Articles about Router

Earlier today, Amazon unveiled a bunch of new Echo devices. As a hardcore Alexa user, I am sort of excited about this new hardware, but at the same time, my house already has enough of them -- I am not at all in the market for more.

In addition to Alexa-focused hardware, Amazon today also launches a new eero mesh Wi-Fi system. In case you forgot, yes, Amazon owns eero now. While this new mesh Wi-Fi system looks fine enough for the average consumer, it is quite underwhelming. Its speeds are hardly top of the line, and there is no WiFi 6 (802.11ax) to be found. For the most part, these 802.11ac access points are fairly basic, but I do like that each has two gigabit Ethernet ports. The cute devices are powered by USB-C as well, which I also appreciate.

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If you have a lot of disposable income, and you are a technology enthusiast, then buying a $600 router, such as the upcoming drool-worthy NETGEAR Nighthawk RAX200 isn't so crazy. Look, there's nothing wrong with being an early adopter -- spend your money as you want! Many consumers, however, simply can't afford such high-end networking gear -- even if they want the latest and greatest.

Thankfully, a quality wireless router doesn't have to cost more than $500. Hell, you can get a very nice router for less than $100! One company in particular that focuses on the common consumer -- the "every man," if you will -- is TP-Link. Its routers are very well regarded by both professional reviewers and shoppers alike. It's not hard to see why that is either -- not only are its products affordable, but high-quality too. I often recommend TP-Link products to friends and family.

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Back in November 2018, we shared with you that NETGEAR was planning to sell some premium Wi-Fi 6 routers. This was very exciting, as the addition of this bleeding-edge technology signaled that 802.11ax had truly arrived. Many die-hard NETGEAR fans were waiting for the Nighthawk line in particular to become equipped with this new standard.

Now, NETGEAR announces yet another Wi-Fi 6 router, and this one looks incredible too. Called "Nighthawk RAX200," it retains the same stingray design of the previously announced RAX120, which I find to be quite attractive. It even has one of my favorite security features for a router -- automatic firmware updates. In other words, NETGEAR will keep the RAX200 router up to date without any effort from the owner.

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Gaming products are everywhere these days. Even if you aren't a gamer, these offerings are usually quite premium, making them a solid choice for anyone. For instance, a mechanical gaming keyboard can be excellent for typists, while a gaming mouse might provides accuracy, comfort, and durability. The problem? Many gaming products can be considered ugly, looking like alien spaceships or mutant spiders.

Today, NETGEAR launches its newest gaming router, and its appearance is surprisingly conservative. Called "Nighthawk Pro Gaming XR300," its design is wonderfully boring -- in a good way. In other words, it doesn't outwardly appear to be a gaming router, but make no mistake, the underlying DumaOS operating system (which is based on OpenWRT) is tuned for gamers and has useful features like QoS and geo-filtering. The dual-band 802.11ac router has a 1GHz dual-core processor, three antennas, and beamforming. Strangely, its USB 3.1 gen 1 Type-A port is on the front -- an odd placement for those that prefer to leave something connected to it.

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Many people use ARRIS products without really thinking about it. How can that be? Well, its excellent cable modems are quite ubiquitous in the USA. When a cable internet provider gives the user a modem, it is often ARRIS. They are stable modems that just work well. Of course, you can also buy the company's modems from retailers like Amazon -- a great way to save money if your ISP charges you a monthly rental fee for theirs.

Today, ARRIS unveils a new network product for both home and business consumers, but it is not a cable modem. Instead, it is a beautiful new mesh Wi-Fi system. In other words, it is a router that pairs with at least one other access point to blanket your home or office in wireless internet. What makes this new product so intriguing is its inclusion of Wi-Fi 6 -- also known as 802.11ax.

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When you are an online gamer, your network connection matters -- the lower the latency the better. Nothing is more heartbreaking than losing a match due to a flaky Wi-Fi connection. True, gamers should try to use a hardwired connection when they can, but for many, this simply isn't possible. Renters, for instance, may not be able to run cable through walls. Instead, these gamers must choose their Wi-Fi gear wisely to get the most of their connection.

Unfortunately, choosing a gaming router can be quite the daunting task. There are so many of them on the market these days -- it is hard to tell what will truly help your gaming sessions versus what is mostly style over performance. In other words, manufacturers may try to entice shoppers with a "gaming" product that is nothing more than a design that is inspired by gaming culture. NVIDIA wants to make this experience easier, especially as its GeForce NOW game-streaming service will live and die by the stability and speed of users' internet connections. That's why today, NVIDIA launches the "GeForce NOW Recommended Routers" program.

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If you are knowledgeable about home networking, and you have experience with wireless routers, I am sure you are not scared by setting one up. If you have never done it before, or aren't tech savvy, configuring a Wi-Fi router can be quite the daunting task. Sure, they are easier these days than they were years ago, but still, they can be rather overwhelming to the average consumer -- especially mesh.

