Explainers are posts that explain different concepts or ideas.
This post will give you an overview of the Orbi mesh family, NETGEAR’s popular purpose-built Wi-Fi system for the home. While a specific Orbi mesh set or router’s performance depends on the particular hardware, it generally shares common attributes across all variants in the lineup. So, this post is about … Continue Reading
A Wi-Fi system generally includes two or more access points, specifically the primary router unit and one or more satellite units. If you get a purpose-built solution, it’s often available in a 2-pack or 3-pack. Setting up these units to form a well-performing Wi-Fi system can get tricky. The main … Continue Reading
Years ago, somebody asked me about my most important piece of tech and was surprised when I said it was my NAS server—the Synology DS410, to be specific—and not the iPhone I was holding. That was true then. And it’s even more so now. In fact, with the benefit of … Continue Reading
In March 2022, Wi-Fi routers supporting the 5.9GHz portion of the 5GHz frequency officially became available. Since then, this “final frontier” of the spectrum, known in the US as the UNII-4 group, has proved to be of limited use. This post will explain, in simple terms, UNII-4, the reason behind … Continue Reading
Together with the 2025 NAS models, starting with the DiskStation DS925+, Synology has an unpleasant surprise for its fans: The NAS maker now implements a strict hardware compatibility (HCL) policy, which, for the time being, is basically a storage lock-in approach. To put it bluntly, apart from the server, you … Continue Reading
If I put “TP-Link” and “mesh” in a sentence, you’d likely think of the popular Deco family. And you’re not wrong. That’s the networking vendor’s most recognizable brand name in the realm of home Wi-Fi systems. However, unbeknownst to most, the company had another lesser-known do-it-yourself alternative, called “TP-Link OneMesh,” … Continue Reading
You may have noticed that I’m not a fan of using VPNs unnecessarily to be “secure” or “private” online, even when you’re at home. However, when used for its factual purposes, a VPN connection offers undeniable benefits. For example, when you’re traveling (such as during summer vacations), it can be … Continue Reading
If you’ve never heard of the ASUSwrt-Merlin firmware, know that extra magic can be available to a select group of ASUS routers. Extra from what, though, you might ask? From the stock firmware, called ASUSWRT. However, things are not as simple as one being better than the other. This post … Continue Reading
