Network security sounds like something that would concern an IT manager at a big company, but even ordinary home users have good reasons not to leave their small home networks to the wind. It’s about stopping hackers and malware from getting in from the outside, but it’s also about stopping unauthorized people from getting into and snooping around your connected devices–not to mention giving all those devices the best possible protection as they browse the internet. In this guide, I’ll go through different aspects of network security and show you what you can do to increase your privacy and reduce the risk of hacks and malware, without making your life more complicated. Further reading: Solve your Wi-Fi problems with these smart router settings Securing your router In most homes, the router is both the central hub of the local network and the gateway between the network and the vast, wild internet. All traffic between connected devices and the internet or between two connected devices passes through the router. This means that the most important thing for a secure home network is a secure router, which neither lets unauthorized people in through weak passwords nor can be taken over by hackers or malware. Strong passwords Start by choosing a strong, unique password for your router’s admin interface. If possible, change the username on your router as well. If a vulnerability is discovered in the router that makes it easier to guess the right password, a unique username can still put an end to automated login attempts. Enable https and switch off telnet, ssh and remote login.Foundry Enable https for the admin interface If not already enabled, you should switch on https (encrypted connection) in the router settings. The setting for it is usually in the same place as the password. Without an encrypted connection, an unauthorized user on the local network can easily intercept your password and take control of the router. Change your Wi-Fi name and password Most routers come from the factory with a randomly chosen wireless network name and an equally random password. This can lull you into a false sense of security, thinking that’s enough. This is a mistake, as it has been shown many times over the years that these are not as random as they seem, and are easy to circumvent. The random network names (also called SSID) also reveal the manufacturer of your router, making it easier to target it with attacks. So switch to a unique network name (it also makes it easier to recognize your network if your neighbors have routers from the same manufacturer) and a long, secure password. I strongly recommend a password consisting of common, randomly chosen words. It’s much easier to type in by hand than a string of characters. Select wpa2 For connection security to the wireless network, it’s often possible to choose between different versions of the wpa protocol. Some routers are still pre-set to use wpa1 (usually just called wpa), but this is an outdated standard that is not completely secure. The vast majority of devices today support wpa2 or wpa3, so I recommend starting with wpa3 only. If you then find that any device in your home cannot connect to the network, you can go back to the router settings and change it to wpa2/wpa3. If that option is not available, you can choose wpa2 only. You may also want to activate a function called protected management frames if this option is available. Foundry Switch on the firewall Most routers have a built-in simple firewall. Check that it is switched on and enable it if it is not. Switch off unnecessary features Many routers come with a bunch of features that were once considered safe or needed for one reason or another, but are now unnecessary. Here are some features you should avoid. Hidden SSID Most routers have the ability to hide the Wi-Fi network, meaning it doesn’t show up as a possible network to connect to. The problem is that it is still very easy to find for those who really want to, and it only becomes more complicated for you and others who will use the network. Upnp Universal plug-and-play, or upnp, is an outdated technology for enabling access to network services from outside. It was not intended to be used to access things from the open internet, and it leaves your network vulnerable. Only switch it on if you later realize that something you really need requires the feature to be turned on. Wps Wi-Fi protected setup (aka wps) is also an outdated technology that was meant to make it easier to connect gadgets without a user interface, like printers, to the network. However, it has known security flaws and modern gadgets connect in other ways, such as with qr code. MAC filter All network devices have a hardware address, also known as a MAC address (not to be confused with Apple’s Mac computers). A MAC filter in the router means that devices whose MAC address you haven’t added won’t be allowed to connect. The only problem is that a hacker can easily clone one of your devices’ addresses to sneak past the filter, while making it much more complicated to connect new gadgets. Remote logging Some routers have a feature that allows you to log in and change settings by connecting from the internet to your home IP address. This is a bad idea and leaves you vulnerable. Foundry Use guest networks Many routers have a handy feature that creates a separate wireless network, often called a guest network. Devices connected to the guest network have access to the internet but cannot access your computer and other devices on the regular network. They cannot normally connect to each other either, although some manufacturers break this rule. Some routers allow you to create more than one guest network. You can use this to segment your network and protect your most important devices. For example, if you connect potentially insecure smart home products to a guest network, a hacked device will not give the hacker the opportunity to try to access your computer, mobile phone, or router. More advanced routers and routers on which you install alternative software such as Open WRT, allow you to create other types of segmented networks using a technology called vlan. For example, you can create a network for smart home devices that cannot access the internet, and then provide sufficient access to and from the regular network to control the devices with, for example, the smart home platform Home Assistant. More on this in a later guide! Foundry Encrypted dns for everyone on the network Most traffic between browsers and websites today is encrypted, so that only you and each website you connect to know what you are communicating about. But some internet traffic is still transparent–domain name lookups. For example, the DNS system translates www.pcforalla.se into an IP address. Your internet service provider has a DNS server to which the router normally forwards all domain name lookups. This means that the operator gets a lot of data about the websites you visit. By using encrypted DNS, you can protect yourself from this monitoring. The settings can look a bit different, but what you’re looking for is something called dns-over-tls (dot) or dns-over-https (doh). There are several major operators of encrypted dns, Cloudflare being the best known. Don’t forget to update Routers are some of the most vulnerable devices on the internet, and hackers are constantly hunting for vulnerabilities to be able to take over routers en masse and allow them to be part of botnets. If your router has a setting to automatically install firmware updates, I highly recommend turning it on. If not, you should set some kind of reminder to check for updates at least once a month. It’s also important to keep your connected gadgets up to date. Computers, mobiles, and tablets are easy to remember and they often show notifications alerting you to updates, but don’t forget other gadgets such as printers, televisions, and various smart home products. Fing Keep track of connected gadgets It can be a good idea to scan the network from time to time to see all connected devices. Even if you never detect any unauthorized devices, it can be useful, for example, by reminding you of gadgets you have that may need updating. Some routers have a built-in feature that displays all connected devices by name, IP address, and MAC address. If your router doesn’t have this, you can use a program on your computer such as Fing. Don’t be alarmed if you see devices that you don’t immediately recognize. Most connected gadgets choose strange device names. Fing can be a good choice here because the program can usually tell which manufacturer a device is from, making it easier to identify all devices. Simon Switch off your router when you’re away from home If you’re going to be away from home for more than a few days, it’s a good idea to switch off your router. This prevents outsiders from trying to get in, and devices in your home from communicating with the internet unnecessarily. An exception to this is if you have, for example, smart surveillance cameras that you want to be able to access from outside, or have a connected alarm of some kind (either for burglary or for water leaks, for example). Switch on additional security features in the router Many routers have additional security features that can help protect you and others connecting to that network. For example, Asus has features like AI Protect and Parental Control. Such features can, for example, analyze network traffic and block connections to known malicious sites, or block parts of the internet for certain devices (children, for example). As there are many different features that look different from one manufacturer to another, I can’t go through what’s available and what’s worth enabling on your particular router, but go through your router’s settings carefully and search for more info on a feature if you’re curious. Peggy & Marco Lachmann-Anke Protecting your accounts for connected gadgets Today, many connected devices in the home use manufacturer accounts for remote access, updates, and more. As long as these devices have access to the internet, these accounts pose a security risk. A hacker who gets into an account can spy on you–how much depends on the gadgets involved, the worst being connected cameras as the hacker can see (and record) everything that happens in front of the cameras. It is possible to use such gadgets without the internet, for example by only using them via Homekit or Home Assistant and placing them on a separate network where the firewall blocks the internet. If you don’t have the time or inclination to get involved, it’s important that you protect these accounts as best you can. Choose secure, unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication, or switch to key logins. This is not how it should look if you don’t run a website on a server in your home.Foundry Don’t open ports to the outside world In the past, it was common for applications to require others to contact them directly over the internet. For devices behind a router with address translation, this meant opening the router with port forwarding technology. This was the case for various file-sharing services, chat programs and games. For example, some Xbox games required port 3074 to be forwarded from the router to the game console. The website portforward.com lists thousands of games and programs and the ports they need. Modern programs and games have almost completely switched to other network technologies and do not need any open ports. Check your router’s port forwarding settings and remove any forwarding you no longer need. You can also test whether your router has any ports open to the outside world using, for example, Shields Up from renowned security researcher Steve Gibson. The site isn’t exactly intuitive, but click on “All Service Ports” at the bottom and it will check all the usual ports. A more advanced option is the nmap program, which you can use to scan your own router from the outside by first connecting to a VPN service. Read...

