Name: Lightspeed Filter
Rating: 8.7 (18 reviews)
Author: Lightspeed Systems

Help Desk

Web and Video Conferencing

Customer Support

Cross-Browser Testing

Functional Testing

Product Analytics

Text Editors

Version Control

Development

Student Management

Education

Business Intelligence (BI)

Business Process Management (BPM)

Collaboration

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Enterprise Feedback Management

Enterprise Search

Online Notary

Enterprise

Accounting

Hedge Fund

Travel Management

Finance and Accounting

Applicant Tracking

Corporate Learning Management

HR Management

Payroll

Talent Intelligence

Talent Management

Workforce Analytics

Workforce Management

Human Resources

Change Management

Cloud Storage

Complex Event Processing

Configuration Management

Converged Network Adapters (CNAs)

Data Center Cooling

Density-Optimized Servers

Firewall

Fraud Detection

Infrastructure Capacity Planning

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)

Mainframe Monitoring

Managed DNS

Network Performance Monitoring

Privileged Access Management

Remote Desktop

SaaS Backup

Software Components

Storage as a Service (STaaS)

System Monitoring

Unified Communications Monitoring

User Virtualization

Website Hosting

Information Technology

A/B Testing

Ad Serving & Retargeting

All-in-One Marketing

Channel Management

Content Management

Data Cleansing

Digital Experience Intelligence

Email Deliverability

Email Marketing

Marketing Automation

Mobile Analytics

Social Media Management

Survey & Forms Building

Web Analytics

Marketing

Project Management

Waste Management

Professional Services

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Government Contracting

Sales Enablement

Sales

Intrusion Detection

Operational Technology (OT) Security

Security

Aviation

Awards Management

Direct Secure Messaging

Loan Servicing

Vertical-Specific

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### Network Security
Reviewers consistently highlight Lightspeed Filter's network security as a key strength, emphasizing its ability to effectively filter out unwanted content and provide a secure browsing experience for both staff and students. Users appreciate the platform's capability to control network traffic, customize access policies, and ensure compliance with regulations such as CIPA. Despite some minor compatibility issues with certain operating systems, users generally find Lightspeed Filter to be a reliable and cost-effective solution for enhancing network security across their organizations. (Source Reviews: [1](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-2023-01-12-12-25-09), [2](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-10-16-25), [3](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-27-12-47-22), [4](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-platform-formerly-relay-2021-04-23-08-13-45), [5](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-11-45-58))

### Wireless and Wired Networks
Reviewers unanimously praise Lightspeed Filter's wired and wireless network capabilities. Users appreciate the platform's ability to efficiently manage bandwidth consumption, enhance network performance, and provide secure access to websites while filtering out unwanted content. The implementation of Lightspeed Filter in both wired and wireless networks has been lauded for its ease of use, compatibility with various operating systems, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, the platform's features such as URL filtering, content filtering, and application control have been highlighted as valuable assets in maintaining a secure and optimized network environment. Despite some minor drawbacks reported by users, the general consensus remains positive regarding Lightspeed Filter's effectiveness in managing wired and wireless networks. (Source Reviews: [1](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-2023-01-12-12-25-09), [2](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-27-12-47-22), [3](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-11-45-58), [4](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-platform-formerly-relay-2021-04-23-08-13-45))

### Content Filtering Technologies
User feedback on Lightspeed Filter's content filtering capabilities varies. Some users praise its ability to effectively filter out unwanted content and provide a secure online environment for both staff and students. They appreciate features like URL filtering, application control, and malware protection. However, there are also concerns raised about occasional delays in applying new filtering rules and difficulties in identifying the source of blocked sites. Despite these challenges, Lightspeed Filter generally receives positive feedback for its content filtering technologies. (Source Reviews: [1](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-2023-01-12-12-25-09), [2](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-27-12-47-22), [3](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-10-16-25), [4](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-platform-formerly-relay-2021-04-23-08-13-45))

