Home Routers

This adapter performs CPR on your router if it becomes unresponsive

Do you have security cameras or other automation devices in your home? All of these IoT gadgets are great until your home network goes belly up for one reason or another. In the past, I’ve had issues with my wireless router locking up after a power flicker. It’s not only annoying but frustrating when I’d try to check my cameras or Nest thermostat from a remote location only to find out that I couldn’t access them. That’s why the ResetPlug G2 from MultiNet looks interesting to me.

This small adapter which is available for US-style plugs, as well as plugs for Brazil, Europe, UK, Ireland, Austraila, New Zealand, and Asia, is designed to monitor your WiFi router/modem and reset power if WiFi fails. There is also an optional web app that will help you troubleshoot what caused the failure on your network so you will know if it was the WiFi signal, the router, the broadband modem, or the ISP that failed.

The app keeps a log of all of the events and you can subscribe to email alerts and send remote resets from anywhere. The web app is optional for $2 per month or $20 per year, but you don’t have to subscribe because the ResetPlug will operate just fine without the app.

The ResetPlug G2 will begin shipping in June 2018 and you can order one for $59.99 from ResetPlug.com.

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This adapter performs CPR on your router if it becomes unresponsive originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 15, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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TP-Link Deco M5 Whole Home Mesh WiFi System review


Here at Bob’s house, we’re awash in technology. Between computers and gadgets, we probably have 15-20 different Wi-Fi enabled devices. But I’m not a gearhead. I don’t like spending hours tinkering with network settings to keep everything up and running. When our current Wi-Fi router started to drag, I was offered an opportunity to test Deco’s M5 WiFi System. TP-Link promises whole-house coverage (up to 4500 square feet), drama-free network management, and a host of control features managed through a simple app. Will it bathe your home in glorious, trouble-free WiFi? Let’s find out!

Out of the Box

I like how TP-Link has designed the Deco packaging to set the stage for an easy experience. Upon opening the box, you’re greeted with the network pods and a friendly message to go and download the app to get started. All of the cables, power supplies, etc. are individually packaged in a second tray underneath. It’s a simple, classy setup that’s easy to follow.

The wifi pods are streamlined and elegant. Each is about the size of a home smoke detector, all white, with a little-whorled contour that adds a touch of art-deco design. There are no protruding antennas, only a single led light in the center of the device. The subtle design blends well in any corner of your house, and the low profile allows you to stash them easily in out-of-the-way places. You’ll see pics of the pods around my house a bit later in the review.

Rounding out the package, you get a power strip for each pod (also in white), and a network cable to connect to your modem.

Installation & Network Management Features

Installation and setup are all driven through the app you download for your Bluetooth-enabled Android or iOS device, which you will also use to manage your network. Download the app and it walks you through the process of connecting to your modem and establishing the network. You’ll connect the first pod to your modem using the provided cable. After setting up the new network, you identify the location of each pod as you set them up (office, living room, bedroom, etc.), and follow the instructions to bring each one online. It’s really easy and user-friendly, with the app providing all instructions (and troubleshooting) if necessary. The whole setup took me about 10 drama-free minutes to get fully operational. I’ve included some sample screen shots below:



Once installation is complete you have complete control over the network via the app. Real-time reporting provides continuous updates on upload and download speed availability as well as the health status for each pod. You can see all the devices that are connected at any given time, and are notified as new devices are added to the network. Network settings can be tweaked to prioritize specific activities such as gaming, streaming, or web surfing. TP-Link also provides antivirus protection for the whole network that includes blocking malicious content, preventing external intrusions, and quarantining infected devices. You’ll also be able to pull reports on all of these activities, including network usage by individual devices. 

You can also access and manage your network controls from anywhere that you have Internet access, at home or on the road. I was at the car dealership the other day, and was able to check in on my network and see what was happening. The screen shot below shows the current status snapshot I took while I was away:

Got kids in the house? You can completely control network usage and access to content for individuals in your household with an impressive degree of customization. First, you set up a profile for the individual user and assign an age level to set default access to various content (adult content, gambling, downloading, social networks, etc.). You can then customize that access to your desired preferences, and/or block access to specific apps/websites for that individual. Once you have the permissions established, you assign all the appropriate devices to that profile to lock it in. You can also define the number of hours of allowable network access per day (weekdays and weekends), and/or establish bedtime settings that will disable network access at specified times. The app interface makes this all a lot easier than it sounds with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to set up, manage and remove profiles.


