Kid control is a parental control that allows you to limit connectivity for LAN devices based on the MAC address. When creating Kid Control rules, simple filter or queue rules will be automatically created. By doing this entire process automatically, the router captures the IP address of the devices.

It is a tool designed specifically to manage children's Internet access, controlling when and how long they can be online. Although Kid Control can influence bandwidth management, it does not directly replace traditional bandwidth management functionalities that are performed through simple queues, tree queues, or by configuring profiles on a PPPoE or HotSpot server.

We explain more in detail:

Kid Control Features

1. Time control: Kid Control allows you to configure how long and at what specific times children can access the Internet. This is done by defining rules based on daily, weekly, or monthly total time, and assigning allowed schedules.
2. Device Assignment: You can assign specific devices to a Kid Control profile using the device's MAC address. This ensures that access rules are applied directly to the child's device, regardless of whether they change IP addresses.

Bandwidth Management in MikroTik

Bandwidth management in MikroTik, on the other hand, refers to the ability to limit Internet speed for certain users or services, which is typically done through:

1. Simple Queues and Tree Queues: These tools allow you to define upload and download speed limits for specific IP addresses, subnets, or even for specific traffic types, using packet flags set in mangle.
2. User Profiles in PPPoE/HotSpot: In HotSpot or PPPoE configurations, user profiles can define specific bandwidth limits that are applied when a user authenticates.

Comparison and Complementarity

• Kid Control It is best viewed as a parental control tool that makes it easier to manage online time, rather than bandwidth. It has no native capabilities to limit device connection speeds, instead focusing on time-based access control.
• Bandwidth Management It is necessary to control the amount of network resources (such as bandwidth) that a user or application can consume, which is crucial in environments where quality of service (QoS) is important.

In summary, Kid Control and bandwidth management fulfill complementary but distinct functions within MikroTik devices. While Kid Control focuses on time-based access control, bandwidth management tools deal with the distribution and limitation of network resources.

For effective network management, especially in home environments, both sets of tools may be necessary to ensure both secure access and equitable distribution of Internet resources.