### Student Safety
Reviewers consistently highlight Lightspeed Filter's student safety capabilities as a key strength of the platform. Users appreciate the platform's ability to protect students from accessing inappropriate content and its feature to monitor online activities for signs of self-harm or bullying. The safety check filter that alerts staff of potential risks further enhances the overall safety measures in place. Lightspeed Filter's focus on student safety is well-received by users across different educational settings, contributing to a positive and secure learning environment. (Source Reviews: [1](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-2023-01-12-12-25-09), [2](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-11-45-58), [3](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-27-12-47-22), [4](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-platform-formerly-relay-2021-04-23-08-13-45), [5](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-10-16-25))

### Education and Learning Environments
Users consistently praise Lightspeed Filter's effectiveness in enhancing education and learning environments. They highlight the software's ability to provide full control and a positive experience for educators in managing students' online activities. Additionally, users appreciate how Lightspeed Filter contributes to reducing bandwidth consumption and improving network performance, ultimately creating a conducive learning environment. The platform's compatibility with various operating systems and ease of use further enhance its value in educational settings. Despite some users noting the lack of direct integrations with other learning management systems, the overall sentiment remains positive regarding Lightspeed Filter's impact on education and learning environments. (Source Reviews: [1](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-2023-01-12-12-25-09), [2](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-10-16-25), [3](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-27-12-47-22), [4](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-11-45-58), [5](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-platform-formerly-relay-2021-04-23-08-13-45))

### Remote Learning Support
Some users praise Lightspeed Filter for its remote learning support, highlighting its ease of use and effectiveness in educational settings. However, others express concerns about the limited customization options and integration capabilities with external platforms and LMS systems. While the platform offers benefits such as improved network performance and reduced bandwidth consumption, the lack of direct integrations with other learning management systems may be a drawback for some users. (Source Reviews: [1](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-2023-01-12-12-25-09), [2](https://www.trustradius.com/reviews/lightspeed-filter-formerly-relay-2021-10-21-10-16-25))

Users have provided recommendations based on their experience with the products mentioned in the context. These are the three most common recommendations:

1. Users suggest using the free version of BeanFlumper instead of the full version, running it on your own system rather than relying on the cloud version.
2. To ensure proper setup, users recommend thoroughly reviewing Lightspeed's documentation and articles in their knowledge base. They also suggest testing the software in your own environment and comparing its features.
3. Users advise comparing Relay to other filtering systems, specifically noting its superior report options and granular filtering capabilities. They recommend discussing Relay's benefits with Lightspeed and establishing a solid directory before implementing policies.

Seamless Integration: Users appreciate the seamless integration of Relay, allowing for easy monitoring of websites and identification of blocked sites both on and off campus. This feature has been mentioned by a significant number of reviewers.

Web Filtering Capability: The web filtering capability of Relay is highly valued by users, who find it effective in filtering content on Chromebooks. Many reviewers have praised this feature for its effectiveness in ensuring a safe online environment for K-12 students.

Reporting and Audit Abilities: The reporting and audit abilities of Lightspeed are seen as valuable in monitoring internet usage and identifying trends that require intervention. Numerous users have highlighted the usefulness of the reporting functionality in easily identifying inappropriate content and taking necessary actions.

Challenging Deployment Process: Many users have consistently expressed their frustration with the deployment process of the software. They have found it to be challenging and cumbersome, requiring them to jump through hoops in order to get it up and running smoothly.

Unintuitive Rules Between Environments: A number of users have mentioned that they find the rules between the Google environment and ad environments to be unintuitive. This lack of clarity has caused confusion for users while navigating these different environments.

Lack of Detailed Reports and Export Options: Some users have suggested that the reports provided by the software could be more detailed and offer better export and sharing options. Currently, they feel limited in their ability to access comprehensive information and share it effectively with others.

