Best Computer Networking
Enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills with access to over 500,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more. Watch the best of live TV and sports from AMC, HGTV, ESPN, FOX, and others with a subscription to DIRECTV NOW, Sling TV, or top-rated primetime shows with CBS All Access. Prime membership unlocks thousands of movies and TV episodes, including Thursday Night Football, Amazon Original Series, Amazon Channels, and ad-free listening to millions of songs with Prime Music.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After doing some research, I bought 3 Amazon Fire Sticks with the voice remote, cancelled Dish, upgraded to 30Mbps internet, added Sling 25 channels, added standard Hulu, and CBS All Access. Guess who still gets 96+% of the channels watched, added Prime Music and several hundred shows (that networks don't play) to all the TVs in the house, and saved over $700 per year compared to what I paid this past year?"
"And I even bought a TV sound bar to improve my watching experience,TV Sound Bar, Meidong Bluetooth Soundbar with Built-in Subwoofer, 36 inch 2.0 Channel Home Theater Speakers, Wireless and Wired Bluetooth Audio for TV/PC/ Phones/Tablets/ Echo dot (2017 Model) it is a really good partner with my old TVs,also recommend. I found that the included power adapter isn't really necessary as long as you have a powered USB Port on your TV to plug it in to.I did notice that if you are using the 2.4GHZ wireless on your Wireless Network it does affect the speed especially if you have COMCAST/XFinity-, or other Cable provider as they are throttling the 2.4GHZ bandwidth to 25Gbps. If you don't know for sure run a SpeedTest and find out what your download speed is- upload is not at Full Duplex so it will be slower on both bands. It comes pre-loaded with your Amazon account details, so the only setup you need is to plug it in and enter your WiFi password, using a simple on-screen prompt. A short HDMI extension cable is included, which is handy if your TV has awkwardly-positioned ports. As with the previous-gen Stick, the extension cable also seems to boost WiFi reception a bit. It has the usual 4-way navigation pad and media controls, but no volume buttons - you’ll need to keep your TV remote handy for that."
"The AFS is a device that provides you with both the hardware and software needed to watch such shows and it bundles everything together nicely so it is extremely easy to use. Some apps (channels) are free and they offer limited programming on demand from shows they aired in the past. PlayStation Vue (the one I signed up with) offers bundled packages of channels just like cable or satellite services and they are live broadcasts! The amazing thing with Vue is you can go into the guide, pick a show that was aired, say, two hours ago that you missed and watch it in its entirety! Another sweet thing about using the AFS for television viewing is no installer has to come to your house to set up your equipment and when you’re finished with their service nothing has to be returned."
A simple app gets you set up quickly and allows you to see what’s connected, prioritize devices, and pause the Wi-Fi on kids’ devices.Family controls allow you to pause the WiFi on kids' devices, like during.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"On WiFi using the 5 Ghz band, which Google WiFi chooses automatically (it chooses between 2.4 Ghz or 5 Ghz band, whichever signal is better, providing you have BOTH bands available), I get full speed (speedtest.net shows 110 Mbps down, 6 mbps up) as if I was on a wired connection. I thought I would have to get a crazy expensive gaming router with 20 antennas that looks like Sauron's helmet from Lord of the Rings to get those speeds, but Google WiFi does that for $170 less and it has cool sci-fi-ish looks. To get full WiFi speed, make sure your device (PC, laptop, tablet, phone, etc.). The Google WiFi router only has two ethernet ports, one of which is used to connect to the modem."
"You will notice the difference in internet speeds in my picture once I switched over to google wifi (June 14). People have complained about loss of flexibity and tweaking since they have to use their phone to configure the google network. I can view network traffic, turn off internet for the kids and see how many devices are connected at the click of a button on my phone."
"I've tried Wi-Fi extenders, Wireless Access Points, and Powerline adapters with little to no success...and then Google Wi-Fi walked into my life. Adding the wifi points to the OnHub router allows you to create a mesh network that covers your entire house while allowing your laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other devices to seamlessly switch between the closest access point with the best signal. Behind the scenes, Network Assist automatically helps to avoid Wi-Fi congestion, and transitions devices to the closest Wifi point for the best signal."
