Wireless Type | 802.11bgn |
---|---|
Number of USB 2.0 Ports | 1 |
Average Battery Life (in hours) | 8 Hours |
To see product details, add this item to your cart.
FREE Returns
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns. How to return the item? - Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: ZenMedia34
To see product details, add this item to your cart.
Ships from: TRWs Treasures LLC Sold by: TRWs Treasures LLC
Other Sellers on Amazon
- 3 VIDEOS
Image Unavailable
Color:
-
-
-
- To view this video download Flash Player
Discontinued: Circle with Disney
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Circle |
Model Name | Circle with Disney |
Special Feature | WPS |
Frequency Band Class | Dual-Band |
Wireless Communication Standard | 802.11bgn |
Compatible Devices | Laptop, Mobile Phones |
Recommended Uses For Product | Laptop,Cellular Phone,Tablets |
Included Components | USB cable, Circle with Disney device, USB power adapter, ethernet cable, Quick Start Guide |
Connectivity Technology | LAN, WLAN |
Color | Circle 1St Gen |
About this item
- Software requirements: iOS and Android
- Manage Wi-Fi connected devices (in home only)
- Set time limits
- Filter content
- Pause the internet
- View online usage
Additional Details
Buy it with
Featured items you may like
- Amazon Basics Slim, Velvet, Non-Slip Suit Clothes Hangers, Ivory/Silver - Pack of 50FREE Shipping on orders over $35 shipped by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
- Gryphon AX – Ultra-Fast Mesh WiFi 6 Parental Control Router – Advanced Content Filters and Next-Gen Firewall - 4.3 Gbps Across 3,000 sq. ft. per Router for Multi-Device HouseholdsFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
- Synology RT2600ac – 4x4 dual-band Gigabit Wi-Fi router, MU-MIMO, powerful parental controls, Threat Prevention, bandwidth management, VPN, expandable coverage with mesh Wi-FiFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
- NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6E Router (RAXE300) | AXE7800 Tri-Band Wireless Gigabit Speed (Up to 7.8Gbps) | New 6GHz Band | 8-Streams Cover up to 2,500 sq. ft., 40 DevicesAmazon's Choicein Computer RoutersFREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
- Keep Connect Router Rebooter, Wi-Fi Reset Device, Monitors Connectivity and Resets When Required. No App Necessary. If You Enter a Phone Number it Will Send Texts Upon resets.FREE Shipping by AmazonGet it as soon as Monday, Apr 1
From the manufacturer
Basic Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
|
|
|
Premium Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
|
|
|
Premium Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
|
|
|
What's in the box
Compare with similar items
This Item Discontinued: Circle with Disney | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart | |
Price | $74.99$74.99 | $274.50$274.50 | -30% $280.00$280.00 List: $399.99 | -14% $119.99$119.99 List: $139.99 | $79.00$79.00 |
Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 |
Customer Ratings | |||||
User interface | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
WiFi signal | 3.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 4.3 |
Tech Support | 3.4 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.2 |
Value for money | — | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 | — |
Sold By | ZenMedia34 | Gryphon Online Safety, Inc. | Amazon.com | Reyee Direct | Gryphon Online Safety, Inc. |
connectivity tech | WLAN, LAN | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | Wi-Fi, Ethernet | Wi-Fi | Wi Fi |
number of ports | — | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2 |
data transfer rate | — | 4300 megabits per second | 7.8 gigabits per second | 3202 megabits per second | 1300 megabits per second |
wireless standard | 802 11 BGN | 2.4 ghz radio frequency | 802 11 AX | 802 11 AX, 802 11 AC, 802 11 N | 2.4 ghz radio frequency, 802 11 BGN, bluetooth, 5 ghz radio frequency |
frequency band class | dual band | tri band | tri band | dual band | dual band |
security protocol | — | WPA2/WPA3 | WPA2-PSK, WPA3-PSK | WPA3 | WPA-PSK |
frequency | — | 5 GHz | 6 GHz | 5 hertz | 5 GHz |
Looking for specific info?