Some Important Points about the Network and Hardware

While the features of the Deco M5 Wi-Fi System are excellent, there are several important elements that you’ll need to consider before you buy with respect to network and hardware requirements as well as the security package. I think these issues are important enough to address before we proceed.

Using this system requires you to set up a new network that, along with the app, are connected to TP-Link at all times. This gives you the benefits of continuous worry-free network security and remote access, but your data can be reported to the company and/or may be subject to privacy risks. This is true with any cloud-based service (such as Google’s suite of tools and enabled gadgets), so you’ll have to decide if this is a concern for you.

It’s also important to note that this system is not designed to augment/extend your current network. There is no support for access-point mode, so you can’t use your existing router. You must set up a new network on the system, so you’ll experience compatibility/sharing issues if you wish to continue to use your existing router and network for some devices. If you’re looking to extend your current network and use your existing hardware, this won’t be the right solution for you.

In my house, we have Verizon Fios as our internet provider and use a Verizon-provided modem/router combo. I also have an Apple Time Machine that can act as a router. Both are older & slower Wi-Fi units, so I was completely OK with ditching both and connecting the modem directly into the Deco. I’m also OK with the TP-Link connection because I find that remote access and the antivirus/security features are worth the trade off.

Finally, the network security features are provided by Trend Micro. You get three years for free with the system, after which it looks like you’ll need to pay for the service. I was unable to find pricing at the time of writing this review… the TP-Link site claims that the service is a $360 value, but I am not clear about what future pricing will be after the initial agreement expires.

Setup and Daily Use

As I mentioned before, I don’t like tinkering with technology. I like products that work as defined, are easy to use, and don’t require constant maintenance to keep operational. With a solid month of operation, I feel that the Deco M5 WiFi System delivers a hassle-free network experience.

I’ll set the stage for our test. Our home is a standard colonial, roughly 2500 square feet of total space. The cable modem is installed on the second floor in the middle bedroom, on the inside front wall of the house facing the street. We have three full-time household occupants (not including the dog) that are actively using tablets, laptops, smartphones, and gaming systems throughout the day and evening in addition to peripherals including a network printer and streaming media devices. We’ve always seen slower performance towards the rear of the house, especially in the backyard and the basement that were farthest away from the router.

The first Deco pod is installed & connected directly to the modem by the provided Ethernet cable:

I set up the additional pods towards the rear the back of the house to cover trouble areas. One is installed on the second floor in my son’s room to support his myriad of Wi-Fi gadgets (computers, peripherals, gaming systems, etc.) and to cover the back yard:

The final pod is installed on the opposite end of the house in our family room, which is the hub for most activities and subject to heavy usage of tablets, laptops, and accessories:

The difference in performance in all locations has been significant. After a month of continuous use, we have seen little to no latency in streaming, browsing and gaming devices that used to continually plague parts of the house. Where the old routers would occasionally need to be rebooted, we’ve seen no drops in Wi-Fi service since installing the new system. 

Here’s a quick example: the picture above shows my entertainment system which includes Wi-Fi for streaming services, but it’s about 10 years old at this point so signal strength is not great. Prior to installing the Deco Wi-Fi setup, we always had issues with downloading speeds, latency, downsampling of video quality, and connection problems with the old router. This was especially true when multiple devices were active on the network, which could be very frustrating when trying to catch up on shows ion Netflix or Amazon prime. With a pod installed right on top of the entertainment center, I now get full-band streaming with no issues… even when the rest of the family is gaming and streaming away in other parts of the house.

The Deco M5 leverages the latest in network technologies to optimize performance. It’s a dual-band system that supports throughput speeds of 400 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 867Mbps on the 5GHz band if you can support that kind of speed in your home. The Deco M5 Wi-Fi system utilizes adaptive routing technology, leveraging all three pods to adjust bandwidth to optimize delivery to each device on the network based on current use. It also supports MU-MIMO technology, which creates greater network stability and allows data-hungry users to play nicely with other devices on the network. This all leads to stability and consistency in performance, which I can say was borne out in our day-to-day testing.

I recognize that we’re not using the latest modem for our network, and could probably get more performance out of the system if I upgraded. In all honesty, however, we have found that the system is more than adequate for our needs and looks like it will support even higher bandwidth if I were to upgrade. The bottom line: when no one is complaining that the network is slow, Bob is a happy guy. And it’s been happy in my house for the past month, with no issues to report.

Conclusions and Pricing

The TP-Link Deco M5 Wi-Fi System is simple to install, reliable provides outstanding coverage up to 4500 square feet, and provides a comprehensive range of control/management features in an easy to use package that also provides the benefit of hands-off antivirus and security. But is it the right choice for you home? That depends on what kind of user you are.

If you are a person who likes low-maintenance, plug-and-play solutions (think Apple products), then this will be great for you and your family. You’re probably going to be OK with letting the system do the work and not having to worry about it. Know that you are giving up some potential privacy issues due to the continuous connection to TP-Link for your network, but you’re probably doing that already with your Apple accounts and Google cloud-based tools. You’ll also be OK with ditching your old home network because you’re not that attached to it anyway. You’ll like this for all the reasons stated above.

If you are a power user that likes control of your systems, I’m not sure that this will be right for you. Your current routing hardware can’t be utilized here, and you may have some concerns about not having complete control over your network privacy. You’ll also not have the ability to tweak your network to the level of detail that you might like, especially if you have things tuned to certain devices that are heavy data users. If any of these examples seem like you, you’ll probably want to look into network extenders to provide the extra home coverage you are looking for.

Finally, you’ll want to consider the long-term fees for the security package. As I mentioned above, there’s no price set that I could find once you get beyond the initial three-year free period. TP-Link sets the value at about $10 a month based on the promotional materials. I like the idea of not having to mess with security for my network, but you’ll have to determine if its worth it for you.

In my opinion, the TP-Link Deco M5 Wi-Fi system is a solid buy for the casual network user at $299. You can also buy an additional pod for further coverage for $129. You can check it out at TP-Link’s web site for more information.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by TP-Link. For more info visit their site and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $299.99
Manufacturer: TP-Link
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Easy to install.
  • Robust management and user control features.
  • Excellent coverage.
  • Consistent, reliable performance.
  • Excellent, hands-off antivirus and intrusion security.
  • Remote control features allow you to manage your network from anywhere.
Cons:
  • Need to replace your existing network.
  • Continuous data sharing with TP-Link could present some risks.
  • Long-term pricing for the security package is unclear.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

TP-Link Deco M5 Whole Home Mesh WiFi System review originally appeared on on May 26, 2017 at 9:26 am.

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TP-Link Deco M5 Whole Home Mesh WiFi System review


Here at Bob’s house, we’re awash in technology. Between computers and gadgets, we probably have 15-20 different Wi-Fi enabled devices. But I’m not a gearhead. I don’t like spending hours tinkering with network settings to keep everything up and running. When our current Wi-Fi router started to drag, I was offered an opportunity to test Deco’s M5 WiFi System. TP-Link promises whole-house coverage (up to 4500 square feet), drama-free network management, and a host of control features managed through a simple app. Will it bathe your home in glorious, trouble-free WiFi? Let’s find out!

Out of the Box

I like how TP-Link has designed the Deco packaging to set the stage for an easy experience. Upon opening the box, you’re greeted with the network pods and a friendly message to go and download the app to get started. All of the cables, power supplies, etc. are individually packaged in a second tray underneath. It’s a simple, classy setup that’s easy to follow.

The wifi pods are streamlined and elegant. Each is about the size of a home smoke detector, all white, with a little-whorled contour that adds a touch of art-deco design. There are no protruding antennas, only a single led light in the center of the device. The subtle design blends well in any corner of your house, and the low profile allows you to stash them easily in out-of-the-way places. You’ll see pics of the pods around my house a bit later in the review.

Rounding out the package, you get a power strip for each pod (also in white), and a network cable to connect to your modem.

Installation & Network Management Features

Installation and setup are all driven through the app you download for your Bluetooth-enabled Android or iOS device, which you will also use to manage your network. Download the app and it walks you through the process of connecting to your modem and establishing the network. You’ll connect the first pod to your modem using the provided cable. After setting up the new network, you identify the location of each pod as you set them up (office, living room, bedroom, etc.), and follow the instructions to bring each one online. It’s really easy and user-friendly, with the app providing all instructions (and troubleshooting) if necessary. The whole setup took me about 10 drama-free minutes to get fully operational. I’ve included some sample screen shots below:



Once installation is complete you have complete control over the network via the app. Real-time reporting provides continuous updates on upload and download speed availability as well as the health status for each pod. You can see all the devices that are connected at any given time, and are notified as new devices are added to the network. Network settings can be tweaked to prioritize specific activities such as gaming, streaming, or web surfing. TP-Link also provides antivirus protection for the whole network that includes blocking malicious content, preventing external intrusions, and quarantining infected devices. You’ll also be able to pull reports on all of these activities, including network usage by individual devices. 

You can also access and manage your network controls from anywhere that you have Internet access, at home or on the road. I was at the car dealership the other day, and was able to check in on my network and see what was happening. The screen shot below shows the current status snapshot I took while I was away:

Got kids in the house? You can completely control network usage and access to content for individuals in your household with an impressive degree of customization. First, you set up a profile for the individual user and assign an age level to set default access to various content (adult content, gambling, downloading, social networks, etc.). You can then customize that access to your desired preferences, and/or block access to specific apps/websites for that individual. Once you have the permissions established, you assign all the appropriate devices to that profile to lock it in. You can also define the number of hours of allowable network access per day (weekdays and weekends), and/or establish bedtime settings that will disable network access at specified times. The app interface makes this all a lot easier than it sounds with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to set up, manage and remove profiles.


Some Important Points about the Network and Hardware

While the features of the Deco M5 Wi-Fi System are excellent, there are several important elements that you’ll need to consider before you buy with respect to network and hardware requirements as well as the security package. I think these issues are important enough to address before we proceed.

Using this system requires you to set up a new network that, along with the app, are connected to TP-Link at all times. This gives you the benefits of continuous worry-free network security and remote access, but your data can be reported to the company and/or may be subject to privacy risks. This is true with any cloud-based service (such as Google’s suite of tools and enabled gadgets), so you’ll have to decide if this is a concern for you.

It’s also important to note that this system is not designed to augment/extend your current network. There is no support for access-point mode, so you can’t use your existing router. You must set up a new network on the system, so you’ll experience compatibility/sharing issues if you wish to continue to use your existing router and network for some devices. If you’re looking to extend your current network and use your existing hardware, this won’t be the right solution for you.

In my house, we have Verizon Fios as our internet provider and use a Verizon-provided modem/router combo. I also have an Apple Time Machine that can act as a router. Both are older & slower Wi-Fi units, so I was completely OK with ditching both and connecting the modem directly into the Deco. I’m also OK with the TP-Link connection because I find that remote access and the antivirus/security features are worth the trade off.

Finally, the network security features are provided by Trend Micro. You get three years for free with the system, after which it looks like you’ll need to pay for the service. I was unable to find pricing at the time of writing this review… the TP-Link site claims that the service is a $360 value, but I am not clear about what future pricing will be after the initial agreement expires.

Setup and Daily Use

As I mentioned before, I don’t like tinkering with technology. I like products that work as defined, are easy to use, and don’t require constant maintenance to keep operational. With a solid month of operation, I feel that the Deco M5 WiFi System delivers a hassle-free network experience.

I’ll set the stage for our test. Our home is a standard colonial, roughly 2500 square feet of total space. The cable modem is installed on the second floor in the middle bedroom, on the inside front wall of the house facing the street. We have three full-time household occupants (not including the dog) that are actively using tablets, laptops, smartphones, and gaming systems throughout the day and evening in addition to peripherals including a network printer and streaming media devices. We’ve always seen slower performance towards the rear of the house, especially in the backyard and the basement that were farthest away from the router.

The first Deco pod is installed & connected directly to the modem by the provided Ethernet cable:

I set up the additional pods towards the rear the back of the house to cover trouble areas. One is installed on the second floor in my son’s room to support his myriad of Wi-Fi gadgets (computers, peripherals, gaming systems, etc.) and to cover the back yard:

The final pod is installed on the opposite end of the house in our family room, which is the hub for most activities and subject to heavy usage of tablets, laptops, and accessories:

The difference in performance in all locations has been significant. After a month of continuous use, we have seen little to no latency in streaming, browsing and gaming devices that used to continually plague parts of the house. Where the old routers would occasionally need to be rebooted, we’ve seen no drops in Wi-Fi service since installing the new system. 