New 2017 Model!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have used Roku for years,including several different models.The best new thing of note is Roku has recently released The Roku Channel,which has hundreds of free movies.It is ad supported.Roku has just about every app you can imagine (YouTube/Pandora/Netflix/Amazon/Hulu/HBO Now) plus tons of more apps in many different categories.Roku Express works fine,but you need to point the remote at the device,unlike other Roku models.Here are some points to consider when deciding on which model of Roku to buy: 1)If you need to connect by WiFi in a room far away from your WiFi router,I would recommend the Roku Streaming Stick PLUS or Roku Ultra. 4)If you are looking for a bundle of channels of live TV to replace cable TV,check out Sling TV,Spectrum TV,Direct TV Now,Hulu,Pluto TV and Playstation Vue.All of these are paid services except for Pluto TV,which is free."
"But the Roku allows you to access all of those subscriptions (the ones you're paying for) from a single device on your TV, with a nice interface that nearly anyone can use, even if they're technology-illiterate. I suspect for marketing reasons, it's not always obvious on some of the network TV channels which content is free versus paid until you try to play it. Some of the networks also offer free 'throwback' content, where you can watch an entire series of an older show. Free, without ads: Mostly, you'll find that the ad-free content is extremely old... lots of black-and-white TV and movies, some early color TV/movies, etc. This newest version of the Roku Express ("5X more powerful") has a very smooth interface, with good response from the remote. I generally don't even have to point the remote at the Roku box, because the infrared is strong enough to reflect off of the ceiling or walls and still work. They provide a sticky-tape strip to stick the box somewhere convenient, like the side or top of your TV or media cabinet. In addition to providing an interface that looks pretty similar to the physical remote, you can also browse for other content while something is already playing. The app also has a headphone feature, which I'm guessing allows you to listen directly from your mobile instead of via the TV... great for watching at night when others are sleeping."
"I was considering upgrading the disc player, but wasn't really keen on spending the money when the disc player I have works fine for discs. I use a wireless router to get the broadband signal from modem to Roku box."
"However Roku Support 816-272-8106 offers NO SUPPORT for the Roku Express."
Best Computer Networking Device Servers
Remotely manage 4 industrial RS232 or RS422/485 serial device over an IP network, with redundant 10/100 Ethernet ports - The PoE-powered NETRS42348PD 4-Port Industrial Serial Device Server lets you remotely manage up to four industrial RS232/422/485 serial devices over a local or wide area network (LAN/WAN), with redundant power inputs and dual 10/100Mbps Ethernet ports. Redundant power inputs keep the device server functional in the event of power surges or failures, and when used with a PoE-capable switch or injector, the serial device server can be conveniently installed in locations where terminal block power is unavailable. Maintain serial connectivity during disruptions with redundant power and network inputs. Suitable for harsh environments with ESD protection and a rugged, metal enclosure.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Other terminal server I have used you can use a straight IP address from HyperTerminal like software; this unit however requires a 32bit virtual communication port to be loaded on the computer that you are trying to connect from - thus the need for a 32bit Windows computer."
"I was trying to control a finicky projector with a serial port and I could never quite get it to work right, although the loopback test was fine, and other serial gateways were able to control the projector."
"My setup: Universal server -- polls IP port 502. --IP / Serial Server -- converts IP to RS232. --Electronic Flow Meter -- responds with modbus RTU registers."
"After spending days to debug it, and with the help of another user of this NETRS2321E and the Aurora inverter on this Amazon site, I got it to work."
"However, I have found that the "VCOM" software requires administrator permission on the computer in order to map this device as a COM port, and it will need to do so at each login."
"Setup isn't as easy as it may seem when you don't have the right network prefix, but I didn't take no for an answer."
"The third issue: The default IP address set at the factory is 192.168.1.1, which is very commonly used as the router/gateway address in smaller business and home networks."
