Apart from the obvious cost difference over a biometric system, which we will dwell upon in a minute, the WiFi attendance system is a superior way to manage workforce effectiveness.
Whether you are a start-up or a giant, this app is built to enhance your organisations performance. As you read further, you will uncover the treasure that a mere attendance app can hold.
WiFi attendance vs Biometric system
Let’s take a minute here to help you rule out a popular yet limited method of marking attendance – The Biometric system.
Generally, prices range from $5,000 to $10,000 per door for a complete system that includes the biometric scanner, a specialized locking system, software integration and installation.
The WiFi system costs about one-tenth of a biometric system per annum for a firm that is small scale. Take a look for yourself here.
This is one of the most visible and stark differences. But the advantages of having an attendance system that also collects employee productivity data, or let’s say ‘acts as a mini manager’ for your manager, are hard to put a price on.
Helping your workforce focus on crucial tasks instead of micromanaging each employee is a concrete step towards increasing productivity and creating ideal working conditions.
But there happen to be so many Wi-Fi attendance apps in the market.
What makes our product superior?
The thought behind it – to not just be an attendance app.We have built this app keeping in mind each organisational pillar – managers, HR personnel and employees.
Our goal is to give each workplace an edge over other organisations by being efficient, accurate and swift.
Let’s delve a little deeper into what gives this product an edge:
1. Setup and configuration
Setup and configuration is a 5-step online process requiring no additional hardware if your company has an existing WiFi setup.Once the setup is done, it has a user-friendly dashboard which has leave management, attendance management, time worksheet, team preference module and many such amazing features that can be customised.
2. Set up a WiFi range
You can avoid employees punching in leaving from outside the office by setting a Wi-Fi range. A feature unfortunately absent from most other Wi-Fi attendance apps!
3. Managers can use it to track employees within the premises
Tired of Sally spending all her time pruning the office garden instead of working?
While the effort is worthy of appreciation, it is not really what you hired her for. Making sure each individual contributes their fair share to the company is a tedious and daunting task.
This can now thankfully be outsourced to the app with the Live Tracking feature. This feature also helps eliminate buddy punching.
4. Apply and approve leaves
For managers and employees both, this app is a quick and impersonal way to apply for and approve leaves. One can also view the company approved holiday list for hassle free planning.
5. Microsoft Azure
It uses Microsoft Azure. Without getting into the technicality of what cloud computing is, this literally translates to your business not having to invest in additional hardware to maintain massive amounts of data collected over years.
It also eliminates the need to invest in software for data analytics. It measures the efficiency of your workforce with the help of a feature called- Team Productivity Sheets.
6. Assign tasks
This unique app helps project managers as well. This allows them to allocate tasks to team members via Team Preference Module. The module has sections where employees can enter the time spent on a project, which can further be segregated into billable and non-billable tasks.
Allowing managers to focus on the bigger picture and not have to worry about ‘who did what’. Sounds like a dream? Yes, that’s what we had in mind!
7. Cumulative analysis
This app generates data reports that help you take decisions pragmatically. Enabling managers to make the right decisions during appraisals and choose team members for the future.
Final Thought
We call this an attendance app to keep it simple in the minds of our customers, but a quick glance at the features will convince you that it has way more value.
With the advent of technology, a small business decision like how to capture attendance can revolutionise your workplace.
With almost every house now having a broadband connection, evolution of wifi routers are popular than ever. As you might know, most devices on the market such as smartphones and computers are equipped to use WiFi.
Though Wi-Fi has become an integral part our routine, most of us do not know much about the WiFi technology. Read on to know more about the historical evolution of WiFi Routers.
History of WiFi technology
The history of evolution of wifi routers was fascinating and an earlier form of wifi was in existence since 1971. Apparently, “ALOHA Net” accounted for connecting the Hawaiian Islands with aid from a wireless network asset.
ALOHA Net and ALOHA protocol are the early forerunners to the concept of Ethernet which later transcends to the IEEE 802.11 internet protocols.