Famed company Ubiquiti Networks has been trying to make setting up a home wireless network a simpler task, and it has largely succeeded with its excellent AmpliFi mesh router system. The company is not ready to rest on its laurels, however, as today, it launches a new affordable mesh router that makes configuration even easier. In fact, according to Ubiquiti Networks, the "AmpliFi Instant," as the new product is called, can be configured in less than two minutes. Seriously, folks, that is not a typo -- the average consumer can set up quality 802.11ac (aka Wi-Fi 5) mesh wireless in under 120 seconds using an Android or iOS device!

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Gaming is a huge business these days, and no, I am not just talking about PC and consoles. Believe it or not, many people are playing legit games -- such as Fortnite -- on mobile devices too. Regardless of platform, there is one common theme -- online gaming. Yes, these days, gaming online is probably more popular than playing with one's self offline. And so, having a quality Wi-Fi router is a must.

Today, popular company Razer announces its own router (designed with Design Labs, maker of the "Portal Mesh Wi-Fi Router") and it is sexy as hell. Called "Sila," it leverages an impressive nine internal antennas. The design is basic -- a rectangle, more or less -- but there is beauty and elegance in its simplicity. It will look great in a teen's bedroom next to an Xbox, for instance, but also, it will fit perfectly in a family living room.

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TP-Link is mostly known for offering cost-friendly networking equipment, but that doesn't mean it can't also focus on the high-end too. Quite frankly, it is wise to offer many models with differing specifications -- and at different price points -- to best meet the needs of all consumers.

Today, TP-Link releases a router that caters to gamers and enthusiasts. The "Archer C5400X," as it is called, is breathtakingly designed -- it looks like an alien spaceship, or some sort of overturned robotic spider. To be honest, it is almost a bit scary in its appearance -- the eight antennas look intimidating and menacing. Looks aside, it is chock full of top specs and plenty of useful ports. And yes, it features Amazon Alexa support, because, why not?

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Nowadays, to get a quality wireless router, you do not need to spend a lot of money. There are several models from brands such as TP-Link which offer great specs and features for under $100. If money isn't an issue, however, there are certainly superior routers on the market for much higher prices. NETGEAR, for instance, sells some drool-worthy models under its Nighthawk branding that can be expensive.

Speaking of NETGEAR, that company has a new gaming-focused router which is sure to excite some consumers. The "XR700 Nighthawk Pro," as it is called, is tuned for gaming and features some top specs such as 802.11ad and a 10G Ethernet port. Overkill for most consumers? Totally, but gamers utilizing a wireless connection may be willing to pay the higher price for a potential edge.

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I am a huge fan of TP-Link routers. While not the most popular brand with the mainstream, in-the-know consumers choose the company's products as a way to save money without sacrificing quality. These budget-friendly routers offer very respectable performance and many useful features. Hell, you can score a really nice TP-Link router with Amazon Alexa support for less than $80!

Today, TP-Link announces a higher-end router powered by the Intel Home Wi-Fi Chipset. The "Archer C2700," as it is called, is an AC2600 (1733Mbps 5GHz band, 800Mbps 2.4GHz) Dual-Band Wi-Fi router with four Gigabit LAN ports. Two of those LAN ports can be aggregated for a combined 2 Gbps -- great for a compatible NAS. It also features two USB Type-A ports -- one is 2.0, while the other is 3.0. And yes, it has Amazon Alexa support!

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Researchers at DDoS protection specialist Radware have uncovered an attack aimed at Brazilian bank customers that seeks to steal credentials via a compromised router.

It employs malware that targets DLink DSL modem routers using exploits dating back to 2015. A malicious agent attempts to modify the DNS server settings in the routers of Brazilian residents, redirecting all their DNS requests through a malicious server.

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Researchers at Trustwave have uncovered an attack on tens of thousands of MikroTik routers which is being used to embed CoinHive cryptominer scripts in websites.

A surge in CoinHive actvity in Brazil at the start of this week alerted researchers that something was happening. Further investigation showed that MicroTik devices were at the root of the problem and all were using the same CoinHive site key.

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Cybercriminals use a variety of tactics to cloak their activity and that includes using trusted tools, like PowerShell, to retrieve and execute malicious code from remote sources.

A new report from eSentire reveals that 91 percent of endpoint incidents detected in Q1 2018 involved known, legitimate binaries.

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When it comes to Wi-Fi, we are living in very exciting times. It used to be that the majority of homes -- regardless of size -- had one router. Then, depending on needs, people would piecemeal various range extenders and repeaters that would maybe work well. Worst of all, routers of yesteryear were not only slow, but woefully unreliable -- they often required rebooting. I recall TV show South Park once had a joke where the entire internet was fixed by unplugging the power from a giant router and then plugging it in again.

These days, however, many routers are rock solid, requiring a reboot almost never. They are insanely fast too, usually offering performance that surpasses the user's internet speed. The greatest innovation for home networking in recent memory, however, is mesh. If you aren't familiar, this is where several access points work together to blanket a home in Wi-Fi. There are many great mesh offerings on the market, and today, TP-Link unveils its latest. Called "Deco M9 Plus," it is a small disc-shaped Tri-Band access point that offers AC2200 performance -- an upgrade to the existing non-plus version.

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