Wi-Fi routers, home servers, virtual private networks, and more.
Networking
Should I buy a new router?
Episode 1548
Gordon fromGordon hears that after about 3 years, routers become less secure and outdated. So does he have to replace his ASUS AC3200 router? Leo says often, news agencies read copy from an electronic press kit. Routers are getting hacked, but if he bought a good router from a company that updates the firmware regularly, then he's OK. ASUS uses DD-WRT, which is updated regularly. So all he has to do is keep them updated.
Why wouldn't my old routers work with a new cable internet installation?
Episode 1546
Mikah fromMikah left Spectrum internet service, but a recent deal they offered him got him back into the fold. The deal, however, had to include their phone service as well. He was able to continue using his own modem for the internet. He was using an older router before they arrived, but after they came, his router wouldn't work anymore. He had a brand new router, but that wouldn't work at all. He went and got a Netgear Nighthawk AC2300 router, but he's wondering why his other two routers wouldn't work.
Which mesh router should I buy?
Episode 1545
Mark fromMark is moving to a new house and he's looking to get a mesh router system for it. Should he go with Google Wi-Fi or Eero? Leo says of the two, Leo recommends Eero. He's used both and he's found that Eero is the best of the two, although he also uses Plume. The Netgear Orbi is good as well. At this point, all of them are pretty good.
How can I extend my mesh router network?
Episode 1543
David fromDavid would like to expand his mesh router network to his shop outside. Leo says he can do it by putting an Orbi Satellite into his workshop, and just put his Orbi base station in the Window sill. But if his shop is 150' away, then he'll be out of range. Then he'll have to get an outdoor Orbi base station.
What's a good alternative to Drobo?
Episode 1541
Rick fromRick bought a Drobo 2, and it's a bit flakier than his gen 1 Drobo. If it gets jostled, it has to reboot and rebuild. He's concerned that it's a single point of failure and he'll lose his data. Leo says that Drobos are a RAID (called Beyond Raid) where if one drive fails, it rebuilds form the other drives. So it's not really a single point of failure. But if all the drives go bad, then he's in a world of hurt.
How secure is the 'guest network' on my router?
Episode 1540
Patrick fromPatrick wants to know how secure a guest network would be? Leo says that while it's convenient for when he has guests, if their computer is compromised, so is his network. Some networks can create an isolated connection via VLAN, where all the guests would get is an internet connection.
Should I get a mesh router?
Episode 1538
Bianca fromBianca is thinking about getting a mesh router because her Wi-Fi is slow and unreliable. Leo says that a mesh router will definitely do the job, and they're better than a Wi-Fi extender because the extender is only half as fast. But mesh routers aren't cheap. Mesh routers also have a great quality of service with bandwidth shaping, and also parental blocking features. NetGear's Orbi is good, as is the Eero.
Why can't I put files on my external hard drive with my router?
Episode 1537
Dan fromDan wants to be able to transmit his movies over his network, but he can't see the drive he has hooked up to the router. Leo says that it sounds like the drive is set to Read-only through the Asus router Dan uses. It also depends on his file sharing settings in Windows. ScooterX says that Windows uses SMB, which is the most common file sharing standard. Heres a tech note on how (asus.com). But it will likely be very slow.
How can I create secure Wi-Fi in my apartment building?
Episode 1534
Scott fromScott is looking for a secure internet solution for his apartment tenants. Leo says he'll want to have a business version, which will give him a more reliable and faster connection. Leo suggests buying four different routers in bridge mode with a main Ubiquity Edge Router X. That will enable you to route traffic through the other four routers via a VLan connection. They will have a secure and isolated connection, while still sharing the connection. The other option is to let your tenants secure their own internet connection.
Why is my Wi-Fii so slow?
Episode 1533
Victor fromVictor is having issues with Wi-Fi on his laptop. It's very slow. Leo says that his router may need to be replaced if it's really old. He should run Inssider to analyze his Wi-Fi. NetSpot is another that will show him the weak spots in his router coverage. There are others at techwiser.com.
