How-tos are detailed posts that explain how stuff works and how to get things done. All how-tos on Dong Knows Tech are based on real-world experience or hands-on testing.
ASUS today issued a public response to recent online reports that “thousands of ASUS routers” have been at risk of a vulnerability that potentially allows remote parties to gain access to the hardware’s administrative access. The company told me that it “remains fully committed to ensuring the security of its …
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 …
Looking to access your home computer remotely without using a third-party service? You’re reading the right post. I’ll explain here in simple terms how to handle port numbers and port forwarding when configuring a router. When you’re through, you’ll have an idea about how to open a port to gain …
Dynamic DNS, or DDNS for short, is one of the most powerful features available in Wi-Fi routers. Though not router-exclusive, when coupled with port forwarding, DDNS is the base for hosting many services within your home network. Examples of these services are VPN servers or remote desktop connections. At the …
If you’ve ever tried troubleshooting your home network or setting up a new router, you must have heard of “IP address” or “IP” for short. This post will explain this type of address in simple terms, the differences between IPv4 vs. IPv6, and help you figure out the IP address …
You might have heard of QoS, which is short for Quality of Service. It’s a common and practical feature among home Wi-Fi routers. This post will help you understand when Quality of Service applies, what you can expect from it, and what you cannot. It’s all about managing your bandwidth. …
This post explains the differences between Dual-WAN and Link Aggregation in simple terms, along with instructions on how to set up each when applicable. In most homes, both of these features can be unnecessary. They are nice to have, but might not be worth the extra cost. For that reason, …
You may have heard of “smart Wi-Fi devices,” also known as the “Internet of Things’ (IoT). Heck, you might even have a bunch of them, and if so, you might run into connection issues within your network. Indeed, the increasingly widespread use of IoT gadgets that hook directly to your …
Generally, you don’t need to worry about MTU and Jumbo Frame. In a network, these two are part of the background and you don’t even need to be aware of them. However, understanding these two will help in some specific situations. I’ve seen many instances where minor changes in these …
You might have heard of a computer’s hosts file. If not, you didn’t miss much. Literally, that’s a file named “hosts”. Unlike computer files in general, this file has no extension that determines what type it is. So, the file itself is generally inconsequential. You can create one for the …