In the year 1985, US Federal Communications Commission accounted for the release of ISM bands. These ISM Bands were meant for unlicensed use and can be envisioned as the frequencies originating in the 2.4GHz band.
These are the same bands using in microwave ovens. At the same time, these bands are also subject to interference.
Later in the year 1991, NCR Corporation collaborated with AT&T Corporation which led to the invention of the precursor to the 802.11 module, which was designed to be used in cashier systems.
The first kind of wireless products was available in the market under the label of Wave-LAN, which was eventually accredited with the invention of WiFi technology.
However, this venture was a failure since the modification would smear the signal, leading to eventual breakdown.
In the year 1992 and 1996, CSIRO was successful at obtaining patents that would allow for a method to be used in the WiFi enabling the module to avoid smearing of the signal.
Eventually, in the year 1997, the first version of the 802.11 protocol was successfully released. This version was later updated in the year 1999 to the 802.11b module, which became immensely popular.
The WiFi Brand and Trademark at a glance
In the year 1999, the WiFi Alliance, which was formed as a form of the trade association, supposedly held the WiFi trademark. Many products associated with the WiFi technology were sold under this trademark.
The commercial use of WiFi as a name was featured back in early August of 1999. It was among the first instance that this name made a commercial appearance after being framed by a brand consultation firm “Inter-Brand.”
The company “Inter-Brand” was hired by the WiFi Alliance to frame a constructive name, which would appeal to the public and at the same time be easier than “IEEE 802.11b Direct Sequence.”
It has been stated by Phil Belanger (founding member of the WiFi Alliance) that the company invented the name as a “pun.”
It was referring to the word “hifi” but somehow seemed catchier the other way around. The same company was later accredited with the design of the WiFi logo which has been persistent till date.
WiFi, which by some unconfirmed accounts stands for wireless fidelity, has changed the way computers and many other electronic devices work together. With it, anyone can create a wireless network in a home or business easily and at a relatively small cost.
Evolution of WiFi Standards
While 802.11 is known to be the standard specification for a WiFi network, it has been subcategorized under several subtypes, which highlight its quality of security and service. As seen earlier, each subcategory is represented by an alphabet in small case, which follows the designation 802.11.
While the first one provided a data speed of just 2Mbps, there was a need of more practicality for processing data via this network protocol. Here are the subclasses for 802.11 standard that originated with better features.
11b: It carries the signals via a frequency band of 2.4Ghz. With the highest bandwidth of 11MBps, this one is the slowest of all these listed standards. It has also been known for showing high susceptibility when interfered. It does have a longer range compared to 802.11a.
11a: This one has more speed compared to the b Wi-Fi standard, with speeds reaching 54Mbps. It shows less sensitivity to interference from other appliances and wireless devices. But, it has a shorter range compared to b. This weakness of short range made it costly, as it had to be installed with multiple access points to cover maximum distance.
11g: This one emerged as a hybrid standard that contained the top-rated features of a and b. Despite a large bandwidth and good speed, it still faced interference from other appliances.
11n: This standard is presently used around the world, which evolved in terms of wireless antennas and signals. With its Multiple-input/Multiple-output technology (MIMO) it has a capacity of transferring data at speeds of maximum 450Mbps. It even has a better bandwidth (2.4Ghz and 5Ghz) and limited interferences.
Future of WiFi
For the future, two significant WiFi standard developments are on their way for a public release. These developments are referred to as the 802.11ad and the 802.11ax.
The 802.11ac is highly sought after because it holds the capability of accessing the 5GHz band, but it has been outdated. The 802.11ad variant, however, takes internet connectivity to the next level. It is capable of accessing the 60GHz band.
802.11 ad: High Frequency, better speed, but short range
The frequency that has been mentioned above is a significantly high frequency. This feature also means that the range ought to get shorter.
Probably the effective range of the WiFi at the end of all would be limited to just one room. On the contrary, the 802.11 ad variant is capable of providing speeds within the range of 7Gbps.
The speed of 7Gbps is referred to as the uniform speed, which the WiFi is capable of producing without inducing much of a strain on the optical fibers.
In simpler words, the rate being referred to would be the lowest available on this variant. Provided with the right circumstances, the 802.11ad will be capable of reaching higher internet speeds as well.
Commercial Usage
At present, there is not any assurance concerning how the 802.11ad would be used in the market. It is also uncertain whether or not this variant will be available for commercial use.
There are several predictions, which refer to the fact that this enhancement in the technology would possibly replace several hardware constructions of the internet technology.
It would mean that the entire internet infrastructure of the future would be wireless and devoid of any physical associations that we may see as of now.
The other forms of prediction refer to the fact that phones might start making use of the 802.11ad WiFi compatibility to provide mobile internet connectivity with a significant boost. The exact purpose of 802.11ad is still uncertain and remains subject to speculations over the time.
802.11 ax: High Connectivity through MU-MIMO Technology
802.11ax is a variant, which mainly focuses on the advanced features including MU-MIMO and enhanced life sustainability. It also highlights advancements such as Bluetooth 5.0 technology and infrared connectivity.
The dominant feature that is lacking in this variant is the improved speed. However, it was later noted for its top speed of 11Gbps at the CES 2018.
The 802.11ax isn’t capable of the massive speed generated by the 802.11ad, but it is capable of providing much better internet connectivity and speed when compared to the 802.11ac variant.
This WiFi technology has been built to suit smart devices which are being used by the conventional people on a regular basis. It is widely expected that this form of connectivity would ensure natural management on a global scale. This standard is also expected to make its market appearance in 2019.
HR managers play a crucial role in the success of any organization. The role of an HR manager includes tasks such as human resources and employee management, attendance management, leave management, payroll management and so on.
But, very often the processes are time- consuming and tedious as well.
So, wouldn’t it be great to have a quality app to make the whole process easier and more efficient?
We have designed a unique app for attendance management as well as HR management – WiFi Attendance App.
Here are 5 ways WiFi Attendance App helps the HR manager
WiFi Attendance App offers an impressive dashboard to manage employee attendance effortlessly.HR Managers will get accurate data of attendance details via this app.
Unlike usual attendance apps, this app works only on pre-set office WiFi range. Employees can mark their attendance at office WiFi zone. HR mangers can easily track employee location with a few clicks. This ensures real time employee presence at office and prevents buddy punching as well.
WiFi attendance is absolutely a replacement for biometric systems and usual employee attendance apps. Besides attendance management it has several other features to make HR management easier and effective.
Check this video to know how effective is a WiFi attendance system
2. Leave Management
What makes WiFi attendance app different is its easy to use user interface. It‘s easy to apply leaves via this app. Employees would get a clear data of available leave details for the month.
There are separate fields to enter data such as reason for leave and number of days required . This will help employees to apply leave with a few clicks via their smartphone.
A notification message will be sent to the reporting manager or HR manger for approval. HR managers will get the leave details of each employee precisely. This will help them in payroll processing at the end of every month.
3. Employee Productivity Hours
It’s obvious that nobody likes spending time on doing unnecessary admin work. Your employees might be using spreadsheets to enter their task details and worked hours.
It would be difficult for HR managers or Project managers to check each and every spreadsheet to evaluate the performance of employees.
WiFi Attendance App offers you timesheet feature to track employee productivity and worked hours. Project managers can assign tasks to the team members via team preference module.
Employees can enter the time spend for each projects in respective sections. There are sections to enter billable and non-billable tasks. This feature will be helpful for project managers and HR managers to check the workflow.
4. Data Based Actions
Wifi attendance can offer many features that help HR managers in data-driven decision making. Features such as timesheet, attendance management, and leave management are helpful for them to make decisions on actual and accurate insights.
An overview of attendance, leaves and productivity would help HR managers or Project managers to make right decisions at the time of appraisals and picking right employees for projects.
Analysing data can also help to identify the changes needed for overall development of the organization.