"i found that my fax modem would never ever work with this device."
Best Computer Networking Hubs
Instantly Add Four USB 2.0 Ports to Any Compatible Device.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I attached it to the face of my tower PC with mounting tape. I can even leave the cables plugged into the hub and just power off the L.E.D."
"I plugged in my KVM, a thumb drive, my cell phone and an external HDD just for fun. This means I can leave stuff plugged into the hub and connect everything to me laptop with only one USB connection."
"Before seeing this product on Amazon I was forced to unplug the items that were causing havoc with game X, then having to plug them back in with game Y. As any of you can attest, the back of any PC is a nightmare of tangled wires and in some cases, games like Elite save control schemes based on the port the stick is plugged into, so not using the same port every time required the game be complete set up again."
"Now I have plugged into the hub my USB powered speakers, scanner, printer, and external hard drive that looks more organized."
"The ports are a little close together, so some USB devices may be too fat, but it seems to work for most things."
"One aspect of this usb extender I like is the fact the usb connection thing is attached to a cord. I didn't know this before, but on top (you can see it in the picture) this usb extender has buttons over each of the ports."
"I ordered this for the home computer which is my old laptop."
Best Computer Networking Modems
Capacity: Download Speed: 1.4 Gbps |. Model: 32x8 Cable Modem |. Color: White. Approved on Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum (Charter, Time Warner, Brighthouse Networks), Cox, Mediacom, Suddenlink and most other US Cable Internet Providers. 32 Download and 8 Upload Bonded Channels capable of up to 1.4 Gbps download and 262 upload speeds.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I called comcast and after BLAH BLAH everything (I am a network admin) I already did they said I have a 3rd party and its not a comcast modem, the modem in which its on there approval list. I called comcast again and asked to modem "activation" and let them know I need my modem "re-provisioned". They Are... Modem Activation. And. Re-provisioned."
"When you look critically at modems it doesn't take you long to realize that the Arris Surfboard product line is the easy winner. My issue is that the designers made the indicator LEDs brighter than the lights used to illuminate football fields at night. Even considering the efficiency of LEDs I'm concerned my next electric bill will reflect the fact that I've used more power than a mid-sized office building to create this much illumination. I was afraid I would cause the device of overheat if I blocked those vents, so at this point I got kind of desperate so I took out the 1 and only screw and cut a slip in the sticker on the bottom so that I could open to box up. As you can see from the attached pictures, the LEDs are deigned so that they actually face out of the box and only a small amount of light makes it to the indicators on the front. This made the problem about 50% better but it is still bright enough to act as a night light for the entire living room and kitchen."
"Once they have provisioned it, make sure that the service code on your account matches the speed that you are paying for."
"Most of Comcast's DOCSIS 3.0 cable modems have only 4 or 8 bonded channels, while most of their regions support bonding 16 downstream channels. When more channels are available, DOCSIS cable modems can distribute traffic between more potential channels. They're preparing for faster speeds in some areas and upgrading equipment in advance, but other areas without competition may tend to linger on less advanced hardware."
Best Computer Network Adapters
Using advanced Home Plug AV technology, TL-PA4010 KIT provides users with stable, high-speed data transfer rates of up to 600Mbps on a line length of up to 300 meters. POWER SAVING - Patented Power-Saving Mode automatically reduces power consumption by up to 85%.128-bit AES encryption ensures that the network is safe simply by pressing a button on paired devices.Up to 300 meter range over a home's electrical circuit for better performance through walls or across floors.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My 14 year old daughter was throwing a stereotypical teenage girl conniption fit that her wireless kept dropping out, had a 1mbps downstream, and was generally poo."
