A WiFi filtering service is tool that can be used by organizations to protect their wireless networks and users´ devices from online threats such as malware, adware and ransomware. Services for filtering WiFi networks have the added advantage of allowing organizations to control what online content can be accessed by their employees – potentially enhancing workplace productivity and preventing HR issues.
The implementation of a wireless network Internet filter can also have benefits for organizations in the retail industry that provide a free WiFi service for customers. By protecting their service against online threats – and their customers from exposure to inappropriate online material – an organization can retain customers better than a competitor providing an unprotected service.
Protect Wireless Networks with a WiFi Filtering Service
A WiFi filtering service protects wireless networks and the devices connected to them by analyzing every request to visit a website when a link is clicked or a URL entered into a browser. The WiFi filtering service compares the request against the parameter settings of the wireless network Internet filter to establish whether the request can be allowed or declined.
Organizations generally tend to choose services for filtering WiFi networks that have a three-tier level of protection. Consequently their networks are protected by blacklists, category filters and keywords filters that not only block access to unsafe websites, but also to the file types typically associated with malware drive-by downloads.
The highest level of protection is delivered by services for filtering WiFi networks that offer SSL inspection. Not all apparently “secure” websites (those with an https:// prefix) are as secure as they seem, and the SSL inspection feature decrypts “secure” web pages and files within then to check for malware, before re-encrypting them for secure transmission.
Control Employee Internet Access with a Wireless Network Internet Filter
Although some personal use of the Internet by employees is considered to have a positive impact on productivity at work, excessive “cyberslacking” is estimated to cost industry billions of dollars each year in lost productivity. Depending on the nature of the online material being viewed (i.e. pornography), employers who fail to control employee Internet access could be accused of complicity in creating a hostile working environment.
If you organization is operating a WiFi network, employee Internet access can be controlled with a WiFi filtering service. The parameters on the wireless network Internet filter can be set to block access to social media channels, online shopping portals, and video streaming services – potentially enhancing workplace productivity – and websites featuring pornography and other objectionable material likely to cause HR issues and breaches of acceptable use policies.
Providers of services for filtering WiFi networks acknowledge that some organizations use social media channels as part of the online marketing strategy. Consequently the parameters on a wireless network Internet filter can be applied by individual user, user group or department – or applied using time-based controls in order to allow employees personal use of the Internet during meal breaks.
Services for Filtering WiFi Networks Help Build Customer Loyalty
Organizations in the retail industry often provide a free WiFi service to customers. Free WiFi is acknowledged as being a contributing factor to where customers choose to shop, eat and meet. However, if your customers are exposed to online threats such as malware, adware and ransomware – or objectionable material being viewed publicly – they are unlikely to return to your premises and take their business elsewhere.
A wireless network Internet filter can prevent these scenarios from occurring by filtering out online threats and objectionable material. Furthermore, the provision of a WiFi filtering service gives your organization a competitive advantage over retailers who risk losing customers due to providing an unprotected WiFi service. Consequently, not only will you build customer loyalty with a WiFi filtering service, but also attract new customers disenchanted with the service they have received elsewhere.
A further advantage of implementing a wireless network Internet filter is that the filter generates reports of customer browsing activity. This information can help your organization to construct marketing campaigns based on your customers´ online preferences and potentially increase sales. As word gets around about your protected WiFi filtering service and ability to supply what customers want, you could see a further growth of customers and further increased sales.
How a WiFi Filtering Service Eliminates Bandwidth Issues
Irrespective of whether your WiFi service is exclusively for employees or shared with customers, many organizations experience bandwidth issues. These issues are frequently caused by users visiting bandwidth-heavy video streaming websites, listening to music online or using web applications to play games or share files.
Bandwidth issues can lead to a loss in productivity, as employees are unable to access the Internet or reply to emails, and can dissuade customers from using the free WiFi service introduced to attract their business. However, by restricting access to certain categories of website, services for filtering WiFi networks eliminate these issues and ensure that there is sufficient bandwidth for all users.
As the best services for filtering WiFi networks have the granularity that allows for the parameters on a wireless network Internet filter to be applied by user, user group or department – or applied using time-based controls – organizations have the flexibility to implement restrictions on Internet access to suit their individual circumstances and periods of peak Internet use.
Speak with WebTitan about our Wireless Network Internet Filter
All of the benefits mentioned above can be achieved with the implementation of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi – a DNS-based WiFi filtering service that requires neither the purchase of hardware nor the installation of software. WebTitan Cloud for WiFi works by simply redirecting your organization´s DNS to our servers, meaning that you can be protecting your network systems and your users´ devices within minutes.
Configuration of the wireless network Internet filter is managed via a web-based portal – allowing administrators to set multiple filtering parameters from any location – and the filtering parameters can be adjusted as required via the portals intuitive interface. There are no limits to the number of users or devices that can connect to our services for filtering WiFi networks and therefore no potential issues with scalability should your organization expand.
Other Features and Benefits of WebTitan Cloud for WiFi Include:
- Three-tier filtering mechanism with SSL inspection to provide maximum protection against online threats.
- Multiple customizable category filters to address organizations´ unique or specific filtering requirements.
- Highly granular controls enable maximum flexibility in how organizations control user access to the Internet.
- A suite of automated reports give organizations an insight into employee and customer online activity, including real-time views of Internet activity.
- Multi-lingual filtering and anonymizer service blocking to prevent circumnavigation of the filtering parameters.
- APIs supplied for backend integration with management reporting tools and directory services such as Active Directory, LDAP, and NetIQ.
- Available to MSPs and resellers in white-label format with a choice of hosting options available.
- World class customer service.
- Highly competitive pricing and a fully transparent pricing policy.
Speak with us today about our wireless network Internet filter and you will invited to trial WebTitan Cloud for WiFi free for fourteen days. There is no obligation for your organization to continue using our WiFi filtering service at the conclusion of the trial period; however we believe that – once you have experienced our services for filtering WiFi networks – you will be reluctant to stop protecting your wireless networks and your users´ devices, controlling your employees´ Internet access and building customer loyalty.
WebTitan´s WiFi Filtering Services for MSPs and Resellers
If you are a Managed Service provider or service reseller supplying a wireless Internet service to your clients, we invite you to download our free PDF explaining the “WebTitan MSP Program”. Our program has multiple benefits for MSPs looking to save on support time and prevent malware infections and offers an excellent opportunity to grow your revenue with our white-labelled product.