Black Friday once was a single, frantic day of shopping. Back then, you’d wake up at the crack of dawn the day after Thanksgiving, drive to a mall, and fight over CDs, televisions, and computers. People with sharp eyes and quick reflexes would snag incredible deep discounts amid piles of questionable “bargains.” Later on, online retailers launched Cyber Monday as a digital version of the free-for-all, with an eventual melding of Black Friday and Cyber Monday to first take over the whole Thanksgiving weekend, then eventually the entire month of November. Recently, deals sometimes even started in October. This year’s a bit more quiet, though—which puts even more emphasis on knowing the best time to buy. Jump too soon, and you’ll pay more than you need. Hold out too long, and you might miss the top sale items. Not to worry, though. If you follow our tips below, deal hunting should be simpler and easier. When is Black Friday this year? Black Friday is always the fourth Friday of November—the day after Thanksgiving. For 2024, that comes at the very end of the month, on November 29. Cyber Monday will follow on December 2. However, stores don’t limit themselves to just these calendar dates anymore. You can already start discount shopping now. How to get the best Black Friday tech deals Option 1: Let us do the work The easiest way to score rock-bottom prices is to let us find them for you. We’ve already begun tracking deals—and some of them are quite good. Black Friday laptop deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday monitor deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday SSD and storage deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday desktop PC deals: What to expect and early sales Option 2: Wade into the fray with our help The other option is to strike out on your own. It’s simple if you’re prepared—you just need to set aside time for it. Even then, you can zip pretty fast through all websites, circulars, forum posts, and email newsletters if you follow these tips. Make a plan (and a budget) Listing your potential purchases helps in knowing when to pull the trigger on a deal—and for keeping track of all the packages that come  in. PCWorld To actually save money, you need to make a plan—otherwise the temptation to blow cash on more stuff can become too great. Whether in your head or written out, decide on what to shop for, your desired prices, and the max you’re willing to pay. This list will look different for everyone. My preferred prices usually involve a hefty discount, and my max usually isn’t too much higher. I also keep tabs on products I use regularly, so that I know what to stock up on, what I might need to replace soon, and the stuff I’ve considered buying if deeply discounted. Bargain hunting doesn’t always go predictably, of course. Some years you’ll nab every major thing on your list. Other years, you’ll find a deal on just a few things, but also unexpectedly score five stackable one-year Microsoft Office 365 licenses for $15 each. (I still hope to see a repeat deal someday.) But a plan ensures you’ll know exactly what to watch for and when to zero in. Research prices in advance Keepa is a site that shows detailed historical price data for products sold on Amazon. Camelcamelcamel is another popular alternative. PCWorld Not all deals that happen during Black Friday are good. Many discounts are mediocre and designed to lure you into spending money. Doing research on the products you want to buy can save you some serious cash, whether or not you make a spending plan. A few different sites can help provide the background knowledge you’ll need: Keepa.com or Camelcamelcamel.com: These sites show historical price information for products on Amazon. And because there’s also a graph showing the trend over time, you can tell how often a product goes on sale, what the most common sale prices are, and what the lowest price was. BlackFriday.com: More retailers have begun releasing their circulars early, but for those who haven’t, sites like BlackFriday.com publish scans of leaked Black Friday ads for major retailers (Best Buy, Target, Newegg, Fry’s, Micro Center, etc.). While none of these prices are guaranteed, these scans provide early reconnaissance on which retailers will have which products on sale, and roughly what the cost will be. Slickdeals.net: This set of forums crowdsources deal-hunting. Frontpage deals are supposed to be the absolute crème de la crème of the bunch, while a fire hose of daily deals lives in the Hot Deals forum. Search for a product name or model number to see any posts related to it. Not all products will have results (or relevant results), but often you can find the last best price on a product and when that was. Keep your search term as simple as possible (just one or two keywords specific to the item) to improve your results. If you plan to take advantage of Amazon’s Lightning deals, which don’t reveal the sale price until the deal starts, doing this research in advance is particularly useful. When a Lightning deal goes live, you’ll know immediately if it’s worth your time. Set deal alerts on Slickdeals and Amazon Using Slickdeals’ alert feature can help you catch deals that you might otherwise miss—and help you understand price trends. Shown here is a historical snapshot from several years ago. If you sign up for a free account on Slickdeals, you can set up to 200 different deal alerts that can ping you via email, the Slickdeals mobile app, private message through the site, and/or desktop browser notifications. (You’ll receive a notice whenever a member posts a deal that matches your keywords.) These alerts can be customized based on popularity and forum. Amazon offers a similar service for its Lightning deals, which are available for only a limited time on the site. (They expire at a certain time or when the allotted inventory runs out, whichever comes first.) If you use the Amazon app on your phone or tablet, you can get alerts when the deal starts by “watching” the deal. You can also set deal alerts through Keepa.com and Camelcamelcamel.com for Amazon deals, but they don’t always get sent in time to act on the deal. Still, setting them up doesn’t hurt. Sign up for email newsletters at specific stores Email newsletters can be a good source of deals, for a few reasons. Some deals are only available if you’re already on the store’s email list. For example, Newegg, often creates coupon codes that only work for email subscribers. Signing up for a store’s email newsletter can alert you to hot sales. PCWorld Other sites offer codes for discounts and free shipping through their email newsletters that don’t always show up on deal and coupon sites. Then there are the places with niche items that rarely go on sale (like Apple products). Even if the product still stays at normal price during Black Friday, some vendors will at least provide a gift with purchase. Note: If inbox clutter is a concern, you can use either a filter or a junk email address to collect all the email in one spot. You usually don’t need to use the same email address at checkout for the code to work. Keep an eye out for bundle deals Micro Center often has CPU/motherboard bundle discounts. When combined with their insanely low in-store prices during Black Friday, you can save some serious cash. PCWorld Shopping for PC parts? Pay attention to the retailers that favor bundle and combo deals. That’s typically Newegg and Micro Center, but on occasion other stores offer them as well. You can save quite a bit this way—for example, Micro Center often offers a combo discount for buying a CPU and a motherboard at the same time. That’s in addition to already-reduced prices on both components. (You can see how we made the most of these deals in our Cheapest Black Friday / Cyber Monday PC Build articles from 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.) Where to find good Black Friday tech deals Curious to know which stores we frequent the most? These are the places we make our own personal purchases at: Amazon Best Buy Newegg B&H Micro Center Target Walmart Costco / Sam’s Club GameStop eBay* We also shop directly on the manufacturers’ websites as well: