Quick Tips include zooming messages in Mail, tweaking Preview Options, more Remote Access, and remapping keyboard shortcuts. But that’s not all, listen for Cool Stuff Found, holiday deals and more just by pressing play. John F. Braun and Dave Hamilton are here to make sure you learn your five new things this week!
Wi-Fi
Apple Updates AirPort Base Station Firmware to 7.8.1
Previously, Apple updated the firmware for the AirPort Extreme. Now, the older, 802.11n, AirPort Base Station and its siblings have also been updated.
Firmware update 7.8.1 improves the security of your base station and is recommended for all Apple 802.11n Wi-Fi base stations including AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule.
Mac Hardware at WWDC, AppKit vs. UIKit, Next-Gen Wi-Fi, with John Kheit - ACM 513
Bryan Chaffin and guest John Kheit start this week’s show off with an immediate siderail about The Curse of Oak Island and Cooper’s Treasure, because that’s what they do. The real topics, however, include what Apple’s MacBook Pro announcement might mean for Mac hardware at WWDC. They also look at the brewing fight between UIKit and AppKit, and what’s coming in the world of Wi-Fi.
How to Choose the Best Mesh Wireless System For Your Home
Sorting through the mesh wireless systems available today can be tricky. Read on, and we’ll teach you how to decide which one is best for you. [Update: Anti-malware is a theme of this update, with Plume SuperPods, Orbi, and Linksys Velop all joining the club with solid offerings in this regard. eero and Plume both solved their LAN persistence problems, keeping your Wi-Fi alive even if your Internet connection goes down. AmpliFi is doing some cool things for IoT users with regards to setting up separate SSIDs for that, too. See Changelog – Dave]
Wi-Fi 6, Apple Pay Tips – TMO Daily Observations 2019-05-15
John Martellaro and Andrew Orr join host Kelly Guimont for a discussion of the new designations for Wi-Fi networks, and some Apple Pay tips.
Two Students Accused of Jamming School Wi-Fi to Avoid Tests
Two high school students in New Jersey successfully jammed their school’s Wi-Fi network in order to avoid taking exams.
Secaucus Schools Superintendent Jennifer Montesano says the school’s Wi-Fi network has been restored and is now fully operational. But she declined further comment. Since much of the school’s curriculum is internet-based, the lack of Wi-Fi connection disrupted the students’ daily assignments.
As Redditor u/AdvancedAdvance quipped: “Although their slowing down the network to unusable speeds will land them in a lot of trouble at school, they can now expect to get full-time, high-paying job offers from AT&T and Verizon.”
Connection Speeds, Slow Macs, DNS, and More – Mac Geek Gab Podcast 747
How fast is your connection? How much of that speed matters? How fast is your Mac? Why isn’t it faster? What devices can you see on your network? Why can’t you connect to all of them? This is what Mac Geek Gab is about. Posing questions, getting answers, and learning at least 5 new things. Learn your 5 now by pressing play!
Wi-Fi PSA; Apple and Amazon's frenemy-ship – TMO Daily Observations 2019-01-14
Charlotte Henry and Andrew Orr join host Kelly Guimont to discuss Wi-Fi’s effect on health and the state of the Apple/Amazon relationship.
CES - Kwikset Shows New Aura and Halo Smart Locks
LAS VEGAS – Kwikset is showing three new smart locks, the Aura using Bluetooth, and their first Wi-Fi product, the Halo.
CES - Netgear's Nighthawk AX12 Brings Wi-Fi 6 and Enhancements to Wi-Fi 5
Netgear took the opportunity Monday at the CES Pepcom event to show off its latest dual-band router, the Nighthawk AX12. Billed as a 12-stream router, this device includes some significant Wi-Fi enhancements over its predecessors. First, of course, is support for 802.11ax, a.k.a. Wi-Fi 6. This operates over the same 5GHz band as Wi-Fi 5 (a.k.a. 802.11ac), but uses OFDMA signaling to fit more bandwidth into the spectrum. Full utilization will require Wi-Fi 6-compatible clients, and nothing from Apple currently supports that. However, this 5GHz radio also supports Wi-Fi 5, and has a couple of benefits: first, with 8 streams for that antenna your chances of getting connected to the best streams double over even the top-end routers out there. Second, the Nighthawk AX includes the very latest Wi-Fi chipset which now truly supports full, 160MHz connections, delivering real-world speed and range increases to existing Wi-Fi 5 devices. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but we expect it to be north of $400. Interested users can sign up to learn more through NETGEAR’s upcoming Premier Beta program.
