😅 6G could be 9,000 times faster than 5G: But it’ll need tons of power. Some suggest visible light communication may be the solution, though it leaks tons of energy. Enter Bracelet+, a mini antenna that captures lost power. Researchers tried it on walls and phones, but guess what worked best? The human body.
Say goodbye to bad Wi-Fi: Solutions for smooth browsing
So, your Wi-Fi is spotty and super slow. Or maybe it’s just unreliable, depending on what room you’re in. The bad news: It could be just about anything. Signal congestion, physical location, firmware issues, hardware limitations or even your internet service provider limiting you.
The good news is you have me, your tech secret weapon, to help you detangle your internet mess.
Yeah, you need to update that
Do you remember the last time you updated your router? (I can see your blank stare from here.) Like all the rest of your tech, do this regularly to get new features, improvements and bug patches.
Take care of this through your router admin page. Try ManualsOnline to look up your model if you need help.
💡 FYI, router firmware updates require a restart. Don’t do it when someone is in the middle of work or watching a movie.
You picked the worst spot in the house
Your router needs to be in a central location, close to where you need strong connections — ideally pretty high up, on a shelf or even mounted on the wall. If your router has antennas, point them in different directions.
Cordless phones, Bluetooth speakers, microwaves and baby monitors can impact speed. This is particularly true with older routers that can only operate on the 2.4GHz frequency.
The kids are downloading games while you’re in meetings.
Too many devices on the same network can slow things to a crawl — especially if some of those devices (looking at you, Nintendo Switch) use a lot of bandwidth. Try this: Put the kids on a separate network.
Set up a different router or kick everyone else to the Guest network. Here’s how to set that up.
Streaming costs inching up? Cheapskate secrets you need to know
Tech companies don’t seem to share when you can save money using their products or services. For example, if you’re traveling or have a second home, you’re not using your home internet service. Tap or click for a money-saving trick your ISP doesn’t want you to know.
Where to put your router for better speeds
If you sink a ton of money into a high-performing router, you probably expect it to function perfectly. Though, just buying a good router isn’t enough. You need to put it in the ideal spot to maximize efficiency.
Regarding routers, it’s all about location, location, location. By that, we mean you need to think about anything that could obstruct its signals.
Fix your Wi-Fi: 10 ways to get faster speeds
You’re relaxing on your sofa with a bowl of popcorn and a remote. You start to stream a popular show, but the dreaded buffering circle rears its ugly head. Nothing is playing, so you whip out the nearest internet-connected device and type, “How to get faster speeds for streaming” or “Tips to speed up a slow streaming service” into the search bar.
Sick of slow Wi-Fi? Move your router
For how important it is, it sure is easy to forget about your trusty router that works 24/7.
Routers are crucial to sending strong, reliable internet to your devices, but when’s the last time you made sure it’s locked down from hackers? Here are my five essential router security settings to keep hackers out of your network.
What's the difference between an indoor and outdoor antenna?
As more people turn to streaming for television, antennas find their way back into and on top of homes. After all, while cutting the cord is not a bad idea as cable prices continue to rise, the main knock on many streaming services is they don’t supply local broadcast channels.
Tech how-to: Watch live TV from your computer without paying for cable
There’s been a big push recently to cut the cord from expensive cable subscriptions. Streaming services have made it easy to leave behind costly cable or satellite subscriptions and still get access to the shows you want to watch. If you want to cut the cord, these are the best streaming options for any budget.
Does 5G technology increase our health risks?
For awhile now, we’ve heard warnings about how cellphones can cause health risks, but there hasn’t seemed to be much of a consensus between scientists and doctors. Soon, cellphones will be converting to the new, higher and more powerful frequency with 5G technology. Does this mean even more of a health risk and is there anything you can do to protect yourself?