wi-fi

Home networking explained, Part 1: Here's the URL for you

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series and was updated on February 13, 2013, to add information about hubs, switches, and the new 802.11ad Wi-Fi standard. For the other parts, check out the related stories.

As the guy who reviews networking products, I generally receive a couple of e-mails from readers a day, and most of them, in one way or another, are asking about the basics of networking (as in computer to computer, I am not talking about social networks here.)

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate e-mails because, at the very least, it gives me the impression that there are real people out there amid the sea of spam. But I'd rather not keep repeating myself. So instead of saying the same thing over and over again in individual e-mails, I'll talk all about home networking basics, in layman's terms, in this post.… Read more

Apple enhances Wi-Fi Diagnostics in Mountain Lion

One useful addition to OS X that Apple included in version 10.7, aka Lion, was a network diagnostics tool for generating troubleshooting reports and monitoring network performance. The tool was fairly well-rounded and helpful for troubleshooting networking problems, and in OS X Mountain Lion Apple has enhanced it with additional options and features.

First off, while previously the tool was only available from directly in the /System/Library/CoreServices folder, it is now more conveniently available by holding the Option key, clicking the Wi-Fi menu, and selecting Open Wi-Fi Diagnostics.

When the utility opens, you will have two general … Read more

What Verizon's FCC tethering settlement means to you (FAQ)

The Federal Communications and Verizon Wireless agreed to a $1.25 million settlement that will also allow Verizon subscribers to use their smartphones as Wi-Fi hotspots at no extra charge.

The agreement may save some Verizon Wireless subscribers $20 a month. But figuring out who exactly benefits isn't so straightforward. So we've put together this FAQ to help you understand what it means.

What did the FCC settle with Verizon Wireless?

On Tuesday the FCC and Verizon announced that they had agreed to settle a 10-month long investigation into Verizon's management of the 700 MHz wireless spectrum … Read more

Republic Wireless reopens $19 service, sells Motorola Defy XT

Remember Republic Wireless?

The wireless service, which made headlines for its cut-rate $19 unlimited voice, text message, and data plan that relied more on Wi-Fi networks than cellular ones, opened and quickly closed its beta last year. Now the company is ready to reopen its beta to a new wave of customers, and has added the Motorola Defy XT to its lineup, Engadget first reported.

Republic Wireless captured a lot of attention for its plan, which many believed would be disruptive to the more traditional contract wireless plans, and even the less expensive prepaid plans. But the company has gotten … Read more

Tools boast easy cracking of Microsoft crypto for businesses

Cryptography specialist Moxie Marlinspike released tools at Defcon today for easily cracking passwords in wireless and virtual private networks that use a popular encryption protocol based on an algorithm from Microsoft called MS-CHAPv2, news that will no doubt worry many a network administrator.

The tools crack WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) and VPN passwords used by corporations and organizations running networks that are protected by the PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol), which uses MS-CHAPv2 for authentication.

ChapCrack captures the MS-CHAPv2 handshakes, or SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) negotiation communications, and converts them to a token that can be submitted to CloudCracker.

It takes … Read more

Laws on Wi-Fi sniffing still up in the air, say specialists

LAS VEGAS -- Got a Wi-Fi network? If someone, say Google or the government, sniffs your open network, you may think you're legally protected. Don't be so sure.

It remains unclear whether the law protects your unencrypted Wi-Fi from interception, because there are differing interpretations and lack of court precedent, Kevin Bankston, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology, said in a session at Defcon yesterday.

The federal wiretap statute prohibits sniffing of contents of communications by a device unless the contents are readily accessible to the general public. If the network is password-protected you're … Read more

Wi-Fi dropouts in OS X possibly from power conflicts

One of the ongoing problems that has affected some OS X users is random dropouts in their Wi-Fi connections. While Wi-Fi connectivity is not an issue with most Mac systems, for people experiencing it, once the problem starts it seems to persist. In some situations nearly identical systems on the same network will result in one system working fine and the other being regularly dropped.

Unfortunately Wi-Fi connectivity is difficult to troubleshoot, since there are many factors that play into a stable connection. These include drivers and other software configurations, the Wi-Fi card, the router, other computer hardware and components, … Read more

Old NYC payphones transformed into free Wi-Fi hotspots

Just when the whole world laughs at those dinosaurian payphones -- marveling at how antiquated we used to be -- New York City has put them to a new innovative use.

The city announced today that it was starting a pilot program transforming those metal relics of yesteryear into free unlimited Wi-Fi kiosks.

Initially, 10 locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens will get the service, and more hotspots will be added in coming months.

Abandoned payphones have been a point of contention for many of the city's residents for a while now. According to a New York news site … Read more

Can I use my smartphone to view a backup camera? (Roadside Assistance)

Settling into the driver's seat of a modern, 2012 model year automobile means that you'll be facing quite a few LCD screens. You've got the display for the audio system, sometimes a color screen for navigation, the occasional standalone climate-control display, the monochromatic trip computer/vehicle settings LCD in the instrument cluster, and sometimes the instrument cluster itself is just one big LCD. Lots of screens demanding more and more of the driver's visual attention.

Sometimes, it's good to simplify and consolidate these screens down to a more manageable number. Many drivers chose to do … Read more