Lightspeed is highly regarded by users as a reliable and trustworthy web filtering tool that effectively blocks inappropriate websites while allowing access to K-12 educational material. Users have praised the product's ease of use and responsive customer support. Lightspeed has been successfully implemented across various devices, including iPads, Chromebooks, and staff workstations. Its cloud option has been particularly beneficial during the pandemic, enabling distance learning with content-filtered Chromebooks. The user-friendly interface of the dashboard allows for quick investigation of filtering issues and site categorization. Additionally, Lightspeed integrates well with digital catalogs and provides user-level control for teachers in managing students' digital experiences. By ensuring internet safety compliance and simplifying deployment and management, Lightspeed has proven to be a good fit for K-12 environments.

Relay, an important feature of Lightspeed, significantly improves internet traffic speed, especially for off-site devices, compared to previous solutions. Users have found Relay to offer robust filtering and management features, particularly with YouTube content. Lightspeed effectively filters and monitors web activity, contributing to a safer online environment and preventing VPN client traffic and other workarounds. It offers significant benefits for districts such as content filtering, classroom management, and Chromebook location tracking—especially valuable during distance learning. Teachers appreciate the ease of use in web filtering and the visibility provided for administrators. Furthermore, Relay helps schools keep students focused on their education by redirecting them from aimless internet browsing.

Lightspeed's reporting features have also proven valuable in identifying concerning student searches and addressing potential safety issues. The product enables easy device management and provides insights into internet traffic patterns. Users have utilized Lightspeed to monitor student internet usage, keyword searches, and non-educational activities. With SSL decryption capabilities, detailed reporting options, and safety check features, Relay has garnered praise from users. The ability to filter traffic across different networks has been crucial for distance learning, and Lightspeed's reporting features have provided administrators with insights into Chromebook traffic, flagged keywords, and safety checks. The product's compatibility with Windows agents and the ability to filter remote learners as well as on-campus learners have further enhanced its effectiveness. Through simplified setup and robust report generation, Relay helps schools better manage students' online activity and provides protection from inappropriate content.

Lightspeed Filter has resolved issues related to the filtering of school-owned devices by implementing its own app store with approved app lists. This additional layer of security for networks improves efficiency, manages bandwidth usage, and speeds up internet access. Lightspeed Filter is a secure platform that effectively blocks inappropriate content and allows for monitoring children's activities on the computer.

One key benefit of the cloud-based platform is its better support for student devices compared to previous appliance-based solutions. It offers consistent blocking of all devices with easy deployment, regardless of whether they are on-site or off-site. The product provides granular filtering rules, guiding students to appropriate websites while keeping them away from inappropriate ones. Custom block lists have been effective in reducing game play during class, and there is room for improvement with alerts on specific students to enhance monitoring efficiency.

Lightspeed Relay has proven highly valuable for behavior management by allowing teachers to monitor students' online activities and address any concerns promptly. The product's desktop monitoring and web filtering features assist teachers in keeping students on task and providing remote assistance when needed. Parents have been impressed with Lightspeed Relay's security features as it prevents students from accessing unauthorized sites on school-owned devices.

Lightspeed's integration with multiple products and its ease of management have made it a must-have product for schools using Chromebooks. By streamlining web filtering and reducing web traffic through filtering non-business-related content, such as ads, social media, and casual streaming, Lightspeed Relay helps users concentrate on their tasks. Whether students are using school-owned devices on-site or off-site during the pandemic, Lightspeed Relay effectively filters Chromebooks and ensures a robust web reporting system.

Furthermore, Lightspeed Relay plays a vital role in keeping sites properly filtered while providing guidance on digging into the system and getting results. With the ability to quickly set up filtering for devices outside the network, it provides an additional layer of security for networks. The product also addresses the problem of students accessing inappropriate content on school-owned devices and impresses parents with its security features.

In conclusion, Lightspeed and its Relay feature offer reliable web filtering and management solutions for K-12 environments. With a user-friendly interface, responsive customer support, and effective implementation across various devices, Lightspeed has been praised by users for providing safe browsing experiences for students and staff. Its reporting features and SSL decryption capabilities aid in monitoring student internet usage, identifying safety concerns, and providing valuable insights into Chromebook traffic. Overall, Lightspeed has solved web filtering issues, providing improved protection, and ensuring online safety for K-12 environments. Relay has simplified the process of filtering devices used at home, resolving previous complexities and issues.

