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Netgear's ultimate WiFi router gives you full speed on any frequency
Watch out, ASUS: you're not the only one with an extremely fast WiFi router these days. Netgear has just released the Nighthawk X4, the latest version of its sinister-looking flagship hotspot. The X4's four antennas let it deliver 802.11ac wireless as quickly as possible on any frequency; it offers the same speedy 1.73Gbps as its ASUS rival on the 5GHz band, and a still quick 600Mbps on 2.4GHz. You shouldn't have to worry about your devices starving for bandwidth just because they have to use a less-than-ideal network, in other words. There's also a relatively brawny 1.4GHz dual-core chip inside to keep traffic flowing smoothly, and you can plug hard drives into the eSATA and USB 3.0 ports to share storage throughout your home. This latest Nighthawk is the antithesis of cheap at $280, but you probably can't find a more capable home router right now. Besides, who doesn't want a network box that can masquerade as a stealth fighter?
UK spies have scanned the internet connections of entire countries
You may know that the UK's GCHQ intelligence agency pokes its nose into people's internet service accounts, but it's now clear that the spy outfit is mapping the internet connections of whole nations, too. Heise has obtained documents showing that a GCHQ system, Hacienda, can scan every internet address in a given country to see both the connection types in use (such as web servers) as well as any associated apps. The scanning platform is looking for relevant targets and any exploitable security holes; if a target is running software with known vulnerabilities, it's relatively easy for agents to break in and either swipe data or set up malicious websites that trick suspects into compromising their PCs. Poring over this much data would normally be time-consuming, but there's a companion system (Olympia) that makes it easy to find useful information within minutes.
You can carry a privacy-minded wireless hotspot in your pocket
Devices like the Safeplug can deter companies and governments from snooping on your devices at home, but they're not much good when you're on the road. That's where the PORTAL (Personal Onion Router To Assure Liberty) project comes into play. Load the customized firmware on to certain travel hotspots (some TP-Link models and their clones) and you can maintain strong privacy anywhere you have internet access, without using special software; think of it as an anti-surveillance tool in your pocket. It not only puts you on the Tor anonymity network that spies hate so much, but supports connection masking add-ons that prevent your Tor data from being blocked. You can visit China without worrying that you'll have to use an insecure, heavily censored connection just to get online.
Smart collar turns your cat into a WiFi hacking weapon
Forget Trojan horses -- it's the cats you have to worry about. Security engineer Gene Bransfield has developed WarKitteh, a tech-laden collar that turns feline companions into scouts for WiFi hackers. The innocuous-looking accessory hides a Spark Core board that maps wireless networks and their vulnerabilities wherever the pet wanders. If used in the field, the technology would be pretty sneaky; the cat stalking mice in your backyard could represent the prelude to an attack on your wireless router.
Comcast tries to clinch TWC merger by sweetening its low-income internet plan
Comcast mostly uses its Internet Essentials program to butter up antitrust regulators; it created the low-income plan to help complete its NBC takeover, and extended the offering indefinitely to improve its chances of acquiring Time Warner Cable. It's no coincidence, then, that the company has just sweetened Internet Essentials at a time when the TWC merger remains an uncertain prospect. The cable giant is now offering debt amnesty to those who would normally qualify for the $10 monthly plan, but are saddled with outstanding Comcast bills that are over a year old. It's also offering six months of free service for those who sign up by September 20th, in part to guarantee that kids have access to online educational resources when they return to school.
Anti-surveillance advocates want you to run an open, secure WiFi router
Plenty of WiFi routers have guest modes for visitors; some companies base their entire business models around them. Many of these devices are full of security holes, however, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation doesn't see that as acceptable in an era where widespread government surveillance is a fact of life. To fix this, it has posted a very early version of custom-built open router firmware that promises both easy access and security. While there is a guest mode, the new firmware (based on the existing CenoWRT) should patch common exploits that leave your home network vulnerable. It will even fetch signatures for updates through the anonymizing Tor network to prevent rogue code from posing as a necessary upgrade.
