Smoothwall Filter
Smoothwall Filter is web-filtering software designed for UK education settings, including schools and education administrators.
What Smoothwall Filter is
Smoothwall Filter is web-filtering software designed for UK education settings, including schools and education administrators. It evaluates a requested page’s content, context, and construction, then can block individual pages instead of entire sites. Administrators can create 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 research access, and VPN controls can detect, remediate, and alert on bypass attempts. Cloud, on-premise, and hybrid deployments are available. Supported environments include Chrome OS, Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Android, web access, and on-premise network appliances. Reports include search behavior by person or group, while real-time alerts cover seven category rule sets. Smoothwall states compliance with DfE Standards and KCSIE guidelines and accreditation by the UK Safer Internet Centre. Pricing is by quote.
Good
- Page-level blocking reduces overblocking
- Custom blocklists and safe search
- Filtering schedules available
- Advanced activity reports
- Cloud, on-premise, hybrid deployment
Watch out
- Pricing requires a quote
- Cloud-only cannot filter unmanaged BYOD
- On-premise-only cannot filter off-site devices
- Extension filters one browser
Who it suits
It suits UK schools and education administrators managing filtering across managed, guest, or BYOD devices. Deployment and off-site requirements should be reviewed carefully.
Verdict
Smoothwall Filter offers detailed policy controls, page-level decisions, reporting, and several deployment models for education networks. Its BYOD, off-site, and extension limitations make deployment design important.
Plans and prices
From Smoothwall Filter's own pricing page, checked 11 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothwall Filter | Priced on request | Pricing by quote; contact Smoothwall for a quote or demo |
The facts
Each one read from Smoothwall Filter's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Alerts and reporting
- It reports web activity and generates real-time alerts across seven category rule sets to support safeguarding investigations.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Alerts and reports
- It provides incident notifications across seven category rule sets and reports search behavior by individuals or groups.checked 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.checked 11 Oct 2026
- BYOD
- Filtering is available for public Wi-Fi and guest mobile devices on the network, including students’ own devices.checked 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.checked 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.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Deployment
- It is available in cloud, on-premise and hybrid deployments.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Extension limitation
- The Cloud Filter Extension filters only the browser where it is installed unless Filter Backstop is also used.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Filtering
- It evaluates a page’s content, context and construction when requested, and says it blocks pages rather than entire sites.checked 11 Oct 2026
- How filtering works
- It evaluates a page’s content, context and construction when requested rather than relying on published blocklists.checked 11 Oct 2026
- HTTPS filtering
- It detects harmful or malicious content hidden behind SSL and secure anonymous proxies.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The product is presented as a web filtering solution for UK education settings, including schools and education administrators.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Off-site limitation
- An on-premise-only appliance filters through the network and cannot filter devices when they are off-site.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Operating systems
- The page lists Chrome OS, Windows, macOS and iOS support.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Page-level controls
- The product blocks pages rather than entire sites to reduce overblocking and support age-appropriate learning.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Policy controls
- Policies can be tailored by user group, content category, time, location IP, subnet and hostname.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Pricing and support contact
- Smoothwall invites visitors to request a quote or demo through its contact form.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Smoothwall Filter provides real-time, content-aware web filtering designed for UK education.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Social media
- Social media controls can remove inappropriate content while permitting read-only access for research and learning.checked 11 Oct 2026
- Standards
- Smoothwall says Filter complies with DfE Standards and KCSIE guidelines and is accredited by the UK Safer Internet Centre.checked 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.checked 11 Oct 2026
- VPN bypass controls
- The product includes measures to detect, remediate and alert on students’ attempts to bypass controls using VPNs.checked 11 Oct 2026
The company
- Headquarters
- Smoothwall Ltd lists its registered office at 2 Whitehall Quay, Leeds, LS1 4HR, United Kingdom.checked 11 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Supported devices
- The product page lists Chrome OS, Windows, macOS and iOS; Smoothwall’s deployment guide also lists its Android filtering app.checked 11 Oct 2026
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