Product information
Technical Details
Brand | Circle |
---|---|
Series | Circle with Disney |
Item model number | CIRC001 |
Operating System | Android,Ios |
Item Weight | 1.25 pounds |
Product Dimensions | 3.25 x 3.25 x 3.25 inches |
Item Dimensions LxWxH | 3.25 x 3.25 x 3.25 inches |
Color | Circle 1St Gen |
Voltage | 240 Volts |
Batteries | 2 AA batteries required. (included) |
Manufacturer | Circle Media Inc |
ASIN | B019RC1EI8 |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
Date First Available | February 1, 2016 |
Additional Information
Customer Reviews |
3.6 out of 5 stars |
---|---|
Best Sellers Rank | #187 in Repeaters |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Videos
Videos for this product
1:32
Click to play video
Circle with Disney
Merchant Video
Product guides and documents
Product Description
Circle allows your family to manage all of your home's Wi-Fi connected devices. With Circle, parents can now filter online content And limit online screen time as well as set an internet bedtime for every connected device in the home. Circle can even pause the internet and share what kids are up to online. How it works: Circle pairs wirelessly or via Ethernet to your home router and allows you to manage online access for every device on the network: smartphones, gaming consoles, tablets, smart TVs, online gaming consoles, laptops and desktops. Using an iOS or Android app, families create unique profiles for every member of the Home and from there, help shape Each person's online experience. Do not disconnect from the Circle home hotspot until Prompted in the Circle app. If your system warns you that this network has no Internet access, make sure it stays connected.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like how easy it is to set up the product. They say it's simple and easy to use. They also appreciate the tracking feature, saying it provides insight on technology use and control. Customers also appreciate control, and time limits. However, some customers have reported issues with speed and connectivity. Opinions are mixed on performance, value, and protection.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the setup of the networking router to be very simple and easy. They mention that the product is pretty easy to use once it is set up, and that it makes things much easier. Some say that the schedules are simple and that there is no client software to be installed at the network level.
"...It is pretty easy to use once it is set up.Issues:- It’s not perfect however and there are some things to be aware of:-..." Read more
"...Pros+ Very easy set up.+ Does what we need it to do -- sets time limits and turns off the internet at bed time...." Read more
"...For once, I have a parenting tool that is SUPER EASY for me to wield. If he does something sweet, I can bounce him up an hour...." Read more
"...: As some fellow reviewers pointed out there is no traditional user manual in the package, which makes total sense since the manufacturer does not..." Read more
Customers find the use of tracking in the networking router very helpful. They say it provides both insight on technology use and control. Customers also say the app is user-friendly with plenty of options. They mention that the product is a great tool for families, especially if they get it with a backup battery. They also say that the company is alive and actively improving, and that it tries hard to provide useful technical support.
"...Works across multiple devices- Provides both insight on technology use and control-..." Read more
"...+ Reports that summarize individual child's activity.+ Big one: The company is alive and actively improving its product...." Read more
"...I gave 3 stars because some features are really good. But, it has taken sometime to get them working correctly...." Read more
"...In conclusion I think that Circle is a GREAT tool for families, especially if you get it with the aim of teaching your children instead of..." Read more
Customers like the control of the router. They mention that it has an extremely customizable level of control over any wifi enabled devices. They also say that it allows them to control each user separately, and that it gives them more control and flexibility than other solutions. Customers also appreciate that it provides easy-to-adjust settings for the internet, by site, and allows them set by category what types of sites can be. They say that the router facilitates limit setting and clear boundaries. However, some customers wish that the filtering could be more customizable.
"...Profiles allow you to connect multiple devices, define specific constraints on a service level (e.g. Youtube), and these constraints work across..." Read more
"...of Circle is that (now that I have it set up properly) I can easily control each device, or each child's devices from my phone with one or two clicks..." Read more
"...You can also set time limits for different categories like social media and even different platforms within that category..." Read more
"...The Profile system is logical and nicely laid out-..." Read more
Customers like the time limits on the networking router. They say it allows them to manage the amount of time their kids get to stream and download. They also appreciate the flexible time restrictions and the ability to pause the internet and enforce off-screen times. Overall, customers are happy with the time limit and bed time features.