Here’s a quick example: the picture above shows my entertainment system which includes Wi-Fi for streaming services, but it’s about 10 years old at this point so signal strength is not great. Prior to installing the Deco Wi-Fi setup, we always had issues with downloading speeds, latency, downsampling of video quality, and connection problems with the old router. This was especially true when multiple devices were active on the network, which could be very frustrating when trying to catch up on shows ion Netflix or Amazon prime. With a pod installed right on top of the entertainment center, I now get full-band streaming with no issues… even when the rest of the family is gaming and streaming away in other parts of the house.

The Deco M5 leverages the latest in network technologies to optimize performance. It’s a dual-band system that supports throughput speeds of 400 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 867Mbps on the 5GHz band if you can support that kind of speed in your home. The Deco M5 Wi-Fi system utilizes adaptive routing technology, leveraging all three pods to adjust bandwidth to optimize delivery to each device on the network based on current use. It also supports MU-MIMO technology, which creates greater network stability and allows data-hungry users to play nicely with other devices on the network. This all leads to stability and consistency in performance, which I can say was borne out in our day-to-day testing.

I recognize that we’re not using the latest modem for our network, and could probably get more performance out of the system if I upgraded. In all honesty, however, we have found that the system is more than adequate for our needs and looks like it will support even higher bandwidth if I were to upgrade. The bottom line: when no one is complaining that the network is slow, Bob is a happy guy. And it’s been happy in my house for the past month, with no issues to report.

Conclusions and Pricing

The TP-Link Deco M5 Wi-Fi System is simple to install, reliable provides outstanding coverage up to 4500 square feet, and provides a comprehensive range of control/management features in an easy to use package that also provides the benefit of hands-off antivirus and security. But is it the right choice for you home? That depends on what kind of user you are.

If you are a person who likes low-maintenance, plug-and-play solutions (think Apple products), then this will be great for you and your family. You’re probably going to be OK with letting the system do the work and not having to worry about it. Know that you are giving up some potential privacy issues due to the continuous connection to TP-Link for your network, but you’re probably doing that already with your Apple accounts and Google cloud-based tools. You’ll also be OK with ditching your old home network because you’re not that attached to it anyway. You’ll like this for all the reasons stated above.

If you are a power user that likes control of your systems, I’m not sure that this will be right for you. Your current routing hardware can’t be utilized here, and you may have some concerns about not having complete control over your network privacy. You’ll also not have the ability to tweak your network to the level of detail that you might like, especially if you have things tuned to certain devices that are heavy data users. If any of these examples seem like you, you’ll probably want to look into network extenders to provide the extra home coverage you are looking for.

Finally, you’ll want to consider the long-term fees for the security package. As I mentioned above, there’s no price set that I could find once you get beyond the initial three-year free period. TP-Link sets the value at about $10 a month based on the promotional materials. I like the idea of not having to mess with security for my network, but you’ll have to determine if its worth it for you.

In my opinion, the TP-Link Deco M5 Wi-Fi system is a solid buy for the casual network user at $299. You can also buy an additional pod for further coverage for $129. You can check it out at TP-Link’s web site for more information.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by TP-Link. For more info visit their site and Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $299.99
Manufacturer: TP-Link
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Easy to install.
  • Robust management and user control features.
  • Excellent coverage.
  • Consistent, reliable performance.
  • Excellent, hands-off antivirus and intrusion security.
  • Remote control features allow you to manage your network from anywhere.
Cons:
  • Need to replace your existing network.
  • Continuous data sharing with TP-Link could present some risks.
  • Long-term pricing for the security package is unclear.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: ,

TP-Link Deco M5 Whole Home Mesh WiFi System review originally appeared on on May 26, 2017 at 9:26 am.

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Amped Wireless Artemis-EX high power AC1300 Wi-fi range extender review


 

Do you have areas of your house that have weak or no Wi-fi coverage?  Perhaps the ‘dead zones’ are due to distance, numerous walls, or the type of walls between you and your router.  Not only that but maybe there are so many people in your house requiring Wi-fi that your bandwidth is getting eaten up.  Enter the Artemis High Power AC1300 Wi-fi Range Extender, model RE1300M.  This device can help your resolve your Wi-fi woes; extending your current routers’ range by up to 12,000 sq ft.

One of the best things about this Wi-fi extender is that it can extend the range of ANY router by up to 12,000 sq ft. That’s right. With only a few exceptions*, this extender will power you up with AC1300 speeds.