"I've been a Network Engineer for over 10 years and ever since I've dealt with computers, cabling is one of the worst aspects of the job. When Powerline technology came out it added convenience of using existing power cabling but still was a little flaky and troublesome. When it came time to buy originally back in July 2012, I put a lot of research into looking into the latest powerline solution for my home. Despite the insane price point (currently $87.99 on Amazon - 12/13/2013; I bought these for $108 back in July 2012), the Netgear adapters worked wonderfully in my home. When multiple devices would start streaming things like Netflix and I was doing transfers from my media server to a PC, Netflix would stutter and my WiFi throughput would literally crawl slower than a snail on a salt bed. That's when I realized I needed to invest in more Powerline Adapters for certain rooms to speed up transfers as well as help reduce the load of my WiFi network. I mean after all, I had a word of mouth approval from a friend and you can't argue saving over $50 vs another set of my Netgear adapters... the result? While this normally won't matter to a lot of people, it will tell you whether you are having degraded performance within your home's electrical wiring."
"I unboxed and although the reviews and instructions say not to plug into a power strip I did anyway and on both sides. All I did was plug in the adapters, plug in the Cat5 cables, power on the DVR and the router, Push the two link buttons (not at the same time) on the adapters and I was streaming live video on my android phone."
"I was dumb and didn't read directions - you must plug into outlet (not a power strip) or the signal will degrade."
Best Computer Networking Antennas
This omnidirectional antenna reaches out in a 30-mile radius from your home to bring you the most popular TV shows, news and sports, on both network and local television in full 1080 HD – for FREE. No need for cable or satellite fees to watch stations like PBS, ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, with each network having its own digital sub-channels for maximum content. With the Mohu Leaf you no longer have to pay high monthly cable or satellite bills to enjoy your favorite shows. The Leaf can pull in all of your local news, weather, sitcoms, kids and sports programming with NO monthly contract or bills. Top reviews of the Mohu Leaf include CNet, Yahoo, CNBC, HDTV Magazine, PC World and dozens more! Plug the 10 ft. high-performance digital cable into the back of your television Place the Leaf in a desired location Scan for channels in your television menu Try a few locations, scanning each time Enjoy HD programming for free Most popular & best rated indoor antenna on the market Developed from U.S. Military Technology Reversible and paintable to match décor 10 ft. high-performance cable included Complements any streaming device for maximum viewing options Up to 30-mile range Made in the USA Model Number: MH-110583. Free TV For Life: 30 mile range HDTV Antenna to access High Definition Over-the-Air TV channels without a cable or satellite subscription, including ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, Univision and more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Over the Air signals are not compressed so you get the best HD quality you can imagine), Typical channel I get in hte highest HD quality: PBS channels, ABC, NBC, CBS, WGN, Fox Chicago, theU channel and more."
"I've had this antenna for almost 4 years, and it keeps working well."
"And, while doing that, you cannot watch any other channel than one of the two being recorded. Because it would be pointless to watch something being recorded, I decided to get this antenna, because then it will allow me to watch a number of channels by switching the TV (which has nothing to do with what is being recorded on the DVR, to some channel that interests me while waiting for the recordings to finish.). It was very easy to install, physically speaking, and I really like the fact that they designed it to have mounting holes on the UP side of the antenna (I guess some of the other brands have the mounting on the bottom, and because the antenna itself is floppy, it sags over and messes up reception."
"Full disclosure I also bought this AmazonBasics Ultra-Thin Indoor HDTV Antenna - 35 Mile Range and it seems like the Amazon Basics one gives you about 5 miles more in range for about $10 less than this Mohu Leaf Paper one. Almost like your body is interference for the HD signal 0_o but that doesn't happen often and it's not really enough to knock off a star."
"I mean it is 2017 and rabbit ears worked better than these stupid antennas today. This specific one was approved and promoted on the location stations website, oh my goodness it's almost to the attic on the top floor on a book shelf and we tried it on the window facing the towers based on the app... nothing."
Best Computer Networking Transceivers
The Intelligent Processing Engine seamlessly manages each Wi-Fi band and every connection while four powerful antennas boost Wi-Fi coverage across your home. Determine the best location for installation with the Intelligent Signal Indicator ; Ultimate Compatibility – Extend the range of any Wi-Fi router or wireless access point.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The only caveat I noticed was that it kept renaming our 5GHz network to whatever it wanted - even after I manually changed it to match our 5GHz network."
