Tag Archives: Router

Tougher WiFi security will keep you safe at the coffee shop

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The Wi-Fi Alliance plans to roll out a WPA3 standard that addresses a number of weak points. For many, the highlight will be individualized data encryption. Even if you’re on an open public network, you won’t have to worry quite so much about someone snooping on your data. – Jon Fingas, Engadget http://engt.co/2D9X4dv

Roombas will soon build a Wi-Fi coverage map while they clean

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As the robot roams around your house cleaning, it will now periodically log the Wi-Fi signal strength throughout the house. The data will be saved in a new Wi-Fi coverage map, which will live inside the Roomba app alongside the cleaning coverage map. Wi-Fi mapping will launch later this month as part of an app update and will mark the launch of a new beta program for the Roomba app. – Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica http://ift.tt/2lNAGz0

Sky to turn porn filters on for all new broadband customers

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photo: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg/Getty Images, Engadget

Sky hasn’t stated exactly when the initiative will come into effect; it’s merely given an ambiguous “2016” timeframe. Ultimately, the company’s Broadband Shield will still be an optional service and you’ll be able to switch it off at any time. For some users though, especially those who said they didn’t want it last time, it’ll be an annoyance to specify that they’re quite happy with full access to the world wide web. – Nick Summers, Engadget

Comcast customer discovers huge mistake in company’s data cap meter

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photo: Comcast, Ars Technica

[T]here’s no guarantee that Comcast is accurately measuring every customer’s data usage, as Oleg discovered. Customers with less technical expertise than Oleg may not know how to challenge erroneous measurements or even suspect that they’re incorrect. The routers customers typically connect to their cable modems don’t automatically monitor data usage, so customers have to trust that their ISP is accurately recording Internet usage unless they do some extra legwork. “The good news is that you can install a third-party router firmware like DD-WRT or OpenWrt and use bandwidth-monitoring software on it, getting a complete picture of your bandwidth usage,” a How-To Geek article explains. – Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica

Can Christmas Lights Really Play Havoc With Your Wi-Fi?

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photo: Chris_J/flickr, Gizmodo

Because your wireless network is much less powerful than a big FM transmitter and its waves are weaker, where you place the router and what you have in your house will have an impact. Home electrics, microwaves, steel girders, concrete cladding and foil insulation all can have an effect. Older properties with their thicker walls make a difference, too, as the lower-powered, high frequency Wi-Fi radio waves struggle to penetrate them. – Andrew Smith, Gizmodo

Tricks for building a Wi-Fi network that covers your entire house

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photo: BGR

First of all, make sure you get the right router. To do so, you should assess the maximum speed of your wired Internet connection and then buy appropriate gear. That means you have to be familiar with the various Wi-Fi standards: 802.11ac is the fastest standard available with speeds of up to 1Gbps while 802.11n gets you 600Mbps. To take advantage of maximum data transfer rates, however, you also have to make sure your PCs, smartphones, tablets and other Wi-Fi devices can support the same wireless data speeds. For example, your 802.11n smartphone won’t get 802.11ac speeds. – Chris Smith, BGR

FCC: yes, you’re allowed to hack your WiFi router

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photo: Engadget

[T]he Federal Communications Commission has modified its proposal to allow open source firmware like DD-WRT or Tomato. The agency will only forbid tweaks that take a router “out of compliance,” such as an overly strong signal. In short, you can flash your WiFi hotspot in the future without worrying that the feds will come knocking. – Jon Fingas, Engadget

Have your say on the FCC’s plan to lock down WiFi routers

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photo: Engadget

Many folks are concerned that the overly broad wording will force manufacturers to just lock out DD-WRT and other open-source programs and be done with it. Others believe that with recent net-neutrality decisions, the FCC won’t take any draconian actions. If you’ve got concerns, why not express them on the EFF‘s petition, where they’ll be “viewable online one day after being submitted to the FCC public docket?” As the FCC itself put it, “this is, of course, why the FCC does notices of proposed rulemaking and seeks comment from the parties and affected stakeholders.” – Steve Dent, Engadget

Mosaic puts charging, storage and streaming in your pocket

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photo: Powerstick

Mosaic, a small, white, pocket-sized device features a 7000mAh battery, a USB 3.0 Type-C port (it ships with a USB 3.0 cable), built-in Wi-Fi and flash memory storage capacities ranging from 16 GB to 256 GB. […] To stream content from Mosaic to other smartphones and tablets, you’ll need to set up an ad-hoc Wifi connection. You sign into Mosaic’s built-in Wifi network (it can also be used as a Wifi range extender) and then launch the Mosaic iOS or Android app. This gives you access to the Mosaic’s folder structure and whatever media and content you’ve stored within. Mosaic can supposedly stream to seven devices at once (same or different content) and from distances of up to 30 ft. away. If you attach another storage device to Mosaic, you can also access its contents through the Mosaic app. – Lance Ulanoff, Mashable
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