*May not work with non-standard Wi-Fi routers or routers with altered firmware or proprietary firmware, such as those from third party sources or some Internet service providers. May not work with routers that do not comply with IEEE or Wi-Fi standards. (per AmpedWireless.com)

The device is loaded with special features, too. 8 strong amplifiers and 2 antennas, Multi-User MIMO, Unmatched AC1300 Wi-fi for flawless HD & 4K streaming, More bandwidth for more devices (with no lag, even when multiple devices are streaming), Parental security features and Guest Networks, BoostBand™ Technology maximizes speed, Universal compatibility, High-powered Quad-core internet processor, Network bridging with 5 Gigabit wired ports, a signal strength LED that ensures you have optimal placement of the unit, Simple setup (more on that later), and a USB 3.0 port that lets you share files quickly (over your network or via FTP client).

We all have so many devices connected to our networks at home. Smartphones, TV’s, ROKU, Apple TV, computers, laptops, tablets, even large appliances.  The list goes on and on.  A typical family of four can have around 50 or more devices pulling bandwidth from their network. Sometimes you just need a boost, and that’s where the Artemis-EX RE1300M comes in. It’s specially designed for multi-user, multi-device households. And with the features I mentioned above, this device can deliver unmatched range and reliability for up to 12,000 square feet of coverage in your home. The AC1300 technology can deliver 399 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band, and up to 866 Mbps on the 5GHz band. Another great thing about this extender is that it has MU-MIMO tech, too. That means that it can send data to multiple devices at the same time, and with no lag or buffering. Uninterrupted streaming for everyone!!

How can it do this? It expands the range of your EXISTING Wi-fi network from your current router (2.4GHz and/or 5GHz) and redistributes it farther away from your current router at very fast speeds. This helps you get rid of Wi-fi ‘dead zones’ in your home. Amped Wireless says that you can “seamlessly stream, game, and download on all your devices at once with up to 1.26Gbps Wi-fi speeds.”

The picture below shows why the Amped Wireless Artemis-EX RE1300M is better than other Wi-fi extenders out there:

And these are comparisons between Artemis’ extender vs. “standard” range extenders:

It’s pretty cool that you get an antenna gain of up to 5dBi and output power of up to 800mW.

So let’s talk about the ports and connectors on the back.

From top-to-bottom, you have your AC power jack, then the power button. You’ve got 5 Gigabit wired ports, then a USB 3.0 port (for file sharing). Below that is a little red “Reset” button, then a WPS 1-touch setup button. And finally, there is a button that lets you turn the LED’s on the front of the unit on/off.

I like the layout on the back of the router. Everything is spaced nicely, and it’s laid out in a logical fashion. Another nice feature of the Artemis-EX is that it comes with a little attachable stand. You can put the stand on either of the extender’s sides, with the front facing down on the stand. or on its belly (using the pre-attached rubber feet). Basically, the stand allows you to decrease the footprint of the device.

What about the BoostBand technology that I mentioned earlier? I can’t explain it any better than Amped Wireless; “BoostBand Technology increases the overall speed and performance of your extended network by streamlining dual band network traffic through a single Wi-fi frequency band between the router and the Range Extender.” Here’s a picture to illustrate:

We need to talk about the setup of this Artemis-EX Range Extender. Before I begin, let me preface by saying that this unit extends your CURRENT network. Hopefully, you already have adequate security and firewalls on your current setup. If not, make sure everything is ‘up to snuff’ because 1) you need it, and 2) this extender basically clones your current network and puts an “_RE” on the end of your home network’s name. So if your home network’s SSID is “MIRROR2.4”, after being cloned, you would want to connect to the “MIRROR2.4_RE” network in parts of the house that previously had ‘dead zones’.

One thing I absolutely hate about this Range Extender is that there is no built-in security, firewall, or password. The moment you plug it in, scan for Wi-fi networks, and you see that there are two new networks available: “Amped_ArtemisEX_2.4” and “Amped_ArtemisEX_5.0”, and they are both OPEN networks. In my opinion, that’s a giant risk. The setup process IS pretty easy, and it only takes a few minutes get this unit up and running. But in today’s world, a few minutes is all a malicious hacker needs to get into your network. So work fast!! Read through ALL of the instructions before you even plug this thing in, and everything should go smoothly. You’ll know what you have to do and what to expect, and you should be OK. But I surely hate that it’s not pre-locked with a password or SOMETHING! Anyway, perhaps I’m paranoid, but I’m a secure paranoid.

