latest
The FCC is raising the bar for internet providers promising ‘broadband’ service
Broadband speed qualifications are being raised for the first time since 2015
In 2023, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced plans to open an additional 850MHz of spectrum within its 6GHz band. Specifically targeting low-power devices, the goal was to allow for fast transfer speeds between nearby devices. This spurred several companies into a frenzy under the assumption that it could greatly expand Wi-Fi capabilities. However, these types of changes often shed light on an existing problem — the lack of high-speed internet in certain areas of the country. Now, the FCC is updating its policies once again, and it’s doing so with these regions in mind.
A router is essential to your network. It allows you to connect, manage, and redirect internet traffic to the devices in your home. Because it is central to your network along with your modem, you may want to update its default settings. Using a computer to access your router's admin panel is common, but it can also be done from a Chromebook. You can log in to your router's admin panel using a web browser from any device with access to your network.
Wi-Fi 7 explained: How fast is it and when can I use it?
Learn how Wi-Fi 7 will improve your network with much faster speed, reliable internet, and better smart home connectivity
Everyone wants better internet, and thanks to the fast pace of technology, Wi-Fi 7 is coming soon. Since we use the internet for work, news, entertainment, and controlling smart home devices, a faster and more reliable connection will make everything easier.
Memes now have an official home on the internet
An important cultural milestone or a potential cringefest?
Like it or love it, memes have become an integral part of internet interactions. From edgy youngsters to large brands, many have tried their hand at using memes as a means to communicate and potentially reach new audiences. Here to push this trend even further, Google Registry has now launched a new .meme top-level domain.
What is Starlink?
Starlink's satellites are bringing the internet to the world. Here's how they work, what they're about, and what the future holds
If you've heard the name Starlink thrown around the past few years, you may wonder what the deal is. Sure, it has something to do with satellites and Elon Musk, but the details get fuzzy after that. After all, you're not likely to use Starlink unless you're in a rural or emergency-prone area. At least, not yet.
What is Google Fiber and Webpass?
Find out what Google Fiber and Webpass internet services cost, the speed, and where it's available in this complete guide
Google Fiber and Webpass are high-speed broadband internet services, one offers a wired connection via fiber optic cable, while the other uses millimeter-wave wireless transmission over antennas. Each type of Google Fiber or GFiber service provides fast and dependable internet connections along with gigabit speed. We explain each broadband service and dig into why Google provides internet instead of focusing solely on its search engine.
How to delete yourself from the internet
Want to delete yourself from Google Search, social media, and the entire internet? Our guide gives you all the details with links to get started
So you're done with the internet, or maybe it's done with you. Whether it's the privacy challenges, the threat of identity theft by hackers, addictive and abusive social media behavior, or a haunting past that you can't shake, you might want to delete yourself from the internet and make it disappear.
How to access the dark web and stay safe
And why exploring the dark side of the internet safely is so important
The dark web is that part of the internet that is not accessible using traditional web browsers and search engines. Access to the dark web is typically achieved using specialized software, such as The Onion Router (Tor), a browser based on Firefox. We have a dedicated guide about the Tor browser. At a basic level, this tool and those like it route internet traffic through a series of servers, making it difficult to trace users' identities or locations.
Everything you need to know about Starlink
The only internet service provider powered by SpaceX satellites
Many parts of the world still struggle to maintain or even offer basic internet connectivity in 2022. Those who are connected in these areas must deal with slow speeds and unreliable service. Starlink is bringing next-generation satellite internet to our homes, with initial support coming soon for the best Android phones.
UK government now scanning all internet-connected devices to assess vulnerabilities
Anyone can apply for exemptions
Parliament may be a circus, but the United Kingdom government isn't all made up of incompetent hands — except for the ones who thought it'd be a good idea to store COVID-19 case data on Excel spreadsheets (it's true, look it up). That should lend a sense of reassurance or dread, depending on what the given objectives are. Take the National Cyber Security Centre for your consideration: it has just launched a program that systematically scans every internet-connected device based in the nation as an intelligence-gathering method to survey current hacking threats and security preparedness.
