Tag: Heres

Slow Wi-Fi? Your Internet Provider May Be Throttling Your Speed. Here’s How to Tell

Laurent

You might not think to blame your internet provider when you’re staring at a buffering wheel. After all, there’s a lot that could be going wrong — like an outdated router or a less-than-ideal router location. You might be able to solve slow speeds with an easy fix, like upgrading to a mesh network (which also has to be set up in the right spot) or simply restarting your modem and router. But if you’ve already attempted these tried-and-true methods and your internet speeds are still subpar, the issue might be something your internet service provider is intentionally doing: bandwidth throttling.

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Yes, you read that right. Your ISP could be making your Wi-Fi slower on purpose. Because of a 2019 Supreme Court decision in which the court declined to hear an appeal on net neutrality, ISPs can still legally stifle your internet, limiting your broadband if you stream more TV than they want and serving slower connections to websites owned by their competitors. President Joe Biden signed an executive order in 2021 urging the Federal Communications Commission to restore net neutrality rules that banned throttling, but the practice is still legal.

One solution to slow Wi-Fi (if it’s caused by internet throttling) is a virtual private network. Basically, ISPs need to see your IP address to slow down your internet, and a good VPN will shield that identity — though this comes with some limitations and downsides, which I’ll discuss below. We’ll walk you through how to tell if throttling is to blame and, if not, what to do about fixing your crummy Wi-Fi. (You can also learn more about how to get free Wi-Fi anywhere in the world.) 

Step 1

First, troubleshoot your slow internet connection

So your Wi-Fi is slow and you think your service provider is throttling your connection. Before you jump to those conclusions, it’s important to run through the usual troubleshooting list: Check that your router is centrally located in your home, reposition its antennas, double-check your network security and so on. If you want to read about more ways to optimize your

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Your Router Is in the Wrong Spot. Here’s Where to Move It to Speed Up Your Wi-Fi

Laurent

A slow home internet connection can make even the simplest Google search super frustrating. If you find that your Wi-Fi is always unstable, no matter what internet service provider you have or how many devices are connected, what do you do? Sometimes having your flagship router professionally installed might not even solve the immense problem of a slow, weak internet connection. That’s a massive headache if you work from home, if you’re trying to install smart home gadgets, or if you just want to unwind with some Netflix at the end of the day.

The good news is there’s an easy way to optimize your Wi-Fi network and address these issues — and it’ll only take you a few minutes. 

Shopping for a faster internet speed?

We’ll send you the fastest internet options, so you don’t have to find them.

There are a lot of factors that determine internet speeds and while there are a few tricks or guidelines you can follow to improve the overall wireless speeds and coverage in your home, one of the most crucial factors is the location of your router. And the best place is not always where the technician set it up. So keep reading to learn about the best place in your home for your router and other tricks for faster Wi-Fi. You can also check out our picks for the best Wi-Fi 6 routers, the best mesh routers and the best Wi-Fi extenders. (And if you have a mesh router, make sure you check out our guide for where and how to set that up the right way, too.)

See also: T-Mobile Home Internet Review

Choose the right router for your space

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First things first: It all starts with choosing the right router or other equipment. Not all routers are the same and the size and layout of your home will determine what type of wireless network you need.

For most apartments and smaller homes (under 1,500 square feet), a single wireless access point should suffice. That said, if your router is several years old, you may want to

… Read More... Read More

Yes, Your Router Collects Data on You. Here’s How to Protect Your Privacy

Laurent

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET’s collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

Your home’s Wi-Fi router is the central hub of your home internet network, which means that all of the traffic from all of the Wi-Fi devices under your roof passes through it on its way to the cloud. That’s a lot of data — enough so to make privacy a reasonable point of concern when you’re picking one out.

The problem is that it’s next to impossible for the average consumer to glean very much about the privacy practices of the companies that make and sell routers. Data-collection practices are complicated to begin with, and most privacy policies do a poor job of shedding light on them. Working up the will to read through the lengthy legal-speak that fills them is no small task for a single manufacturer, let alone several of them. Even if you make it that far, you’re likely to end up with more questions than answers.

Shopping for a faster internet speed?

We’ll send you the fastest internet options, so you don’t have to find them.

Fortunately, I have a strong stomach for fine print, and after spending the last few years testing and reviewing routers here on CNET, most manufacturers tend to respond to my emails when I have questions. So, I set out to dig into the details of what these routers are doing with your data — here’s what I found. (You can also find out why your Wi-Fi router may be in the wrong spot, and where to find the best internet speed tests.) 

All of the problems with privacy policies

I combed through about 30,000 words of terms of use and other policy documents as I tried to find answers for this post — but privacy policies typically aren’t written with full transparency in mind.

“All a privacy policy can really do is tell you with some confidence that something bad is not going to happen,” said Bennett Cyphers, a staff technologist with the

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Here’s How to Find All Your Wi-Fi Passwords on Your Mac and Windows

Laurent

You should never use the same password more than once, but using so many different passwords can make it difficult to remember all of them. If you don’t write them down somewhere, you may never remember certain passwords again, including the one for your Wi-Fi network.