Deal of the Day: Netgear Mesh Wi-Fi Wall Plugs
Amazon is having 12 days of product deals, and today’s deal is Netgear mesh Wi-Fi wall plugs. It creates a mesh Wi-Fi network that blankets your home in super fast, seamless Wi-Fi — room to room, wall to wall, floor to floor. Replaces your old router, works with your modem and internet service provider. Featuring a slim profile these wall-plug satellites make it super easy to extend your Wi-Fi to any room with a standard electrical outlet, just plug it in and stream with speed. They’re up to 123% faster than the leading brands, as certified by an independent study, makes Orbi the highest performance mesh Wi-Fi system on the market. They also eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones and buffering — 5,000 square feet of consistent coverage — at speeds up to 2.2 Gbps (gigabytes per second). You’ll get simple setup with the Orbi app — create guest network, access parental controls, and run speed tests right from the app. Amazon: US$199 (Regular price US$299)
APFS Corruption, Wi-Fi Numbering, and Backups – Mac Geek Gab Podcast 731
APFS has been available on our Macs for a year now, and we’re beginning to see the issues with corruption that can’t be yet be solved by Apple or third party utilities. Wi-Fi is changing names… and getting faster! And folks, Backups are still important! All this and more in this week’s Mac Geek Gab. Press play and enjoy!
Mojave, Inexpensive Tech, Dual SIMs, and More – Mac Geek Gab 728
Don’t get caught, folks. That’s what we say, and that’s what we mean. This week that takes shape with advice about when to install macOS Mojave, finding the right place(s) to buy inexpensive tech, and extending your Wi-Fi network the right – and fun – ways. Oh, and there’s more, too. You’ll just have to listen, OK?
TMO Background Mode Interview with Sr. Mobile & Networking Developer Alf Watt
Alf Watt is an experienced software developer with expertise in macOS, iOS and wireless technology. He operates iStumbler Labs, most notably the Wi-Fi monitoring app iStumbler. He’s also a former Apple employee. As a youth, Alf’s first computer was a Commodore 64, and he leaned how to enter the code for computer games. Later, with a Mac plus, Alf learned HyperCard. Alf’s first serious language, however, was Perl. At Apple, Alf became deeply in involved with Wi-Fi and Apple’s AirPort technology, and that provided a foundation for his legendary iStumbler app. That app is now in Mac App Store. We finished with Alf’s description of his new tool called KitBridge which allows iOS developers to bring apps to macOS. Alf is an engaging personality in the Apple world, and you’ll enjoy his stories.
Apple Releases Wi-Fi Update for Boot Camp 6.4.0, Can Be Updated Through Windows
Apple released Wi-Fi Update for Boot Camp 6.4.0 on Thursday, an update that patches two vulnerabilities for Mac users booted into Windows using Boot Camp.
iOS: Don't Use Spaces in Your Wi-Fi SSID Name
Mac Geek Gab listener Daniel has a tip for us when it comes to using spaces in your Wi-Fi SSID name.
Comcast Joins the Wi-Fi Mesh Market with xFi Pods
Comcast joined the Wi-Fi mesh market on Tuesday with the official launch of its xFi Pods. The plug-size devices extend the range of Comcast’s Xfinity broadband Wi-Fi network in your home.
T-Mobile, Sprint, and 5G Networks - TMO Daily Observations 2018-04-30
John Martellaro and Andrew Orr join Jeff Gamet to discuss the T-Mobile and Sprint merger along with 5G networks, plus they respond to listener comments on Apple dropping its AirPort product line.
It's Shortsighted for Apple to Discontinue AirPort Products
For two decades, Apple has been there for its customers who want a great, easy-to-understand, easy-to-set-up, Wi-Fi system. Why give that up?
Goodbye AirPort Base Station, Suicide Prevention Resources - TMO Daily Observations 2018-04-27
Andrew Orr and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about the official demise of the AirPort Base Station, plus they share some suicide and self harm prevention resources.
Apple's Advice for AirPort Base Station Replacements
Apple’s AirPort Base Station product line may be dead, but that doesn’t mean Wi-Fi is a thing of the past. To that end, the iPhone and Mac maker has a Knowledge Base article with some tips on features to look for when you’re buying a new Wi-Fi router. It includes suggestions like make sure the router supports 802.11ac and WPA2 Personal encryption. You can check out the article at Apple’s website.
Apple Discontinuing AirPort Base Station Line is No Surprise
Apple officially killed off the AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express, and Time Capsule. If you need a spare or replacement, get one now before they’re gone.
Dave and Jeff Nerd Out on Wi-Fi Routers - TMO Daily Observations 2018-04-18
Dave Hamilton joins Jeff Gamet to talk about Wi-Fi routers, what to look for when replacing your AirPort Extreme, why you may want a stand-alone router instead of Wi-Fi Mesh, and more.
Synology RT2600ac and RT1900ac: Your Apple AirPort Extreme Replacement
These days, many Apple users are looking to improve and update their home Wi-Fi connections. With Apple seemingly having abandoned any true hardware updates to their AirPort router line, Apple users are looking to third-parties to fill the gap for an AirPort Extreme replacement. To that end, Synology is among the cream of the crop in the standalone router market and provides many features never found in Apple’s offerings. Updated April 18, 2018 with lowered prices on Amazon. The RT2600ac is now available for less than an AirPort Extreme, with a lot more features and range.