Lightspeed's support team is highly supportive and responsive, contributing to a positive user experience. The product is considered reliable and flexible, with new features being introduced based on customer feedback. Lightspeed effectively filters HTTPS traffic, providing an additional layer of security for networks and ensuring a safer online environment.

With Lightspeed Relay, filtering Chromebooks has become a much smoother process, greatly benefiting schools that rely on Chromebooks for student education. It offers easy management of sites for users and works well district-wide. Relay reduces overall web traffic by filtering non-business-related content such as ads, social media, and casual streaming, allowing users to concentrate on their tasks without unnecessary distractions. During the pandemic, Relay has proven effective in filtering student Chromebooks both on-site and off-site.

Lightspeed Relay helps in better protecting users and networks from questionable online content. Its parent report feature provides transparency on students' online activities, giving parents peace of mind. In cases where a filter fails or needs to be replaced quickly, Lightspeed Relay can be set up swiftly to ensure the continued filtering of devices outside the network.

Overall, Lightspeed Filter and its Relay feature have successfully addressed various challenges faced by K-12 environments. This includes reliable web filtering, ensuring safe browsing experiences for students and staff, simplifying device management during distance learning, and providing robust reporting features for monitoring student internet usage. The product's ease of use, compatibility with different devices, responsive support team, and continuous feature updates have made it a valuable tool in maintaining a secure online environment for educational institutions.

Untangle NG Firewall is an open-source firewall and gateway security platform. It offers a free core firewall platform with paid add-ons, and a cloud-based management platform with a variety of deployment options for smaller teams.

Open Source Firewall

NG Firewall Complete

z4 appliance

z4w appliance

z4 Plus appliance

z6 appliance

z12 appliance

z20 appliance

Untangle NG Firewall

WebTitan is the web security gateway and content filtering solution offered by TitanHQ.

WebTitan Gateway

TitanHQ DNS Filtering

Lightspeed Filter

Web Content Filtering Solutions comprise appliances and software for censoring or preventing access to restricted web content deemed offensive or inappropriate.

Web Content Filtering

Primary/Secondary Education

Likelihood to Recommend

Usability

Screenshot of Classroom, free with Relay for a limited time

Lightspeed Systems

Demo of Lightspeed Systems Classroom, Free With Relay for a Limited Time

Lightspeed Filter 2024-10-10 17:57:06

GoTo Connect

Software Engineer

Lightspeed Filter 2023-01-12 12:25:09

Aruba ClearPass

Aruba Networks Wireless WAN

HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Director of Information Technology

Lightspeed Filter (formerly Relay) 2021-10-21 11:45:58

PowerSchool Student Information System

Microsoft Office 2016 (discontinued)

Google Workspace

Systems Administrator

Lightspeed Platform (formerly Relay) 2021-04-23 08:13:45

Microsoft Project

Infinite Campus

iboss Zero Trust Edge

Lightspeed Filter (formerly Relay) 2021-10-27 12:47:22

TrustRadius is a technology and business research firm based in Austin, Texas. The company is known as a review platform for verified B2B technology and software reviews through a proprietary algorithm and human verification.

TrustRadius

Takes longer

Longer than expected

Easily identify

Custom reports

Windows client

Create custom reports

Reporting capability

Granular data

Management and reporting

Different levels

Virtual appliance

Easy to deploy

Wireless network

Easy to manage

Support is excellent

Ease of management

Home

Web Content Filtering Solutions

I am a teacher and use Lightspeed Filter Systems to monitor my students and keep them engaged when they are on their chromebooks. I have scheduled my five classes so that Lightspeed Filter monitors students while they are in my class on a daily basis. I have also developed a block list. While I am teaching, I keep an eye on my students' devices by using Lightspeed Filter periodically and especially when they are working independently.

It allows you to freeze a student's computer temporarily from using their computer.

