Blocking YouTube via Xiaomi router: 5 working methods

Why block YouTube at the router level?

YouTube video has become an integral part of digital life, but sometimes it becomes necessary to restrict access to it: parents want to protect children from unwanted content, employers want to increase employee productivity, and some users simply want to reduce the time spent watching videos. Blocking through the Xiaomi router solves this problem centrally: the restriction will apply to all devices connected to your network, from smartphones to smart TVs.

Unlike setting parental controls on each gadget separately, setting up on the router saves time and ensures that restrictions don’t get by through a VPN or resetting on the device. Xiaomi offers several built-in tools for doing this, from simple domain name blocking to flexible Firewall rules and access schedules. However, it’s important to understand that some methods can slow down the network or block other Google services closely related to YouTube.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways of blocking, their pros and cons, and give recommendations on choosing the best option for your goals.

Method 1: Domain name blocking (the easiest way)

This is a good way for users who want to quickly restrict access to YouTube without deep settings, and the idea is to blacklist video hosting domains. DNS-Advantage: does not require technical knowledge and works on all devices on the network.

To activate the lock:

1. Open the router’s web interface by going to 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com for some models).
2. Sign in under the administrator account (by default login and password – admin).
3. Go to the section Additional settings → Network → DNS.
4. In the Domain Blacklist field, add the following addresses (each from a new line): youtube.com www.youtube.com m.youtube.com youtu.be googlevideo.com
5. Save the settings and restart the router.

Once you have set up the settings, all devices on the network will lose access to YouTube through the browser and official app, but please note that this method does not block access to videos embedded on other sites (for example, social networks), as they are downloaded from other domains.

⚠️ Note: If other Google services (such as Gmail or Google Drive) are no longer available after blocking, remove the googlevideo.com domain from the blacklist - it is only responsible for streaming video.

Method 2: Using the built-in Firewall (flexible setting)

For users of Xiaomi Router models 4A/4C/4Q/AX3600/AX6000 A more advanced tool is available, the built-in firewall, which allows you to block access to YouTube over the Internet. IP-Addresses or ports, and set up a schedule of restrictions.

Instructions for setting:

• 📌 Go to the router’s web interface and go to Additional settings → Security → Firewall.
• 🔧 Activate the option to Enable the firewall.
• 📝 In the section Filtering Rules, create a new rule: Type: Block the Protocol: TCP/UDP Port of destination: 443 (for HTTPS-traffic) IP-destination address: add ranges 142.250.0.0/16 and 208.65.153.0/24 (it IP-YouTube addresses).
• 🕒 If necessary, set a schedule (for example, lock from 22:00 to 7:00).

This method is more reliable than domain blocking, as it intercepts traffic at the IP level.

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To find relevant IP-YouTube addresses, use the command in the terminal (Windows/Linux/Mac): ping youtube.com or nslookup youtube.com. Update Firewall rules once in a while 1-2 month.

Method 3: Device-based parental controls

If you only need to block YouTube on specific devices (like a children’s tablet or smartphone), use Parental Control in MiWiFi firmware, a method that allows you to flexibly manage access for each gadget separately.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Mi Wi-Fi app on your smartphone or go to the router’s web interface.
2. Go to Parental Controls → Devices and select the target device from the list of connected devices.
3. Click Add Restriction and select Blocked Sites.
4. Enter YouTube domains (as in Method 1) and save settings.
5. If you wish, set a time limit for Internet use or a block schedule.

The advantage of this is that you can block YouTube only for selected devices without affecting other gadgets on the network. For example, you can restrict access for a children's tablet, but leave YouTube available on your smartphone. However, note that a child can bypass the lock by connecting to the network through another device (for example, a smart TV).

Method 4: Redirecting DNS to family servers (e.g. OpenDNS)

One of the most reliable ways to block is to redirect the entire DNS-traffic to specialized servers that filter unwanted content, such as OpenDNS FamilyShield automatically blocks YouTube and other adult resources.

How to set up:

• 🌍 Register on the OpenDNS website (free) and select FamilyShield.
• 📡 In the router's web interface go to the Network → DNS.
• 🔄 Replace automatics DNS by: 208.67.222.123 208.67.220.123
• 🔒 Save settings and restart the router.

Now, all requests to YouTube will be redirected to OpenDNS servers, which will return the blocking error, and this method is effective because:

• 🛡️ It works even if the user manually changes. DNS on the device (if the router disable the possibility of using alternatives) DNS).
• 📅 Supports flexible filtering settings by category (social networks, games, porn, etc.).
• 📊 Provides statistics of visited sites in the personal account OpenDNS.

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as YouTube Kids or SmartTubeNext for Android) TV) They can use hard-coded IP-addresses DNS-In this case, combine the method with Firewall (Method 2).

Method 5: Blocking through MAC-filtering (for advanced users)

If you want to block YouTube only for certain devices MAC-Use the router's Access Control function. This method requires manual indication. MAC-Addresses and works in tandem with other ways of blocking.

Algorithm of action:

1. Find out. MAC-address of the target device (you can find it in the settings of the gadget network or in the list of connected devices of the router).
2. In the router’s web interface, go to Additional Settings → Wireless Mode → Access Control.
3. Activate the Blacklist and add MAC-address.
4. Save the settings and create a rule in Firewall (like Method 2) by tying it to that. MAC-address.

This method is suitable for Xiaomi Router Pro or models with Padavan firmware, where advanced filtering is available. MAC. However, it has a significant disadvantage: MAC-Addresses can be forged using special applications (for example, Mac Changer for Android.

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MAC-Filtering is effective only in combination with other methods (DNS It's easy to get by and doesn't provide a secure lock.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When blocking YouTube via Xiaomi router, users face typical difficulties, and let’s look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Problem 1: YouTube is blocked, but videos on social networks (Vkontakte, Facebook) continue to play.

• The reason: Social media uses their CDNs to store videos, not YouTube domains.
• Solution: Blacklist the domains vk-cdn.me, fbcdn.net or use Firewall to block keywords in the URL (If your firmware supports URL-filtering).

Problem 2: After blocking, other Google services (Mail, Drive, Maps) stopped working.

• Reason: Domain googlevideo.com or IP-ranges 142.250.0.0/16 It is also used by other services.
• Solution: Remove googlevideo.com from the blacklist or clarify IP-ranges, leaving only those that are specific to YouTube (use whois to check).

Problem 3: The lock works in the browser, but not in the YouTube mobile app.

• Reason: Applications can use direct IP-compounds or alternatives API.
• Solution: Combine DNS-Filtering with Firewall, blocking ports 443 and 80 IP-YouTube addresses.

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If the Internet disappeared on some devices after blocking, check if you have added to the blacklist. DNS-Use the ping 8.8.8.8.8 tool to diagnose your provider.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions