GoKawiil
Tech News
The Starlink Mini X kit ships with a separate Router Mini, but the dish already includes built-in Wi-Fi 5 that covers up to 1,200 square feet and supports 128 devices. The Router Mini instead adds Wi-Fi 6 with a larger 1,300-square-foot range and support for 235 devices, and can run in mesh mode alongside the built-in radio via wireless or Ethernet link.
Wireless congestion from accumulated smart devices is often blamed on Bluetooth interference with Wi-Fi networks. In reality, most modern routers and devices use frequency management techniques that keep Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals from significantly interfering with each other, except in specific overlapping scenarios.
Incident responders at Sygnia say the China-linked group Fire Ant has expanded from compromising VMware hypervisors to hijacking Cisco routers, TACACS authentication servers, and Linux management hosts. Investigators found a hidden GRE tunnel on a Cisco IOS XR router that didn't match its configuration history, leading to discovery of custom malware that hides its activity from administrators and runs only during set hours. The attackers used their router access to capture network traffic and exfiltrate it to external FTP servers, then pivoted through a hidden tunnel into a Linux server to probe further into connected high-value networks, including ones tied to critical infrastructure.
An old, otherwise unused Android phone can be repurposed to extend home Wi-Fi coverage into dead zones without buying new hardware like extenders or mesh nodes. Users can rely on the phone's built-in hotspot feature, which lets it connect to an existing Wi-Fi network and rebroadcast the signal as a repeater, requiring no extra apps or technical skill.
Security firm VulnCheck discovered three separate backdoor-like implants embedded in firmware made by Shenzhen Zhibotong Electronics (ZBT), whose hardware is resold globally under numerous brand names. The most severe, dubbed ENDLESSDOORS, disguises itself as a Linux kernel process, phones home to a hard-coded command server without authentication or encryption, and grants attackers root-level control over the router. VulnCheck confirmed the flaw is real by hijacking a test router's command channel themselves, and identified it across 20 ZBT-based router models.
Security researchers discovered that routers manufactured by Chinese firm ZBT and sold worldwide under various third-party brand names contain undisclosed backdoor implants built in by the manufacturer. Because these devices are rebranded and resold by numerous companies, the exact number of affected units in circulation is unknown.
Most routers include a single WAN port alongside multiple LAN ports, and although the connectors look identical, they perform very different jobs. The WAN port links your router to the internet, while LAN ports connect local devices like PCs, TVs and consoles so they can talk to each other and share that connection.
A hands-on comparison of more than fifty Wi-Fi routers has narrowed the field to seven standout picks for 2026, led by the Asus RT-BE58U as the overall best choice at $150. Other category winners include the Asus RT-BE96U for high-end upgrades, Netgear's Nighthawk RS300 for midrange buyers, TP-Link's Archer BE230 for budget shoppers, and the Netgear Orbi 770 two-pack for large homes, alongside dedicated travel and 5G options.
Following the Wi-Fi Alliance's early 2024 rollout of the Wi-Fi 7 standard, routers and devices supporting it have become increasingly widespread. The new standard offers faster speeds and better performance in crowded network environments, while remaining backward compatible so older gadgets still connect without issues, albeit without accessing the newest features like 4K-QAM and Multi-Link Operation.
Tom's Hardware reviewed TP-Link's Deco 7 Pro BE13000, a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 mesh system sold exclusively at Costco as a three-pack for $399, covering up to 8,100 square feet. The satellites share the familiar white cylindrical Deco design but include only three 2.5 GbE LAN/WAN ports each, fewer than the lower-tier Deco BE63, with mismatched port speeds on the back.