Dell, Microsoft, HP, Apple, Google, etc. (*We buy from established retailers with eBay storefronts, like Adorama and Best Buy) How to get free shipping during Black Friday Most big-box retailers offer free shipping for orders over a certain threshold or free in-store pickup. PCWorld These days, free shipping is common—and occasionally, next-day and two-day shipping are even dangled as an incentive. You should still expect to see free standard shipping (usually for orders over $35) and free curbside pick-up for purchases made at major retailers, as applicable. We recommend signing up for newsletters now, so that you’ll get notified of any free shipping promotions between now and the end of December. You can unsubscribe after you’re done with your shopping. How to price match Black Friday purchases For price matching, you’ll need to look up each store’s policy. Typically, price matching is rare, especially during Black Friday sales. However, one novel variation is Newegg’s price protection program, which has returned for a fifth year. If you purchase an eligible item between November 1 through November 20 and it drops in price on or before November 30, you’ll be automatically refunded the difference. How to return Black Friday purchases Return policies vary across stores, but most U.S. retailers extend their windows for returns and exchanges for items purchased in November and most of December. Be sure to read the return policy for each site you shop at. Also, before making a purchase, check to see if it’s easy to return the item and if it will cost you anything (like a restocking fee or shipping). If you’re not careful, you could lose money on the purchase should you end up not needing it. Our picks for Black Friday deals We’re beginning to roll out our curated lists for Black Friday tech deals—and you can expect them to stay fresh with the best deals throughout the month. Here’s to hoping for a year of deep discounts! Black Friday monitor deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday laptop deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday SSD deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday desktop PC deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday Chromebook deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday Thunderbolt dock deals: What to expect and early sales Black Friday power bank deals: What to expect and early sales Read...

So you’ve secured your router and ensured that all computers and other devices in your home have a stable connection to your network. You no longer have any problems with the internet. Why not take advantage of the fact that all your gadgets can communicate to do more than just get online? Other articles in this series: How to choose a new router and get started with important settings Solve your Wi-Fi problems with these smart router settings Protect your home network with these essential router tweaks File sharing One of the seemingly simplest things you can do to get more out of your network is to start sharing files and other stuff between different devices. It was always easy in the past and you don’t have to carry around a USB stick or an external hard drive. Unfortunately, Microsoft has made it a bit more complicated in Windows 10 and 11, including the transition to Microsoft accounts and logging in with Windows Hello. File sharing using the SMB protocol requires accounts with usernames and passwords, which most people no longer have. But it can still be arranged, and may make sense if you have multiple computers and want to be able to move files here and there across the network. Especially if you don’t want to install any additional software or have computers with operating systems other than Windows. Foundry File sharing settings used to be in Control Panel, but now that’s found in Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Advanced sharing settings, where the settings have their new home. Expand the Private networks section and switch on File and printer sharing to enable the feature on networks that you have set as private. Underneath are the settings for Public networks (for example, the Wi-Fi network at a cafe), for which you can leave file sharing turned off. Windows now assumes that all networks are public, so you also need to go to the Ethernet or Wi-Fi settings in Network & internet and change to Private network. To connect, you also need an account with a password. Microsoft accounts are complicated, so the easiest thing to do is to create a new local account with a name and password that you only use for file sharing. You do this in Settings > Accounts > Other users. If you never log into Windows with it, the account will barely take up any space on the disk. Make sure you don’t choose administrator but default account. When you connect, you will always access the home folder of the account you connect as, but if you want to access other folders as well, you need to enable sharing for those. Right-click on a folder you want to share in Explorer and select Properties. Select the Sharing tab and click Share. Select the new user account you created for the purpose from the drop-down menu and click Add. Foundry One final issue you may encounter is that Windows’ built-in firewall blocks connections when it should automatically allow connections for features you have enabled, like file sharing. If you have trouble connecting, try the following: 1. Open Windows Security. 2. Select Firewall & network protection and then Advanced settings. 3. Click Inbound Rules > Ports > Protocol and ports and then New rule in the top right corner. 4. Select Protocol and Ports, fill in 445 next to Specific local ports, and select TCP. 5. After hitting Next, select Allow the connection, and on the next screen tick Private only and give the rule an informative name. Engin Akyurt Share printers If you have a printer connected to one of the computers in your home, you can share it so that it can print from other computers on the network. On a computer running Windows 10 or 11, do this: Foundry Open Settings and go to Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Click on the printer you want to share and then on Printer properties and a separate window will open. Select the Sharing tab and tick Share this printer. You can change the name to something more sensible if you like — in the image above, I’ve chosen the brand of the printer and the room it’s in. If I later share a Brother in the basement, for example, it will be easier to tell them apart on the network. Foundry To add a shared printer to another computer, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners again and click Add a device. The printer should now appear and you can click Add device to the right of it. On other operating systems, of course, you do it differently. On Mac, for example, the setting is in System Preferences > Printers and Scanners. Foundry On Android, you can usually add printers in Settings > Connected Devices > Connection Options > Printing. Select the default service (if there is none, you must first add one). Then select the network printer you want to connect to. Printing from iOS is a little more complicated as it doesn’t have built-in support for regular network printers. If your printer doesn’t support Apple’s Airprint feature, try installing an Airprint server on your computer. Clausio Schwartz Get a NAS device If you have a lot of computers and other devices in your home and want a centralized repository for backups and shared files, for example, a NAS device can be a good investment. It’s basically a simple server computer in a multi-hard drive enclosure, which comes with a customized operating system. Synology is the most well-known manufacturer of NAS devices, and has the advantage that the operating system has many add-ons to run different types of servers directly on the device. Other brands include Asustor, Qnap, and Terramaster. A NAS drive usually has space for two or four hard drives and the idea is that they should be used in a so-called raid setup that provides redundancy — if one of the drives suddenly fails, you won’t lose any files. You can then replace the broken disk and continue as before. With four hard drives, you can choose RAID 5. If the four drives are the same size (which they should be), this means that 75 percent of the space is available for storage and that a drive can fail without losing data, but hurry up and replace a broken drive. One thing to remember is that even if your NAS has RAID for added security, it’s not a backup, and if you store important files on it, you should definitely consider getting a separate large external hard drive to back up your entire NAS to. Three uses for NAS 1. File server It may sound obvious, but an always-available NAS is a great place to store files for a variety of purposes. For example, you can use it as a dumping ground for files that take up a lot of space — something that comes in handy these days when many computers are sold with relatively small but fast SSDs for internal storage. For example, you can archive photos and videos from a camera on the NAS. Another example is if you have surveillance cameras in your home. It is often possible to set where these should store recordings, and then you can choose the NAS as the destination. 