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Wireless Broadband Routers Are Also Wi-Fi Access Points

An access point (AP) is a type of wireless hub useful for coordinating the network traffic of multiple clients. One reason why wireless broadband routers make home networks much easier to build is that they function as Wi-Fi access points. Home routers perform other useful functions, too, such as running a network firewall.

Wi-Fi Is Not the Only Form of Wireless Networking. News articles and social sites sometimes refer to any kind of wireless network as Wi-Fi. While Wi-Fi is extremely popular, other forms of wireless technology are in widespread use also. Smartphones, for example, commonly use a combination of Wi-Fi together with cellular Internet services based on 4G LTEor older 3G systems.

Bluetooth wireless remains a popular way to connect phones and other mobile devices each other (or to peripherals like headsets) over shorter distances.

Bluetooth is a Wireless Technology Standard

Wireless technology standards require both a hardware and software component. The hardware is required to be able to send the necessary signal via radio frequency, and the software determines what’s sent over that signal and how it’s interpreted.

This means that to use Bluetooth, a device must have a tiny computer chip with a Bluetooth radio. This also means that the software must be universally accepted across all devices (hence, “standard”), otherwise they wouldn’t be able to communicate.

Bluetooth is Named after a Viking

Jim Kardach had been reading “The Long Ships”, by Frans G. Bengtsson, which is set in the Viking Age and includes Harald “Blåtand” Gormsson, King of Denmark and Norway.

The Anglicised version of Harald “Blåtand” is Harald Bluetooth. He’s known for uniting dissonant Viking tribes into the Kingdom of Denmark. In a similar way, Bluetooth is thus meant to unite the many wireless communications protocols under one standard.

Bluetooth Uses Slavery

When Bluetooth devices connect to each other (for example, your phone and your wireless speaker), it’s known as a master-slave relationship. One of the devices is the master and the other devices are slaves. The master transmits information to the slave and the slave listens for information from the master. A master can have up to 7 slaves, which is why your computer can be connected via Bluetooth to multiple devices at the same time (for example, a wireless keyboard, mouse, printer, speaker, etc.). When devices are connected together via Bluetooth, it’s called a “piconet”.

Bluetooth is Better than Wi-Fi (Sometimes)

Wi-Fi is also a wireless technology standard, but Bluetooth and Wi-Fi serve two separate purposes. Wi-Fi (which is the brand name for the IEEE.802.11 standard) was meant to replace high-speed cables, so it takes some setting up but supports high bandwidth.

On the other hand, Bluetooth was meant for portable equipment and related applications. It’s great when you need to connect two devices with minimal configuration (often just pressing a button). Also, because Bluetooth uses weak signals, there’s limited interference and devices can communicate in “noisy” environments. That’s why…

We’re on Bluetooth Version 5

The Bluetooth Special Interest Group officially adopted Bluetooth 5 as the latest version of Bluetooth back in December 2016.

“With Bluetooth 5, Bluetooth continues to revolutionize how people experience the IoT. Bluetooth continues to embrace technological advancements and push the unlimited potential of the IoT.”
—Bluetooth 5 Now Available

As is clear from Bluetooth SIG’s announcement, Bluetooth 5 is specifically aimed that the Internet of Things. It boasts quadruple the range, double the speed, and boosts broadcast messaging capacity by 800%. It also introduces the mesh networking capability mentioned above.

Bluetooth 5 is backwards-compatible with previous versions of Bluetooth, but new hardware is required to take advantage of the new benefits listed above. So it might be awhile until we see all the benefits that Bluetooth 5 has to offer, but it’s an exciting development as the Internet of Things continue to gain traction!

Routers

The network router has been a fixture in many households worldwide for ten years or more. Features of home broadband routers have gradually evolved and increased in performance although their base capabilities - local network connectivity and sharing of Internet access – remain the same. Routers also perform critical functions outside the home. The Internet relies on thousands of advanced routers to handle traffic flow to and from your service provider and across the World Wide Web. Higher-end routers continue to be deployed on corporate networks as well.

