All posts tagged: router

FCC’s router ban expands to portable hotspots – 4 things this means for you

FCC’s router ban expands to portable hotspots – 4 things this means for you

Published by skeptic

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways The FCC has added mobile hotspots to its ban on foreign-made routers. You may pay more for your next device. New equipment probably won’t bring as many new features. Just a month after announcing a sweeping router ban that prohibits new foreign-made routers from hitting the US market, including popular brands like TP-Link, Linksys, and Asus, the FCC has expanded that ban to include mobile hotspots as well. The commission hasn’t made an official announcement about the expansion, but in a section that details what qualifies as a consumer-grade router (first spotted by PCMag), there’s new verbiage that includes “portable or mobile MiFi Wi-Fi or hotspot devices for residential use” as well as “LTE/5G CPE devices for residential use.”  Also: This Wi-Fi 7 router solved my big internet headache – and it’s accessibly priced Since the ban doesn’t include any existing devices, there will be no impact on your current setup in the short term. When you might see a difference, …

I ditched my iPhone’s hotspot for this 5G travel router – and I’m never going back

I ditched my iPhone’s hotspot for this 5G travel router – and I’m never going back

Published by skeptic

Acer Connect M6E mobile hotspot pros and cons Pros Very portable mobile hotspot with a long battery life Can accept SIM and eSIM, and also has a built-in virtual SIM High speed 5G modem with MU-MIMO support. Cons SIM card tray is awkward to remove without a tool Charging it is on a slow slide. more buying choices Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. A few years ago, I had a vision of never needing a mobile hotspot again. After all, my iPhone — a gadget that’s never more than an arm’s length away — has that feature, and connecting to it is a doddle if all your devices have the Apple logo. But it’s a poor experience. Try as I might, the connection is almost always unstable and slow (especially when streaming or connecting to a remote system). It’s a massive pain if you have any Android devices because they continually disconnect, which hammers the iPhone’s battery. Also: I love AirTags, but this alternative slips right in my wallet and solves their …

FCC’s Foreign-Made Router Ban: One Popular Brand Just Got the First Exemption

FCC’s Foreign-Made Router Ban: One Popular Brand Just Got the First Exemption

Published by skeptic

In a bombshell announcement, the Federal Communications Commission announced on March 23 that it would be banning all foreign-made Wi-Fi routers. On Tuesday, Netgear became the first company to be granted an FCC exemption, despite its routers being manufactured in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Taiwan. “As a US-founded and -headquartered company, Netgear is aligned with the vision for a more secure digital future for our customers,” Netgear CEO CJ Prober said in a statement. The FCC’s ban doesn’t apply to any existing routers that it has already authorized, so you don’t need to rush out and replace your router immediately. If you were thinking about buying a new router soon, I’d hold off until we learn more about how the ban shakes out. The order currently applies to any new models “produced in foreign countries.” Router manufacturers can apply for an exemption. So far, Netgear is the only company that’s been granted “Conditional Approval” on the FCC’s website.  This is a monumental development for the domestic Wi-Fi router market. Nearly every router available for purchase …

Your router may be vulnerable to Russian hackers, FBI warns: 5 steps to take now

Your router may be vulnerable to Russian hackers, FBI warns: 5 steps to take now

Published by skeptic

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways The FBI and NSA are warning of new threats targeting routers. Attacks from Russian hackers can compromise your router. Update the firmware and tighten your router password. When was the last time you updated or restarted your router? As long as your internet is working, you may set up your router and then forget about it. But based on new alerts from US federal agencies, that’s not such a good idea. In new advisories published this week, both the FBI and NSA warned of Russian hackers targeting vulnerable routers around the world to steal sensitive information. Though the attackers are mostly interested in military and government secrets, home and small office users are also at risk. That’s because the attackers will hijack SOHO (small office, home office) routers from which they can stage their attacks. Also: Your home Wi-Fi isn’t nearly as private as it should be – 6 free ways to lock it down In one recent incident, the US …

Your router has a hidden setting that’s breaking all your smart home devices

Your router has a hidden setting that’s breaking all your smart home devices

Published by skeptic

A lot of us have dozens of smart home devices around our houses. But if they’ve been more of a source of stress rather than convenience, you’re not alone. A bulb that worked fine yesterday might show up as unresponsive the next day, plugs sometimes stop responding mid-automation, and sometimes it takes ages for a brightness command to take effect. I’ve restarted devices, uninstalled and reinstalled apps, factory reset bulbs, blamed myself for buying lesser-known or cheaper brands, and more. Turns out, the source of the problem wasn’t my smart home devices; it was my network. And all it took to fix these issues was a simple router setting—one I didn’t even know was active. Related I separated my 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands and I should have done it sooner A simple router setting was holding back my home network’s full potential, and I wish I’d made this change sooner. This helpful setting is breaking your smart home Band steering causes more problems than it solves Most modern routers, especially dual-band ones, come with a …