Germany drops Verizon internet contract over NSA spying fears
Germany is irked that the NSA spied on its officials (including its Chancellor), and today it responded by hitting the US where it really hurts: the pocketbook. The German Ministry of the Interior has decided against renewing a Verizon internet service contract that expires in 2015, in no small part due to worries that the carrier must sometimes hand over foreign data to the NSA. The country has to reject companies that collaborate with the American intelligence agency if it's going to meet the "particularly high demands" of a critical communication infrastructure, according to the Ministry.
FCC proposal would fund WiFi networks in schools
The FCC's E-rate program has been funding classroom internet access for a while, but it's focused on wired connections; that's a bit short-sighted in an era where many laptops and tablets are WiFi-only. Agency officials are keenly aware of this need to catch up, as they've proposed a plan that uses some of E-rate's funding for wireless networks in schools and libraries. FCC staffers estimate that they could get over 10 million students online in 2015 through the effort, which would devote both $1 billion and modernize E-rate's broadband distribution rules.
Amtrak wants trackside WiFi that keeps you online for the whole ride
To put it bluntly, Amtrak's current on-train WiFi sucks; even if you don't mind sharing 10Mbps with hundreds of passengers, there are significant gaps in coverage. Relief may be on the horizon, though. The mass transit company is soliciting bids for a trackside WiFi project that would deliver at least 25Mbps across whole routes. The improved access would both keep you connected for more of your trip and let Amtrak lift some of its restrictions on streaming media and other bandwidth-heavy tasks. If all goes according to plan, you might not have problems watching an online movie (or at least, listening to online radio) during a lengthy journey.
San Francisco takes the pain out of joining secure public WiFi
Security on public WiFi tends to be either non-existent or a bit of a hassle; it's not fun to track down passwords just so that you can get online from the street corner. If you frequently visit downtown San Francisco, though, it's now a relative breeze. The city has launched a new version of its public WiFi that uses the Hotspot 2.0 standard to give you an encrypted connection with a minimum of fuss. So long as you're using a recent platform (newer Android devices as well as iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and Windows 8), you only have to install a simple profile to get going instead of putting in some credentials.
Huawei's WiFi is ten times faster than yours
Don't look now, but the speedy WiFi router you just bought may already be old hat. Huawei has tested WiFi based on a future standard (802.11ax) that can hit 10.5Gbps -- about 10 times faster than what you typically get out of an 802.11ac connection today. The trick, the company says, is making more efficient use of the airwaves. The new technology is smarter at allocating wireless spectrum, juggling data between multiple antennas and cutting back on interference. Huawei doesn't even have to switch to ultra-high frequencies to make the magic happen; its approach works on the same 5GHz band that many WiFi networks already use.
Google Fiber won't charge content providers for quicker access
Irked that your internet provider is strong-arming media services into connection deals just to guarantee the quality you were expecting all along? You won't have to worry about that happening with Google Fiber. The gigabit-grade ISP has declared that it isn't charging companies for peering agreements, fast lanes or anything else that gives content hosts and delivery networks better performance than they would otherwise get. In fact, companies like Netflix already colocate in Google's spaces -- there won't be any hitches in that 4K House of Cards stream if you're using Fiber.
Comcast may roll out data caps for all customers within five years
So much for Comcast's proposed merger with Time Warner Cable being good for your internet service. The cable giant's David Cohen tells investors that he expects "usage-based billing" (that is, data caps with overage fees) to reach all Comcast customers within five years. While he's not saying exactly when or how this would expand beyond the cap system's limited existing footprint, the company would gradually increase caps as demand goes up to make sure that the "vast majority" of users don't bump into it. Cohen doesn't anticipate having complex plans that force people to worry about their usage, but he warns that it's hard to make long-term predictions. "Five years ago I don't know that I would have heard of something called an iPad," he says.