5. Useful for Sending Notifications
HR managers can make use of the notification feature to compose and send notifications to an employee or a group of people. This feature allows notifications to be sent immediately at a scheduled date, or as recurring events.
Notifications can be delivered in the form of:
Email messages
Announcements on homepage or dashboard page
A Final Thought
Using a WiFi Attendance App can offer businesses many benefits such as smart attendance management and real employee presence tracking. So think about choosing a future proof app for next level attendance tracking and smart HR management.
Wi-Fi Analyzer is one of the perfect android apps for you to locate Wi-Fi networks around you. What makes this app different is its simplicity.
Unlike, other mobile apps Wi-Fi analyzer doesn’t have many features or options to offer. Well, it’s a good aspect. It just focuses on displaying you the wireless network around you and does it perfectly.
You can see a graphical representation of wireless networks around you via this app. It also shows data regarding the channel each network runs on.
This will help you to identify the channels that are used the least. Since the app is supported by ads you can download and install it for free.
This app is more like the above mentioned app ‘Wi-Fi Analyzer’. Like Wifi Analyzer, users can see the data about currently used Wi-Fi network accurately. User friendliness and accurate signal strength indication is its highlighted feature.
Network Signal Info gives you the essential data such as SSID (WIFi network name), MAC address, Wifi data transfer speed, Gateway IP address and many other aspects on the connected network.
Both paid version and free version is available for this app. Paid version has no ads and offers you much more features.
Like all other Wifi analyzers this app also helps you scan Wifi networks on your premises. ScanFi provides you many high – end features to perform an effortless Wi-Fi analysis. You can perform 2.4GHz and 5GHz scanning with ScanFi Wi-Fi analyzer.
Know its features
Shows accurate data on available access points
Graphical representation of wireless network activity
Shows data on strength & speed of the network
Provides data on hidden access points
ScanFi helps you convert any compatible Android device into a perfect WiFi analyzer. Also, the app is available at free of cost to download.
Wi-Fi Monitor is another powerful app for analyzing Wi-Fi networks. An attractive user interface is its main feature. The app offers several tabs to enhance the user experience. It has tabs such as connection tab, network tab, channels tabs and many other useful charts.
Connection tab gives you data about available wifi networks. While the network tab helps you analyse the available networks by various technical factors. You can check the Wifi channel traffic distribution on the channels tab.
Charts such as signal strength chart helps you to find the areas of weak signal, while the speed chart gives you data on sent and received data.
If you are looking for an app to manage all the Wifi connections, WiFi manager would be a better solution for you. It offers you many features other than identifying a better solution for your WiFi network.
A well designed graphical channel radar is the main feature of this app which helps you ensure the link quality of the wireless networks.
This app is well suited for your office and home network to manage several WiFi connections simultaneously.
WiFi Analyzer – Home Wifi Alert gives you a graphical representation of all your configured WiFi networks. This app offers you the best router network utilities. There are in-built tools to check and secure your office and home WiFi networks.
It is designed in such a way to increase your link speed by analyzing your Wifi network signals in DB. This app would be helpful for all level of users, from beginners to experienced network administrators.
As the name indicates, this app provides you on demand data about the signal strength of your WiFi network. Besides this, the app helps you to locate the ideal place in your home where it is likely to get the perfect and stable wireless signal strength.
Wifi Data is a highly recommended app for all WiFi users. Like all other Wifi analyzers this app also analyzes Wifi networks around you.
Wifi Data would help you to analyse the signal strength and maintain up-to-date check on the status of your wireless network.
The app includes four tabs such as connection tab, access points list tab, channels tab and signal tab. You don’t have to spend much time to learn the app because of its user friendly interface.
A perfect app to set-up office as well as household Wifi networks. You can use this tool for detecting issues related to Wifi networks. This app helps to optimize wireless network even when you are hundreds of kilometres away from the network zone.
Some of Its Features
Router Setup Page
Traceroute
Wifi Analyzer
Ping
IP & Host converter
Final Thoughts
A perfect WiFi analyzer app should be easy to use and will have to offer essential features for network optimization as well. So, go through the features of these 11 apps and find out the best to optimize your wireless network.