2. Backup server How many copies of your irreplaceable files do you have? You may be familiar with the 3-2-1 rule, which means you should have at least three copies, on at least two different drives, at least one of which is in a different location. With a NAS device, you have a simple and relatively safe way to store backups of all the computers in your home, and quite easily, mobiles and tablets too. The easiest way to do this is with a backup programme like Arq Backup or Duplicati on the computers you want to back up. If your NAS supports separate user accounts, you can create separate accounts for each family member and connect with them from the backup software. Connect with SFTP if possible, otherwise with SMB. Synology 3. Private cloud Instead of paying Dropbox or any other company for cloud storage, you can run your own private cloud with your NAS. This is an area where Synology is popular, as the company’s NAS devices come with a cloud sync service called Synology Drive. It’s easy to set up and has clients for most operating systems. Security is especially important if you open any part of your home to the internet. There is no easy way to securely access gadgets in your home from outside, but of the methods available, a VPN server is probably the least complicated. Some routers, for example from Asus, have it built in. Hugo Clément Reuse an old computer as a server You don’t necessarily need to buy new hardware to try running some kind of server at home. Do you have an old computer sitting in a closet/attic/storage room that was retired when you got a new one? It can work great as a server. A desktop computer of the tower type often consumes considerably more power than a small mini PC, and of course takes up a lot of space, so in the long run it may be better to get something more appropriate. But if you’re just trying it out, or have plenty of space and don’t mind the slightly heftier electricity bill, it’s at least a cheap way to get started. With a regular computer as a server, you can also stick to Windows if that’s what you’re used to, and avoid learning Linux, which is otherwise most common for such so-called home labs (check out the Reddit group r/homelab if you’re curious about what others are putting together at home). Skärmdump 1. Media server with Plex or Jellyfin If your old computer has a sixth-generation Intel processor or later, it can work well as a media server to stream films and TV shows you own to all the devices in your home. That’s thanks to the Quick Sync Video feature that can transcode video formats so that a device or browser that doesn’t support the format the file is stored in can still play the video. Plex and Jellyfin are the two most common media server programs. Both make sense for home users, but Jellyfin is more open and you don’t need to create an account with the developer, for example. Skärmdump 2. Minecraft server Do you have children or grandchildren who like Minecraft? You can easily repurpose an old computer as a Minecraft server without having to install Linux or anything else complicated. All you need to do is install a modern version of java, create a folder for the server where you put the Minecraft server software, and then run it and follow the instructions. There are plenty of guides, both written and on YouTube, that show you how to do this in more detail. Look up a guide if you want to run a server with different mods, for example. 3. File server If your old computer has space for multiple hard drives, you can turn it into a NAS-like file server for shared files, backups, and anything else you would normally use a NAS drive for. A full-fledged file server can provide higher performance and more features, and if you install Linux as your operating system, you can use the ZFS file system and merge multiple hard drives into a common storage device with higher performance and increased security compared to regular RAID. Foundry 4. Smart home center with Home Assistant This is something that’s really better suited to a Raspberry Pi, but if you’re curious to try it out and already have a computer, you don’t need to run out and buy one. You can either install Home Assistant as a full operating system or, if you already have Windows on your computer, as a virtual machine using Virtualbox or Vmware Workstation, for example. Installed directly on the computer, it can feel like a bit of a waste of a full computer, as Home Assistant is just a simple server that requires very little hardware beyond a network connection and a USB adapter for Zigbee and/or Z-wave to directly connect smart lights and other things. The developers of Home Assistant have made a simple guide to installing in a virtual machine on Windows, and have also prepared ready-made disc images for Virtualbox, Vmware Workstation and Hyper-V (where USB does not work, which is a major limitation if you want to use Zigbee/Z-wave). The instructions for Virtualbox are the easiest. All you need to do is create a new virtual machine for 64-bit Linux, make sure the virtual machine uses EFI and not BIOS, select the downloaded .vdi file as the hard drive, and select the Bridged Adapter for networking and Intel HD Audio as the audio device. Note that the computer must be connected with Ethernet. Read...

The alphabet begins with the letter A, but the first drive on a reasonably up-to-date Windows computer is labeled “C:”. Why is that? First of all, the naming of the first Windows drive is not because Windows is written in the C programming language, as has been assumed here. C is indeed still an important programming language and is often used for programming close to the operating system. In the Unix world, the actual operating system was and still is programmed in C, at least in part. However, this has nothing to do with the naming of Windows drives. Further reading: Best external drives 2024: Backup, storage, and portability That’s why Windows starts with C: get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro In the early days of Windows computers, permanently installed data carriers, i.e. hard disks or SSDs, were not common. Instead, floppy discs were used as the primary storage medium, in 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch sizes. The first floppy drive in a Windows computer had the drive letter “A:” and the second the drive letter “B:”. When the first built-in hard disks arrived, Microsoft labeled them alphabetically correct with C:. A: and B: have disappeared But why do we no longer see the drive letters “A:” and “B:” on our PCs? It’s because even halfway modern computers no longer have floppy disc drives. “A:” and “B:” are permanently reserved for floppy drives and are therefore no longer displayed in the Windows drive directory. After the letter C, Microsoft continued with drive naming strictly according to the alphabet. A CD or DVD drive (which no longer exists on PCs) was given the letter “D:” or Windows displayed a second hard drive as “D:” if one was installed. If you plug in a USB stick or install another hard drive, it goes with “E:”, “F:”, and so on. Read...

