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Best Computer Networking

Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote | Streaming Media Player
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
"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."
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Google Wifi system (set of 3) - Router replacement for whole home coverage
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
"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."
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NETGEAR Nighthawk AC1750 Smart Dual Band WiFi Router (R6700)
Easy Setup - The NETGEAR Up app makes setting up and managing your network a breeze.
Reviews
"All of my devices are much faster now... PS4, iPhones, iPads, Epson Printer, Baby Monitor, Tablets, Roku 3 box, Roku Streaming Stick, etc... 2) Cables .... Please note, one other thing I did in addition to getting this router is that I also bought all new cat6 cables (from Amazon Basics), and that has helped the router to connect well to the cable modem. In all conditions, wired with Cat6 cables and/or wi-fi, this Nighthawk router has delivered the speeds I was missing for years. One thing to keep in mind is that some older devices can only use 2.4g so it is that old device itself that limits the connection speed (not your wi-fi necessarily)."
"In extremely rudimentary, lay terms, the Nighthawk has the strength of three routers. It can handle three times the number of connections a single-band router ever could (presumably), yet all the devices are able to "see" one another and play nice together. *. Our friends make fun of us because we have totally embraced the concept of the "Internet of Things." Besides the usual gadgets (iPads, phones, game consoles), we use a Nest thermostat, a Nest Cam, Philips Hue bulbs, an Amazon Echo on our kitchen countertop, and a Sonos. But by far the biggest hassle has been the simple fact that our trusty old Linksys router just could not handle the workload. When you have this many gadgets and gizmos connected to the 'net, it's pretty easy to bring the whole home infrastructure down. After a couple years of frustration, my husband and I agreed to go with a beefier router. About a jillion of my friends (all of whom work in tech) endorsed the Netgear Nighthawk without reservation. Sitting here, I just ran a speed test, and on my wireless connection I'm getting 58.37 Mbps download speeds—not too shabby, considering we pay for 50."
"I have been using a cable company provided router/modem combo for years. I hooked this router to SB6183 SURFboard modem and for the first few hours everything went as expected. I did a soft reset on the router, rebooted the PC, tried another 2.4 GHZ device in the same location, but nothing fixed except a hard reset of the router by unplugging and re plugging. If you are thinking of purchasing this, please do an internet search for R7500v2 dropping wireless or R7500v2 losing wireless."
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Best Computer Networking Device Servers

Portserver Ts 4PORT RS-232 Serial To Ethernet Device Server
DIGI INTERNATIONAL DIGI PORTSERVER TS 4 PORT RS-232 RJ-45 SERIAL TO ETHERNET DEVICE SERVER 9-30VDC.Product Type: Device Server|Form Factor: Wall Mountable.Portserver Ts 4PORT RS-232 Serial To Ethernet Device Server. Enter your model number to make sure this fits.
Reviews
"You need to know the pin out for the DIGI device, you can not connect the Cisco console cable directly and expect to work."
"You can purchase cables from Digi, but they are $19 for a 6ft cable."
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Best Computer Networking Hubs

Sabrent 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Individual Power Switches and LEDs (HB-UMLS)
Size: 4-Port USB 2.0. Instantly Add Four USB 2.0 Ports to Any Compatible Device.
Reviews
"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."
"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."
"To sum up: I've been this product for about 4 months, everything I've plugged into it has worked great and I'm very pleased with my Sabrent 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub with Individual Power Switches and LEDs (HB-UMLS)."
"the thing I really like about it is the 4 buttons on the top, I did not realize those were on and off buttons. So although I have 4 things plugged in right now, only my keyboard is being charged, as everything else has finished charging."
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Best Computer Networking Modems

Motorola MG7550 16x4 Cable Modem, AC1900 Dual Band Wi-Fi Gigabit Router with Power Boost, 686 Mbps DOCSIS 3.0 Certified by Comcast, Charter Spectrum, Time Warner, Cox, More (Black)
MG7550 is a 16x4 686 Mbps DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem with a built-in AC1900 Wi-Fi Gigabit Router with Power Boost. The MG7550 is certified by a number of leading cable service providers including Comcast XFINITY for every speed, including the top speeds of Extreme 250 for households, and Time Warner Cable for all speeds including 300 Mbps, and Cox’s Ultimate package. The built-in AC1900 Dual Band wireless router provides the range, wireless speeds, and networking support needed for wireless n/ac/g/b devices including smartphones, computers, tablets, and HDTVs. High-speed wireless router with AC1900 Wi-Fi and Power Boost provides Internet access for wireless n, ac, g, and b devices including smartphones, computers, tablets, game stations, Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, HDTVs. The vertical design further minimizes shelf space, improves cooling and extends product life while looking great in any home or office.improves cooling and extends product life while looking great in any home or office.
Reviews
"Changed their unit four times and finally said, there has got to be a better solution to equipment that is intermittent by design."
"I bought this modem to replace my comcast modem that was charging me to rent monthly."
"When we canceled our tv service (still twc at the time), we kept the internet. We pay for 200 Mbps, but we're constantly having latency and dropping issues with the modem/router we were leasing from them."
"A heat sink is on the main processor, 3 thermal sinks on the radios and chip (undetermined). 3 Internal Dual Band Antennas which are nicely laid out. I don't see any cons other then the power cord having a bump at the plug which causes the brick to wobble and potentially come lose. Arris is the only suppler that you can find, that is compatible with phone support."
"After the new router was activated we are getting anywhere from 100 to 150mg."
"I switched to this router from the router I was renting from my cable provider because the wireless on that system (an Arris router less than three years old) was so poor and undependable that it was causing all kinds of problems. I used the web browser again, went to the router's address (given on the instructions page) logged in with the default credentials (also on the login page), and named a new wireless network with a password, selected "save," and that was it! You can easily set up two wireless networks, one at 2.4GHz and one at 5.0GHz. (2.4GHz networks are sometimes impacted by microwave ovens, etc., so it's nice to have a separate 5.0GHz network set up separately: so, if you set up two wireless networks with different names, one ending in "2.4" and the other ending in "5.0," doing so FORCES your client, i.e, the computer or tablet, etc., to connect at 5.0GHz if you select that network. The web interface on this router is actually pleasant to look at and is laid out so that you don't have to be a networking expert to customize settings."
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Best Computer Network Adapters

