Above is the newly-unveiled TRENDnet TEW-811DR and the TEW-800MB wireless router and bridge using the 802.11ac specification that allows for 1.3Gbps wireless connectivity. No, they’re not available for sale yet (that will happen later this year), but yes they will be backward compatible with Wireless N as long as you stay on the 5GHz band. The question...

Why bother to know where open Wi-Fi locations are? There are several reasons, but one of the biggies is to save money. If for example you have a Wi-Fi-enabled smartphone or iPod Touch and a $2.99/month Skype account, that does mean wherever there’s Wi-Fi, you can place calls using that instead of a wireless carrier’s network. And if connecting...

A standalone wireless hard drive is: A 3.5-inch hard drive in an enclosure where the enclosure on its own has Wi-Fi connectivity. Does such a thing exist? Yes. One such example is the Imation Pro WX, released in 2009 if I’m not mistaken. The Pro WX basically looks like a large-ish wireless router, except it’s a hard drive with its own wireless...

I live in an area where there are Wi-Fi routers all around me; this presents a problem because if I’m using the same channel others are using, the signal will stutter/drop for any Wi-Fi device I use. In most wireless routers (at least for newer ones), they come preconfigured to automatically select the first channel available, usually settling on channel...

On paper, this is how G and N fare out:G has a maximum indoor range of 38m/125ft and outdoor of 140m/460ft. N has a maximum indoor range of 70m/230ft and outdoor of 250m/820ft.Does this mean that N will extend the range of how far a device can be away from the router to connect to it? On paper, yes. In practical application, maybe – but probably...

The cheapest new motherboard for a PC is about $40. On that motherboard regardless of OEM you will find a built-in network interface that allows for 10/100Mbps wired Ethernet connectivity. For any other higher-priced motherboard you would buy, it would also have built-in wired networking. In fact it’s probably true you’d have a hard time finding a PC...

In many movies and TV shows starting in the 1950s (or possibly earlier), we were shown instances of people having telephone conversations via video conferencing, be it one-to-one or one-to-many; this was seen as the modern communication of the future. The first real instance of truly easy video conferencing that anyone could use – and can still use –...

Recently I was shopping around wireless carriers to see what they offered, and I was treated to by-design awful web site navigation that I’m surprised anyone has the patience to deal with. For most wireless carriers, the question of "HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?" takes way too many steps just to get the answer. I’ll first start off with the...

For the vast majority of people that use wireless connectivity, everything they do with datastreams is carried over the 2.4GHz band. "Why not 900MHz? Isn’t that just as good?" 900MHz wi-fi is a bad idea because the band is only 13MHz wide while 2.4GHz is 83.5MHz wide. If you were to connect your wifi datastream using the 900MHz band, your stream...

The smallest wi-fi adapters are obviously in laptops, netbooks and smartphones because they’re integrated and you never see them. However on a regular PC, how small can you go? In the itty-bitty teeny-tiny department, this is how small:Yes, that is an entire USB-based wi-fi adapter. It’s the TRENDnet TEW-648UBM, and as far as external wi-fi...

Over the course of the weekend my trusty lil’ Belkin F5D7230-4 Wireless G router started making a small electronic screeching noise. It was the kind of noise that’s indicative that a capacitor will soon erupt, so it was time to retire her. She was around 4 or 5 years old, so I can’t complain. I figured now was the time to upgrade to a wi-fi...

In the United States, unfortunately it is the case where most people are only aware of three wireless carriers, that being Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. Why? Advertising, of course. The big wireless companies obviously have deep pockets for gobs and gobs of advertising everywhere. Television, magazines, billboards, etc. Regional wireless carriers are a sound...

Whenever you depend on a wireless connection for your internet, the signal strength can vary depending on the room you are in. A lot of this is due to factors you cannot control, such as wiring inside wall and construction materials used. For a simple fix to this, check out the Linksys Powerline Network Kit. All you do is just plug one of these boxes into the...

You’ve heard of interesting ways concerning how to extend the range of a wi-fi router. Some involve using a small dish instead of a traditional stick-style antenna, others involve aluminum foil, and yet others involve creating DIY antennas with a coil. But is there anything you can simply buy pre-built that will do the job right the first time? Yes....

The Nexus One (a very creepy name I must say) has been leaked that under contract will be $180 through T-Mobile, and for an unlocked version will be a whopping $530. I’m not kidding. Yes, this is a Google Android phone and quite a ritzy one at that. Per that $530 price tag, some will be more than willing to pony up the cost to have a completely unlocked...

A few questions many have asked are, "If Big Telecom is so.. well.. big.. why is it I can’t get perfect reception everywhere with my wireless phone? Can’t they afford putting up towers where need be?" Yes, Big Telecom can afford it, and rather easily. Why don’t they do it? The answer is something most people don’t give a second...

In a rather bold statement, the CEO of Verizon Communications basically said that the company simply doesn’t care about landline anymore. The statement may be bold but I think we all knew in the back of our minds this was coming. Generally speaking, the only reason anybody has a landline phone today is either because a) it’s required in order to use...

Texas Legislature House Bill 55 gives its cities and counties the choice (keyword there) of whether or not to ban cell phone usage in designated school zones. In order for this to be enforced, signs must be posted. In addition, to be fined (which is $200 per infraction), the cell phone must be to your ear and your vehicle must be in motion. This means...

The typical tech people put into cars are music players, DVD decks, PNDs (personal navigation devices) and smartphones. And the most annoying thing is how to mount it. You have seven basic options for mounting tech in a car:Proprietary in-dash Semi-proprietary in-dash In-mirror Gooseneck/Bracket Suction mount to adhesive plate Suction mount to glass...

It’s an ever-increasing mobile world, and with it comes all the tech stuff we need to get things done. Being mobile means your tech will run off a battery or two. However there are certain items when you should care and other times when you don’t have to. Point-And-Shoot Digital Cameras Should you care? Yes. I won’t buy a point-and-shoot...