It might be early, but Black Friday desktop PC deals have begun. Some retailers have already launched early deals on everything from home office computers to gaming PCs to all-in-ones. What’s more, many retailers are offering price protection so you can make your purchase now and rest assured you’ll end up with the best price. We’re already seeing great discounts on gaming PCs and all-in-ones from Best Buy, Dell, HP, Newegg, and more. We’ll continue to track down and highlight the best PC computer deals leading up to and during Black Friday 2024, so check back later if you don’t spot one you like yet. Best early Black Friday gaming desktop PC deals Skytech Chronos, Core i5-12400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (14% off on Amazon) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i7-14700F/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399.99 (30% off on Dell) Alienware Aurora R16, Core i9-14900KF/RTX 4090/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $2,999.99 (19% off on Dell) Thermaltake LCGS Quartz i460 R4, Core i5-13400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (6% off on Amazon) ViprTech Overlord, Ryzen 5 5600X/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (14% off on Walmart) iBuyPower Y40, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,439.00 (10% off on Walmart) Acer Predator Orion 3000, Core i7-13700F/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (29% off on Newegg) The Skytech Chronos that’s $150 off on Amazon is a solid early Black Friday deal for a budget gaming PC. With a Core i5-12400F CPU and RTX 4060 GPU, you’ll get excellent frame rates while gaming at 1080p with the latest AAA games. But then there’s also Dell, who kicked off Black Friday with a pair of excellent deals on its Alienware Aurora R16 gaming desktop models. The first is a strong mid-range build for $600 off and the second is a higher-end build that’s $700 off. Both deals offer very affordable prices for their respective specs, but if I had the cash, the tricked-out build with a Core i9-14900KF CPU and RTX 4090 GPU would be hard to pass up. Best early Black Friday mainstream desktop PC deals Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini, Core i5-13500H/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $509.99 (21% off on Lenovo) HP Slim Desktop, Core i5-14400/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $499.99 (28% off on HP) Dell Inspiron Desktop, Core i7-14700/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (23% off on Dell) Apple Mac Mini M2 2023, M2/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $469.00 (22% off on Amazon) Lenovo is offering the IdeaCentre Mini for $140 off on its website during its early Black Friday sale. This mini PC, with an impressively small footprint and great productivity features, is a must-have if desktop space is in short supply and you don’t want to sacrifice performance. Mac fans need not miss out either, as there’s a rare deal on the M2 Mac Mini for $130 off on Amazon. The M2 is still a solid CPU, and considering that the M4 Mac Mini was just announced, it’s the perfect time to buy the older version at a discount. You’re still getting a capable mini desktop, but without the exorbitant price of a new-gen Apple product. Best early Black Friday all-in-one computer deals Dell Inspiron 24 AiO, Ryzen 5 7530U/16GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $799.99 (20% off on Dell) Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i, Core i9-13900H/RTX 4050/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,999.99 (13% off on Lenovo) Asus Zen AiO 24, Ryzen 7 5825U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $789.00 (31% off on Amazon) Apple iMac M3 2023, M3/8GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K Retina display, $1,399.00 (18% off on Amazon) I really like the Dell Inspiron 24 AiO deal for $200 off on Dell’s website. It might not look like the most mind-blowing AiO, but don’t let that fool you. Good performance features and a handy touch display make this a standout all-in-one Black Friday sale. Alternatively, the striking Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i is discounted by $300 on Lenovo’s website. This flagship all-in-one PC is outfitted with a dazzling 31.5-inch 4K display and powered by a robust Intel Core i9-13900H CPU. Plus, in case you want to do some moderate gaming, they even throw in a Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU as well. That’s a solid price for a powerful AiO config, and it’s definitely worth jumping on. FAQ 1. When is Black Friday? Black Friday 2024 falls on Friday, Nov 29. However, many retailers have already started to offer great discounts on desktop computers. Keep your eyes tuned to PCWorld for the best desktop PC deal alerts. We’ll be covering discounts now through November and on to Cyber Monday, Dec 2. 2. What should I look for in a Black Friday computer deal? When looking to get a new computer, make sure to get at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5. Either will provide plenty of processing power for everyday computing tasks. If you don’t intend to do any PC gaming, then feel free to save some money with integrated graphics. But if you are looking to get your game on, we recommend a minimum of an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle ray tracing well. If you want the latest and greatest, opt for one of Nvidia’s newer GPUs (RTX 4060, 4070, 4080, or 4090). These are more expensive, but they give you top-of-the-line performance, especially the RTX 4080 and 4090 cards. As for RAM, shoot for a minimum of 16GB for gaming and ideally 32GB for content creation (e.g., video editing and rendering tasks). But for general-purpose web browsing and office tasks, 8GB of RAM should suffice. Storage size depends on your personal needs, but it’s generally good to opt for an SSD over a standard HDD as they’re much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop PC. A good starting place for most desktop PCs is 512GB of SSD storage, but if you have large files to store (such as videos or games), then you should go for at least 1TB of capacity. Additionally, if you intend to go for an all-in-one with an integrated display, look for a screen with a minimum resolution of 1080p. 3. What are good websites to find Black Friday computer deals? There are tons of sites that sell computers on Black Friday, but scouring through all of them would take you a lot of time. That’s why we do it for you here and highlight the best deals we find. Even so, you need to be smart about where you look at any given time of the year. During holiday shopping times like Black Friday, your best bet is to check first-party vendor websites. These include the retail storefronts of popular computer manufacturers such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo. However, if you can’t find anything you like there, then you can expand your search to reputable third-party retailers such as Amazon, Adorama, Walmart, Best Buy, and Newegg. Oftentimes these websites offer limited “Deal of the Day” or “Flash Deal” type sales in hopes of getting rid of excess stock. On the upside, you can score still-decent PCs at a steep discount if you time it right. Read...

If you need extra storage space for your files, and if those files are frequently being moved between devices, then you’d do well with an ultra-fast portable SSD like the Samsung T9. Right now, the Samsung T9 (2TB model) is on sale for $195.76 on Amazon, a big drop from its original $300 MSRP. That’s an incredible price for a drive that performs this well. The T9 has blazing-fast file transfers at speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, which makes it ideal for moving large files. Since it’s compatible with a wide range of devices, from computers to cameras to gaming consoles to smartphones, this portable SSD is highly versatile. And since it’s super compact — barely larger than a credit card and only 0.55 inches thick — it’ll fit into your pocket or bag with ease. Worried about dropping it and losing your data? Don’t be. The T9 is fall-proof and shock-resistant so it (and your data) will survive just fine, even if your cat ends up yeeting it off your desk. When we reviewed the Samsung T9, our expert gave it a near-perfect 4.5-star rating and our Editors’ Choice award, praising its performance, its textured surface that improves grip, and its five-year warranty. What he didn’t like was the price, but that’s obviously not an issue when it’s 35 percent off in a deal like this one. If you want to score big on tech ahead of Black Friday, you can’t go wrong with this 2TB Samsung T9 portable SSD for $195.76 since it’ll serve you well in many situations. If you want less storage capacity, the 1TB version is $135 (23 percent off); if you want more storage capacity, the 4TB version is $293 (47 percent off). Get 2TB of ultra-fast portable SSD storage for under $200Buy now on Amazon Read...

