Tag Archive for: router

The best mesh Wi-Fi systems 2023: top mesh Wi-Fi router

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Best Mesh Sytems: Quick Menu

Invest in the best mesh Wi-Fi system for uninterrupted network coverage. Modular and made to ensure that every nook and cranny of your home is covered, mesh routers consist of a main router and several nodes that can be strategically placed throughout your space to ensure maximum coverage. And we recommend them if you have a big area of coverage and your single router just isn’t cutting it.

These mesh routers are among the best routers right now. They’re guaranteed to considerably minimize slowdowns or dead zones wherever you are within the area of coverage and every device connected to the network will have a strong, consistent signal. So even if you can get one of the best Wi-Fi extenders to expand your existing router’s reach, a mesh Wi-Fi system just makes a lot of sense if you’re plagued with dead spots or you have a large area to cover and want to future-proof your network.

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FCC Locks Down Router Firmware

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For years, we have been graced with consumer electronics that run some form of Linux, have a serial port on the circuit board somewhere, and are able to be upgraded through official and unofficial means. That digital picture frame you got for Christmas in 2007 and forgot to regift in 2008? That’s a computer, and it would make a wonderful Twitter feed display. Your old Linksys WRT54G router? You can make a robotic lawnmower out of that thing. The ability to modify the firmware of consumer electronics is the cornerstone of Hackaday’s editorial prerogative. Now that right we have all enjoyed is in jeopardy, thanks to regulations from the FCC and laziness from router manufacturers.

Several months ago, the FCC proposed a rule that governed the certification of RF equipment, specifically wireless routers. This regulation would require router manufacturers to implement security on the radio modules inside these routers. While these regulations only covered the U-NII bands – the portion of the spectrum used for 5GHz WiFi, and there was no expectation of implementing security on the CPU or operating system of these routers, there were concerns. Routers are built around a System on Chip, with the CPU and radio in a single package. The easiest way to prevent modification of the radio module would be to prevent modification to the entire router. Some would call it fear mongering, but there was an expectation these proposed FCC rules would inevitably lead to wireless routers being completely locked down.

These expectations have become reality. Libre Planet has received confirmation from a large router manufacturer that firmware is now being locked down thanks to FCC rule changes.

News of this change to router firmware comes from a Battlemesh mailing list, a contest centered around modifying WiFi routers for mesh networking and ad-hoc networks. According to a  customer service rep, TP-Link has locked down the firmware for several models of WiFi routers due to the new FCC rule change. The models affected include the most recent 802.11n from TP-Link, and there is no way to use other firmware on these routers.

The controversy surrounding the FCC’s rule change has ebbed and…

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How to Check if Your Router Is Hacked and How to Fix It

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Do you have a feeling you’re experiencing a router hack? It’s more common than most people assume, and pulling it off is surprisingly straightforward. Here’s how to check if you have an unwanted visitor and fix any damage they’ve done.

How routers get hacked

Threat actors can hack routers in several ways, mainly through network vulnerabilities or brute force attacks. Alternatively, they can exploit built-in features like remote management or Wi-Fi Protected Setup to bypass passwords. 

They can also easily infiltrate if you’ve never updated your device’s original credentials, considering manufacturers reuse the same ones for all their products. Since they often appear in user manuals, they’re common knowledge — even amateurs can get past that security.

Most of these methods are relatively simple, heightening the risk of a cybersecurity incident. Even so, the techniques are subtle enough that most businesses won’t immediately recognize anything of concern.

Threat actors could even use your credentials to slip in unnoticed. For example, they can legitimately gain access using passwords from leaks. Your login information is likely compromised if your workplace has recently experienced a data breach or cybersecurity incident, so you should ensure that all affected employees have changed their credentials as quickly as possible.

10 signs to tell that your router has been hacked

Watch for these 10 signs to tell if threat actors have hijacked your router. If you notice multiple of them occurring simultaneously, it’s likely that you’ve been hacked.

1. Inability to log in

Sometimes, an inability to log in only points to a forgotten password or software fault. But if you know everything is in order and suddenly find yourself blocked from accessing your router, chances are hackers have changed the login credentials to keep you out.

2. Sudden slow speeds

Sudden, severe drops in connection speed can result from cyberattacks but may also indicate a hacked router. Threat…

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Asus TUF Gaming TUF-AX4200 router review

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Man, Asus makes a lot of routers. This one, built of charcoal-coloured plastic Batman might consider too aggressively angular, is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 job with four Ethernet ports, four antennas, and a single USB port.

Compared with some, that’s an uninspiring number of appendages, but it really is all you need for a satisfying network experience if you’re just trying to share a broadband hookup between a gaming PC, a smart TV, and everybody’s phone. Asus also makes a point of the AX4200’s open NAT and ease of port forwarding, which will make stable online gaming connections easier.

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