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.
This post is a primer on Linksys Velop, a popular brand for home mesh-ready routers and purpose-built systems. While the performance of each hardware unit (and mesh set) varies depending on their hardware specs, all Velop variants share the same firmware and, therefore, a similar set of networking/Wi-Fi features and …
You often play online games and think it’s time to get the best gaming router to reach the next level. You’re onto something there! But have you ever asked yourself what exactly constitutes a “gaming router”? If you’re new in the game—a noob—and don’t even know what “noob” or “DPS” …
Many of you have asked me for recommendations on a Wi-Fi router (or mesh system) with “excellent Parental Control.” This is tricky because I don’t use this feature—and I’m a dad of three. If you pay attention, you’ll note that even the best Parental Control feature is not as effective …
On January 4, 2023, ASUS unveiled its new ExpertWiFi product line. After unsurprisingly missing the initial availability target, initially set for “the first quarter of 2023, ” the networking vendor is finally shipping the ExpertWiFi EBR63 standalone router. There will soon be more hardware options, including those supporting Wi-Fi 7. …
With Wi-Fi 6/6E and especially Wi-Fi 7, we naturally need faster-than-Gigabit wired connections to match—otherwise, we’d be stuck at slightly slower than 1000Mbps at most, no matter how fast the Wi-Fi speed is. And that’s where Multi-Gig Ethernet comes into play. You’ll learn all about it in this post, but …
In recent years, I’ve received a lot of questions about the Guest Wi-Fi SSID (network name), including the catch-all recommendation of using Internet of Things devices with one. Interestingly, most of these questions are not about setting up this type of wireless network but rather the fact many devices don’t …
You might have noticed by now how I’m a big fan of using network cables—as opposed to Wi-Fi—as a way to extend a home network. While it might sound counterintuitive, getting your home wired is the only way to get the best-performing Wi-Fi network. A wired network is also a …
If you ever wonder how I perform networking speed testing on devices—including Wi-Fi access points (standalone or housed within Wi-Fi routers/ mesh systems, or extenders) and switches—for reviews on this website, you’re reading the right post. Take note: An access point is the minimum requirement to create a Wi-Fi network. …
How the Wi-Fi bandwidth works has always been a mystery—we can’t put our finger on it. The hyped-up numbers thrown out by networking vendors and clickbait online media only make things even more confusing. Then, the number of bands you can find in broadcasters— access points, routers, or mesh systems—has …
You’ll learn in this post how to keep your data safe from accidental or malicious deletion or alteration, such as being encrypted by ransomware. There are many ways to get this done, but Synology’s Snapshot is among the easiest and most effective. That said, this applies only to those with …
