NetworkNetwork: Guides

DD-WRT vs. Tomato vs. OpenWRT

Choosing a custom firmware for your router is a formidable task. You need to take a lot of factors into account; the firmware’s compatibility with your router, the features that it comes packed with, and whether or not it’s reliable. Once you’ve established the compatibility, you need to ensure that the third-party firmware that you’re about to install for your router is even worth it…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

Bluetooth Not Connecting - Troubleshooting

The world seems to be aggressively pushing towards wireless technology. Everything from chargers (link to wireless chargers) to earbuds is going wireless nowadays, and many of these peripherals rely on Bluetooth. While there have been numerous advances in Bluetooth technology, problems can still arise from time to time. Thankfully, most of these problems are fairly easy to solve on your own. Here…
Read more
How ToNetworkNetwork: Guides

What is Network Latency and How to Improve It

Network latency is key to understanding why your Internet network can suddenly go very slow, very laggy, and very annoying. One of the main components in knowing how to boost Wi-Fi speeds by having the knowledge on how to optimize Wi-Fi networks lies in a good understanding of what is network latency and how to reduce network latency. This article will start you off on both of these facets, as…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

Single-Band, Dual-Band, Tri-Band, Quad-Band: What Should You Know

Digital communication is all about frequencies. A frequency band is thus “how” your data is transmitted over wireless frequencies, with specific ones for phones, Wi-Fi, televisions, and so on. The ‘bands’ in our title and in these names, then, refer to frequency bands; these multiple bands allow for switching between different standards, with each group of frequencies having the ability to…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

Modem vs. Router. What Should You Know?

From reading the title alone, you wouldn’t be blamed for hearing a lo-fi sequence of nostalgic beeps in your mind, perhaps coupled with memories of trying to troubleshoot your modem. Gone are the days, right? Far from it – this article will debrief you on how modems work in the modern setup where wireless Internet is the norm, as well as how it stacks up in a modem vs. router comparison…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

Mesh Wi-Fi vs. Router. What to Choose?

A single computer connecting to the Internet in your house, forever under threat of being disconnected by a single phone call, always a little too slow to just fully fulfill your fantasies; a scary memory, but one of a long-gone past era. Today, the modern world is run on routers, allowing multiple devices to connect to the Internet with ease, simplicity, and security. Better yet, a relatively new…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

Routers vs. Switches vs. Access Points vs. Gateway

Computer networking devices are often taken for granted, and more often than that, they are thought of interchangeably. Knowing the difference, however, between routers, switches, access points, and gateway devices, can make all the difference in either setting up a home network or figuring out where the weak link in your connection is. In this article, we’ll define what each of these means on…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

IPv4 vs IPv6: What's The Difference?

Two versions of IP addresses exist, the IPv4 and IPv6 (version 4 and 6). In this article, we’ll get you acquainted with their relative merits and individual significance, finally culminating in a consideration of: IPv4 vs IPv6’s speed differences IPv4 vs IPv6’s security and a comparison of IPv6 vs IPv4 for gaming. A Primer On Internet Protocol Addresses “IP” means Internet Protocol. An…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

Link Aggregation: What is it and How Does it Work?

Link aggregation is useful for connecting switches with multiple Ethernet ports and other devices with multiple ports. There is, however, more to it than simply connecting two devices to each other, and this article will help you understand all of it. What is Link Aggregation? Simply put, link aggregation is a method used to bundle individual Ethernet links together in a way that lets them act…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

What is IGMP Snooping?

IGMP or Internet Group Management Protocol is an advanced internet option used for multicast traffic on VLANs. It constrains this traffic and ensures that it is only broadcasted to the interfaces connected to receivers who are actually interested. You can enable IGMP snooping if you feel like you need it, but let’s first look at everything you need to know about it. Why Use IGMP Snooping? People…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

What is QOS and Dynamic QOS: Should You Use it?

What is QoS? If you can answer correctly… I have no idea why you’re reading this. Maybe you’re just here to ask the follow-up “What is Dynamic QOS?”. Maybe you want to know what QOS settings to use. Maybe I’m circling without getting to the point, so let’s jump in. QoS simply means Quality of Service. Everything from the best Wi-Fi routers to good routers under a 100 bucks makes…
Read more
NetworkNetwork: Guides

What is MU-MIMO? Everything You Need to Know

Confusing acronyms are not uncommon in the world of tech. MU-MIMO is simply one of these. The MIMO stands for Multiple Input, Multiple Output. The MU means Multiple User. MU-MIMO is the more evolved form of SU-MIMO (Single User MIMO). MU-MIMO is the latest Wi-Fi standard that promises to revolutionize the wireless networking world. This article will help you understand how it works. How MU-MIMO…
Read more