In addition to the basic functions, the FritzBox offers numerous options for optimizing your own home network. We will introduce you to some practical FritzBox features and give you helpful tips and tricks for optimizing your WiFi network.
1. Check WiFi quality and range
If you have a weak or shaky WiFi connection in your apartment or house, it doesn’t necessarily have to be due to poor hardware. In many cases, the position of your wireless router or the end device, i.e. laptop, console, etc., is the reason.
With the FritzApp WLAN from AVM you can easily find out where in your living room the connection is best or worst. Simply start the app and use your laptop and the like to go to various places in the house or apartment to check the connection. Also vary the location of the router – especially if you position it a little higher, this can significantly improve the transmission performance.
The download for the app (iOS and Android) can be found here:
2. Save expensive network storage with the FritzBox NAS feature
Instead of buying expensive network storage, for example to share files with all participants in the home network, FritzBox owners can simply use an old hard drive or a USB stick, which can be accessed by family or roommates with laptops, smartphones and the like in the home. Can access WiFi.
To do this, you must first connect your hard drive or USB stick to the FritzBox via a USB port. In the settings of the FritzBox you can use system > FRITZ! Box usersIf necessary, activate the permissions for access to NAS content.
A window then opens with the network folder “Fritz.NAS“. Now click with the right mouse button on the desired memory (USB or hard drive) and select” in the context menu “connect network drive“. Now all you have to do is click”Complete“Click to use it as network storage.
Small “but”: The performance of a storage medium that is connected to the FritzBox via USB (2.0) will never be comparable to a real network hard drive (NAS). When it comes to writing and reading speeds, you should always allow yourself a little time, especially with larger files.
3. Create parental controls
Especially important for parents: To protect the little ones from content that is not suitable for children, you can create a child lock on your FritzBox. This allows you to filter certain Internet pages – you can also fall back on ready-made lists in order to avoid content that is harmful to minors.
Particularly practical: Parental controls can be activated in the FritzBox settings for individual devices, e.g. the child’s PC and laptop. Look for the menu items in the settings Internet > filter on. Here you can first enter a “for all users in the home network”New access profile” create.
You can then use “Internet sitesfilter“either via”Whitelist“determine that access profiles are only allowed to select certain pages or via”Blacklist“That certain Internet pages are blocked for the respective users. Content that is harmful to minors can, for example, be blocked very easily with the prefabricated filter of the Federal Inspectorate for Media Harmful to Minors (BPjM).
The best FritzBox models for DSL and cable (advertisement)
Source: AVM / Saturn AVM FritzBox 6660 Cable
The FritzBox 6660 Cable is the best choice for cable customers: With Wi-Fi 6, it supports the latest WLAN standard and offers an excellent price-performance ratio. Up to six cordless telephones can be connected to the router.
195.99 euros
Watch at Saturn
Source: AVM / Saturn AVM FrtizBox 7590
The WLAN router achieved a maximum data throughput of 895 Mbit per second in the CHIP test and offers a wide range of features. For example, two USB 3.0 sockets are available to easily integrate printers and hard drives into the network.
204.99 euros
Watch at Saturn
Source: AVM / Saturn AVM FritzBox 6591 Cable
AVM’s second best router for the cable connection convinces in the CHIP test with good data transfer rates in the WLAN-AC as well as simple operation. In addition, the FritzBox 6591 Cable proves to be a great telephone system.
259.99 euros
Watch at Saturn
Source: AVM / Saturn AVM FritzBox 7530 AX
If you have a DSL connection at home and need Wi-Fi 6, the FritzBox 7530 AX really gets your money’s worth.
150.99 euros
Watch at Saturn
4. Set up your smartphone as a landline phone
In order to make calls with your smartphone (or tablet) at home via the FritzBox in the fixed network, you must first download the Fritz! App Fon; the associated downloads can be found under this section.
Now connect your smartphone to your WLAN and start the Fon app. If necessary, enter your FritzBox username and password. The Fritz! App Fon is then automatically set up as an IP telephone on the LAN / WLAN connection of the FritzBox.
If you as a user do not have authorization to use the Fritz! App Fon, you may have to adjust this first under “System> FRITZ! Box users”.
Over “Telephony“>”Telephony devices“>”To edit“You can now also set the phone number to be used for the app”OutgoingCalls“should produce.
5. Save electricity with the WLAN timer
If you want to save electricity when your FritzBox is not in use, for example at night, you can set up a timer in which the WLAN signal is switched off.
In the FritzBox settings select the items “WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS > Activate the timer“Here you can now individually set time periods for the individual days of the week in which the WLAN is switched off.
6. Access the FritzBox surface with the MyFritz! App on your smartphone
The most convenient way to access the FritzBox surface is via a browser on the computer. With the MyFritzApp (Android and iOS), access is also possible with smartphone and tablet. You can view call lists and listen to voice messages from the answering machine.
The app informs you about events in the home network, such as missed calls, via push message. The app also accesses USB storage devices connected to the FritzBox. To set it up, you need to download the app; Downloads can be found under this section. Then start the app with your smartphone or tablet connected to your home WiFi and, if necessary, enter your FritzBox password and user name. With a click on “Ready“the app is set up.
Via the menu item “Home network“in the FritzBox settings you can view a list of connected devices. Shortcuts lead you to devices with their own web interfaces, such as repeaters or printers. Address displayed.