TP-Link AV600 Nano Powerline Adapter Starter Kit, up to 600Mbps (TL-PA4010KIT)
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
"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 was dumb and didn't read directions - you must plug into outlet (not a power strip) or the signal will degrade."
"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."
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Best Computer Networking Antennas

Mohu Leaf 30 TV Antenna, Indoor, 30 Mile Range, Original Paper-thin, Reversible, Paintable, 4K-Ready HDTV, 10 Foot Detachable Cable, Premium Materials for Performance, USA Made, MH-110583
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
"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."
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Best Computer Networking Transceivers

TP-Link AC2600 Dual Band Wi-Fi Range Extender w/ Gigabit Ethernet Port, Extends WiFi to Smart Home & Alexa Devices, 4x4 MU-MIMO (RE650)
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
"I have only had this product for one day but I felt compelled to write a review. This product is incredibly easy to install."
"Before installing the extender in the great room, the strength of the signal from the router was very weak, -60 dBm (2.4g) and -67 dBm (5g); the speed of the signal was 21.5 mbps down and 6.6 mbps up (2.4g) and 40.4 mbps down and 4.96 mbps up (5g). With the extender, the strength of the signal has improved to -30 (2.4g) and -33 (5g), extremely strong, and the speed is consistently around 31 mbps down and 24.4 mbps up (2.4g) and 80 mbps both up and down (5g)."
"Could barely get a signal in my garage, now with this extender I have an excellent connection."
"I wasn't expecting to much from this item, just hoping to boost the signal in the 1500 square foot house from the main floor to the second floor. To my surprise not only did the TP-Link boost the signal to the 2nd floor as desired but it also increased my signal strength in the basement on my primary PC."
"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."
"I get 60Mb/s download when the extender is right next to the router (via either the router direct or thru the extender); after moving the extender outside to an outlet under a covered patio (about 75 feet from the router), standing next to the extender, still get 60Mb/s from the router and only 20Mb/s from the repeater."
"This thing works like a dream."
"After a failed experience with on wifi extender I got this one after it was recommended to me by a friend."
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Best Computer Networking Print Servers

IOGEAR 1-Port USB 2.0 Print Server, GPSU21
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
"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."
"After some use, I find that I have to reset it fairly often which can be frustrating and time consuming for my always rushed lifestyle."
"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)."
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Best Repeaters

NETGEAR AC1200 WiFi Range Extender - Essentials Edition (EX6120-100NAS)
Model: Range Extender |. Capacity: AC1200. 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
"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."
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Best Computer Routers

