Recently Filed in Networking

You know you want it: the ability to sit by the pool while pretending you’re at work? To do that, you’ll want to locate a wireless access point (WAP) outside of the home. Nick Phillips of Pakedge, which makes outdoor networking devices, provides these quick pointers: - Try not to mount the WAP on exterior walls, as chicken wire and other wall materials can degrade the signal. - Using a WAP with power over Ethernet (POE) means you don’t have to run an extra wire… View this story
Routers and Switches • WiFi • Networking • Info and Answers

You know you want it: the ability to sit by the pool while pretending you’re at work? To do that, you’ll want to locate a wireless access point (WAP) outside of the home. A WAP allows wireless devices – such as printers, cameras and computers - to connect to a network, usually via WiFi (802.11). Doesn’t a wireless router do that? Indeed, wireless routers have WAPs built in, but you can spread additional WAPs throughout the house to extend the network’s reach. A WAP typically… View this story
Networking and Communication • Routers and Switches • WiFi • Deck and Patio • Networking

It’s always harder to wire your home for audio/video or automation systems if the walls are already up and sealed. And the way new construction is these days, chances are your home falls under the category of “existing” and its walls aren’t open to the studs for convenient wiring runs. If you’re a multimedia hound who wants to access PC-stored or web music, videos and more throughout your house, you could go the wireless way and keep your fingers crossed that everything keeps working without… View this story
Ethernet • Powerline • Networking • Product News

Netgear calls it the ABCs of networked media: access, backup and centralize. The company’s new Stora media hub delivers it all to you, whether you’re checking in from an iPhone or TV screen, inside your home or elsewhere. Netgear showed off the Stora during its CES 2010 press conference, unveiling how easy it is for people to simply log in to the hub website from any browser and summon media from the 1TB storage server. The company plans on adding a 2TB model in the… View this story
Digital Media Servers • Multiroom Audio • Multiroom Video • Web Services • CES • Networking • Product News

HDMI 1.4 delivers two big features that earlier specs lacked: data and bi-directional audio. The new capabilities could eliminate the need for extra Ethernet and audio cables—a single HDMI can do the trick. Two-Way Data With transfer speeds of up to 100 Mbps, the HDMI Ethernet Channel (HEC) will enable countless IP-based applications that previously required a dedicated Cat 5 cable connected to the home network. Now, instead of running Ethernet to every component in an A/V stack, only one device needs to be connected… View this story
HDMI • Ethernet • Networking • Product News

Until recently you had two options for setting up a computer network in your home - wired or wireless. First on the scene was wired networking. The upside is clear and reliable connections between your computers and all the devices attached to your network - printers, external storage, etc. The downside: unsightly wires everywhere. Then along came wireless technology. No more wiring clutter. All your networked devices could “talk” to each other throughout your home without stringing wires across the floor, over doorjambs and around… View this story
Networking and Communication • Powerline • WiFi • How To • Networking • Info and Answers • Research

I just installed Netflix on my S1Digital Media Center. It wasn’t showing up on the Start screen—Microsoft says it’s been uploaded to their servers but it could take 24 to 48 hours to be pushed out into the field—I pushed it out manually. Here’s how: From the Start screen: Tasks > Settings > General > Automatic Download Options > Download now. That took about 20 minutes or so and then, voila, there was Netflix sitting in my TV+Movies tab. Now I’ve given it a shot… View this story
Networking and Communication • Digital Media Servers • Networking • Info and Answers

Is Wi-Fi dangerous to your health? At this point, the jury is still out on that debate, but are the risks so great that you are unwilling to have a wireless local area network (WLAN) deployed in your home? I don’t think so. The debate got more heated last month when a major teachers’ union in Britain called for a full-scale government study addressing the possible health risks of Wi-Fi due to the increasing pervasiveness of the technology. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL)… View this story
WiFi • Networking • Info and Answers

It is a fact that the release of USB back in the 90’s, has highly impacted our way of interacting with computer devices, while also replacing obsolete RS232 and Parallel connections. Today it’s the most popular way to interface any kind of peripheral, from the well known USB memory sticks to more complex devices such as HDTV tuners or audio and video processing devices. Are we experiencing a new era in communications - the “Maxwell wireless fever”…? That’s right, we are saturating the spectrum with… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Networking and Communication • Computer Accessories • Reviews • Networking • Product News

Now that wireless networks are everywhere, computer burglars, aka hackers, are having a field day, attempting to invade your privacy and worse yet, steal your identity. Believe me, you don’t want that to happen. That is why we strongly suggest that you take the following steps to secure your network: Passwords Almost all routers and access points come with an administrator password that is a weak default, like “password” or the manufacturer’s name. Replace the default passwords on every wireless router or access point you… View this story
Networking and Communication • WiFi • Computers • How To • Networking • Info and Answers

You won’t see a single touchpanel on the walls of this home. Nor will you run across big, beefy speakers or keypads blanketed with a bazillion buttons. With the exception of a 100-inch screen in the media room, this home doesn’t appear to be very high-tech at all. But when you pick up one of the family’s six remotes, the true sophistication of the electronic systems becomes apparent. From any one of these ordinary looking clickers, the homeowners can control every light switch in their… View this story
Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Home Theater • Multiroom AV • Networking • Security • Home Control • Cool Homes • Slideshows

Ever dream of downloading a full-length HD movie in about ten minutes? That dream will soon be reality for Cablevision subscribers in New York. Starting May 11, Cablevision will offer “Optimum Online Ultra,” their new high-speed Internet service for $99.95 per month. You’ll get downloads speeds up to 101 megabits-per-second and upload speeds of 15 megabits-per-second. At these levels, you can download 750 digital photos or 150 songs in 60 seconds. The service also includes: Up to 15 e-mail addresses, with 1 gigabyte of storage… View this story
Networking and Communication • Cable • Internet • Networking • Product News