All posts tagged: WiFi

Your Wi-Fi password isn’t the only thing protecting your network — these settings matter too

Your Wi-Fi password isn’t the only thing protecting your network — these settings matter too

Published by skeptic

I love setting Wi-Fi passwords because I like making them miserable to guess. I will happily mix words, numbers, symbols, and whatever odd little phrase makes sense only to me, then feel satisfied that nobody is brute-forcing their way onto my network. A strong password absolutely matters, but it is also the easiest part of home network security to overestimate. Your router does much more than hand out Wi-Fi. It decides who can join, how devices communicate with it, whether legacy security modes are still allowed, whether external access is possible, and whether your smart TV receives the same level of trust as your laptop. Router menus vary wildly by brand, and mesh systems often hide the interesting parts inside phone apps, but these are the settings I would check before congratulating myself on a clever Wi-Fi password. Related 14 Useful Ways to Reuse an Old Router (Don’t Throw It Away!) Old router cluttering up your drawers? Here’s what to do with an old router and save some money instead of throwing it away! Change …

I kept losing Wi-Fi until I found these two Samsung features I’d never tried

I kept losing Wi-Fi until I found these two Samsung features I’d never tried

Published by skeptic

I recently switched to the Galaxy S26, and for some reason, it kept losing the Wi-Fi signal in random parts of the house. And since this was only affecting my phone, I knew the issue was with the device rather than my ISP or the router. Every other gadget, including my iPad, stayed connected to the same network without any problems. At first, I tried all the usual tricks, like restarting my phone, reconnecting with the network, installing updates, and even rebooting the router. But nothing worked. My phone kept disconnecting from Wi-Fi at random until I dug a little deeper and changed a couple of key network settings. Related 12 Samsung Galaxy Phone Settings You Should Always Change Setting up your new Samsung Galaxy device? Here are the settings you should change to get your phone working better. My Galaxy phone was trying too hard to keep me online Automatic switching was the culprit Pankil Shah / MakeUseOfCredit: Pankil Shah / MakeUseOf Galaxy phones include a couple of connectivity features that prevent interruptions when the …

Wi-Fi Router vs. Mesh System: Which Is Best for You?

Wi-Fi Router vs. Mesh System: Which Is Best for You?

Published by skeptic

After testing more than 60 mesh systems and routers in my last home, a modern two-story, 1,600-square-foot house, I found that single routers generally outperformed mesh systems, providing a faster and more stable connection, transferring files from one device to another on the network more quickly, and working efficiently without smart home connectivity issues. But many of those routers struggled to provide a fast connection in my backyard. Mesh systems extend your coverage, and nodes can target dead spots. I used a node to extend Wi-Fi into my backyard and to plug in a TV in the back room via Ethernet for a more stable and reliable connection. But it wasn’t until I moved to an old Victorian house that I felt the full benefit of a mesh system. It’s slightly larger than my last home, but extremely thick stone walls can seriously dampen a Wi-Fi signal, especially on the fastest 6-GHz band. After testing several systems in this home, it is crystal clear: I need a mesh for this house. A single router struggled …

5 devices in your home that really shouldn’t be connected to Wi-Fi

5 devices in your home that really shouldn’t be connected to Wi-Fi

Published by skeptic

It is tempting to believe that every new appliance in your house needs to be connected to the internet to be modern. Marketing teams love to tell us that a smart fridge or an app-enabled toothbrush adds a level of convenience we never knew we were missing. In reality, these features aren’t worth the hype and are usually just forced additions that send data to advertisers instead of helping. Related I turned my old tablet into a smart home dashboard, and it’s perfect I use my 1st-gen iPad Pro as a smart home dashboard Smart refrigerators are good at selling data You’re giving your information right to the people selling you groceries Gorodenkoff / ShutterstockCredit: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock Smart refrigerators get zero practical benefit from an internet connection, and I know I’d regret buying one. Connecting a fridge to your network just to see a digital grocery list is a poor use of your bandwidth, especially since pen and paper or a note app on your phone have worked perfectly for decades. Large kitchen appliances are …

American Airlines Signs Up for Starlink Wi-Fi Service on Its Flights

American Airlines Signs Up for Starlink Wi-Fi Service on Its Flights

Published by skeptic

American Airlines passengers could begin to connect to in-flight Wi-Fi through SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network next year. The airline announced Tuesday that it signed a deal with Elon Musk’s aerospace company to install Starlink internet across its Airbus fleet in 2027, which includes more than 500 narrowbody aircraft. Commercial flights drive heavy internet usage, as passengers work on cloud-based documents or stream movies and TV shows, activities that require substantial data and reliable Wi-Fi connectivity. Starlink is among the fastest in-flight internet options, with reported speeds nearly twice those of the next-closest competitor and comparable to or faster than some terrestrial broadband services. More than 10,000 satellites in low Earth orbit drive the system’s performance. By operating much closer to Earth than traditional satellites, they reduce latency — the time it takes for data to travel. CNET senior writer Jeff Carlson tested Starlink’s in-flight internet on United Airlines and was impressed by the internet experience. “Honestly, I’d think I was at home on my high-speed fiber internet if not for the cabin noise and the occasional tight …

