How-Tos | Dong Knows Tech

Wi-Fi Router, Explained: The Comprehensive Guide on Figuring out that Perfect One for Yourself, Plus FAQs—the Answer to the Last Question Will Surprise You!

Mar 9, 2026

19 Min Read

A big part of the questions I get daily is about Wi-Fi router or mesh recommendations for specific situations. Some readers even sent me a detailed sketch of their home or even personal information—you know who you are! Everyone wants to pick up that perfect “Wi-Fi machine”. This post will … Continue Reading

dBi or Signal Focusing, Explained: There’s No “High-Gain” in Wi-Fi Antennas

Dong Ngo

Feb 23, 2026

10 Min Read

10 Comments

Wi-Fi antennas on a router uses dBi to create a sphere of coverage

This post is a supplement to my other piece on dBm. It explains, in simple terms, the significance of dBi, which typically indicates an antenna’s “gain” in signal delivering or receiving. The gist, however, is that the dBi value of your hardware doesn’t mean much, and you shouldn’t pay much attention to … Continue Reading

Multi-Gigabit AiMesh Combos: Available Hardware Options and Tips on Building the Best-Performing ASUS Wi-Fi System

Dong Ngo

Feb 20, 2026

6 Min Read

307 Comments

This post, the last in my series on ASUS-based Wi-Fi systems, helps you pick the best AiMesh combo to build a network with multi-Gigabit bandwidth, either the entry-level 2.5Gbps or the top-tier 10Gbps. Before continuing, though, consider getting your home wired first—we’re mostly talking about wired networking here, especially if … Continue Reading

AiMesh Setup Guide: Tips on Getting Your ASUS Wi-Fi System Up and Running Optimally

Dong Ngo

Feb 15, 2026

19 Min Read

254 Comments

Multi-Link Operation: ASUS ZenWiFi BT8 includes identical mesh routers but one is marked as the main unit for easy setup

This post, the third part of my series on ASUS’s AiMesh, will walk you through specific steps to set up an AiMesh network and offer tips on optimizing and maintaining it, including how to arrange the hardware, manage signal handoff, and more. Dong’s note: I first published this post on February 11, … Continue Reading

TP-Link Deco Overview: Everything You Need to Know about the Popular Mesh Brand

Dong Ngo

Feb 9, 2026

9 Min Read

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TP-Link Deco BE77 BE17000 Wi-Fi 7 Mesh System

This post will give you an overview of TP-Link Deco, a well-known mesh brand, including its brief history, what to expect from it, and its general pros and cons. While a specific mesh set’s performance depends on its hardware, each Deco variant generally shares common attributes available to the brand’s … Continue Reading

IP Reservation, Explained: Steps to Assign a Persistent IP Address to a Connected Device

Dong Ngo

Jan 28, 2026

7 Min Read

4 Comments

IP reservation is the process of assigning a specific IP address to a device, such as a computer, so it receives the same address each time it (re)connects to the network, such as when you restart it or the network’s router. This post explains when IP reservation applies and how … Continue Reading

Picking the Best AiMesh Combo: Real-world Tested Rules and Tips on Building a Wi-Fi System of Mixed ASUS Routers

Dong Ngo

Jan 26, 2026

11 Min Read

189 Comments

This post will walk you through how to combine two or more ASUS routers to create a high-performing, seamless AiMesh setup. “Well-performing” is the key here, and you might want to pay close attention to the details. This post is part of my series on ASUS’s AiMesh, a popular way … Continue Reading

Keeping Your Network Safe: Simple Steps to Ensure Wi-Fi Router Security

Dong Ngo

Jan 13, 2026

8 Min Read

27 Comments

In a network, everything goes through the router. As a result, its security determines the entire system’s overall security. This post explains simple steps to keep your Wi-Fi router secure, enough to give you peace of mind. Security is nuanced—the only way to be absolutely secure in networking is to … Continue Reading