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Qualcomm's next-gen mesh network tech supports palm-sized routers
Nodes based on the Immersive Home Platform could flood your home with gigabit WiFi.
ASUS' latest WiFi 6 router looks appallingly normal
When you look up WiFi 6 routers, you tend to get a bunch of nightmare-inducing designs that resemble gigantic dead spiders. Luckily, brands like Netgear and TP-Link have shown that such products can don a more humble outfit, and ASUS is finally following suit for this year's Computex. The company's freshly announced AiMesh AX6600 kit consists of two RT-AX95Q routers that, to our surprise, look very much like standard networking hubs (remember the Blue Cave?). Most notably, all six antennas are hidden inside each device, with two of them placed diagonally in the middle to boost reception.
Netgear jumps into 5G with AT&T-compatible mobile hotspot
Netgear is focused on the future of connectivity at CES 2019 with new products it believes can keep you online at home and on the go. The California-based networking company is showing off two new additions to its Orbi mesh router family designed to bring internet to the dead zones of your home and the Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot to provide high-speed connections while you're away.
TP-Link's newest WiFi 6 routers include its first mesh-ready model
TP-Link is ready to come out swinging now that the high-speed WiFi 6 standard is here in earnest. The company is expanding on its recent introduction of two high-end routers (the Archer AX11000 and AX6000) with three more devices that include its first WiFi 6-capable mesh router, the Deco X10. The seemingly timid-looking cylinder can dish out speeds up to 1.95Gbps across its three bands, ensuring that you get a cutting-edge connection whether you're in the den or the bedroom. It'll arrive in the third quarter of the year and cost $350 for a two-pack.
Linksys' Max Stream router can be the center of a mesh network
It's CES, and that means it's time for Linksys to unveil yet another WiFi router -- but this one could be particularly important if you're tired of dead spots in coverage. Its new Max Stream AC2200 is a typical (if quick) tri-band router with 2.2Gbps of combined bandwidth, but includes built-in mesh networking support. If your WiFi bogs down in the bedroom, you can add Velop nodes to keep things humming. You don't have to buy a dedicated mesh system (or litter your home with full-size routers) to guarantee consistent speeds.
TP-Link squeezed a smart home hub into its new mesh WiFi router
Mesh WiFi routers are no longer all that special, so how do you stand out? If you're TP-Link, you roll in a smart home hub. It just introduced a Deco M9 Plus router that builds on last year's model with a hub for ZigBee- and Bluetooth-based devices like light bulbs and thermostats. If you're not fond of connecting dedicated hubs and bridges but still want good whole-home networking coverage, this might scratch your itch. TP-Link is promising compatibility with Alexa and IFTTT commands when steering your household gadgets.
Google WiFi now shows which devices are struggling to connect
Run a large-enough WiFi network and there's bound to be that one device that can't quite hold on to a fast connection, like the tablet in your bedroom or a laptop in the backyard. But how do you quantify that flaky connection? Google can help. It's deploying an updated Network Check feature for Google WiFi routers that will check the performance of devices on your network and help you identify ones with unusually low performance. You'll know if you need to move an access point, move a device or (if it's truly bad) expand your network to provide better coverage.
Engadget giveaway: Win an outdoors package with goTenna and more!
As we shake off the shackles of winter and ease into the more clement weather of spring and summer, it's time for travel plans to take shape. Enjoying the outdoors doesn't mean you have to ditch all the mod cons, though. This week, we have a trio of outdoors items for two winners that will let you keep the tech while you head off-the-grid. The goTenna Mesh communicator lets you stay in touch with others without a cell signal by sending texts and GPS details over radio waves. The radius of communication is a few miles when you're in the sticks, but can expand when there are more devices around. BioLite's Charge 20 is a rugged portable battery to help keep your phone and other devices topped up. And if you're out capturing footage with a camera, the GNARBOX storage unit and mobile editing software can turn some of those quiet hours in the outdoors into casual productivity without needing a laptop (iOS / Android). It even supports editing of 4K video and RAW photos. All you need to do is head to the Rafflecopter widget below for up to five chances at winning one of these outdoors tech packages including the goTenna Mesh, BioLite Charge 20 and GNARBOX editing set up. Good luck! Winners: Congratulations to Arin W. of West Lafayette, IN and Francis K. of Depew, NY!
Netgear’s Orbi Satellite takes mesh WiFi networks outdoors
WiFi mesh networking is not for the faint of wallet, but if you're going to spend the money, Netgear's Orbi is one of the better systems out there. Until now, it's been geared toward indoor home and apartment use, but Netgear has introduced the Orbi Outdoor Satellite (RBS50Y). The device lets you expand coverage by up to 2,500 square feet, making it ideal for use by your pool, garage or guest house.
ASUS' take on mesh WiFi is now available
Mesh networking is all the rage for people who want to fill every bit of their home with sweet high-speed Wi-Fi. Lynksys, Google, Netgear, TP-Link and Eero all have devices that use the new technology to smooth out the dead spots in your home. Now Asus has joined the crowd with its Lyra Home WiFi System. Initially announced in January, the new routers are finally available for $400.