"...Meaning, you can allow for web browsing and email, while blocking video games and netflix. You can block one device but not another.-..." Read more
"...+ Very easy set up.+ Does what we need it to do -- sets time limits and turns off the internet at bed time...." Read more
"...First and foremost, Circle is EXCELLENT at managing the amount of time you give your children online...." Read more
"...Control over internet time: I can pause any kid or the whole system IF I am home...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the networking router. Some mention that it works very well, is impressive for what it does, and is easy to use. However, others say that most of the time that function doesn't seem to work for an image search, the circle never works right, and that the apps simply stop working.
"...Great product idea, I really liked it at first. The UI execution is good, but there are problems they didn't anticipate with the technical..." Read more
"...Great price point.Cons:- It can cause your network to break in ways that are not obvious- A bit complex to set up-..." Read more
"...kids from seeing EVERY bad thing on the Internet but it does a good job at filtering. I do wish the history capabilities were more robust...." Read more
"...But, it has taken sometime to get them working correctly. I will try to explain the benefits and struggles in a way to help others...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the networking router. Some mention that it's well worth the cost, with no fees or additional money to spend. However, others say that it is not worth the money, with over-promises and under-delivery.
"...Great price point.Cons:- It can cause your network to break in ways that are not obvious- A bit complex to set up-..." Read more
"...if you have the subscription options unlocked, but not worth a monthly subscription price, I would look elsewhere for some other filtering hardware,..." Read more
"...If he does something sweet, I can bounce him up an hour. It doesn't cost me anything and it actually has a value for him...." Read more
"This has been hands-down the absolute best fit for my needs, at a nice low price and low install effort...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the protection provided by the router. Some mention that it allows them to simply block inappropriate sites, content, and apps. They also say it's a great tool to monitor and limit kids' online activities. However, others say that it started blocking websites that it hadn't previously, and that it only blocks the internet. Some devices were completely blocked, while others had very slow Internet, or intermittent connectivity.
"...I can block specific websites, both proactively and if need be retroactively if she's found/stumbled on something that snuck through the other..." Read more
"...subject matter seen: Even on the adult level filter, it filters out inappropriate websites...." Read more
"...-I put myself in Adult mode. I got blocked from accessing a web site! I had to make myself un-managed to access the site...." Read more
"...I absolutely love that you can block various apps specifically, such as Snapchat, which I don't want any of my children having access to...." Read more
Customers are dissatisfied with the speed of the networking router. They mention that the internet is dramatically slowed down, the latency is so poor, and it keeps losing connection with the router. Some customers also report that the router goes out during a test.
"...I tried it. The interface was very clunky and slow. I couldn't figure out how to set schedules. Just overall cheesy feeling...." Read more
"...I did notice a slowdown of our device and our network...." Read more
"...-.5 starsInternet speedIt really slows down the internet download speed 3 times even though I have it directly connected through..." Read more
"...online, the massive downside of MyCircle is that is causes huge issues with connectivity by those devices on MyCircle due to the VPN connection..." Read more
Reviews with images
-
Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Pros:
- Sufficiently powerful
- Does not create a performance impact if properly configured
- Easy to monitor remotely
- Works across multiple devices
- Provides both insight on technology use and control
- Allows you to set service level restrictions (e.g. limit Fortnite to 1 hour/day)
- Great price point.
Cons:
- It can cause your network to break in ways that are not obvious
- A bit complex to set up
- The service groupings (e.g. “Email” or “Online Gaming”) are not customizable
- Mobile only administration
Overall a solid product and well worth the cost.
Detailed Review -
A bit of background - I'm technically adept and understand my way around my own network. As my kids have become teenagers, my struggle has been to effectively parent their online behavior. On the one hand, their devices and technology are an important part of their school, social lives, and even part of our family connectedness. On the other, I've been concerned about how much time my son spends on Fortnite and Youtube, and about my daughter's technology use late at night.
Our solutions to this have largely been ineffective. We’ve tried having the kids leave their phones downstairs when they go to bed, but that doesn't address what they do during the day, and it has been a source of conflict. I've tried controls using my router, but they haven't been time based, nor sufficiently granular - e.g. I couldn't easily stop face time on my daughter's computer without affecting her ability to do homework. iOS 12's Screen Time feature has been helpful, but that only provides data for a single device and it is somewhat unreliable.
The big problem is that we can’t easily know exactly what they are doing without policing them, let alone come up with effective constraints.