NETGEAR Nighthawk X4 Ultimate Gaming Router - AC2350 4X4 MU-MIMO Dual Band WiFi Gigabit Router (R7500v2) with Open Source Support. Compatible with Amazon Echo/Alexa
Quad-stream x4 architecture delivers speeds up to 2.33Gbps and the 1.4GHz dual Core processor and dynamic QoS, give you unparalleled performance for gaming and streaming. Powerful 1.4GHz dual Core Processor and dynamic QoS for smooth jitter-free gaming.
Reviews
"All of my devices are much faster now... PS4, iPhones, iPads, Epson Printer, Baby Monitor, Tablets, Roku 3 box, Roku Streaming Stick, etc... 2) Cables .... Please note, one other thing I did in addition to getting this router is that I also bought all new cat6 cables (from Amazon Basics), and that has helped the router to connect well to the cable modem. In all conditions, wired with Cat6 cables and/or wi-fi, this Nighthawk router has delivered the speeds I was missing for years. One thing to keep in mind is that some older devices can only use 2.4g so it is that old device itself that limits the connection speed (not your wi-fi necessarily)."
"In extremely rudimentary, lay terms, the Nighthawk has the strength of three routers. It can handle three times the number of connections a single-band router ever could (presumably), yet all the devices are able to "see" one another and play nice together. *. Our friends make fun of us because we have totally embraced the concept of the "Internet of Things." Besides the usual gadgets (iPads, phones, game consoles), we use a Nest thermostat, a Nest Cam, Philips Hue bulbs, an Amazon Echo on our kitchen countertop, and a Sonos. But by far the biggest hassle has been the simple fact that our trusty old Linksys router just could not handle the workload. When you have this many gadgets and gizmos connected to the 'net, it's pretty easy to bring the whole home infrastructure down. After a couple years of frustration, my husband and I agreed to go with a beefier router. About a jillion of my friends (all of whom work in tech) endorsed the Netgear Nighthawk without reservation. Sitting here, I just ran a speed test, and on my wireless connection I'm getting 58.37 Mbps download speeds—not too shabby, considering we pay for 50."
"I have been using a cable company provided router/modem combo for years. I hooked this router to SB6183 SURFboard modem and for the first few hours everything went as expected. I did a soft reset on the router, rebooted the PC, tried another 2.4 GHZ device in the same location, but nothing fixed except a hard reset of the router by unplugging and re plugging. If you are thinking of purchasing this, please do an internet search for R7500v2 dropping wireless or R7500v2 losing wireless."
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Best Streaming Media Players

Fire TV Stick with Alexa Voice Remote | Streaming Media Player
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
"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."
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Best Computer Networking Switches

TP-Link 5 Port Gigabit Ethernet Network Switch | Ethernet Splitter | Sturdy Metal w/ Shielded Ports | Plug-and-Play | Traffic Optimization | Unmanaged (TL-SG105)
Go Green with Your Ethernet The TL-SG105 features the latest innovative energy-efficient technologies that can save power up to 65%. Specifications Support IEEE 802.3x flow control for Full Duplex mode and backpressure for Half Duplex mode Support QoS (IEEE 802.1p) Non-blocking switching architecture that forwards and filters packets at full wire-speed for maximum throughput 10Gbps Switching Capacity, 2K MAC address table, 9KB Jumbo Frame, 1MB Buffer Memory Auto-MDI/MDIX eliminates the need for crossover cables Support MAC address auto-learning and auto-aging Auto-negotiation ports allow smart integration between 10Mbps, 100Mbps, and 1000Mbps devices Fanless desgin to keep a quiet environment Support 100-240V power supply. TL-SG1005D. TL-SG1008D. TL-SG105. TL-SG108. TL-SG1016D. TL-SG1024D. TL-SG1016. TL-SG1024 Product Name 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch. 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch. 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch. 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch. 16-Port Gigabit Desktop/Rackmount Switch. 24-Port Gigabit Desktop/Rackmount Switch. 16-Port Gigabit Rackmount Switch. 24-Port Gigabit Rackmount Switch Case Material Plastic. Plastic. Steel. Steel. Steel. Steel. Steel. Steel Port Number 5. 8. 5. 8. 16. 24. 16. 24 Size Desktop. Desktop. Desktop. Desktop. 13-inch. 13-inch. 19-inch. 19-inch QoS -. -. ✓. ✓. -. -. -. - IGMP Snooping -. -. ✓. -. -. -. -. - AUTO MDI/MDIX ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓ IEEE 802.3X Flow Control ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓ Power Saving ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓ Plug and Play ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. ✓. Capacity: 5-Port Gigabit |. Model: Desktop Unmanaged. AUTO-NEGOTIATION - Supports Auto-MDI/MDIX, eliminating the need for crossover cables. LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY and unlimited 24/7 technical support for FREE.
Reviews
"It comes with 4 rubber feet to attach for desktop use but they are left unattached in case you wanted to wall mount it. The major difference (and possibly the only difference) is that V1 in only configurable via a software utility you have to install from disc, whereas, V2 is configurable via a web GUI which for me was a MAJOR plus."
"Note that the mounting holes on the bottom are pretty shallow."
"Excellent plug-and-play, no hassle switch."
"Old box was quite old, so without wasting time researching, got this, instantly I got over 150 Mbps up/down speed."
"I bought 5 of these to provide additional device connectivity in remote areas of our buildings that running additional cabling was not feasible."
"The Netgear I bought would not talk to another Netgear... Another site I did also had 2 netgears that would not talk to each other."
"This 5-Port Gigabit Ethernet Metal Network Switch works well and is a good size to fit on my desktop."
"Works as advertised, with two caveats, (1) I'm currently only using it with CAT5e since my provider (Comcast) is delivering 100mps data rates, and (2) I only have four devices connected, not the full seven this switch could potentially handle."
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Best Computer Networking Wireless Access Points

Google Wifi system (set of 3) - Router replacement for whole home coverage
Style: 3-Pack. 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
"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."
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Best Computer Networking Modems

ARRIS SURFboard SB6190 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem - Retail Packaging - White
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
"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."
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