All signs indicate that routers will continue to play an important role in homes, businesses and Internet networking for many years to come. Anyone who owns a router or goes online frequently should stay informed and keep aware of new developments.

Blackmagic Design CONVMOF12G

12G SDI Ultra HD Mini Converter

Extend SDI connections over extremely long distances by converting to optical fiber via the Blackmagic Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G. This compact converter extends SDI connections over massive distances by converting SDI to optical fiber and optical fiber to SDI in both directions at the same time. Using the Blackmagic Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G (SKU: CONVMOF12G) is an affordable way to increase camera coverage at live events because it lets broadcasters place cameras up to 10 miles away from their switchers, routers, and decks using low cost optical fiber cable. That makes it ideal for placing cameras around any studio, for use at outdoor sporting events or even concerts and theatrical performances in large venues.

With the bi directional quality of this mini converter, you can simultaneously send different video formats in different directions at the same time. And the advanced 12G-SDI connections on the Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G are multi rate. That means they automatically detect the video signal and switch speeds so they are compatible with all SD, HD and Ultra HD formats and equipment up to 2160p60, including Level A and B devices.

The Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G features a standard SFP type socket that lets customers add any SMPTE compatible 3G, 6G or 12G-SDI SFP module. Because it works with the same low cost optical fiber cables that are commonly used for computer networks, this type of optical fiber cable can be run much longer distances and is much more affordable than copper SDI cable. For power, Mini Converter Optical Fiber 12G includes a universal power supply with 4 international socket adapters so it can be used anywhere in the world. It also features a screw lock connector that prevents the power cord from being accidentally disconnected.

This Bluetooth Extender Improves Range Up to a Mile Away

Bluetooth is best known for short-range, low-bandwidth wireless jobs: connecting a cellphone with a headset or syncing a PDA with a nearby computer. But just as a flashlight's reflector focuses a small bulb's light to make it appear brighter, the right antenna can boost a weak wireless signal. So we detached the stock antenna from a Linksys USBBT100 Class 1 USB Bluetooth adapter ($70; linksys.com) and replaced it with a larger HyperGain RE05U 2.4GHz antenna ($15; hyperlinktech.com). With that simple mod, I can make a Bluetooth connection up to a mile away--about 4,950 feet farther than other Bluetooth extender options. Bandwidth isn't increased, so it's not a Wi-Fi killer, but now I can connect to my Bluetooth devices from anywhere in the house or yard. [See bluedriving.com for more Bluetooth projects.]

Instructions

1. Use a flat screwdriver to gently pry apart the case along its seam [A].

2. Remove the electronics module [B] from the case.

3. Use a soldering iron to heat up the existing antenna cable [C], and gently pull it from the shield platform [D] and antenna feed-thru hole [E].

4. Press a desoldering braid against the circuit board to clear excess solder from the shield platform and hole.

5. Strip the rubber outer insulation [F] of the new coaxial cable.

6. Trim back the outer shield [G], leaving just enough to reach the shield platform.

7. Add a small amount of solder to the shield to make it semisolid.

8. Strip the cable again to expose the center conductor wire. Leave a little of the plastic insulating layer [H] between the shield and wire to prevent electrical shorts.

9. Insert the wire into the thru-hole, then bend it 90 degrees so that the shield rests on the shield pad.

10. Solder the shield to the pad. Don't let the iron linger too long or you could melt the insulating layer. If you don't get the solder applied within 30 seconds, wait a minute before trying again.

11. Flip the board over, and solder the center wire securely in the thru-hole [I].

12. Clip the excess wire poking through the hole.

13. Place the module back in the case, and reassemble the two halves. Use tie-straps, glue or tape to hold it together if needed.

TP-Link AC1200

This is a low price gadget. TP-Link exposes that its Signal Sustain Technology (SST) can help provide a stronger WiFi signal while handling multiple high-bandwidth applications. It offers an amazing 1.75Gbps of throughput that it's great if you're going to be primarily using the router for just web surfing, reading the news or just to check your email.

It also features four Gigabit Ethernet ports, one USB (2.0) port and detachable antennas.