I finally found a review online for the Circle. It seemed good, but I was concerned that 1) it might not work with my router (I use an ASUS AC5300), that it would create performance issues, and that it would not provide sufficient control to deal with the issues that we care about. However, I figured I would give it a try.
The key to how this product works is that it uses some obscure aspects of how networks work to give the circle the ability to see the network traffic that goes into and out of your house for any device or collection of devices (the technical term here is ARP Spoofing). Without getting into the technical details, if you connect the Circle via the ethernet cable, it does not create a performance issue. Moreover, any device configured as “unmanaged” is left alone. This is something I was particularly happy about as my home network has a lot of devices on it and I like the control.
Installation:
Installation was a bit obtuse. Despite being connected via ethernet to my router, I still had to use the WiFi network to setup the circle. Moreover, the Circle only understands how to talk to 2.4Ghz networks. That said, once everything was done, the wireless network was not an issue.
Setup:
Once setup I created a test profile for myself to see how well the device worked. I was pretty amazed at how easy and powerful it is. Profiles allow you to connect multiple devices, define specific constraints on a service level (e.g. Youtube), and these constraints work across all of the devices on the profile. Moreover, everything else is left alone.
Once active, I immediately got what I was looking for:
- Time spent on a variety of different services (YouTube, Fortnite, Gmail)
- Identification and monitoring explicit content sites
- Ability to set constraints, as either hours (bedtime and blocked time)
- Ability to set time limits (yeah!!!!)
I found the monitoring/time calculations to be pretty accurate. The only limit is that they are limited to 5 minute granularity - which is fine for me. Once the Circle chooses to block a service, it happens pretty immediately. Some things like youtube take a bit before the block is noticeable, but everything else is immediate. Restoring service is also immediate, though there can be some problems (see issues below)
What I LOVE:
- This device allows for granular control over services. Meaning, you can allow for web browsing and email, while blocking video games and netflix. You can block one device but not another.
- You can set up profiles for your family that work across multiple devices. No more temptation to cheat by moving consumption from one device to another
- For my network, the device even worked on the guest network which means my kids couldn’t get around it that way. It did not seem to affect our AT&T Micro-cell traffic however
- The device provides both monitoring and prevention. This allows me to have conversation with my kids where we now have an objective definition of time spent. Moreover, it allows them to see how much time they are spending so THEY can set the limits - Now I get to parent as a coach instead of as a policeman.
- There is no noticeable impact to my network performance. I have a 400mb/s connection to the internet and have noticed no impact to my network latency or performance from the Circle.
- It is pretty easy to use once it is set up.
Issues:
- It’s not perfect however and there are some things to be aware of:
- I can’t easily customize what Circle monitors/blocks. Circle’s pre-defined categories are pretty good, but if you want to change something it is not easy - and in some cases not possible. I would prefer to have more flexibility than the device provides, but given the ease of use it provides in other ways I can live with this constraint.
- Networking problems - the way the circle work can create compatibility issues with your router. Circle has put a pretty good compatibility chart on their website you can check - strongly recommended that you do this before buying this device
- The Circle can cause your network to break - in my case, if I make a change on my router, it can cause my entire network to freeze until I reset things using some fairly technical commands. This may be somewhat specific to my router, but when it happens, it is not something that the layperson could easily fix. I suspect that the routers that are marked as fully compatible (mine is not) don’t have this issue, but I was unable to test this.
- The Circle is hard to reboot - it has an internal battery which I suppose is nice for power outages - though seems unnecessary to me. However, when something goes wrong, you can’t power cycle it easily.
- When the Circle unblocks a service, sometimes it takes a while for the service to be restored. There are multiple reasons for this. In one case, I had to reboot the router my son’s Xbox was connected to to restore service. When I tried to reproduce this it didn’t happen again, but I’m suspicious that this isn’t the only time I’ll have this problem (for those who are technical, clearing the arp cache tends to clear these issues).
- When the Circle blocks a service, it routes the blocked user to a web page full of Disney content. Not the worst problem in the world, and this is the only time that “Disney” shows up in the product. I’m sure some VP is very proud of this.
There is no web console. I would prefer not to manage this just from my phone.