"After a failed experience with on wifi extender I got this one after it was recommended to me by a friend."
"This thing works like a dream."
"Was able to watch Netflix and Amazon with no interruption due to poor signal strength."
"I can confidently say that I'm one of the few people with such challenging 'surroundings' (this is an 8th story apartment in a crowded town along with walls and beams of thick steel/concrete, just to reiterate). However, if you'd like to make things better, use a wifi analyzer app and check ALL the channels being most occupied within your vicinity and change your settings accordingly to reduce the overall interference with other home routers/wifi networks. All in all I can't complain; initially the one small issue I had was I needed to grab a firmware update on the TP-Link website that had a specific bug fix related to asus routers (coincidentally..) but after flashing it we were on track and ever since then it's been swell!"
"Easy to set up."
"Works great."
"Our wi-fi originates in the basement where I do most of my work, but we'd always had a problem getting decent wi-fi upstairs in our bedrooms."
Best Computer Networking Print Servers
This unit also supports multiple protocols and multiple operating systems, and it integrates Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) in this print server to allow users to print from any computer over a LAN/WAN or the Internet by specifying the device's URL. Print jobs can be sent to a printer in another country just as easily as to a printer in the same office. IOGEAR USB 2.0 Print Server, 1-Port GPSU21 (Silver) IOGEAR's palm sized 1-port USB 2.0 Print Server allows any networked computer to share a USB printer. This unit also supports multiple protocols and multiple operating systems, and it integrates Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) in this print server to allow users to print from any computer over a LAN/WAN or the Internet by specifying the device's URL. Easily connect your USB printer to a network Allows multiple computers to share one USB printer on the network Print from any computer on your network or from across the Internet Supports DHCP Client and multiple network protocols 10Base-T / 100Base-T auto-sensing Supports Telnet and Web Management software. Easily Connects Usb Printer To A Network,Allows Multiple Computers To Share 1 Usb Printer On The Network. Print From Any Computer On The Network Or From Across The Internet,USB cable and ethernet cable used for connection.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Apple computers seem to have some difficulty as I'm still trying to get the Apple computer to find and work with the printer."
"Though now my user complains the printer keeps going offline."
"I'm using an old HP LaserJet 1012 USB printer (on LaserJet 1015 drivers). I just added a second computer at home and wanted to be able to print from both computers without the need to have one of the computers connected to the printer and on in able to share the printer with the other computer."
"It was easy to install and made my HP 2300 older printer a wireless one!"
"However, you'll probably need to tweak the setup of the print server using the install software which you'll likely need to get from IOGEAR's website. Google "gpsu21"...the first link should be IOGEAR's website page for the print server. Note the current IP address assigned to the print server. If the first three sets of digits do not match the first three digits of your network (like my print server did out of the box), you are going to have problems unless you change the IP address of the print server on the next screen. I highly recommend that you don't choose DHCP to assign the print server address! you'll have to mess with printer port settings if a DHCP router decides to change the print server address on you without knowledge. Just make sure you don't assign the print server an IP address that is already used by a device on your network. Future DHCP requests by new networked devices on your network will get IPs address automatically that are not already in use (i.e. it will not assign previous DHCP and static addresses already assigned.). When the dialog box opens, click on "Print Test Page" and if everything is correct, a printer test page should be printed at your networked printer. If you are having problems still, carefully step through this list again and make sure everything is set correctly. By the way, in the future, if you want to change any parameters of the print server, you can go through the web page interface of the device. I do not recommend setting a password to the device unless you write it down and carefully type it in. There is no way to recover the device (that I know) if the password setting is forgotten or typed in incorrectly."
"I decided to read some reviews with installation instructions, and try it myself using bits & pieces from each & not going step by step from only one. I have 3 laptops printing to the Brother printer. Step 1: Plug in the power to the print server. Step 2: Plug the black port cord (one end to wireless router one end to print server). Step 3: Plug in the printer to print server using USB cord. Step 4: find printers on control panel, then "add printer" in my case network printer (not local)."
