networking
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Google's speedier internet standard is now an actual standard
Google's QUIC data technology is now an official internet standard, potentially improving connections worldwide.
Jon Fingas05.31.2021Quantum drums could lead to more powerful computer networks
Scientists have built quantum-entangled drums whose synced beats could help create more powerful computer networks.
Jon Fingas05.23.2021The Pentagon gave a company control of 175 million IP addresses
The US military has given a Florida company control over 175 million IP addresses in an unusual bid to spot security vulnerabilities.
Jon Fingas04.24.2021TP-Link's latest WiFi 6 router packs 4.8Gbps speeds at a reasonable price
TP-Link has introduced the Archer AX5400, a WiFi 6 router that promises 4.8Gbps connections at a semi-affordable price.
Jon Fingas04.05.2021Linksys reveals a WiFi 6E mesh system starting at $450
A single AXE8400 node costs $450 and will cover up to 3,000 square feet.
Kris Holt01.11.2021Netgear's first WiFi 6E router offers plenty of bandwidth for streaming
Netgear's new Nighthawk RAXE500 is the company's first WiFi 6E router, which will use the 6GHz spectrum, granting it access to 59 more channels of bandwidth.
Kris Naudus01.11.2021AMD expands its arsenal by snatching up programmable chip maker Xilinx
AMD is buying Xilinx for $35 billion to give it chip designs it could never have considered before.
Jon Fingas10.27.2020Energy Department unveils roadmap for a national quantum internet
The Energy Department has outlined plans for a national quantum internet that will use national labs as its heart.
Jon Fingas07.24.2020LinkedIn will let you record the correct pronunciation of your name
LinkedIn will let members record the correct pronunciation of their name.
Christine Fisher07.08.2020What to expect from the next version of 5G
5G coverage may still be sparse, and the world is still trying to understand how it works or affects us, but the people that define networking standards won’t stop working on it. One of the many companies that contributes ideas and technologies that eventually get adopted into 5G protocols is Qualcomm, and it also published blog posts today about Rel-16. Of course, Qualcomm wants you to know all about its inventions that have been adopted and will be used by the telecomms industry, but this information does help us to understand how the upcoming changes will work.
Cherlynn Low07.03.2020Google optimizes its WiFi routers for slow internet connections
Google has updated its WiFi routers to boost performance with slow internet connections, helping them handle more tasks at once.
Jon Fingas06.16.2020Linksys unveils a more affordable mesh router with WiFi 6
Linksys' new Max-Stream AX1800 Mesh WiFi 6 router promises whole-home networking and fast speeds for a relatively modest $150.
Jon Fingas06.16.2020Senators demand answers over Juniper Network's 2015 backdoor incident
Senators want answers by July 10th.
Rachel England06.11.2020Grab a Google Nest WiFi 3-pack with a Home speaker for $300 at HSN
A Google Nest WiFi 3-pack is available bundled with a Home speaker for $300 in an HSN sale.
Jon Fingas05.31.2020Qualcomm's 6GHz WiFi tech helps with crowded wireless networks
Qualcomm has unveiled a slew of 6GHz WiFi parts that could improve the performance and reliability of your wireless network.
Jon Fingas05.28.2020Apple starts selling Amazon's Eero mesh routers
You can buy Eero mesh WiFi routers directly from Apple -- yes, Amazon products.
Jon Fingas05.13.2020Senators ask Comcast to open all its WiFi hotspots to students
Senators have called on Comcast to open up all its Xfinity WiFi hotspots to low-income students, not just those in public spaces.
Jon Fingas05.10.2020Save $70 on Google's much-improved Nest WiFi bundle
Google's Nest Wifi router and access point bundle is on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond for $200.
Marc DeAngelis04.17.2020China, Huawei propose internet protocol with a built-in killswitch
China, Huawei and Chinese carriers want to redesign a key aspect of the internet -- and while there may be some upsides, their ideas have raised some alarm bells. The Financial Times understands that the group has proposed a new internet protocol at the ITU, New IP, that theoretically offers more efficient addressing and network management than the existing TCP/IP standard but also appears to have hooks that allow authoritarian regimes to censor and surveil their residents. Most notably, there would be a "shut up command" that would let a central part of the network cut off data going to or from an address. As you might guess, that could be handy if China wanted to silence an activist without resorting to extra tools.
Jon Fingas03.30.2020MIT's 'smart surface' could improve your WiFi signal tenfold
There's a problem with stuffing wireless connections into ever-smaller devices: they can struggle to maintain a good signal when there's so little space for antennas. MIT CSAIL researchers might have a fix, though. They've developed an RFocus "smart surface" that "can work both as a mirror or a lens" to focus radio signals onto the right devices on either side of the "fence." In return, this improves the median signal strength by nearly 10 times, while doubling the median channel capacity in an office environment. Instead of just a handful of monolithic antennas, the RFocus prototype revolves around 3,000-plus tiny antennas with software that arranges them to maximize reception. In other words, RFocus is acting as a beamforming controller in the middle, as opposed to letting the radio endpoints -- transmitters and client devices -- manage this activity, which would be difficult to implement on tiny devices.
Jon Fingas02.03.2020