Wi-Fi routers, home servers, virtual private networks, and more.
Networking
Are WiFi and Cell Waves Dangerous?
Episode 1603
Rick fromRick hears that Wifi and cellphones can cause cancer due to radiation. Leo says that there is a lot of disinformation out there and fearmongering. Radiation from these sources exist, but they diminish rapidly with distance. There no known issue with WiFi or Cellphone waves... not even high power electrical lines.
Are WiFi Extenders a Good Idea?
Episode 1600
David fromDavid needs to extend the WiFi in his apartment building. Will an extender do the job? Leo says it will, but at the cost of cutting bandwidth speed in half, because the base station is relaying the signal and spending half the time talking to the router. Leo recommends going with a MESH router. Eero is a good one, as is NetGear Orbi. But there are plenty more. Just about every router company makes a mesh model now.
Sam Abuelsamid .... the electrical architecture
Episode 1597
Sam joins Leo to talk about how the electrical architecture of E Vehicles is evolving. The wiring of modern electric vehicles can have as much as 2 miles of copper wire built into them. Hundreds of sensors. Connectors, and more. Manufacturers are trying to simplify it. Now they're starting to use CanBus, which is essentially like Ethernet, that allows computers in your car to talk to each other. So the modern electric vehicle is essentially a computer network.
Should I use DD-WRT on my router?
Episode 1593
Jose fromJose wants to know if DD-WRT is a good alternative to the software running his router? Leo says if the router supports it, DD-WRT is a great option because it's open source. Tomato is another option: ASUS routers support them.
How can I analyze my wifi connection?
Episode 1593
Brian fromBrian upgraded his WiFi router network, but he's still running into buffering and congestion. Leo says first check to see if your connection is the issue by bypassing the router and wire the modem directly into your laptop. Run a speed test and see how it works. Once you've eliminated the cable connection, then you can look to your hardware. But it could also be good old fashioned neighborhood congestion. If you look at your wifi connection, you can see how many wifi devices your router sees. It's not only everyone streaming Netflix anymore.
Can I create a MESH network with mobile phones?
Episode 1591
Nolan fromNolan wants to know if a mesh network can be deployed with a mobile app? Leo says that the earliest uses of MESH were through a mesh of internet hotspots with mobile phones. It talked to other mobile devices and connected them. It was to create a network where there is no internet. Here's an article about it - https://www.technologyreview.com/s/516571/build-your-own-internet-with-mobile-mesh-networking/
Can I Connect a WyzeCam to a Mesh Router Network?
Episode 1582
Darren fromDarren is looking to upgrade his network to a Mesh router and is having issues connecting his WyzeCams. Rich says that a lot of people are having issues with this because the WyzeCams are 2.4ghz and the mesh routers will switch between 2.4 and 5 GHz. That can cause camera connection issues. Google's mesh router will automatically connect to the band that the camera supports. So he may want to check out the Google WiFi mesh router.
Rich has Eero and he was able to hook up his WyzeCams without any issue.
How Can I Transmit WiFi to a Building 200 ft away from the Access Point?
Episode 1581
Dave fromDave would like to send his internet connection to another building on his property, a few hundred feet away. Should he use a WiFi access point? Leo says that's limited to about 150 feet. Leo says that the longer the distance, the slower the speed. A Ubiquity device is better because it goes point to point that directs the signal to where users want it. Leo recommends visiting RadioLabs.com to learn the difference and find out how to install and configure it.
Why Can't my Echo Connect?
Episode 1580
Brian fromBrian is having problems with his Amazon Echo. It tells him it's not connected and to try again later. Leo says that is more likely a WiFi failure, not an Echo issue.
Why Can't My Phone Connect to the Network?
Episode 1578
Pria fromPria has her cell service with Verizon and she is having issues connecting to WiFi in her apartment building. Leo says that in her iPhone settings, check the WiFi connection and look for the name of the network. Click on the "i" and look at the network. Make sure there's an IP address in there, starting with either 192 or 10. If it's anything else, she is not getting an internet connection. That would indicate the network is misconfigured. Try to unplug the router and plug it back in to reboot.