Best Repeaters
The AC1200 Wi-Fi Range Extender Essentials Edition boosts Wi-Fi range for speeds up to 1200 Mbps, ideal for HD video streaming & gaming. Compatible to 2.4 and/or 5GHz 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac wireless router or gateway and Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0, Firefox 20 or Safari 5.1 or Google Chrome 25.0 browsers or higher.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Note, this is NOT a Mesh-Mode AP/Router, it's an EXTENDER or AP, which means it will provide a 'new' SSID that you can connect to that will bridge to your primary SSID. You should not use this with the same SSID as your router or there could be serious issues. For extender mode, what this device does is grab the SSID from your main router and act as a 'bridge' to that router and re-broadcasts the signal with it's own hardware over another SSID. So your traffic goes like this: Device over extender SSID to Extender. Extender Hardware processes it as a bridge mode router then sends it through wireless to the existing SSID from your primary router. To set this up you just put in the SSID and Passkey for your existing wireless, assign a new SSID to the Extender - and note this SHOULD be a different SSID than the primary SSID from your router. Once this is done you connect your wireless devices to the extender and it will 'hop' your data from the extender to the router. QUICK SETUP: Plug in the extender, wait for it to boot up (2 min), connect your laptop to the SSID of the extender which by default will be something like "NETGEAR_EXT".. Once your device connects to this open up a browser and go to 192.168.1.250, that's the gateway, which is the extender. Here it will ask a series of questions, poll the existing WiFi in the area, and have you setup a new SSID after you input the existing SSID information from your normal router. Now any device you want to go through the extender should utilize the SSID on the extender NOT the SSID on the primary router. Remember, this is not an enterprise grade WLC AP so you are not going to have multiple AP's using the same AP profile and SSID, each AP will have different SSID's. Although keep in mind it's not a VPN so they still could sniff the stream going from the extender to the router if the router uses an unsecured SSID, but at least they aren't getting directly into your device so there is some slight, additional security. What this does is you give the extender a designated frequency from your router (2.4 or 5.0) then the router pushes 5.0 with the 2.4 or 2.4 with the 5.0 channel. This is to be expected, this is not an access point, it's an extender and performance on an extender will never be as good as a pure router or AP."
"But I did... works GREAT except I tried direct LAN connection to my laptop and that doesn't work. I got 50mbs in the house and 10 at the laptop. I may have to get a faster/newer laptop. I worked on the LAN connection. Now that LAN is working - I'm going from 4 to 5 stars!"
"The way to connect this extender is by using a Kindle Fire, Android Tablet, iPad or other mobile device. So if you assume you can install this device using your desktop computer and that you'll be able to find the "wireless manager," you probably will have difficulty. In fact, some of the online questions for Netgear and Microsoft are where do you find the manager and how do you make it work. I think it would be helpful if the writers had made it clear that you need to use a MOBILE device (not just a computer, tablet, etc.). With an iPad or Kindle Fire, the process is very easy and provides decent boosted wifi. For some reason even after you enter the correct router password, the latest iPhone OS will not let you access the continue button. I have since purchased this router: MSRM US750 750M Dual Band Wi-Fi Range Extender Wireless WiFi Repeater With Dual External Antennas and 360 Degree WiFi Covering, which was much simpler to set up and seems to be providing the same level of access."
"I highly recommend this device for anyone who has dead spots, routers upstairs or in the basement or anyone who just needs to extend their G/N wireless signal."
Best Streaming Media Players
Enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills with access to over 500,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more. Enjoy tens of thousands of channels, apps, and Alexa skills with access to over 500,000 movies and TV episodes from Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, and more. Find the best way to watch with universal search results from over 190 channels and apps including Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"After doing some research, I bought 3 Amazon Fire Sticks with the voice remote, cancelled Dish, upgraded to 30Mbps internet, added Sling 25 channels, added standard Hulu, and CBS All Access. Guess who still gets 96+% of the channels watched, added Prime Music and several hundred shows (that networks don't play) to all the TVs in the house, and saved over $700 per year compared to what I paid this past year?"