In the end, this device does way more than I had hoped - esp. For the price. It has brought me a solution to a problem I have struggled with for years. I’m a very happy user and feel that the benefits of this product fully outweigh the costs. Moreover, I like that it is something I can use to have a better dialogue with my kids about their technology use. It enables both “trust but verify” type monitoring, as well as specific and detailed constraints.
Great job!
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2019
Pros:
- Sufficiently powerful
- Does not create a performance impact if properly configured
- Easy to monitor remotely
- Works across multiple devices
- Provides both insight on technology use and control
- Allows you to set service level restrictions (e.g. limit Fortnite to 1 hour/day)
- Great price point.
Cons:
- It can cause your network to break in ways that are not obvious
- A bit complex to set up
- The service groupings (e.g. “Email” or “Online Gaming”) are not customizable
- Mobile only administration
Overall a solid product and well worth the cost.
Detailed Review -
A bit of background - I'm technically adept and understand my way around my own network. As my kids have become teenagers, my struggle has been to effectively parent their online behavior. On the one hand, their devices and technology are an important part of their school, social lives, and even part of our family connectedness. On the other, I've been concerned about how much time my son spends on Fortnite and Youtube, and about my daughter's technology use late at night.
Our solutions to this have largely been ineffective. We’ve tried having the kids leave their phones downstairs when they go to bed, but that doesn't address what they do during the day, and it has been a source of conflict. I've tried controls using my router, but they haven't been time based, nor sufficiently granular - e.g. I couldn't easily stop face time on my daughter's computer without affecting her ability to do homework. iOS 12's Screen Time feature has been helpful, but that only provides data for a single device and it is somewhat unreliable.
The big problem is that we can’t easily know exactly what they are doing without policing them, let alone come up with effective constraints.
I finally found a review online for the Circle. It seemed good, but I was concerned that 1) it might not work with my router (I use an ASUS AC5300), that it would create performance issues, and that it would not provide sufficient control to deal with the issues that we care about. However, I figured I would give it a try.
The key to how this product works is that it uses some obscure aspects of how networks work to give the circle the ability to see the network traffic that goes into and out of your house for any device or collection of devices (the technical term here is ARP Spoofing). Without getting into the technical details, if you connect the Circle via the ethernet cable, it does not create a performance issue. Moreover, any device configured as “unmanaged” is left alone. This is something I was particularly happy about as my home network has a lot of devices on it and I like the control.
Installation:
Installation was a bit obtuse. Despite being connected via ethernet to my router, I still had to use the WiFi network to setup the circle. Moreover, the Circle only understands how to talk to 2.4Ghz networks. That said, once everything was done, the wireless network was not an issue.
Setup:
Once setup I created a test profile for myself to see how well the device worked. I was pretty amazed at how easy and powerful it is. Profiles allow you to connect multiple devices, define specific constraints on a service level (e.g. Youtube), and these constraints work across all of the devices on the profile. Moreover, everything else is left alone.
Once active, I immediately got what I was looking for:
- Time spent on a variety of different services (YouTube, Fortnite, Gmail)
- Identification and monitoring explicit content sites
- Ability to set constraints, as either hours (bedtime and blocked time)
- Ability to set time limits (yeah!!!!)
I found the monitoring/time calculations to be pretty accurate. The only limit is that they are limited to 5 minute granularity - which is fine for me. Once the Circle chooses to block a service, it happens pretty immediately. Some things like youtube take a bit before the block is noticeable, but everything else is immediate. Restoring service is also immediate, though there can be some problems (see issues below)
What I LOVE:
- This device allows for granular control over services. Meaning, you can allow for web browsing and email, while blocking video games and netflix. You can block one device but not another.
- You can set up profiles for your family that work across multiple devices. No more temptation to cheat by moving consumption from one device to another
- For my network, the device even worked on the guest network which means my kids couldn’t get around it that way. It did not seem to affect our AT&T Micro-cell traffic however
- The device provides both monitoring and prevention. This allows me to have conversation with my kids where we now have an objective definition of time spent. Moreover, it allows them to see how much time they are spending so THEY can set the limits - Now I get to parent as a coach instead of as a policeman.
- There is no noticeable impact to my network performance. I have a 400mb/s connection to the internet and have noticed no impact to my network latency or performance from the Circle.