Standing desks have been trendy for over a decade, due in large part to their claims of increased health for those of us who use a computer for hours every day. A new study with years of data and tens of thousands of participants throws cold water on those claims, suggesting that standing desks aren’t helping with some core health problems. In the December 2024 issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology, a team of researchers published a study with data from over 83,000 participants in the United Kingdom who had mixed both sitting and standing for work. They found that “stationary time” increased circulatory system disease risk. Sitting for more than 10 hours a day across an extended period of time was associated with a 13 percent increase in heart problems over seven years and 26 percent greater prevalence of circulatory disorders. The longer participants remained stationary, the greater the risk (as measured by an increased average heart rate). Hence the push to get people to periodically stand at a desk instead of sitting in a chair. The more concerning data is that time spent standing for the same stationary tasks didn’t significantly reduce those risks. In fact, standing still for hours and hours as an alternative to sitting came with measurably higher risks for orthostatic circulatory diseases, including “orthostatic hypotension, varicose vein, chronic venous insufficiency, and venous ulcers.” But, again, this isn’t shocking — doctors have known that standing still for long hours for work, repeated across weeks, months, and years, has some predictably bad outcomes. The report is pretty dense, academically. (The Washington Post has a story summarizing the findings, but it’s sadly behind a paywall.) The concerning takeaway is that those who stood for two hours a day, in addition to sitting in mostly sedentary task, didn’t notably decrease their risk for circulatory issues. In layman’s terms: Sitting for a long time is bad, standing stationary for a long time is bad, and mixing it up isn’t really going to change any of that. The researchers recommend more meaningful movement with plenty of muscle contractions — walking around would do it — every 30 minutes to help avoid both cardiovascular and orthostatic circulatory disease risk. I’ve dealt with spine issues for most of my adult life. One of the most frustrating things about it is that quantified research on the best things to do is hard to find. Ergonomics, especially for computers, and especially in conjunction with any kind of marketing, often boils down to “vibes.” As both a back pain sufferer and a constant user of standing desks (and other alternatives to conventional chairs, like yoga balls), the most useful conclusion I’ve come to is that you should simply listen to your body. If your back or shoulders are sore after an entire day sitting at a desk, it’s an indication that something needs to change. Find something that works for you… and that may or may not be what works for anyone else. I appreciate that this sounds like an old joke. “It hurts when I do this,” the patient says to the doctor. “Then don’t do that,” the doctor replies. But it’s also pretty common sense. Combining that with the usual (and much more concrete) advice on regular exercise and diet will help you feel better, even if you can’t avoid sitting or standing in the same position for hours every day. Read...

There are many open source programs (aka code that’s accessible to the public) out there for both Linux and Windows. For programs and tools where that’s not the case, WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is the ideal solution for using Linux programs on Windows computers. This means that you don’t have to start Linux first and can use the Linux program in the currently active Windows. Programs in WSL run slower than under native Linux, but it’s not always noticeable. Microsoft is also continuing to work on improvements that will be incorporated into the Linux kernel. A newer kernel can therefore speed up WSL. WSL kernel and virtualization In WSL 2, the Linux kernel runs on a hypervisor (Hyper-V), similar to its Linux counterpart KVM/Qemu. The kernel offers functions to ensure communication between the guest and host systems. This concerns, for example, the shared use of the main memory and CPU management. The program code for this comes primarily from Microsoft. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro For Linux users, newer kernels offer support for newer hardware and performance optimizations. Microsoft also regularly optimizes the Hyper-V code in the kernel, but the hardware drivers hardly play a role in WSL because the virtual hardware always remains the same. However, there are drivers that are required for certain applications such as network block devices (nbd), which can be used to mount virtual hard disks in VHD format, for example. Install WSL and check the version Powershell, Command Prompt, and WSL can be used conveniently in the Windows terminal. It’s available by default in Windows 11, but Windows 10 users need to install it via the Microsoft Store. In Powershell, install WSL with the following code: wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04 To call up the available distributions, enter the code below and then restart Windows: wsl --list --online After logging in, a Linux terminal will open and notify you when the installation is complete. You will then be asked to enter a user name and password for the Linux account. Update the Ubuntu system with: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade In the Windows terminal, start Linux via the menu that appears after clicking on the arrow button next to the tabs. In Powershell, determine the WSL version with: wsl -l -v If a 1 appears in the Version column for an older installation, update the version with these two lines: wsl --set-default-version 2 wsl --set-default [Distribution] Replace the placeholder [Distribution] with the name of the distribution. Creating a new kernel for WSL 2 Step 1: Start Linux in WSL and install some developer packages with: sudo apt install build-essential flex bison dwarves libssl-dev libelf-dev libncurses-dev git Step 2: Create a working directory and download the source code (four lines): mkdir kernel cd kernel git clone https://github.com/microsoft/WSL2-Linux-Kernel.git --depth=1 -b linux-msft-wsl-6.6.y cd WSL2-Linux-Kernel Adjust the kernel version if necessary. Step 3: With the following line of code, you can give the kernel its own name: scripts/config --file Microsoft/config-wsl --set-str LOCALVERSION `-custom-microsoft-standard-WSL2` If you wish, you can use this line of code to call up the configuration editor and make your own customizations: make menuconfig KCONFIG_CONFIG=Microsoft/config-wsl Configuring the WSL kernel: The kernel configuration can be edited via “menuconfig”. The entry for “Local version” helps to differentiate between kernel versions. IDG Step 4: Create the kernel with: echo `yes` | make -j $(nproc) KCONFIG_CONFIG=Microsoft/config-wsl Install the modules with: sudo make KCONFIG_CONFIG=Microsoft/config-wsl modules_install Step 5: In Windows Explorer, call up the Linux environment via the entry below Linux in the navigation area. Copy the vmlinux file from your home directory to the Windows user profile in the WSL folder (C:\Users[username]\WSL). Step 6: Under Windows, create the .wslconfig file in your profile folder. Enter these two lines into it: [wsl2] kernel=C:\Users\[username]\WSL\vmlinux Replace the placeholder [username] with your user name. In Powershell, terminate all running WSL instances with: wsl --shutdown If you start Linux in the Windows subsystem for Linux, the following command shows the version of the new kernel: uname -a Read...