Here’s what you have to do to get set up:
1) Find a location about half-way between your existing router and your ‘dead zones’.
2) Attach the antennas to the Range Extender, then plug it in.
3) Go to your computer or tablet, scan for networks, and choose either “Amped_ArtemisEX_2.4” or “Amped_ArtemisEX_5.0”. (If your current router has 5.0 service available.
4) Open a web browser. Amped Wireless recommends using Google Chrome, Safari, or Internet Explorer 8.0 and up. You can NOT use Firefox. Go to the link they have listed on the included instructions. Accessing the site does not require internet access.
5) A Dashboard will come up. It looks like this:

6) Click “Scan” for an available network to EXTEND.

7) You’ll want to select your current network name. If your home network name is “MIRROR2.4” and “MIRROR5”, and you have both 2.4GHz and 5GHz, you would click on “MIRROR2.4” and “MIRROR5” in each column. (See Artemis_EX example below). Be sure to select BOTH the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz if you have them. The left side has radio buttons in a BLUE 5GHZ column, the right side has radio buttons in a GREEN 2.4GHz column.  See picture below.  Make sure that the signal strength from your current router is 70% or higher. If it’s below that, you’ll need to move the Range Extender closer to your router.

8) This is when you set up your home security settings, (as Amped Wireless puts it: “if necessary”).  :::eyes rolling:::  You need to enter your current Wi-fi security key, here.  HOWEVER, you CAN choose to “Clone” the settings of your current network (the one(s) you selected in Step 7).  In that case, go to step 9.

9) Configure settings for your new EXTENDED network. The default SSID’s of the extended networks are “Amped_ArtemisEX_2.4” and “Amped_ArtemisEX_5.0”, but if you Cloned your existing home network, your home network name AND security key(s) will automatically copy for you. The new SSID’s will be, for example, “MIRROR2.4_RE” and “MIRROR5_RE”. IMPORTANT!!! DO NOT CLOSE THE BROWSER OR REFRESH THE SCREEN AT THIS POINT!

This is something else I do not like about the Range Extender: It takes 140 seconds to reconfigure before it even reboots. 2 minutes and 20 seconds of vulnerable time…

10) Connect to the new Extended Network.  So after your 140 seconds are over, the Range Extender reboots and disconnects your Wi-fi connection.  After it restarts, scan for networks again, and choose your EXTENDED network SSID, like “Amped_ArtemisEX_5.0” or “MIRROR2.4_RE”

11) Apparently, depending on which browser you used to set the device up, you may or may not get a Setup Summary page displayed on your browser once the new extended network is reconnected, which looks like this:

If you don’t get a summary page (I didn’t when using Chrome) after you’ve re-connected to the extended network, THEN it’s okay to refresh the page or go to a different website.

Here are some other shots of the product & packaging:

Here is a list of all specifications for the Artemis-EX high power AC1300 Wi-fi Range Extender:

Wireless Standard: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
Frequency Band: 2.4GHz/5GHz Simultaneous
Wireless Speed: 2.4GHz: 399Mbps (Rx), 399Mbps (Tx)
5GHz: 866Mbps (Rx), 866Mbps (Tx)
Amplifiers: 2 x 2.4GHz Amplifiers
2 x 5GHz Amplifiers
4 x Low Noise Amplifiers
Processor: Quad-Core Processor
Memory: 128MB DDR3
Wireless Coverage Control: 15% – 100% Output Power
(Individually adjustable for 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks)
Antennas: 2 x Detachable High Gain 5dBi Dual Band Antennas
Ports: 5 x RJ-45 10/100/1000M LAN Ports (Local Ports)
1 x USB 3.0 Port for USB Storage
Power Adapter Rating: Switching Adapter (Input: 100-240v, Output: 12v, 2A)
Mounting: Wall or Desktop
Warranty: 1 Year
Setup Requirements: 2.4GHz or 5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n or ac Wi-Fi Network
Computer, tablet or smartphone with a web browser
Package Contents: ARTEMIS-EX High Power AC1300 Wi-Fi Range Extender with MU-MIMO
2 x Detachable High Gain Dual Band Antennas
Power Adapter (100-240v)
Setup Guide

If you have any problems or questions, during or after setup, Amped Wireless Elite Support is readily available. And I can vouch for the “Elite Support”. I needed to contact them for some clarifications, and they arranged a day/time that was convenient for me, and called the exact minute they said they would. I was very impressed by that and with the Elite Support agent that assisted me who was patient, understanding, and professional.