- It is pretty easy to use once it is set up.
Issues:
- It’s not perfect however and there are some things to be aware of:
- I can’t easily customize what Circle monitors/blocks. Circle’s pre-defined categories are pretty good, but if you want to change something it is not easy - and in some cases not possible. I would prefer to have more flexibility than the device provides, but given the ease of use it provides in other ways I can live with this constraint.
- Networking problems - the way the circle work can create compatibility issues with your router. Circle has put a pretty good compatibility chart on their website you can check - strongly recommended that you do this before buying this device
- The Circle can cause your network to break - in my case, if I make a change on my router, it can cause my entire network to freeze until I reset things using some fairly technical commands. This may be somewhat specific to my router, but when it happens, it is not something that the layperson could easily fix. I suspect that the routers that are marked as fully compatible (mine is not) don’t have this issue, but I was unable to test this.
- The Circle is hard to reboot - it has an internal battery which I suppose is nice for power outages - though seems unnecessary to me. However, when something goes wrong, you can’t power cycle it easily.
- When the Circle unblocks a service, sometimes it takes a while for the service to be restored. There are multiple reasons for this. In one case, I had to reboot the router my son’s Xbox was connected to to restore service. When I tried to reproduce this it didn’t happen again, but I’m suspicious that this isn’t the only time I’ll have this problem (for those who are technical, clearing the arp cache tends to clear these issues).
- When the Circle blocks a service, it routes the blocked user to a web page full of Disney content. Not the worst problem in the world, and this is the only time that “Disney” shows up in the product. I’m sure some VP is very proud of this.
There is no web console. I would prefer not to manage this just from my phone.
In the end, this device does way more than I had hoped - esp. For the price. It has brought me a solution to a problem I have struggled with for years. I’m a very happy user and feel that the benefits of this product fully outweigh the costs. Moreover, I like that it is something I can use to have a better dialogue with my kids about their technology use. It enables both “trust but verify” type monitoring, as well as specific and detailed constraints.
Great job!
September 10, 2016
Updated review after 1 1/2 months of usage: Downgraded from 5 stars to 1 star. The product is unusable.
It worked great out of the box -- just as my review outlines below. However, as time wore on our home internet began to rot. Here's what I mean: Our iPhones could not connect via wifi, our Tivos quit working, our Nest thermostats dropped offline. Sometimes a reboot of our router would fix some of these items, but eventually, they just stopped.
I would be (slightly) OK with all this if they had some form of customer support. They don't. The best that they offer is a FAQ. No phone line, no email address.
Worst part: Some of our devices have not "recovered" even after the Circle thing was turned off for 2 weeks.
Great product idea, I really liked it at first. The UI execution is good, but there are problems they didn't anticipate with the technical execution.
I can only give an unusable product 1 star.
-----
July 28, 2016
We just got this and installed it. The current review is just after installation. I'll come back and update my review after we've used it for a few weeks.
-----
Out of box experience
Set up and installation were smooth as silk. It goes like this: You connect the electricity. You install the app on your iPhone (also available on Android). From there the app directs the remainder of your configuration. Connect your iPhone to the wifi network that Circle makes available, then tell it the SSID and password for your wireless router. After that the Circle network disappears and you connect back to your router.
The app then prompts you to set up a profile for each of your family members. The main task here is to associate devices with each person. I was surprised that Circle detected 23 devices in our house: Laptops, iPhones, TiVos, Nest thermostats, printers, etc. etc. There are still 3 devices that I'm not sure about.
For each person you can set filters to limit access to inappropriate content, you can also set a "bedtime" where the internet is shut down for all that person's devices (e.g., 11PM to 6AM). Additionally you can set time limits for each person and even split those limits out to different categories of content (videos, shopping, etc.).
-----
A finer point
I wanted a bit more fine-grained control over gaming versus "regular" internet usage, so I created two profiles for each of our kids: One for game consoles and one for their other devices. That will let me totally shut off the consoles without limiting more mundane access. We'll see how that pans out.
-----
How the technology works
I have to admit that I'm completely sure how this device works. Other products work by intervening physically between your kids' devices and the rest of the internet. For instance, a competing product (koalasafe) works by setting up a completely separate wireless network that your kids must connect through -- I get that. On the other hand, Circle connects as an ordinary device to your existing wireless router, then takes it over via mind control of some sort.