Usually your Wi-Fi password should be printed on the back of your router, but if it’s not, don’t sweat it. There’s another way to find the passwords to all of the Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to. They’re all on your computer somewhere.

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As long as your Windows or Mac computer has connected to that network before, the Wi-Fi password is permanently stored in your settings. It may require a bit of digging on your part, but all of the passwords are there, saved and ready to be shared with anyone who wants to connect to Wi-Fi.

Here’s how to find the passwords to all of the Wi-Fi networks you’ve ever connected to on MacOS and Windows. For more, discover 17 essential settings for customizing your MacBook or how to get the most out of Windows 11.

How to find Wi-Fi passwords in MacOS

Every password you’ve entered and saved on a Mac is stored in Keychain Access, the password management system for MacOS. And that includes Wi-Fi network passwords. 

To start, use the search feature to open the Keychain Access app and do the following:

1. Click on System under System Keychains in the sidebar.

2. Next, click on Passwords at the top of the window.

3. Find the Wi-Fi network you want the password for and double-click on it.

4. Finally, check the box next to Show password and enter your password when prompted.

Keychain Access app pop-up on MacBook

Find all your stored Wi-Fi passwords in the Keychain Access app on MacOS.


Screenshot by Nelson Aguilar/CNET

The password field will then show the password you used to log in to that Wi-Fi network. You can double-click in the password field to select the password and copy it to your clipboard, if needed.

How to find Wi-Fi passwords on Windows

Finding the

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Here’s the best gaming accessory deals in Amazon’s Logitech Week

Laurent

If you’re looking to make some upgrades to your gaming setup, now is a good time because it is currently Logitech week over at Amazon.

Between the 20th and 26th of February there are discounts on all sorts of Logitech gaming accessories including mice, keyboards, headsets, racing wheels and more. Astro headsets also feature in the discounts for even more audio options.

We’ve picked out a few of our favourite deals on offer in Amazon’s Logitech Week, but make sure you check out the full list of discounts here to help you find what you’re looking for.

Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse


The G Pro wireless is one of the most popular gaming mice around, thanks to its sleek ambidextrous design that packs in a big battery and only weighs 80g. You also get Logitech’s Hero 25K Sensor that delivers 25600 DPI tracking and can also exceed 400 IPS. It’s currently on sale for £76, a good price for the quality of mouse you’re getting and the lowest price it’s been this year.

Buy the Logitech G Pro gaming mouse for £76 from Amazon (Was £120)

Logitech G915 TKL wireless keyboard


If you want to pair the G Pro wireless with a new wireless keyboard, the G915 is a great option. As a tenkeyless keyboard you get the function keys, arrow keys and home keys but save the space of the numpad so you’ve got more room on your desk to swing that mouse around. The G915 features fast low-profile mechanical keys, and lightspeed wireless connectivity to match that speed so you won’t lag behind the competition.

Buy the Logitech G915 gaming keyboard for £160 from Amazon (Was £220)

Logitech G533 wireless gaming headset


Of course, you’ll need to hear all of the games you’re playing, so it’s good to see the Logitech G533 Wireless Gaming headset on sale too. This headset is down to £85 and for that price you get 7.1 Surround Sound through the 40 mm Pro-G Drivers, a 15 hour battery life, and a clear noise-cancelling microphone that can easily flip out of the

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Your Router Is in the Wrong Spot. Here’s Where To Move It for Faster Wi-Fi

Laurent

This story is part of Home Tips, CNET’s collection of practical advice for getting the most out of your home, inside and out.

A reliable internet connection at home is pivotal — but Wi-Fi can be frustratingly finicky. Despite paying monthly fees to an internet service provider, and even if you’ve had a router professionally installed, you may still find yourself spending too much time watching your phone, laptop or streaming device grind away as it tries to stay connected. 

That’s a massive headache if you work from home, if you’re trying to install smart home gadgets, or if you just want to unwind with some Netflix at the end of the day.

Shopping for a faster internet speed?

We’ll send you the fastest internet options, so you don’t have to find them.

The good news is there’s an easy way to optimize your Wi-Fi network and address these issues, and it’ll only take you a few minutes. 

There are a lot of factors that determine internet speeds and while there are a few tricks or guidelines you can follow to improve the overall wireless speeds and coverage in your home, one of the most crucial factors is the location of your router. And note, the best place is not always where the technician set it up. So keep reading to learn about the best place in your home for your router and other tricks for faster Wi-Fi. You can also check out our picks for the best Wi-Fi routers, the best mesh routers and the best Wi-Fi extenders.

Find the right router for your space

CNET Home Tips logo

First things first: It all starts with choosing the right router or other equipment. Not all routers are the same and the size and layout of your home will determine what type of wireless network you need.

For most apartments and smaller homes (under 1,500 square feet), a single wireless access point should suffice. That said, if your router is several years old, you may want to consider upgrading to a newer model with support for 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi

… Read More... Read More