GoKawiil Original Seven Router Settings Worth Changing on a Home Network
The default configuration on a consumer router is tuned for setup convenience, not for the years it then spends untouched. A few changes cover most of the gap.
The default configuration on a consumer router is tuned for setup convenience, not for the years it then spends untouched. A few changes cover most of the gap.
Newegg is offering a two-item combo pairing AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D gaming CPU with an MSI MAG X870E Gaming Max Wifi motherboard for $578.99, down from $727.99. The deal also throws in a free Cooler Master Elite Liquid 240 AIO cooler worth $80, and the discount effectively makes this the cheapest way to get the 9800X3D.
Amazon is offering the TP-Link Deco X15 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router at a 29% discount, bringing the price down to $42, its lowest point this year. The unit includes two Gigabit Ethernet ports and supports mesh networking for extended home coverage.
A hobbyist blogger purchased a WiFi-enabled Lidl Smart Kettle and began probing its network behavior after setting it up through the companion Lidl Smart Home App. Using nmap and netcat, they found the kettle opens a single TCP port (6668) that responds to connections but returns no identifiable banner or HTTP response, leaving its underlying protocol a mystery for further investigation.
At IFA 2026, Ulefone sub-brand RugOne showed off the Xsnap 7 Pro, a rugged Android phone with a magnetically attached action camera that pops out of its back. The removable module records up to 2.8K at 30fps or 1440p at 50fps, holds 64GB of storage, is waterproof to 5 meters, and connects to the phone over Wi-Fi 6 from as far as 50 meters away.
Amazon has cut the price of Blink's newest Mini 2K Plus indoor security camera to $21.99, a 45% discount off its regular price. The plug-in camera records at up to 2K resolution with HDR, low-light color vision, infrared night vision, two-way audio, and a built-in siren, and can also work outdoors with an optional weather-resistant adapter.
A guide details how owners of the LG C5 OLED, running webOS 25, can restore 5 GHz Wi-Fi that is disabled by the TV's Middle East regional configuration. By enabling LG Developer Mode and using the upstream lg-geolock-bypass script over SSH from a Windows 11 PC, one user switched the set's area code from a Middle East profile to a European one with the country set to Germany, which unlocked 5 GHz connectivity without root access or a firmware update.
Sonoff introduced a new Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) at IFA 2026, a smart device that screws directly onto a radiator's valve pipe and connects via Wi-Fi to an app. Priced at $35, it displays temperature on a color screen and supports Celsius and Fahrenheit units.
Google switched the Pixel 11 series from Samsung's Exynos modem to a MediaTek chip to fix years of connectivity complaints, but a subset of owners are now reporting 5G icons with no data, Wi-Fi dropouts, slow speeds, and network switching issues shortly after purchase. Reports have surfaced on Reddit from multiple Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro XL owners, though many other buyers say their devices work fine.
Roku offers a free companion app for iOS and Android that lets users control their Roku devices directly from a smartphone, connecting over the same home Wi-Fi network. It replicates the core functions of the physical remote, including navigation, playback and volume controls, without requiring any purchase or subscription.
TP-Link showed off its first Wi-Fi 8 devices, the Archer 8 Ultra router and Deco 8 Ultra mesh system, ahead of the IEEE 802.11bn standard's finalization. The Archer 8 Ultra promises up to 19Gbps wireless speeds with 18 antennas, while a three-pack Deco 8 Ultra mesh setup can cover nearly 9,800 square feet and handle over 200 devices. Pricing remains undisclosed, but preorders for the Archer 8 Ultra begin September 30th in select regions, with the Deco 8 Ultra and other Wi-Fi 8 accessories arriving in early-to-mid 2027.
Dyson has released the CameraJet, an electric toothbrush priced at $499 that embeds a tiny camera in the brush head to livestream footage of your mouth to a paired smartphone over Wi-Fi. An AI system called Gap Optical Targeting analyzes 28 images per second from that camera to spot gaps between teeth and fires a targeted mouthwash spray to clean them within milliseconds, effectively flossing while you brush.