Cox wants to hop on the gigabit internet bandwagon this year
In case there was any doubt that gigabit internet access is spreading like wildfire in the US, Cox has revealed plans to introduce an ultra-fast service of its own. The cable provider tells Bloomberg that it hopes to have 1Gbps speeds available by the end of the year, with news of the initial markets coming in the next two to three weeks. CEO Pat Esser notes that gigabit has been on the cards for a long time, but admits that news from rivals like AT&T and Google tipped Cox's hand -- the company wants to let its customers know that they won't be left in the slow lane.
Anonymous' radio-based networking keeps protesters off the grid
Despite being an internet activist group, Anonymous knows the value of avoiding traditional communication; it's sometimes the only way for dissidents to elude surveillance and service disruptions. Accordingly, the group has just unveiled AirChat, a networking system that uses any available radio connection to share data between PCs. Nearly all of its infrastructure is based on encrypted data packets -- you need encryption keys to get a spot on the network and receive any private information, making it virtually impossible to fake an address. Users can share internet access if they get it, and there's support for both proxy servers and Tor routing to anonymize any online activity.
Apple mends a Heartbleed security bug in its latest WiFi routers
Apple has largely avoided the wrath of the Heartbleed security flaw, but it now appears that the company's products aren't completely immune. The crew in Cupertino just updated its most recent AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule WiFi routers to fix a Heartbleed-related vulnerability that surfaces when you're either using Back to My Mac remote access or sending diagnostics. While the flaw won't let evildoers steal your credentials, they could launch man-in-the-middle attacks that grant access to login pages on both the router and your computers -- more than a little dangerous, we'd say. You don't have to worry if you're still hanging on to an older AirPort, but everyone using Apple's latest networking gear will want to patch up as soon as possible.
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.
Gamespy's multiplayer servers are going dark, be prepared
Even if you've only played a handful games with online multiplayer in the past dozen years, chances are that at least a few of your sessions have been powered by Gamespy's back-end tech. On May 31st, the company is shutting down its servers for good, and as a result, a bunch of games are losing their online capabilities. For console games, that largely amounts to multiplayer. For certain PC titles though, that also includes authentication servers for CD keys -- losing those means losing access to the game itself. You probably weren't playing most of what Gamespy's listed anymore (WWE SmackDown vs Raw 2009 on PS3, anyone?), though, and a good deal of what's there are somewhat obscure Wii, DS and PC titles. There are, however, high-profile stand-outs: most anything from Rockstar Games and Activision, or the PS3 version of Borderlands and the hardcore military-sim (and basis for DayZ) ARMA series, for instance.
Windows Phone 8.1 will automatically sign in to trustworthy WiFi
Tired of having to slog through web portals on your Windows Phone just to sign on to a coffee shop's WiFi? That won't be a problem once Windows Phone 8.1 arrives. Its Wi-Fi Sense feature can automatically accept the terms of use for networks that are both free and trustworthy, getting you online much faster than usual. You also won't have to verbally share login details for your own WiFi network. You can securely share your router's password with contacts in Facebook, Outlook.com and Skype, giving friends an internet connection (but not full network access) without setting up a guest mode. If you're the sort who sometimes avoids WiFi because of the hassles involved, you may want to give Microsoft's mobile OS a closer look.
San Antonio clears Google Fiber's legal hurdles ahead of a possible deal
San Antonio really wants Google Fiber. Really badly. So badly, in fact, that its City Council has approved leases for Google's networking nodes despite the absence of official rollout plans. The Texas town hopes that removing this legal obstacle in advance will make it a prime candidate for Fiber's next big launch. Google still has some evaluation to do before it can even consider a San Antonio deployment, so locals shouldn't dream of what they'll do with gigabit internet access just yet. However, it's not hard to see why the city is so optimistic -- even the hint of a Fiber launch tends to spur competition and improve speeds for everyone. [Image credit: Nan Palmero, Flickr]