Starlink WiFi coming to 500+ American Airlines planes

Starlink WiFi coming to 500+ American Airlines planes

Published by skeptic

American Air inked a deal with Starlink to equip 500 of the airline’s planes with the satellite internet provider’s WiFi. In an announcement made today, American described Starlink “as the world’s most advanced satellite constellation” and touted its ability to deliver powerful broadband internet via its thousands of satellites flying in low Earth orbit. Starlink will connect to American’s narrow body planes — smaller aircraft that typically fly shorter routes — starting in the early months of 2027. Starlink, part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will connect to the planes via its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1 Gbps of data per antenna. American promises that Starlink WiFi will enable fliers to not just smoothly access their email, but stream entertainment, conduct on-camera work meetings, and play online games. Mashable Light Speed Are you an Apple superfan? Enter Mashable’s Big Guessing Game to win prizes. SEE ALSO: An exploded Starlink satellite is orbiting Earth right now “American is committed to elevating every aspect of our customers’ travel journeys, which in the air means keeping …

I set up a 0 mesh Wi-Fi system at home, and it handled a dozen 4K video streams with ease

I set up a $190 mesh Wi-Fi system at home, and it handled a dozen 4K video streams with ease

Published by skeptic

Tenda BE5100 3-Pack Mesh Wi-Fi System pros and cons Pros Makes mesh Wi-Fi easy to set up App offers pro-grade features, such as diagnostics Excellent hardware with Wi-Fi 7 support for a fraction of the price of some systems. Cons Units feel a bit cheap and “plasticky.” Spare satellite units retail for $100 each. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. There’s nothing more frustrating than sitting on your couch or at your desk and noticing a limited Wi-Fi signal. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been seen with my phone in my outstretched arm, doing something that looks like a weird yoga pose, trying to get a better signal.  Also: I set up a $4 router reboot timer, and it’s made my internet reliably faster Back in the day, the solution I’d fan back onto would be to set up a repeater or hook up another Wi-Fi router to spread the signal. Not a great solution because it didn’t allow for a smooth handover between the different routers. I also dabbled with Wi-Fi …

Roku apps loading slow? 9 quick fixes I try before blaming my Wi-Fi

Roku apps loading slow? 9 quick fixes I try before blaming my Wi-Fi

Published by skeptic

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Restarting or power cycling a Roku can fix many lag issues. Updating or reinstalling apps can solve glitches and slowdowns. Test the network connection before blaming your Wi-Fi router. I own several Roku TVs and devices, including Roku soundbars and speakers. I love the platform for many reasons. But even I’ll admit that, sometimes, my Roku acts up. I especially hate it when apps take a moment too long to load. Or a menu lags. When a screen hangs long enough that I start feeling like I want to chuck my remote at the TV, it’s time to fix the problem. But first, what’s going on here? Is it my Roku or my Wi-Fi? Also: Every Roku user should know these 15+ shortcuts I know Roku devices can get bogged down by accumulating app data, glitchy apps, software updates, low memory, or the simple fact that they haven’t been restarted in a while. So, before I unplug my …

Qualcomm’s New Midrange Chips Add Wi-Fi 7, Improve Gaming for Lower-Cost Phones

Qualcomm’s New Midrange Chips Add Wi-Fi 7, Improve Gaming for Lower-Cost Phones

Published by skeptic

Chipmaker Qualcomm launched two new processors meant for lower-cost phones Thursday, adding support for the faster Wi-Fi 7 standard along with higher display refresh rates. The announcement is especially notable as the cost of electronics continues to rise amid the global RAM shortage, putting more focus on what phone buyers can still get at value-focused prices. The Snapdragon 6 Gen 5 is the higher-end of the two, and will be the first for its series to include Wi-Fi 7 support. The newer wireless internet standard generally supports faster speeds and improved multitasking for networks powered by a newer Wi-Fi 7 router. In addition to faster speeds, CNET Senior Writer Joe Supan notes in his Wi-Fi 7 analysis that these routers have also come down in price, making them more accessible to recommend when building out a home internet network (barring separate concerns relating to the recent US ban on foreign-made routers). The new processor also includes Bluetooth 6.0 support, which should improve pairing speed when connecting other devices and audio latency. Motorola’s $500 Moto G …

My home Wi-Fi was full of dead zones – here are 6 solutions that actually worked

My home Wi-Fi was full of dead zones – here are 6 solutions that actually worked

Published by skeptic

One of the best ways to permanently fix a spotty Wi-Fi network is to upgrade to a mesh network. A mesh network is the best solution if your network problem is consistent throughout most of your home, not just a single room. A mesh network is the best option for a medium- to large-sized home with many devices, which is often the case for smart home users. Mesh networks use multiple nodes that act together to create a seamless, often self-healing network rather than each node sending separate signals. Also: This Wi-Fi 7 router solved my big internet headache – and it’s accessibly priced My smart home has over 100 devices, which bog down the network, and we experience frequent buffering, slowdowns, and spotty connections, even with 1Gbps service. Switching from a two-router setup to a mesh network with three nodes stabilized our connections throughout the entire, almost-3,000-square-foot home. Since I’ve upgraded to an Eero mesh network, I don’t see myself switching brands in the near future. I have an Eero Max 7, two Eero …