My Expert Advice: Don’t Buy a Router Until We Know More About the FCC’s Ban

My Expert Advice: Don’t Buy a Router Until We Know More About the FCC’s Ban

Published by skeptic

Key takeaways: The Federal Communications Commission has banned the sale of new foreign-made routers in the US. The sweeping order applies to virtually every Wi-Fi router currently available in the US market. After speaking with seven industry experts, my advice is to hold off on buying a new router if you can.  Under the current rules, banned routers will no longer receive essential security firmware and software updates after March 1, 2027.  The FCC’s action has effectively frozen the entire market while router companies scramble to gain approval.  More specific information on which router companies will be subject to the ban is expected to become clearer within the next month or two.  It’s not often that we get bombshell news in the router world, but the FCC’s move to ban the sale of foreign-made routers in the US is absolutely unprecedented. The sweeping order applies to any router in which any stage of “manufacturing, assembly, design and development” occurs outside the US — in other words, just about any router you can buy right now. …

FCC’s Foreign-Made Router Ban: One Popular Brand Just Got the First Exemption

The FCC’s Router Ban Is About to Become a ‘Mess.’ Here’s What It Means for Your Home Network

Published by skeptic

In an unprecedented move, the Federal Communications Commission announced on March 23 that it will be banning the sale of new foreign-made Wi-Fi routers going forward, citing “unacceptable risks” to national security. The ban doesn’t apply to any existing routers that the FCC has already authorized, so you don’t need to rush out and replace your router immediately. If you were thinking about buying a new router soon, I’d hold off until we learn more about how the ban shakes out. The order currently applies to any new models “produced in foreign countries.” Router manufacturers can apply for an exemption, but so far, none have been granted “Conditional Approval” on the FCC’s website.  This is a monumental development for the domestic Wi-Fi router market. With the exception of newer Starlink routers, nearly every router available for purchase in this country is at least partially manufactured outside the US, including TP-Link, Asus and Netgear. An estimated 60% of routers in the US are manufactured in China. According to a list of FAQs published by the FCC, …

Your router is probably end-of-life and you don’t even know it

Your router is probably end-of-life and you don’t even know it

Published by skeptic

Think about the last time you thought about your router. Not your Wi-Fi password, not the internet speed you’re getting, not the configuration settings on your network—but the actual device powering your network. If you’re like most people who just want access to the internet, your answer is probably never. After all, your ISP set it up for you, and it probably has been working fine since. But just like not every ISP’s default settings provide the best internet experience, the router they hand out might also be behind the times. And if you’re using an end-of-life router, you’re in for a whole host of problems. The set it and forget it trap Why routers quietly go outdated while you’re not paying attention Routers have a uniquely deceptive quality among home tech devices. Unlike a phone that slows down, a laptop that might run into OS issues, or a TV that might not show the best picture, a router just keeps on running. As long as you have internet coming in from your ISP, it’ll …

If You Buy a New Router, It Might ‘Turn Into a Pumpkin’ Next Year

If You Buy a New Router, It Might ‘Turn Into a Pumpkin’ Next Year

Published by skeptic

Key takeaways: The Federal Communications Commission has banned the sale of new foreign-made routers in the US. The sweeping order applies to virtually every Wi-Fi router currently available in the US market. After speaking with four cybersecurity experts, my advice is to hold off on buying a new router if you can.  Under the current rules, banned routers will no longer receive essential security firmware and software updates after March 1, 2027.  The FCC’s action has effectively frozen the entire market while router companies scramble to gain approval.  More specific information on which router companies will be subject to the ban is expected to become clearer within the next month or two.  In my eight years of writing and reviewing broadband and routers, I’ve rarely seen news that I would describe as unprecedented. The FCC’s recent decision to ban foreign-made routers is absolutely unprecedented. The sweeping order applies to any router in which any stage of “manufacturing, assembly, design and development” occurs outside the US — in other words, just about any router you can …

I Review Routers for a Living. Don’t Buy a Router Right Now

I Review Routers for a Living. Don’t Buy a Router Right Now

Published by skeptic

Key takeaways: The FCC has banned the sale of new foreign-made routers in the US, and this sweeping order applies to virtually every Wi-Fi router currently available in the US market. My expert advice is to hold off on purchasing a new router if you can.  Under the current rules, banned routers will no longer receive essential security firmware and software updates after March 1, 2027.  The FCC’s action has effectively frozen the entire market while router companies scramble to gain approval.  More specific information on which router companies will be subject to the ban is expected to become clearer within the next month or two.  In my eight years of writing and reviewing broadband and routers, I’ve rarely seen news that I would describe as unprecedented. The FCC’s recent decision to ban foreign-made routers is absolutely unprecedented. The sweeping order applies to any router in which any stage of “manufacturing, assembly, design and development” occurs outside the US — in other words, just about any router you can buy right now. The FCC order …