You surely use WiFi in your day to day life. Have you thought of the sensitive information that you transfer all the time over a WiFi network? Bank passwords, personal images and passwords are all available to third persons if your WiFi is not secured.
According to Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) study, almost 30% of WiFi networks have little to no encryption. This means that your data is easily available to hackers. Korea, US and France were among the top 15 WiFi unsecured countries in the study.
How is Public WiFi Used by Hackers?
Browsing internet through public WiFi is not safe by any means. In 2015 itself, 594 million people were victims of cybercrime and 12% of Americans had their financial data stolen after shopping online.
The threats and costs are even more for businesses. 32% of US organizations were victim of cybercrime in 2016. The average cost of a data breach to a business is around $ 3.8 million.
There are many ways hackers can use WiFi technology to steal your data, money or identity. Here are the two most common ways.
Man-in-the-Middle Attack
When data transfer over a network is unsecure and unencrypted, a third person can easily intercept it. So, data exchanged between the websites and you can be stolen by exploiting the weak network security. This is known as the Man-in-the-Middle strategy.
To avoid this you must only connect to networks with strong security settings. Any public network that does not have a password is susceptible to such kind of attacks. This strategy is also used for private networks by hackers who are within the range of WiFi.
Rogue Hotspots
Anyone can set up a WiFi to mislead users. For example a hacker could set up a hotspot with the name ‘Starbucks’ in a Starbucks cafe. This would be different from the cafe’s real WiFi but the name could easily confuse a user.
Once the victim is connected to the rogue WiFi, the hacker can see all the data transferred over the network and even infect connected device with malware and ransomware.
Hence it’s advisable to be sure of the WiFi you are connecting to and avoid using public WiFi if possible. Only connect to networks of businesses and persons you trust and make sure that it is not a hacker with the name of a trusted business.
How to Secure WiFi Network
Here are some ways to secure your WiFi network form hackers and data thieves. This will work on both your home WiFi and office WiFi.
1. Have a WPA 2
When data packets are sent over a wireless medium they can be easily intercepted. For this reason, WiFi network have always had encryption of data send over radio waves. The earliest protocol was WEP, which used the same encryption key for each data package. A hacker could easily crack this code in a few minutes.
Starting from 2006 next level security called WPA was started. This used scrambling of encryption key to improve security. The encryption method was further strengthened in WPA2 protocol. This is the latest and best security level available for WiFi. It is not so easy for hackers to break the code transferred under WPA2 protocol.
Needless to say you should ensure that your router has WPA2 level security and AES encryption. All routers manufactured after 2006 have WPA2 enabled by default.
802.1X authentication is a standard protocol for port based network Access Control. It authenticates devices that connect with a server. Connection is established only after device identity is verified and hence it keeps the network safe of third person connecting in.
The architecture includes three parts – a wireless supplicant (connecting device), access device and authentication server. The network is made secure through the communication and exchanges between these three. This rules out Man-In- The-Middle attacks mentioned above. You can configure 802.1X authentication from properties under network adapter in your Desktop/ PC.
3. Secure Password and SSID
Breaking into your WiFi is very easy if the password to your WiFi is known. Hackers have software and tools that run common passwords while trying to break into your network. Easily guessed and default passwords are hence a soft target for them.
Similarly, your wireless network name (SSID) should not be common like ‘‘D-Link’ or your family name. This is because SSID forms a part of your network encryption and hacker tools come loaded with default and common SSID names.
You can change your password & SSID by logging into your router settings by typing “192.168.1.1” in your browser. This may be different for different companies and you should check the router manual for this.
4. Add Device MAC Address
All devices have something known as a MAC address that you can add to your router’s settings. This will allow only the specified devices to connect to your WiFi. Although it’s possible to make a spoof MAC address by a hacker, it still adds a layer of security because it’s one more thing that the hacker has to know.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways that hackers can break into a WiFI network. Just like the cyber-security, hackers are also constantly updating their technology continuously.
