Networking

How CNET tests networking devices

In the networking device category, CNET conducts performance tests only on Wi-Fi routers and power-line adapters. Simply put, these are the two types of devices for which it is easy to measure data rates in repeatable and meaningful ways. For more information on other aspects of home networking devices, check out this series on their basics.

A router is the central gateway of a home network. Not only does it connect all devices together via network cables or Wi-Fi signals to form a network, but also it connects to the Internet via its WAN port, and it shares that connection … Read more

Wolfram Alpha's Facebook analytics just got smarter

Those looking for greater insight into their Facebook networks will now find enhanced analytics from Wolfram Alpha.

The organization yesterday announced a wide array of updates to a Facebook analytics tool it launched in August. That launch allowed users to see daily posting activity and friend statistics, ranging from location to age ranges. In the new update posted yesterday, Wolfram Alpha has added a new categorization feature that arranges a person's friends, family, and acquaintances into several groups:

Social Insider: A person with many friends in common with you. Social Outsider: A person with few or no mutual friends. … Read more

Wrapping up CES 2013: Wi-Fi going strong, SSHD emerges

LAS VEGAS--Finally, CES 2013 has come to an end.

It's pretty much impossible for one person to experience the entire show, but from the perspective of my beat, which is networking and storage, here are the highlights.

802.11ac Wi-Fi made a strong appearance 802.11ac has been on the market for just about a year, starting with CES 2012. At this year's show, virtually all networking vendors, including but not limited to Cisco, Netgear, D-Link, Trendnet, and TP-Link, presented at least one networking product that supports this new and faster standard.

Furthermore, Netgear introduced at this year'… Read more

Plextor unveils various SSD-based products at CES 2013

LAS VEGAS--Plextor has more news in regard to its SSD development to share at CES 2013, in addition to introducing the M5 Pro Xtreme drive.

The storage vendor unveiled a few new solid-state storage devices today, including the M5M mSATA SSD, a Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF) SSD, and its new embedded multimedia card (eMCC).

The M5M mSATA is a 6Gbps SSD. The new drive has no outer casing and is just one-eighth the size of a standard 2.5-inch drive, designed especially for ultrabooks with limited space. It features the new Marvell 88SS9187 controller, and Toshiba's new 19nm … Read more

D-Link adds two more Broadcom-based routers to its 802.11ac portfolio

LAS VEGAS--D-Link's passion for 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard is both deep and wide.

Apart from the existing DIR-865L and the recently announced DGL-5500, which is the first 802.11ac router that uses a Qualcomm chip to offer StreamBoost technology, D-Link has two more 8021.11ac routers to show off at CES 2013.

They are the AC1750 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router (model DIR-868L), and the AC1200 Dual-Band Gigabit Cloud Router (model DIR-860L). Both use the same Broadcom chip as that used in the DIR-865L. And similar to the DIR-865L, they are both cloud-based routers, allowing users to remotely manage their … Read more

Supercharge Windows 8 Wi-Fi with Amped Wireless adapter

LAS VEGAS--If you need to add more Wi-Fi range to your Windows 8 computer, especially a tablet or an ultrabook, consider the TAN1 adapter from Amped Wireless.

The networking vendor showed off this device at CES 2013, calling it "the first high-power Wi-Fi adapter designed specifically for use with Windows 8."

This is because when connected to a Windows 8 computer, via either standard USB or Micro-USB, the TAN1 works immediately, without any software or driver installation. It's just like you plug a network cable in to a computer's network port. The TAN1 is a wireless … Read more

Amped Wireless intros 802.11ac range extender, USB 3.0 adapter

LAS VEGAS--Amped Wireless has invested a lot in the new 802.11ac standard.

In addition to its first 802.11ac router, the RTA15, shown here at CES 2013, the company also showed off its first USB 802.11ac adapter and range extender, which may be the first 802.11ac range extender on the market.

The ACA1 High Power Dual Band AC Wi-Fi USB Adapter is designed to add long-range 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity to Windows or Mac computers. Amped Wireless says it features two high-gain, dual-band antennas and four total amplifiers to maximize performance. The adapter supports USB 3.0 … Read more

LinkedIn now stands at 200 million members

LinkedIn has reached another big-round-number milestone.

The professional social network today announced that it now has over 200 million members across more than 200 countries and territories around the world, accounting for 19 languages.

"I'd like to thank each of you for helping build the LinkedIn network into what it is today," LinkedIn senior vice president of products and user experience, Deep Nishar, wrote today in a blog post. "It's been amazing to see how our members have been able to transform their professional lives through LinkedIn. You truly grasp the power of LinkedIn when … Read more

Synology launches DSM 4.2 beta at CES 2013

LAS VEGAS--When it comes to network attached storage (NAS), Synology's DiskStation Manager (DSM) operating system has been as good as it gets. Well, it's about to get even better.

At CES 2013 today, Synology announced and demonstrated the public beta of DSM 4.2.

This is a major upgrade from DSM 4.1 that brings improvements for both home and business users at no additional cost. Since DSM has a vast amount of features, the list of improvements is accordingly long. However, some of the major new or improved features include the following:

The Quick Connect features now … Read more