More and more people are working from home these days, which means a fast, reliable home Wi-Fi connection is more important than ever. If all the Wi-Fi boosting tips you’ve seen on the internet have been to no avail, it’s probably time to take a look at the hardware you’re using. It might be that Learn More “Give your home Wi-Fi a boost with wireless repeaters and access points”
These days, it’s difficult for businesses to operate without a good Wi-Fi connection. The internet’s versatility is essential to getting work done, because having a fast, secure, and reliable Wi-Fi connection can guarantee quick response times and customer satisfaction. But what if your Wi-Fi refuses to work? These quick fixes ought to get your connection Learn More “How to minimize Wi-Fi hiccups”
In today’s world, staying connected means having a strong internet connection and a feature-packed smartphone. But you may discover that your internet-based apps are loading much more slowly after using your handset for just a few months. Learn four possible reasons why your phone’s internet speed is lagging. Router location One simple yet overlooked reason Learn More “Why your phone has slow internet speed”
Today, you simply can’t survive without a Wi-Fi connection. Businesses need fast, secure, and reliable internet to get work done and satisfy customers. But what about when you experience Wi-Fi issues? These fixes ought to do the trick! Range constraints Wi-Fi works via radio waves that are broadcast from a central hub, usually a piece Learn More “How to minimize Wi-Fi hiccups”
In May, security experts discovered one of the most widespread malware infections in history. Now, they’re warning businesses and consumers that it’s even worse than their first assessment. The VPNFilter malware poses a threat to small businesses and requires immediate attention from anyone who hasn’t taken action against it.
A team of security researchers from Cisco released a report that a strain of malware had been discovered on hundreds of thousands of routers and network devices. Originally, researchers believed it affected only Linksys, MikroTik, Netgear, and TP-Link devices.
Like many malware strains, VPNFilter infects devices that use default login credentials. But it’s worse than the average cyberattack because it can destroy router hardware and cannot be removed by resetting infected devices.
As if destroying 500,000 routers wasn’t bad enough, VPNFilter lets its creators spy on networks and intercept passwords, usernames, and financial information.
Just two weeks after VPNFilter was discovered, security experts announced that it targets 200,000 additional routers manufactured by ASUS, D-Link, Huawei, Ubiquiti, UPVEL, and ZTE. Worse yet, VPNFilter can alter data passing through infected routers. That means when you enter a username and password into a banking website, hackers could steal that information and show you an incorrect account balance to hide fraudulent deductions.
Rebooting a router won’t remove the malware, you need to factory-reset the device. Usually, all this requires is holding down the Reset button on the back of the device for 10-30 seconds. If your router has no reset button or you’re unsure whether pressing it did the trick, contact a local IT provider immediately.
Cybersecurity threats have become so prevalent that even large enterprises struggle to keep their digital assets safe. Outsourcing IT support to a managed services provider like us will give you enough capacity to deal with issues like VPNFilter as soon as they arise. Call us today to learn more.
Did you know you can keep your laptop connected to the Internet in areas without a Wi-Fi connection? All it takes is a portable, low-cost 4G router to make a private wireless network for their devices. These tiny devices are a great investment for employees working from the road, and we’ve got some tips on how to use them.
A mobile hotspot usually provides faster Internet connection and better security compared with public Wi-Fi. But if this kind of mobile networking is not utilized well, it will accumulate expensive data charges. The following tricks will maximize the efficiency of mobile hotspots while lowering their data usage.
Place the router in a strategic spot
For your equipment to offer optimal coverage, put it in an area where it can best broadcast signals. The goal here is to cover as many devices as possible, so you want to carefully plan where the router is placed. Wireless signals reach only up to 100 feet indoors and 300 feet outdoors. The signals can pass through floors, walls and ceilings, but fewer obstructions will result in better transmission.
Less Wi-Fi range for longer battery life
If your settings allow, tweak your mobile wireless network for low-power, shorter Wi-Fi. Users must move closer to the hotspot for better Internet connection, but the router’s battery will thank you for it.
Check for LTE coverage
It’s a good idea to research the area you will use the portable router in. There are locations that do not support cellular 4G/LTE, which means you will still have Internet, but at slower speeds.
Watch out for background apps!
Laptops, tablets, and smartphones may be running applications in the background that are using up Internet bandwidth. The most common examples of these apps are location-based services, social media and email. Minimize the amount of data you use by disabling background apps you don’t need.
Avoid multimedia usage
Loading an email or text on a webpage with your mobile device will consume minimal amounts of data. Streaming videos or music will require more bandwidth, using up more data. Try to avoid using multimedia so your battery and data plan lasts longer.
Mobile hotspots let users remotely connect to the Internet without being dependent on possibly unsafe public Wi-Fi networks. With the ability to connect multiple devices to a single hotspot, these devices are an easy way to increase productivity.
We specialize in hardware solutions that improve your bottom line. Call us today for advice tailored to your business and its industry.
Have you ever gotten frustrated with your phone because the browser took more than five minutes to load? Before you start blaming your old phone, check out these four reasons that might be the cause of sluggish internet connection.
One simple yet overlooked reason why your WiFi-connected phone may be experiencing internet lag is because of your router’s location. Although WiFi has a range of up to 230 feet, the farther away you are from the router, the weaker the WiFi signal. Large objects like doors and walls situated in between you and the router can also weaken the WiFi signal.
It is recommended to place your router in a central location, preferably away from concrete and masonry walls or other big objects like a chimney. As the router signal radiates from all four sides, blocking any side with big objects will impact your WiFi’s signal quality and as a result your phone’s internet speed.
Did you know that home electronic appliances emit wireless signals at a frequency similar to your router’s (2.4 GHz)? So before deciding on your router’s location, determine whether there are any wireless devices nearby, as they emit signals that can interfere with your router’s signal. For example, even if the ideal location for your router is at the center of your house, you shouldn’t place it there if there’s a cordless phone nearby.
You can also set your router on a 5.0-GHz band, as this frequency is less prone to interference from other appliances. But before you start tuning it, make sure your phone supports 5.0 GHz; otherwise, it won’t be able to connect to the router.
Another reason for your phone’s slow internet is because of fluctuating network speed. Ask yourself these two questions to know the exact cause of this problem:
How many people are connecting to the router?
What are they doing over the internet?
You should increase your router’s internet bandwidth speed if you discover you have many users and all of them are either streaming movies, or downloading computer games or software updates. This will allow every phone to enjoy faster internet speed.
If you’re outdoors, and you’re connected to a public WiFi, consider using your mobile data instead. You won’t have to share your internet when you use mobile data, enabling you to experience faster connectivity at all times as long as you have a high-speed data plan.
Last, you should check your phone’s cache if fixing your router, network, and positioning doesn’t improve your phone’s internet speed. Cache is a component in your phone that saves data from earlier searches in order to increase the speed of similar searches in the future. Although your phone becomes more efficient for that particular search, it also makes your phone much slower when you do other things that require the internet.
You can clear out your cache manually or use a cache cleaner app to thoroughly get rid of useless cache and optimize your phone’s internet speed. If you decide to download a cache cleaner app, make sure that it is reputable and trustworthy so you don’t accidentally download a malware-infiltrated app instead.
There are more reasons to your phone’s lagging internet speed. If your business relies heavily on fast mobile internet speed and you’re unable to fix the sluggish connection, call our experts today. We’re always ready to help you.