Newsletter Archives

• Does your router auto update?

  Posted on July 1, 2021 at 11:18 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  Michael Horowitz has long opined that router security needs a LOT of work. He has often complained about the sad state of firmware and router software.  Now comes several disclosures via Microsoft and Netgear that some of their firmware needs updating to fix holes that attackers can use to get in.

  It’s a reminder that things we take for granted are often ways that attackers can wiggle in as well.

  Make sure you regularly patch your router (check for firmware) or enable automatic updates. Most router OS’s are purpose built distributions that typically have zero issues during the update process. And don’t forget to review how old your router is. Sometimes they do die and you do need to replace them. Othertimes they fall out of support and you SHOULD replace them. Remember there is software under the hood as well. If you can’t remember when you last updated it, checked for updates, or when you bought it, today would be a good day to check on those items!

  Wi-Fi Patch Lady Posts

• Why Wi-Fi 6, aka 802.11ax, for wireless?

  Posted on June 21, 2021 at 02:43 CDT by Ben Myers • Comment in the Forums

  HARDWARE

  

  By Ben Myers

  Now that there is broad availability of routers compatible with the new Wi-Fi 6 standard, it’s easy to ask, “What’s in it for me?”

  There is a myriad of devices that are compatible with the 802.11ac specification, from laptops to cell phones to tablets to Internet of Things (IoT) devices. But the 802.11ac spec is not without limitations.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.23.0 (2021-06-21).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Hardware, Wi-Fi 802.11ax, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Hardware, Networking, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 6

• Patch Lady – did Xfinity go too far?

  Posted on October 14, 2019 at 15:13 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  So this weekend I was channel surfing and an old movie I remember watching was on Turner Classic Movies…. and those of you that are Xfinity customers can probably already guess at what I’m about to say next …. and it prompted me to subscribe to the channel.  Mind you it was part of my 261+ channels just days ago.

  The cord cutting wars are heating up and Xfinity may have gone too far this time.  Already there’s a 17 plus page complaint thread on the Xfinity forums, there’s a change.org petition, and there’s numerous twitter feeds complaining about moving TCM out of the main line up to a “Sports and Entertainment package” at an additional $9.99 a month fee in addition to the price for the basic service.

  Disney has a new streaming service.  Apple is coming online with theirs.  Netflix stock price is down.  And the biggest loser?  Us.  Us and simplicity.  Instead we’re getting higher prices and complexity.

  The other day my Sister (whom I share a house and the technology with) joked that she needed to die first because if I went first there would be no way for her to just “watch” something.   You need umpteen remotes, you need a strong internet that every now and then need rebooting because some update to your ISP provider router messes it up every now and then.  Want to know what you need to launch to watch THAT?  You need a manual to list where what streaming service is located where.

  And it’s not cheaper.  And our need for speed just keeps increasing every year with more things cloud only, patches larger, and our requirement for always on world.

  So I’ll be calling Xfinity to join my fellow users in complaining about this decision, asking for a rebundling, demanding better pricing.  I won’t get any of it, but it will make me feel slightly better.

  Venting about it here helps too.  What about your ISP and entertainment options?  Are they getting better or worse for you?

  Wi-Fi Patch Lady Posts

• Problem reported with the latest firmware update for Surface Book

  Posted on August 5, 2019 at 15:23 CDT by woody • Comment in the Forums

  UPDATE: More details in Computerworld Woody on Windows.

  Have you updated your Surface Book with the latest firmware/driver release (dated July 31)?

  Can you connect to WiFi?

  thunder1025 reports on the Microsoft Answers Forum:

  I updated the wifi driver to “Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. – Net – 15.68.17013.110”, and after that update, I can’t connect to a 5GHz wifi connection, I can only connect to 2.4 GHz. when i try to connect to the 5GHz, it says: “Unable to connect to this network”. Uninstalling the wifi driver, and restarting the device did help me get the 5GHz connection back to my Surface book, but when i decided to try to install the same driver again, and try to connect to 5GHz again, the same “Unable to connect to this network” appears.

  There’s also a post from Andypeppa:

  I have the same problem with the same driver version as well, applied on 8-1-2019. Your post gave me an idea that maybe it was just the 5GHz channel, but alas, I have the same issue with the 2.4GHz spectrum as well; I went to force the band of the Marvell AVASTAR WiFi adapter to 2.4GHz only and it still would not connect.

  I have the Surface Pro (Gen4.5? it’s the one where they didn’t announce the version) but my experience is the exact same as yours; the moment that driver was applied, I can no longer attach to my home WiFi system (UniFi). Interestingly, the Surface Pro WILL attach to the WiFi hotspot on my iPhone.

  And from Nicholas Barsotti:

  I have the same problem with my Surface Pro 6.  Upgraded to driver 15.68.17013.110 and I couldn’t get connected to my wifi either.  I tried forcing 2.4 and 5 Ghz neither worked.  I am using UniFi AC pro access points.  Rolling back to an older version got me back online.

  Thx @BarbBowman

  Hardware, Microsoft News, Wi-Fi Surface Book

• Entertainment in the media-streaming era

  Posted on May 27, 2019 at 04:10 CDT by Tracey Capen • Comment in the Forums

  By Susan Bradley

  Thinking about “cutting the cord”? While temporarily displaced from home, I learned that dropping cable and relying on the Internet isn’t easy.

  Watching your favorite shows can mean coping with different platforms, sorting through confusing connectivity options, and working out the restrictions imposed by each streaming service.

  Read the full story in the May 27, 2019, AskWoody Plus Newsletter (Issue 16.19.0)

  Digital Entertainment, Wi-Fi Comcast, hotspots, Hulu, Roku, streaming media