In my experience, it is not intuitive and not as flexible as GoGuardian.
Worst of all, in my experience, there are ridiculous glitches. When I tried to update a block list that I created, I received a message that said "You can only edit lists that you created. Ask your co-teacher to update the list." Since I am the only teacher and there is no co-teacher, this message makes no sense to me.

The district invested in Lightspeed Filter
to save money so I presume they achieved that goal.
As far as the return on investment based on its usefulness, I would say it is negative. My students are constantly on their computers so I need the block list to work.
As far as the return on investment based on its usefulness, I would say it is negative. My students are constantly on their computers so I need the block list to work.

At our organization, we implement Lightspeed Filter to provide an additional layer of security for our network.Lightspeed Filter allows us to work more efficiently and faster, helps us manage bandwidth usage and speeds up Internet access. This is a secure platform, designed to protect our networks, in my personal use, I like to use it to block inappropriate content and monitor my children's activities when they are on the computer.

Reduces bandwidth consumption.
Improves network performance.
It is compatible with a variety of operating systems, including Windows, Mac OS, and Linux.
It can be implemented in both wired and wireless networks.
It can be installed in minutes and you can configure its settings with a few clicks.
Learning environments work.

Limited customization options.
Integration options with other external platforms.
Integration options with LMS platforms.

URL filtering.
content filtering and application control.
It can be implemented in both wired and wireless networks.
Malware protection and more.

Lightspeed Filter is a secure and reliable platform, helps reduce bandwidth consumption and improves network performance.
It is easily accessible and low cost.
With Lightspeed Filter we can monitor and control network traffic, that is, to customize the access policies to our website to meet the needs of the organization.

We moved to their cloud-based platform to move away from an appliance and support our student devices both in school and at home. It provides additional safety features which have prevented some student harm from occurring as well. We have found that moving to Relay has reduced our overall budget for filtering by purchasing at the time of acquisition for the life of the device. There is no longer a need for a separate agent to allow for off-premise filtering. We do still use their appliance-based filter for guest traffic internally.

Student safety
Offsite filtering
Ease of management and reporting

Expanded reporting capability
More granular data

Aruba ClearPass, Aruba Networks Wireless WAN, HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage

Lightspeed is used on all devices at our organization. We use it mainly for filtering and tracking internet usage. Web filtering is required for K-12 schools to allow additional funding through Erate services. Internet safety for students is a #1 priority for out school. This helps protect students on and off site no matter where they are using the internet on our school devices.

Traffic Logging
Alerts
Filtering by groups
Reporting

MAC OSX Client Compatibility and reliability.
Windows Client Compatibility and reliability.
Contract and Terms
Pricing

Reports
Granular filtering levels
Ease of use on Chromebooks.

Very costly per year
Does a great job with 1:1 filtering on Chromebooks
Safety Check checks student for possible self harm and alerts staff

Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), PowerSchool Student Information System, Microsoft Office 2016 (discontinued)

The Lightspeed filter is being used across our entire district for web filtering. We use it to separately control filtering for staff and students on both our wired and wireless networks. It handles filtering out unwanted sites and content. It also includes a free safety check filter that alerts us of site and searches identifying self-harm and violence.

Filters out content that we do not want students or staff accessing.
It allows us to filter by OU, so we can create different levels of filtering for staff and students.
Includes a virtual appliance that we can use to filter guest devices and iPads on our wireless network.

It sometimes takes longer than expected for new filtering rules to apply.
Sometimes a site is blocked due to sub-sites or links, but it does not easily identify the source of the block if it is buried in the site.
They have several reports included, but it would be nice to create custom reports.

Low level of false positives
Ability to granularly set different filtering levels based on user OU
Intuitive web interface

The ROI we measure with the filter is in student productivity
It has reduced the time students have been on non-education sites by approximately 10% over our former filter because it does a better job with site categories (i.e., education games vs games).
The included Safety Check feature has helped us improve our response to mental health issues.

Lightspeed Filter
Formerly Relay

Overview

What is Lightspeed Filter?