So you finally made the plunge to a TiVo Premiere (or two). If you haven’t yet, maybe you are just looking for that last bit of information that will push you over the edge and cause you to break out the credit card and order one up. For the last article in our Hello TiVo series (see Related Articles below for previous posts), I bring to you a list of “Accessories” that can make your TiVo ownership a truly rewarding experience (not that it was lacking to begin with). These accessories aren’t what you’re thinking. I’m not trying to sell you expensive gadgets here, but educate you on some low-cost tools that will help you get the most out of your DVR.
Posts Tagged ‘router’
Avoid WiFi Issues by Simply Changing the Channel
Monday, May 17th, 2010
Does your WiFi occasionally cut out for, what seems like, no reason at all? Do you feel like your wireless internet connection is dragging and you just know it should be faster? Both of these issues might be the result of interference caused by other electronic items in your home and/or around you. As simple as it sounds, a simple channel change in your router might fix the issues.
Turn Your Existing Printer into a Wireless Solution
Monday, February 8th, 2010
Over the last few years, you’ve slowly upgraded your existing setup to include high-speed internet and Wi-Fi. You can take your laptop anywhere in the house and surf the internet with ease. Unfortunately, your old printer still has you tied down. You bought it before Wi-Fi was available in everything and you’ve since stocked up on ink, so you really don’t want to invest in a new printer. Luckily, there are some options that make it easy to “cut the cord” and begin printing wirelessly at home.
The Weakest Link Leaves You Surfing Slowly
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
You’ve had high-speed internet access at home for years. It’s never been as fast as your connection at work, but you just got a new computer and/or router, so it should be faster, right? Not necessarily. The article “Unshackle Your WiFi,” posted this morning on Switched.com by Jon Chase indicates otherwise.
“If your home Wi-Fi network sometimes seems to drag at a snails pace, check if all the PCs on your network have the same speed wireless cards (Wi-Fi or 802.11 comes in three main speeds: in order of slower to faster, b, g and n). It turns out that Wi-Fi routers run only as fast as the slowest device on the network. So even if you have a new “n” router, a new desktop PC with a speedy 802.11n wireless card, and an old laptop with an 802.11b card, the router will only transfer data at the “b” speeds when both are connected at the same time. So if any of your machines are stuck with old 802.11b cards, the only option is to upgrade them with new internal or USB wireless cards, or to make sure to turn off your slower devices when you feel the need for speed.”
This was news to me. Fortunately, I don’t fall into this category. I have a new laptop (capable of connecting to 802.11n) but I am still rockin’ the old 802.11g router. I have thought about purchasing a new router, but now I am hesitant to make any adjustments to my home network setup. I would have to “upgrade” my other computers to new wireless cards and/or external USB connections in order to get the most out of my new connection speed.
What else connects to your home network. Don’t forget about game systems, phones that use wi-fi, iPods, etc. Anything with wi-fi capabilities could be the “weakest link” that is slowing your connection speeds. For now, it seems as if the safest bet for new PC and/or router owners is to disconnect all other devices when looking for that ultra-fast connection.