In summary
Overall, this device is well worth the price ($99.00), and it performs very well. I’ve voiced my concerns about the security issues, but that being said, the ODDS that you would be successfully hacked during the setup time are slim. It has a wealth of features and functions, with advanced technology that will make everyone in your house a lot happier about their internet needs. Once you have it set up, you can set parental controls as you wish. It allows you to set the exact days and times that the networks are available, control the strength of your signal, and even block specific devices from accessing the network at all. It is compatible with Android and iPhone. In fact, it’s compatible with all Apple networking features, Like AirPlay® and AirPrint™.  It’s very fast, and with the Multi-User MIMO, it pretty much solves any streaming, downloading, and gaming issues you may currently be having. This device lets you create up to 8 networks for guests and restrict access to specific users. The 8 amplifiers and 2 antennas give you ample power output and signal boost. The Range Extender works with all brands of a standard single band (2.4GHz) or dual band (2.4GHz and 5GHz) wireless routers and service provider gateways. There are Red, Yellow, and Green LEDs on the front of the unit that indicate the signal strength being received from your router. The USB 3.0 port make file sharing easier than ever. It’s even wall-mountable! I would strongly consider buying this product. The only reason I can’t suggest to definitely buy is because of the setup time security issue.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Amped Wireless. You can get more information on their website and order there, or visit Amazon to order.

 

Product Information

Price: $99.00
Manufacturer: Amped Wireless
Retailer: Amazon
Pros:
  • Good price
  • Multitudes of features
  • Powerful
  • Fast
  • BoostBand technology
  • Very customizable
Cons:
  • Security issues during setup
  • No built-in initial password protection

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged:

Amped Wireless Artemis-EX high power AC1300 Wi-fi range extender review originally appeared on on April 29, 2017 at 9:33 am.

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Norton Core router protects you at the network level – FINALLY!!

Finally!  A network router that protects all of your connected devices at the START – the point of entry!  No more buying piecemeal software for every device, every year!  It does have a subscription plan; $9.99 per month, but the first year is free.  And it’s from Norton, one of the best recognized, highly-respected names in security.

There are TONS of upsides to this device:

  • Optimized for security and performance
    • It has more memory and flash storage than typical routers, and has a dual-core 1.7 GHz processor
  • Dual bands for optimal connectivity
    • Every device connects to the best available band, because Core simultaneously transmits at 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
  • Smacks down other routers by providing twice the throughput of Wave-1 11ac technology
    • You get speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, which means you get blazing fast 4K streaming and lag-free gaming
  • Beamforming supercharges your signal
    • Ever had problems getting a good Wi-Fi signal in certain areas?   Not anymore.  The beamforming antenna tower focuses WiFi directly to devices in the farthest reaches of your home

Hopefully you’ve all heard about the extremely poor security on most IoT (smart) devices.  A smart thermostat, a baby monitoring camera, even a smart refrigerator, can all be hacked, and then you personal information (and privacy) is exposed.  Core discovers smart devices, identifies vulnerabilities and secures them all. If a device is ever breached, Core quarantines the threat.

The Core router is extremely useful for parents, too.  It has powerful and flexible tools to help parents set content filters, manage time by device, and it also lets parents manage and monitor screen time by person.  Another cool feature lets you pause the whole network!  Norton says the app for the router is “as easy to use as a light switch.”

Click to enlarge

Yet another sweet option is the ability to give priority to any device in the network.  So if you want to turn down the bandwidth on on the laptop because you’re about to stream a movie on your Roku, you can do it with the touch of a button.

So the Core from Norton protects ALL of your devices.  Unlimited IoT devices, and up to 20 PCs, Macs, tablets, and smartphones.  This device will stop hackers, viruses, and malware from even coming into your network.  No more reactive software to crud that’s already in your network.  This device is PRO-active: fending off all forms of nastiness before it can even access your network.

To me, this is a solid BUY situation.  It’s in pre-sales right now for $279.99 and will start shipping this summer, 2017.

To get more information, please visit us.norton.com/core

Filed in categories: Computer Gear, News

Tagged: ,

Norton Core router protects you at the network level – FINALLY!! originally appeared on on April 1, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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