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How to set up parental controls on NOW Hub Two

NOW Broadband Buddy + network-level filters

UK 2026 guide · Last reviewed · By Dr Alex J. Martin-Smith

Quick answer

NOW Broadband (a Sky-owned brand) ships a rebranded Sky hub. Parental controls run through the NOW Broadband Buddy app: per-device pause, scheduled internet "off-time", and Sky-style network filtering.

Cost Free with every NOW Broadband package
Where to manage NOW Broadband Buddy app
Time to set up About 5 minutes
Wi-Fi standard Wi-Fi 5
Shipped by NOW Broadband
UK install base About 500,000 UK households
Step by step

Step-by-step setup

  1. 01

    Download the NOW Broadband Buddy app on your phone.

  2. 02

    Sign in with your NOW account credentials.

  3. 03

    Tap Devices. You will see every device on your home Wi-Fi.

  4. 04

    Tap a device, then Pause or Schedule.

  5. 05

    Set an off-time window per device (for example, 21:00-07:00 school nights).

  6. 06

    Save.

Manufacturer source: https://help.nowtv.com/article/now-broadband-buddy

Honest limits

What NOW Hub Two parental controls can and cannot do

Features that work

  • Per-device pause and schedule via the Buddy app.
  • Network-level Sky-style content filters (basic adult / malware).
  • Free with every NOW Broadband package.

Features that do not work

  • No fine-grained content categories.
  • No SafeSearch enforcement.
  • No per-profile controls.
  • Mobile data, encrypted apps, VPN bypass.

How to block YouTube on NOW Hub Two

NOW Broadband Buddy does not block YouTube directly. Use the per-device schedule to limit time, or device-level controls (Apple Screen Time, Google Family Link).

How to pause Wi-Fi on NOW Hub Two

NOW Broadband Buddy app → Devices → tap device → Pause. Or Schedule for daily off-time.

How to block social media on NOW Hub Two

Not directly. Use device schedules in the Buddy app, or device-level controls.

Troubleshooting

NOW Hub Two parental controls not working: common fixes

Buddy app cannot find the Hub

Make sure you are connected to the NOW Hub Wi-Fi (not mobile data) on first setup.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Is NOW Broadband Buddy free?

Yes, free with every NOW Broadband package.

How is the NOW Hub Two different from Sky?

NOW Broadband is a Sky-owned brand using rebranded Sky hardware. The parental controls product is different (Buddy app vs Sky Broadband Shield + WiFi Max) but the underlying network is the same.

More help

If NOW Hub Two controls are not enough

Router-level controls have known gaps: mobile data, encrypted apps, VPNs. These guides from our sister site BroadbandSwitch.uk pick up where the router stops.

Online Safety Hub The full BroadbandSwitch.uk online-safety hub. Router Parental Controls A non-technical parents' guide to router-level controls. UK ISP Parental Controls Every UK ISP's parental control product compared.
Related routers

If you have a different router

Sky Broadband Hub (SR203) Sky Broadband Shield Sky Max Hub (SR213) Sky Broadband Shield + WiFi Max Parental Controls

References

  1. MoneySuperMarket. (2026). Now broadband routers. https://www.moneysupermarket.com/broadband/guides/now-broadband-routers/

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