"And I even bought a TV sound bar to improve my watching experience,TV Sound Bar, Meidong Bluetooth Soundbar with Built-in Subwoofer, 36 inch 2.0 Channel Home Theater Speakers, Wireless and Wired Bluetooth Audio for TV/PC/ Phones/Tablets/ Echo dot (2017 Model) it is a really good partner with my old TVs,also recommend. I found that the included power adapter isn't really necessary as long as you have a powered USB Port on your TV to plug it in to.I did notice that if you are using the 2.4GHZ wireless on your Wireless Network it does affect the speed especially if you have COMCAST/XFinity-, or other Cable provider as they are throttling the 2.4GHZ bandwidth to 25Gbps. If you don't know for sure run a SpeedTest and find out what your download speed is- upload is not at Full Duplex so it will be slower on both bands. It comes pre-loaded with your Amazon account details, so the only setup you need is to plug it in and enter your WiFi password, using a simple on-screen prompt. A short HDMI extension cable is included, which is handy if your TV has awkwardly-positioned ports. As with the previous-gen Stick, the extension cable also seems to boost WiFi reception a bit. It has the usual 4-way navigation pad and media controls, but no volume buttons - you’ll need to keep your TV remote handy for that."
"The AFS is a device that provides you with both the hardware and software needed to watch such shows and it bundles everything together nicely so it is extremely easy to use. Some apps (channels) are free and they offer limited programming on demand from shows they aired in the past. PlayStation Vue (the one I signed up with) offers bundled packages of channels just like cable or satellite services and they are live broadcasts! The amazing thing with Vue is you can go into the guide, pick a show that was aired, say, two hours ago that you missed and watch it in its entirety! Another sweet thing about using the AFS for television viewing is no installer has to come to your house to set up your equipment and when you’re finished with their service nothing has to be returned."
Best Computer Networking Switches
System Requirements: Network card for each connected PC, Network cables,Network software (Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc). Lifetime Hardware Warranty, Lifetime Next Business Day Hardware Replacement, 24x7 Advanced Technical Support.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I bought these instead of the trendnet I reviewed previously, as the trendnet stripped some important features from their 8 port switch; namely wall mounting holes and different lights indicating 100 or 1000 mbps connections. These switches no longer use capacitors, or at least the ones that were the problem area in previous revisions of the internal hardware."
"I needed to add a silent gigabit switch for my entertainment system with my TV, amplifier, Tivo, Blu-ray player, and Apple TV all needing a connection."
"I connected this switch to an AT&T Pace modem/router and then to a MyCloud drive to restore home network access to the NAS drive, which did not work when connected directly to the Pace because of security restrictions on UPnP devices/apps."
"Overall Netgear products continue to win my business because all of them performance as expected and I have yet to have any of them fail. Our home has a central "media" closet built in where all the cat 5e, cat 6, fiber, coax, alarm wiring, security camera DVR, network switches, routers, NAS, UPS, etc runs into."
"I purchased this switch on August 10, 2013 (Received it on August 14, 2013). The later ones (2009-ish) stated a noisy fan... and the ones earlier (maybe late 2010-2012 stated a quieter fan) and recent reviews (early-mid 2013) stated no fan. Also, the unit that I received looks difference than the one in the picture - The 2 groups of 8 ports are spread apart more in the center and the status LEDs are way over to the left (The picture has ports to the right and LEDs more toward the center)."
"I bought one of these several years ago and while it has worked flawlessly the noisy fan has always bothered me."
"Pretty good!"
Best Computer Networking Wireless Access Points
A simple app gets you set up quickly and allows you to see what’s connected, prioritize devices, and pause the Wi-Fi on kids’ devices.Family controls allow you to pause the WiFi on kids' devices, like during.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"On WiFi using the 5 Ghz band, which Google WiFi chooses automatically (it chooses between 2.4 Ghz or 5 Ghz band, whichever signal is better, providing you have BOTH bands available), I get full speed (speedtest.net shows 110 Mbps down, 6 mbps up) as if I was on a wired connection. I thought I would have to get a crazy expensive gaming router with 20 antennas that looks like Sauron's helmet from Lord of the Rings to get those speeds, but Google WiFi does that for $170 less and it has cool sci-fi-ish looks. To get full WiFi speed, make sure your device (PC, laptop, tablet, phone, etc.). The Google WiFi router only has two ethernet ports, one of which is used to connect to the modem."