Samsung’s mesh WiFi system connects your smart home this July
Samsung's oh-so-smoothly named Connect Home Smart WiFi System now has a launch date and pricing structure. The router, which was announced in March, also has a SmartThings hub built right in, making it super easy to connect all of your smart gadgets.
Netgear releases two (slightly) cheaper Orbi routers
Mesh WiFi networks, which use a handful of base stations to eliminate black spots in your home, are great but for one thing: the price. After all, dropping the better part of $500 on a router set is pretty steep when you've got bills to pay and food to buy. Netgear feels your pain, which is why it's adding a pair of cheaper models to its Orbi range of whole-home routers.
IBM's new weather app sends emergency alerts without a network
What good is a weather app when the network is down? Not much -- typically. But with an upcoming Weather Channel app for Android, IBM is offering one solution for emerging markets: "Mesh Network Alerts," a new technology that can transmit notifications from phone to phone via Bluetooth and WiFi. It's potentially much more useful than typical emergency alerts from governments, because those don't work when cellular networks go down. The app offers much more than just a mere weather update, in some places it could up saving lives during emergencies.
Linksys is the latest company to unveil a WiFi mesh system
Mesh networking has become trendy for folks looking to fill every nook and cranny of their homes with WiFi. So it should be no surprise that the makers of the most iconic router ever is unveiling its own system. The Linksys tri-band Velop setup is a modular system that the company says is made to expand as your needs do.
Plume's WiFi extending pods are now available
If you're having WiFi issues in certain rooms and range extenders or powerline plugs aren't doing the trick, there's another option on the market. Plume's mesh-based "pod" WiFi system is now on sale following a pre-order campaign earlier this year. Like Eero or Google WiFi, you place a pod in rooms where you want internet, and they'll intelligently connect over multiple 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, providing uniform coverage around your home.
GoTenna's new communicator crowd sources for a better signal
If you're a fan of exploring the great outdoors, especially in areas of devoid of cell service, you may have already sought out a GoTenna. These walkie-talkie-like enablers pair with your mobile device via Bluetooth so you can send messages and GPS data to others in the area using radio frequencies. Today the company is pushing the off-the-grid envelope even further with the introduction of GoTenna Mesh, along with a new premium subscription service and an SDK for developers to play with. The addition of mesh networking makes it one of the first devices of its kind, providing mobile (not fixed point), off-the-grid, long-range communication to users -- so long as there's a smattering of devices to help leverage its capabilities. This is also the first time GoTenna is launching its product internationally, utilizing available public radio spectrums in each area. Early birds can pick up a set starting at $129 on Kickstarter, but if you wait for the retail launch it'll run you $179 per pair.
Eero is the home WiFi solution I've been waiting for
Let's face it: Your home WiFi network probably sucks. Or at least, it sucks enough that you'd much prefer to plug in directly to your router every time you get online. Except, of course, you probably can't. Like a lot of people, you likely have smartphones or tablets that depend on wireless connectivity. Or perhaps you have your router in your living room but your office is upstairs and you can't spare the cash to run gigabit Ethernet throughout the house.
Security system watches over your home without cameras
You don't have many great choices for home security systems right now. Conventional systems are expensive and effectively fixed in place, while connected cameras are conspicuous and carry the risk (however small) that someone might spy on you. Xandem thinks it has a better way, however. It's crowdfunding a security system that uses motion-detecting wireless mesh networking (previously the stuff of research) to alert you to intruders. It only requires plug-in nodes to work, and the resulting radio frequency web can both travel through objects and follow subjects. If all goes well, you're getting more complete coverage that stays hidden and reduces the chance of a false positive -- you can even track motion in apps or the web to see if it's a burglar or just a family member who got home early.
US funds networks that help dissidents avoid internet spying
The US doesn't mind dealing in irony, it seems. While many criticize the country for its aggressive internet surveillance, it's also pledging millions of dollars towards mesh networks in Cuba and Tunisia that help dissidents avoid online snooping. As with earlier efforts, these automatic, ad hoc grids aren't connected to the internet; they exist to help locals communicate without fear that the government will watch or block what they're doing. They're not completely spy-proof, but they're designed from the start with secure services in mind.
US and Canada reach border spectrum sharing deals for broadband
Wireless use along the US-Canada border can be problematic: when there isn't direct interference, there's sometimes a fight over which devices get dibs on given frequencies. Don't worry that the countries will rekindle their old disputes, though -- instead, they've just struck interim deals to share more of their spectrum. Along with harmonizing 700MHz public safety networks, the pacts address AWS (1,700MHz and 2,100MHz), PCS (1,900MHz), 3.7GHz wireless broadband, mesh networks and even WiFi hotspots. When possible, both sides will use contention protocols to automatically resolve any conflicts. While the deals aren't yet final, they should be strong enough to maintain some semblance of peace on the northern airwaves. [Image credit: National Film Board of Canada. Photothèque / Library and Archives Canada]
