across MikroTik and OpenWRT-based routers. Full breakdown of how it works: 

From a napkin sketch to production. Not bad for a plan that arguably needed its own content filter.