"You will notice the difference in internet speeds in my picture once I switched over to google wifi (June 14). People have complained about loss of flexibity and tweaking since they have to use their phone to configure the google network. I can view network traffic, turn off internet for the kids and see how many devices are connected at the click of a button on my phone."
"I've tried Wi-Fi extenders, Wireless Access Points, and Powerline adapters with little to no success...and then Google Wi-Fi walked into my life. Adding the wifi points to the OnHub router allows you to create a mesh network that covers your entire house while allowing your laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other devices to seamlessly switch between the closest access point with the best signal. Behind the scenes, Network Assist automatically helps to avoid Wi-Fi congestion, and transitions devices to the closest Wifi point for the best signal."
Best Computer Network Attached Storage
Finally, a cloud of their own - Give your customers a complete solution to save everything in one place and access it anywhere from their computers, tablets and smartphones. Auto Network Discovery, Windows and Mac Compatible.Compatible with Windows® 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Mac OS® X El Capitan,Yosemite, Mavericks, or Mountain Lion operating systems.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It would make sense to assign a static IP to the NAS, however Western Digital chose not to do that so... During the initial setup the first screen tells you what the assigned IP is - WRITE IT DOWN - after you get through the setup and before you try and access the NAS you are going to need a few pieces of info. Change from DHCP to STATIC and fill in the blanks with the info you collected earlier and you're done, now the NAS won't lose its IP address. So to eliminate this I again went into settings and under the "General" tab I found energy saver and turned off "drive sleep" Checking my electric meter, it hasn't exploded from the massive power draw (seriously kidding) this thing must have to place it in "energy saver" mode so I guess I am ok... To slow was a wild card for me and it could have been a bunch of things, my bet was the antivirus software and for me I was spot on. Overall I really like the NAS which is why I gave it 4 stars, it would have been 5 but for some poor choices on the manufactures end with default settings, IMO. It has performed without issue so far and I will update this thread if there are any changes."
"UPDATE with benchmarks is at the bottom of the review: Western Digital has put together a very nice network attached storage (NAS) device with the My Cloud. Also of note is that the Macs, Windows PCs, and even smart TVs in the house could immediately find and access the drive through their native interfaces. I do not recommend installing the configuration software Western Digital will suggest you use as it will stay resident on your computer and just links to the web based control panel anyhow. The drive is able to serve media files fast enough to play back Blu Ray quality movies on compatible devices. When using the drive when away from the local network special software will need to be installed on a Mac or PC to access files. The app performs similar to other cloud storage services, with the ability to upload and download photos and videos from any location."
Best Punchdown Tools
With 110 and BK blades that are interchangeable and reversible, the professional punch down tool can inserts and cuts terminations in one operation. Adjustable high and low actuation setting accommodates termination requirements or user preference. The impact adjustment dial adjusts the force of the spring-action from low to high to meet different installation applications. Adjustable impact-force settings (Lo/Hi) can be used for various cable termination applications. Ergonomic design: Comfort grip that is easy to handle, adjustable impact-force settings (lo/hi) for various cable termination applications.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The usability and features surprised me for a tool at this price point (."
"its a good punch down tool."
"It took me a minute to figure out how to use the thing (never used one before), but it’s really straight foreard."
"A great punch down tool for CAT5/6 patch panels."
"very efficient after getting used to it - this was the first time I used this kind of tool."
"Worked well for punching down 23 AWG CAT6 cable into an RJ45 jack."
"As a DIY network install novice doing cat6, this lunch down was easy to use and simple."
"I haven't used the little yellow wire stripper tool because it was too small for my big Cat6a cable."