As of now, the enterprise setting with WPA2 protocol and 802.1X authentication is a safe method. Take additional steps of setting up a strong password and unique SSID name and you are well protected from unwanted data thieves.
Do remember to update your knowledge from time to time and install new firmware on your router to stay secured.
Internet has opened a different world for us. While we as adults have a sense to filter what is available, the younger ones might not be able to do so.
It has become hugely significant to provide them an insight to judge what is safe and knowledgeable for them and what is not. To help you more on the same, here is a list of ways to monitor your child’s internet usage.
1. Check the browser history
One of the most basic ways with the help of which you can track your child’s internet usage is by keeping a check on their browser history. It can help you maintain a note of all the websites they are visiting or have visited.
There is a record of the sites being visited in every browser. In case you use internet explorer, then you can find the option to access history via the ‘Tools’ menu.
On the other hand, if Chrome is your default browser, then you can easily find the opportunity to look at the history by clicking on the wrench button present on the top right corner of it.
From there you can select an account and have a look at it. Alternatively, there is another thing that you can do, such as press Ctrl + H and the history of the browser will show up.
It is easy to scroll through what your child has been seeing and the sites visited are shown in the reverse chronological order.
However, if your child does not like you intruding or enquiring so much, he/she might delete the browser history. Therefore, you will have to look for other ways to monitor their internet usage.
2. Use Wireless Router for monitoring
There are some of the wireless router models, which keep track of the sites that are visited via the home internet connection. You can set up logging by typing the IP address of your wireless router into the address bar of the browser you use.
In case you do not know the IP address of your router, you can get to know it by opening a command window. Then type ipconfig/all. You will find your IP address listed under the heading, ‘default gateway.’
If you are asked to enter a password, but you have never set one, then you can find the default username and password details on the website of the manufacturer or by searching on the package that your wireless router had come in.
Once that you have been able to access your router, you can view the activity that had been happening on your network by clicking on ‘Logs.’ Some of the routers give you the excellent opportunity of blocking some websites. Due to this, your child will not be able to access them.
Along with this, you can set your router to send you an email whenever your child attempts to reach the website you have blocked. When you are done with customizing the settings, you can change the password to your router so that your child cannot have any access to its settings.
3. Use software to keep a check
Installing software in the gadget to monitor your child’s internet usage is one of the effective means. Many parents resort to this option. Not just a few, but many programs can help you with this. You can get a detailed account of the sites visited by your child along with their online interactions with such software.
By far, using software to keep an eye on the internet usage has been the most successful and helpful way. Here are some of the excellent tools available to assist you on the same.
1. SocialShield
SocialSheild seems to be an expert in determining whom your child is talking to on their social media accounts. The accounts are therefore kept on a check by it, and it will immediately inform you if anyone suspicious tries to contact your child or get in touch with him/her.
It is a paid service which can check your child’s friends in various databases. You will be informed about the same in case the person who contacted your child is not as per his/her claim. It also notifies you if an adult is trying to influence or befriend your younger one online.
2. SafetyWeb
Just like SocialShield, even SafetyWeb is software that manages to monitor your child’s activities on social networking websites, such as Twitter and Facebook. SafetyWeb will send you an alert as soon as some explicit content is detected in your child’s messages.
Along with this, it also keeps an eye on your child to know if he is involved in cyberbullying, whether as a perpetrator or as a victim. If unsuitable adults contact your child, then you will be identified at the earliest.
3. McGruff SafeGuard
After McGruffSafeGuard is installed on your child’s computer, it can help you gather information on the sites visited by him/her along with the terms being searched.
It also monitors the conversations. One of the key advantages of it is that it straightforwardly presents information. Parents can easily understand what their children read with the help of this tool as it also translates the commonly used abbreviations by their kids.
