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As you probably know by now, pretty much anything with a computer chip in it can be hacked.
What you might not know is that hackers are busy attacking routers all around the world as we speak.
And guess what? Your router could be one of the unlucky devices that have been hacked already. The good news is you can find out right now if that’s indeed the case.
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Question from Kendra D.: Hi Rick. We had a pretty bad thunderstorm last night that caused a lot of damage in my area.
Once I noticed the lightning I turned everything off like I always do when it’s storming and then went on to bed.
This morning when I turned everything back on I couldn’t get the cable box or the modem to light up at all. They’re completely dead.
I called the cable company and they’re sending a technician out to replace the cable box and modem.
What I need to know is do you think I need to buy a new router too? It lights up like it always did and it appears to be working.
I’ll take whatever advice you give me because I trust you. Thanks for helping me.
Rick’s answer: [Read more…]
Question from Artie L.: I recently bought a used Linksys WRT54G router for a whopping $2 at a yard sale.
It seems to be working ok because it lights up and I can see a new Wi-Fi network on my laptop after I turn it on.
I’d like to disable the existing Wi-Fi network and use this router as a 4 port switch.
The problem is I didn’t get any kind of documentation with the router so I don’t have a clue about how to disable the Wi-Fi.
Rick’s answer: [Read more…]
Does your WiFi network seem slower than it should be?
Do you struggle with poor, unstable connections?
Are you unable to use your devices at all in a distant room?
Many wireless networking issues can be fixed simply by making a tweak or two to your router, but the trick is knowing exactly what’s causing the issue and what you need to tweak.
Our friends at Netgear have developed an awesome free app for your Android devices that can help take some of the guesswork out of diagnosing and fixing many WiFi networking issues. [Read more…]
By now you’ve probably heard about the dangerous VPNFilter malware that’s attacking routers all over the globe.
If you haven’t, this is an insidious strain of malware that could potentially allow a hacker to take control of your router and use it for a wide variety of illicit purposes.
What’s more, the malware can even remove itself after a time and brick your router in the process. [Read more…]