router

Some of us have not changed our home gateway router from the day we had our broadband installed, and that might be many moons ago.  If you are one of those persons, maybe it’s time to consider upgrading gateway router.  You might ask why you should if it’s working fine? Which is a perfectly and valid question and I can think of two reasons why you should: Better security and better speed.  My plan is to make it easy for you because I have done the search, the check and the test of some of the latest and best routers so that it will help you to make an informed decision when you go to buy your router.

NETGEAR has released and upgraded version of its Nighthawk high performance VDSL Modem Router with the Nighthawk X4S AC2600. Nighthawk X4S has a dual-core 1.4GHz processor and built-in DSL modem, it’s the first DSL modem router on the market to support the latest Wave 2 WiFi technology with Quad-Stream on both bands as well as Multi-User MIMO-capability. Families with multiple Internet-enabled devices connecting simultaneously to DSL broadband will want to upgrade their WiFi router to the Nighthawk X4S to be able to enjoy its blazing-fast WiFi speeds, extended range, and overall improved streaming and gaming.

I think security poses the greatest risk to the growth of the connected home market. The many reports of hacking and vulnerabilities in connected home solutions throughout 2014 caused many to raised concerns about the readiness of these solutions for consumers.  I see these issues as signs saying the sector has more work to do to improve security. The good thing is we are still at a stage where we can fix these issues and build better solutions to gain public trust.

Check Point Software Technologies researchers have uncovered a vulnerability in millions of Small office/home office (SOHO) routers which they said has been around since 2002.  The Vulnerability Research Group detected approximately 12 million devices in 189 countries and said the vulnerability exists on many different models and makes from different manufactures, making this one of the most widespread vulnerabilities revealed in recent years.

D-Link Canada has launched a new line of high-performance home networking devices with the Wireless AC3200 Tri-Band Gigabit Router (DIR-890L). Packed with advanced features, the DIR-890L router was designed to keep both the latest and legacy Wi-Fi devices running at peak performance.  It combines Tri-Band wireless connectivity with SmartConnect technology to distribute Wi-Fi traffic over three Wi-Fi radios giving you improved performance and reliability.  For those who have suffered from Wi-Fi weak spots or dead zones in the home.  The Wireless AC3200 Tri-Band Gigabit Router features Advanced AC SmartBeam technology which tracks your connected devices and focuses signals towards them for superior Wi-Fi speed and coverage inside and around the largest of homes.

Whenever we buy a router, we don’t bother to trouble or think about it unless our broadband connection goes down or the router itself is dead; this is something I am guilty of. I recently upgraded my home router after having the previous one for over ten years – wasn’t wireless. The release of the new Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band WiFi Router (R8000) from Netgear I think is an ideal router for those with an old router and a mixture of new and old wireless devices in their home. It features the latest in high-speed wireless networking.

TP-LINK has release a new wireless home router, called the N600 Universal Wireless Dual Band Entertainment Adapter (TL-WA890EA). It offers dual frequency of 2.4GHz each with speed of up to 300Mbps, enough bandwidth to stream HD video, music and online gaming.  At less than US $60.00, you can network most of your home entrainment devices to it; there four ports enough for your Smart TV, Game Console, Set-Top Box and Blu-ray Player. It has WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) switch button and a web interface for easy management.

Gamers are in for a treat with the soon release of the D-Link Gaming Router (DGL-5500). The router features Qualcomm StreamBoost technology, which help to intelligently manage and shape the traffic. Owners of role-playing games are expected see less lagging and see a boost performance.  The D-Link Gaming Router offers the latest in plus four-gigabit Ethernet ports to deliver the ultimate in gaming performance, media streaming and network control.

For Australian homeowners managing home appliances are set to become easier with the release of Budii from iiNet. The Australian based service provider, this week released the new all-in-one device, which is a network router, smart home phone/tablet and entertainment gadget.

Broadcom and Norton have finally released more detail about what they have been working on over the past few months. Around the middle of last year both companies announced that they are collaborating on a new security solution for the home. CE manufactures using the Broadcom’s ’s BCM4708x chipset for new 5G WiFi (802.11ac) routers can now offer additional security features. This is because The BCM4708x series now has Norton Security as part of the chip.