A little while back, I made a big change to my desktop PC workflow — I swapped my pair of 24-inch desktop monitors for a single 35-inch ultrawide display, which stretches much further side-to-side than a traditional widescreen monitor does. Ultrawides used to be a luxury in the monitor world, but prices have come down in recent years, and even basic computers like my $300 mini-PC have become powerful enough to push an ultrawide’s extra pixels without dedicated graphics cards. My particular monitor, the (oh-so straightforwardly-named) LG 35WN65C-B, has a resolution of 3440×1440, which gives it about 34 percent more horizontal screen real estate than a more standard 2560×1440 widescreen monitor. Further reading: Best ultrawide monitors 2024: Let’s get large The ultrawide monitor I ended up getting. Learn more about how I score like-new tech devices for cheap.LG I picked one up partly out of curiosity, but also to address some specific annoyances that arose from my old dual-monitor setup. While I’m happier with the new monitor overall, it’s been a bigger change than I expected, and not fully for the better. If you’re curious about living the ultrawide life, here’s how it went for me and what you should know before you commit. This column first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s weekly tech advice newsletter. Sign up to get tech advice like this every Tuesday. There’s definitely a learning curve On an ultrawide monitor, apps can get uncomfortable to look at when they’re stretched out to cover the whole screen. You need to get used to running apps in smaller windows instead of maximizing them. In fact, you’ll likely benefit from leaning on the Snap feature in Windows or the Split View feature in macOS, allowing you to instantly “snap” windows to various regions of the screen or run apps side-by-side. This takes some adjustment coming from a dual-monitor setup. Jared Newman / Foundry Additional software can help, too. In Windows, I’ve become dependent on the FancyZones feature of Microsoft PowerToys to quickly place windows in a 16:9 aspect ratio in the middle of the screen. On macOS, I use Rectangle for window management. But getting used to these programs takes some extra effort as well. There may be an actual curve, too Many ultrawide monitors have curved screens, not just to make gaming more immersive but to make the side edges of the screen feel less distant from your eyes. The smaller the curve radius, the tighter the curve. I’m quite pleased with my LG monitor’s 1800R curve radius, which is subtle enough to not get in the way of work. But curved screens may not be to your tastes no matter how subtle the curves are. As one member in a photo editing forum put it: “I’ll buy a curved monitor when everyone starts hanging curved paintings and photos on their walls.” Less multitasking, more focus Jared Newman / Foundry Having just one screen has had an interesting effect on my productivity, nudging me away from having multiple apps on display across multiple screens. Instead, I have a single screen with two, maybe three, apps. I still invoke Snap when situations demand it—and the ultrawide format prevents that from feeling cramped—but multitasking has become more of an intentional decision now than the default way of things. I think that’s a positive, as far as focus is concerned. My neck really appreciates it With two monitors, I would often put my web browser and other reference materials on my right-hand screen while writing on the monitor that’s directly in front of my keyboard. This put a lot of strain on my neck and back as I’d inevitably spend large chunks of time looking off-center instead of moving the browser over to my main monitor. Ultrawide monitors solve this issue, and that was actually a big impetus for my decision to switch. I’m more inclined to keep things in the middle of the screen now, and I’m feeling less neck strain as a result. It freed up some space on my desk The difference in total screen width between my older two monitors and my newer single ultrawide wasn’t huge, so I wasn’t expecting it to help clean up my desk all that much. But with only one monitor stand and one set of bezels around the display, I’ve reclaimed a surprising amount of room on my workspace. (The monitor’s slight curvature likely helps this as well.) Also, the stand for my ultrawide monitor runs much taller than my previous monitors, so I’ve pushed my old wooden risers to the back of my desk where they’re helping to hide cables and accessories, further contributing to the cleanup. Related: Are ultrawide monitors worth it? Gaming on an ultrawide is amazing Jared Newman / Foundry Although I’ve moved my old desktop PC down to the basement for gaming purposes, it’s hard to resist playing games on this ultrawide screen. My little desktop PC isn’t powerful enough, so I’ve been using Nvidia GeForce Now, whose Premium tier can stream the latest games at full 3440×1440 resolution with every graphics setting maxed out. After experiencing games this way — with the action extending almost to the edges of my peripheral vision — it’s hard going back to anything else. While the ultrawide has changed the way I work, it turns out that it has also had a noticeable impact on play, too. Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best ultrawide monitors if you want to dip your toes in the water — it’s mighty fine, after you adjust to it. This column first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s weekly tech advice newsletter. Sign up to get tech advice like this every Tuesday. Read...

Today, the internet has become like water and electricity, a necessity for everyday life and something we take for granted. Most people never think about routers, network cables, frequency bands, and more as long as everything works. But wireless networks — Wi-Fi — are not flawless and few users have never had problems. Common problems include weak coverage in parts of the home, devices being disconnected and having to be reconnected manually, choppy music and video playback on connected devices, and slower-than-promised speeds on large downloads. By optimizing your router’s settings and placement in your home, you can achieve a more stable and faster Wi-Fi network. Often this is enough, but otherwise there is help from different types of networking equipment. Related: How to choose a new router and get started with important settings Optimal router settings Foundry Different routers offer different levels of customization for Wi-Fi settings, but the vast majority have at least the following settings: Channel width Channel width refers to how much of the available frequencies in a frequency band the communication between router and devices takes up. Narrow channels allow for more channels, which means that several different networks can operate simultaneously in the same location without interfering with each other. But wider channels mean more data can fit per transmission, resulting in a higher overall speed for connected devices — as long as the signal is strong enough. If your router can choose the channel width automatically, this is likely to give you the best results. Some routers can automatically vary the channel width to optimize the network. If you have to choose for yourself, or just want to test whether it can be useful, you can test from the top down — start with 160MHz in the 5GHz band and step down to 80- and 40MHz and see how it affects the experience of devices around the home. If your router supports the 6GHz band, you can probably push a little harder and choose the widest possible channels, but as radio is complicated, it’s always best to test the waters. Foundry Channel – manual or automatic Depending on the channel width, there are different numbers of channels to choose from. For example, with 160MHz channel width there are only three channels, while with 40MHz there are 14 in the 5GHz band. The 2.4GHz band can only use channels of 20- or 40MHz, and the normal one is 20Mz because it can fit three channels without overlap (channels 1, 6, and 11). In houses without interference, 40MHz can work. Normally, it’s best to let the router choose itself as it has a better idea of which channel has the least “noise,” but if you have coverage problems in a particular part of the house and can see that a neighbor in that direction is using the same channel as your router has chosen, you can try a different channel. TP-Link Combined or separate frequency bands Behind the scenes, Wi-Fi over 2.4GHz and 5GHz are completely separate and use different antennas, but normally the router creates a common network name (SSID) to which devices connect. Which frequency band they connect with can either be up to the device itself, chance, or the router (see below). This usually works well, but you may find it useful to choose two separate networks with separate names instead. This can be useful, for example, if you have