Appeals court sides with Texas and its social media anti-censorship law
We'll see if Big Tech brings this to SCOTUS
Back in May, we reported on a controversial Texas law that would prohibit operators of web platforms with more than 50 million monthly active users from censoring or banning users for lawful expression of a citizen's "viewpoint," potentially curtailing their ability to moderate inciting content or hate speech. A consortium of tech giants challenged the law on the grounds that the First Amendment protects citizens from the government's control of expression and that operators have the unreserved right to manage speech on private platforms. That argument, though, hasn't resonated with judges.
Check your carrier's real-world 5G coverage with this new feature on Opensignal's apps
Time to compare network maps
There are plenty of internet speed testing apps out there, but Opensignal and its sister app Meteor have just received important updates that allow their users to see how their carrier's own 5G network coverage map stacks up against reports from the crowd. You know, in real life.
Alphabet’s Project Loon goes down like a lead balloon
Downfall caused by failure to achieve commercial viability
As the old adage says, "what goes up must come down," and that's literally what's happening to Project Loon. Alphabet's X subsidiary (formerly Google X) was responsible for the idea of beaming internet to rural areas with the help of balloons, but CEO Astro Teller has announced that Loon will be winding down operations in the coming months.
Samsung Internet 13.2 arrives with Smart Protect, Settings app integration, and more (APK Download)
The beta was released in December
Read update
Over the past few years, Samsung Internet has grown into some legitimate competition for the likes of Chrome. It has more customization options than most browsers, receives regular updates, and most importantly, it's fast. Today Samsung's detailing what to expect in version 13.2, promising a better dark mode, fixed AR Core features, and enhanced privacy.
There was a time when Flash made the web a more vibrant and fun place by providing easy access to games and video content. There was even a brief time when everyone wanted Flash support on Android. However, Flash was always a security nightmare and a drain on system resources, and newer web technologies have surpassed the capabilities of Flash. Adobe decided to wind down Flash support in 2017, and now we know when this once-storied web plugin will die for good: December 31, 2020.
Ethernet tethering arrives in latest Android 11 Developer Preview
Share your phone's internet over a LAN cable
While most people think of tethering as creating a Wi-Fi network from your phone's cellular data connection, Android also supports sharing its internet connection over USB or Bluetooth. Those options can be helpful in edge situations (e.g. using your phone as a Wi-Fi adapter for a PC without wireless support), and now there's another choice with Android 11: Ethernet tethering.
With its Edge browser, Microsoft wanted to start with a clean slate and make people forget about Internet Explorer. In its race to popularity, the company has understood one of the most requested features is dark mode, which is why it just updated its mobile browser to automatically adapt to your system's theme.
As Netflix continues funneling its resources to content production and acquisition, it has demanded more money year after year from consumers — some of whom are now beginning to question exactly how much of it they're using on digital subscriptions. After all, quality viewing is available from more places in more formats than ever before and some of those platforms are free. Well, the streaming titan has decided to take a step to defending its budget flank from the competition by debuting a new plan for mobile-only users in India that costs the equivalent of less than $3 a month.
Broadband internet can be downright dismal in many households in the United States — pricey speed tiers and usage quotas tend to cripple the experience. On the other hand, cellular carriers are pouring in money towards speedy 5G and smartphone use is on the rise for a variety of other reasons. All of this to say that it's no surprise the Pew Research Center has come out with its latest Mobile Technology and Home Broadband survey findings which point a doubling over 6 years in the number of U.S. adults using the internet solely on smartphones.
In the ongoing saga that is copyright law in the age of the internet, the European Parliament has just approved stern and controversial new copyright legislation sure to have wide-reaching influence on government bodies worldwide. The two key items of contention? Charges for displaying snippets of content dubbed a "link tax" by critics, and a rule that puts the legal onus on website operators for copyright infringement. The latter change will all but force major platforms like YouTube to create automated copyright filters, sparking censorship concerns from both big business and consumer rights advocates.