----
Pros
+ Very easy set up.
+ Does what we need it to do -- sets time limits and turns off the internet at bed time.
+ Solid, simple smartphone app configuration and monitoring.
+ Smartphone app works even if you are outside the house.
+ Reports that summarize individual child's activity.
+ Big one: The company is alive and actively improving its product. Some competing services (webcurfew) seem to be dead or dying companies.
-----
Cons/limitations
- No control over devices when they are not connected to your home's wifi. A particular risk here is that a child can set up their iPhone as a hotspot, then connect to any content through that hotspot. Our approach to this is to set low monthly limits on their smartphone data usage.
- No control over devices outside the home (e.g., smartphones at school). Circle does offer a subscription app you can install on your kids phones to monitor them outside the home.
- Only way to monitor/configure is via the smartphone app. There is no web-based interface, or other way to control the device.
- Only can control the system from a single smartphone. It would be nice if both me and my wife could change the configuration.
- Weird name. The "Disney" affiliation is tenuous.
-----
Competing products
I have looked at a few other competing products, but settled on Circle for now:
+ WebCurfew: This is a cloud based service that you allow to remotely connect to and control your router. I tried it. The interface was very clunky and slow. I couldn't figure out how to set schedules. Just overall cheesy feeling.
+ KoalaSafe: This is a device that you connect to your existing router. It sets up a separate wireless network that your kids must connect to. Overall it looks like a promising product, but the reviews seemed to indicate that it was not as good as the Circle. The primary weakness seemed to be that the quality of the wireless connections was low.
+ Individual router controls: Many routers (e.g. Apple's airport, ASUS) have options that let you set on/off times for individual devices. These are OK, but not as flexible as Circle. For instance, I can easily "ground" all of a kid's devices with a single click using Circle.
-----
Overall
Great product. I look forward to seeing how it evolves.
Top reviews from other countries
This device is extremely easy to use. Every person has a profile that you make that covers ALL of their devices. You can block apps per person or set a time limit per day that covers ALL of their devices. I like that I can see what our teenage is up to in the history portion. Our teenager tried to download Fortnite and it was destroying our data. This helped us catch it and block the malicious content. It was also amazing to show the teenager how much screen time they had actually used (it was a wake up call).
I like the pre-made settings based off age. We have messed around with this quite a bit and were very impressed. It is a bit of ease as a parent. This thing is serious though. If you forget you've assigned a device (like an ipad) to a certain setting it can be quite frustrating to figure out what is wrong until you remember. It's that serious.
Better than pre-set router parental control. It's not even comparable, at all.
You can set certain devices to bypass this (tv, your own stuff). Have not noticed any slow down for the devices that go through this.
The features to reward extra time are very easy and very neat to use.
I cannot say how much of a game changer this is for family safety and peace of mind with a teenager. This actually works. I was sold on this by the end of the second day that I had it. This is worth every penny and more.
Man muss sich dann eine kostenlose App runterladen und diese führt einen dann durch die weitere Installation. Hier muss man sich übrigens auch registrieren.
Man muss sich ein bisschen einarbeiten, um die gewünschten Geräte steuern zu können, aber wenn man das einmal geschafft hat, dann funktioniert das Gerät recht zuverlässig.
Jedes Internetfähige Gerät lässt sich gezielt vom Netz an- und abkoppeln. Dies lässt sich auch mit festgelegten Uhrzeiten oder auch Zeitkontingenten steuern.
Meine Kinder fanden dies erst gar nicht so toll, aber sie haben sich schnell daran gewöhnt.
Und zudem muss man sich auch keine Gedanken mehr machen, ob die Kinder noch heimlich nach dem Zubettgehen die Zeit mit Online-Videos vertreiben.
Tienes control de todo a lo que se conectan a tu WiFi.
Mis hijos lo odian, ya que les control las redes sociales, veo a que paginas se meten, etc.
Tengo hijos de 7 15 años.
Lo he recomendado y ya van 2 amigos que lo compran.
Je suis étonnée que cette application ne soit pas si connue des parents car, quelle sérénité maintenant !