smart home devices that only support 2.4GHz and are having trouble connecting (which is relatively common). It can also help if you have devices that insist on connecting to the 5GHz band even though the signal is weak due to an obstruction such as a brick wall or some other reason. Lower frequencies penetrate walls better, so the 2.4GHz band is often more reliable at a distance from the router. Band steering On networks that combine multiple frequency bands, devices or routers must choose which band to communicate in. Most routers have a feature called band steering that automates the selection based on various parameters. On newer routers from Asus, you can set how it should choose, but as you can see in the picture below, solid knowledge is required to do a better job than the router, if possible. The Quality of Service (QoS) function balances the network and ensures that no single device takes up all the bandwidth.Foundry If you have a specific problem, such as devices that insist on connecting on the 5GHz band even in parts of your home where the signal is so weak that the internet is slow, you can experiment with the settings. The Small Net Builder website has a good guide to Asus settings. Quality of Service gives all devices a chance Quality of Service, or QoS, is a feature found in many higher-end routers that balances the network so that no single device hogs all the bandwidth. Without QoS, a computer running Bittorrent, for example, with hundreds of active connections, can saturate the connection to the internet service provider on its own. QoS can also be used to prioritize certain types of traffic. Most typical are online games that require very short response times to mitigate lagging. Setting QoS to prioritize games reduces the likelihood that temporary spikes in network activity will cause games to hack. Video calling is also something that can benefit greatly from a QoS service in the router, as it requires both relatively short response times and a steady stream of data. Routers with large processors often do better without QoS than less well-equipped routers. Problems that can be solved with QoS are often due to something called bufferbloat, where the router queues up too many packets and can’t forward them all in a reasonable time. A faster connection won’t help, and incorrect router settings can make it worse. Bufferbloat test results from Waveform.Foundry You can test for yourself how much bufferbloat your router suffers from with tests at dslreport.com or waveform.com. Both give a rating, so you don’t need to understand all the numbers. But in case you’re wondering, it’s all about how much response times degrade when the connection is heavily loaded. Whether you have a lot of bufferbloat or not, you can try enabling QoS if your router has the feature, especially if you experience occasional problems with gaming or video calls. If you can’t find the settings for your particular router, search for “[router model] qos” and you’ll probably get both an answer to whether it has the feature at all and, if so, how to enable it. Change the order of priority in Adaptive QoS.Foundry As an example, take my newly purchased Asus router, which has a feature called Adaptive QoS. Here, I can choose one of five preset profiles that prioritize different things — gaming, streaming, general browsing, distance learning, or remote work. You can also set the prioritization order manually. I should point out, however, that Adaptive QoS is one of several features in Asus routers that require you to authorize security firm Trend Micro to collect data from you. Other router manufacturers may have other similar agreements for certain features. Netspot Map your home and find the radio shadows If you’ve tested out the best Wi-Fi settings on your router but are still having problems with slow internet, or devices occasionally losing connection in remote parts of your home, it might be time to look at upgrading your network. Before splurging on a new, more powerful router or any kind of extension, it’s a good idea to check what the signal strength is actually like in your home. There are a number of programs that can help you with this, such as Netspot. You will need a floor plan of your home and a laptop. Once you have installed the program and launched it, select the Survey tab and create a new project. Here you can upload an image of the floor plan or draw it manually. A calibration function ensures that the distances are correct, and before you start taking measurements, you can choose how large an area each measurement point should cover. I recommend the default setting. Then you simply carry the computer around to different locations in your home and let Netspot measure the signal strength. Click on the floor plan to show where you are at each measurement and on the stop button when you’re done. The results are displayed as a color chart of the floor plan, with warmer colors indicating stronger signals. Areas in blue show parts of the home where the router has difficulty reaching. Measuring many places around your home can give you a good idea of where it might make sense to place an extender, or whether a router with stronger antennas is likely to reach all corners. It can also help you spot poor router placement, and if you move it to a location that should provide better coverage, you can repeat the survey and check whether it actually did. Dmitry Didorov Reduce the load with cable connections If your problems don’t seem to be due to a weak signal, it could be that you are utilising the full capacity of your Wi-Fi network with many connected devices. If you have a large family where everyone watches a lot of streaming services, this can easily happen. An easy way to give the router and the devices that can only connect wirelessly some wiggle room is to connect desktop computers and other fixed devices with an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. Televisions, games consoles, smart home hubs and media players often have a connector for network cables. If your router doesn’t have enough connectors, you can buy a cheap switch from Netgear or TP-Link, for example. A switch also allows devices connected to it to communicate directly with each other without going through the router, which can further reduce the load on it. For example, if you have a media library on a NAS device and stream from it to a TV or computer and both are connected to the switch, it can have a big effect on the speeds of the Wi-Fi network for other connected devices. Sabine Kroschel Get a Wi-Fi booster, repeater, or mesh Sometimes the only solution to Wi-Fi problems is to upgrade your hardware. There are different options depending on what you have today and what the possibilities are for running cables in your home, for example. Wi-Fi amplifier A Wi-Fi repeater extends an existing network by creating its own network with the same name (SSID). Newer models can connect either by cable or wirelessly. The latter is obviously more flexible, but offers slower speeds and longer response times as devices connected to the extension communicate with the router in two stages. TP-Link Repeater Wi-Fi repeater is the name of an older technology that is not as common today, where a radio intercepts the signal from the router and simply sends it out again. It rarely gets much better and I do not recommend it. Linksys Mesh With mesh routers, you place two or more base stations in the home, where one acts as the main unit and is connected to the broadband. They connect to each other wirelessly but do so either smarter or with separate antennas and channels so that that transmission doesn’t clash with the regular network. For those who have Wi-Fi problems with a regular router and want a simple solution, a mesh system with two or three base stations is often the simplest solution, but rarely the cheapest. Use Netspot to find the best placement of base stations, then just sit back and enjoy. Roadlight Some traditional routers now have a built-in mesh function so you can expand your network afterwards with compatible base stations. Asus, for example, has a feature called AI Mesh, while TP-Link calls its equivalent Onemesh. Both of these manufacturers are flexible with what additional devices you use as base stations, such as another regular router, a mesh router, or a dedicated Wi-Fi extender that supports the mesh system. Unlike regular Wi-Fi extenders, all devices in one of these mesh networks must be from the same manufacturer and support the mesh technology in question. One important thing to consider if you’re getting mesh is to position the base stations so that they have the best possible signal to each other. This means that their signals should overlap but not too much, and there should be as few walls as possible in the straight line between two base stations. Related: How to keep your home network secure: Smart tricks and settings Read...