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Smoothwall Filter
What Smoothwall Filter is
Smoothwall Filter is web-filtering software designed for UK schools and education administrators. When a page is requested, it evaluates the page’s content, context, and construction and can block individual pages instead of entire sites. Administrators can tailor policies by user group, category, time, location IP, subnet, and hostname, with custom blocklists, safe-search controls, and filtering schedules. Social-media controls can remove inappropriate material while allowing read-only access for research and learning. VPN-bypass measures detect, remediate, and alert on attempts to evade controls. Deployment options include cloud, on-premise, and hybrid setups. Supported environments include Chrome OS, Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, web access, and on-premise network appliances. Reports include search behavior by individuals or groups, while real-time alerts cover seven category rule sets. Cloud Filter can identify managed-device users through Azure or Google Directory; the authentication guide also lists IDex. Pricing is available by quote.
Who it suits
Smoothwall Filter is aimed at UK schools and education administrators managing access across school devices, networks, public Wi-Fi, guest devices, and students’ own devices.
What it does well
- Evaluates pages instead of relying on published blocklists
- Supports cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployment
- Provides seven-category incident alerts
- Offers policy controls by user, time, and network details
- Supports Chrome OS, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
What to know first
- Pricing requires a quote
- Cloud-only setups cannot filter unmanaged BYOD devices
- On-premise-only filtering cannot cover off-site devices
- Cloud Filter Extension covers only its installed browser
Limits
Cloud-only deployments cannot filter unmanaged BYOD devices, while on-premise-only appliances cannot filter devices off-site. The Cloud Filter Extension covers only the browser where installed unless Filter Backstop is also used.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothwall Filter | Pricing by quote; contact Smoothwall for a quote or demo | On request |
As smoothwall.com lists them, read 11 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Smoothwall Filter website
- Request a quote or demo through Smoothwall’s contact form
- Choose cloud, on-premise or hybrid deployment
- Select supported devices and network appliances
- Configure user, category, time and location policies
- Connect Azure, Google Directory or IDex authentication where applicable
Verdict
Smoothwall Filter combines page-level evaluation, detailed policy controls, reporting, and alerts for education settings. Deployment choice matters because cloud-only and on-premise-only arrangements have different device and off-site limitations.
Questions
What platforms does Smoothwall Filter support?
It supports Chrome OS, Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android and on-premise network appliances.
How is Smoothwall Filter priced?
It is a paid product with pricing available by quote from Smoothwall.
Can it filter BYOD devices?
Filtering is available for public Wi-Fi and guest mobile devices on the network. Cloud-only setups cannot filter unmanaged BYOD devices; Smoothwall says an on-premise appliance is needed for those devices.
Which authentication directories are supported?
For managed devices using Cloud Filter, Smoothwall lists Azure and Google Directory, and its authentication guide also lists IDex.
What deployment choices are available?
Smoothwall offers cloud, on-premise and hybrid deployments.
Does it provide reports and alerts?
It reports search behavior by individuals or groups and generates real-time incident notifications across seven category rule sets.
Facts from Smoothwall Filter's own pages
- Alerts and reporting
- It reports web activity and generates real-time alerts across seven category rule sets to support safeguarding investigations. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Alerts and reports
- It provides incident notifications across seven category rule sets and reports search behavior by individuals or groups. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Authentication integrations
- For managed devices using Cloud Filter, Smoothwall lists Azure and Google Directory for identifying and authenticating users; its authentication guide also lists IDex. · kb.smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- BYOD
- Filtering is available for public Wi-Fi and guest mobile devices on the network, including students’ own devices. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- BYOD limitation
- Cloud-only setups cannot filter unmanaged BYOD devices; Smoothwall says an on-premise appliance is needed to filter those devices on the organisation’s network. · kb.smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Compliance and accreditation
- Smoothwall states that Filter complies with DfE standards and KCSIE guidelines and is an accredited filtering provider with the UK Safer Internet Centre. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- It is available in cloud, on-premise and hybrid deployments. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Extension limitation
- The Cloud Filter Extension filters only the browser where it is installed unless Filter Backstop is also used. · kb.smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Filtering
- It evaluates a page’s content, context and construction when requested, and says it blocks pages rather than entire sites. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Headquarters
- Smoothwall Ltd lists its registered office at 2 Whitehall Quay, Leeds, LS1 4HR, United Kingdom. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- How filtering works
- It evaluates a page’s content, context and construction when requested rather than relying on published blocklists. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- HTTPS filtering
- It detects harmful or malicious content hidden behind SSL and secure anonymous proxies. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The product is presented as a web filtering solution for UK education settings, including schools and education administrators. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Off-site limitation
- An on-premise-only appliance filters through the network and cannot filter devices when they are off-site. · kb.smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The page lists Chrome OS, Windows, macOS and iOS support. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Page-level controls
- The product blocks pages rather than entire sites to reduce overblocking and support age-appropriate learning. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Policy controls
- Policies can be tailored by user group, content category, time, location IP, subnet and hostname. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Pricing and support contact
- Smoothwall invites visitors to request a quote or demo through its contact form. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Smoothwall Filter provides real-time, content-aware web filtering designed for UK education. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Social media
- Social media controls can remove inappropriate content while permitting read-only access for research and learning. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Standards
- Smoothwall says Filter complies with DfE Standards and KCSIE guidelines and is accredited by the UK Safer Internet Centre. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Support
- Smoothwall offers technical support by ticket and an urgent-issue service desk by phone; its support agreement describes telephone, live chat and customer-portal support. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- Supported devices
- The product page lists Chrome OS, Windows, macOS and iOS; Smoothwall’s deployment guide also lists its Android filtering app. · kb.smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
- VPN bypass controls
- The product includes measures to detect, remediate and alert on students’ attempts to bypass controls using VPNs. · smoothwall.com, 11 Oct 2026
Where Smoothwall Filter stands on Freedom251
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