4. MobSafety Ranger Browser
It is a good option for you if your main aim is to ensure web safety and limit the internet usage of your child. This app lets you see your child’s browser history along with providing you the option of ‘whitelisting’ which means approving of some website and maybe bookmarking them and ‘blacklisting’ which is to ban certain websites.
The additional advantage is that you can limit the time of your child’s internet usage as you want.
5. DinnerTime App
DinnerTime is a free application which helps you to lock or unlock your child’s Android device from your phone, as and when you want.
It is mainly to help your child focus on his/her homework which is received from school or to sleep on time. One thing, which is to be noted is that the child’s device should necessarily be an Android. Although, parents can access the app on Android or iOS.
This application has three modes, namely, ‘Dinner Time’ mode, ‘Take a break’ mode and ‘Bed Time’ mode. The Dinner Time is helpful in pausing an activity for up to two hours. With the help of the ‘Take a break’ mode, you can restrict the internet usage for 24 hours.
The most ultimate is the ‘Bed Time’ mode which lets you pause an activity for any starting and ending time. Though, it still allows your kid to access the alarm clock. This app offers a detailed report of all the apps and websites being used by your child.
4. Talk to your child on the issue of internet safety
In the modern digital world talking, discussing and debating on the subject of internet safety is needed for all the users, of which the kids are also a part. Talking to your child about the problems that you or they might face is the healthiest thing to do.
Final Thoughts
Growing children need help in shaping their opinions, in distinguishing between what is right and what is wrong and the ways to conduct themselves. Therefore, the emergence of techniques like using parental control software has been useful to an extent in monitoring the digital habits of your child.
Fundamental ways like checking the browser history and using the wireless router for tracking their usage are also helpful to start. However, what ultimately works is your communication with your child and the way you have been able to introduce them to the good and the bad of the digital world.
Can you imagine your table lamp streaming data into your smartphone? This is already possible today with LiFi technology.
You must be already using WiFi technology to access the internet on a daily basis. LiFi is an alternative to WiFi that is expected to be in wide use in coming years. We will understand the technology and look at its advantages, applications and limitations in this post.
Let’s first understand what LiFi is.
What is LiFi?
LiFi (Light Fidelity) is a technology that uses visible light to transmit data. It is similar to WiFi in its application but differs in how the data is transferred.
The hardware required for this is just an LED light and a receiver that can convert light signals into electric ones. Solar cells already do this and can work as a receiver in LiFi technology.
In fact this technology is already used by your remote control to communicate with Television by sending a stream of data to it. In LiFi thousands of data stream are sent simultaneously at higher speeds.
Visual signals are communicated by flickering of light at very rapid speeds. This disturbance is not detected by the human eye and hence a LiFi technology LED bulb will look like just another bulb to us. Since visible light travels in straight line a clear line of sight is preferable for best connectivity.
However, even in case of no direct line of sight, the signals are picked up after bouncing off from the walls/ surfaces.
The signals are obviously limited within four walls as light cannot travel through walls. As we will see below, this can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the use of LiFi.
Visible Light Communication (VLC) has been a topic of research for long but LiFi as a viable technology was invented by Harald Haas from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He presented the technology in his famous TED Talk in 2011.
He built a technology to overcome the current limitations of WiFi and envisioned a world where everyone could access the internet through the LED bulbs at their home.
The technology is still new and in its nascent stage. Currently there are only six companies across the world invested in this technology (2 in USA, 3 in Europe and 1 in India).
However, going by the current rates of advancement, LiFi is set to be adopted as a mainstream technology by 2022.
It is already being tested in industrial and commercial setups throughout the world. In Estonia, LED based LiFi testing reached a speed of 1Gbps data transmission rates in 2015.
This is 100 times faster than the average WiFi speed! Continuous research in the LiFi system is pushing for even faster speeds and commercial viability.
A PhD student in Netherlands has already succeeded in achieving download speed of 42Gbps in 2017 using infrared light instead of LED.
WiFi vs LiFi
Here are the main differences in LiFI and WiFi
Advantages of LiFI Technology
Ready Infrastructure
Wi-Fi technology requires routers, cellular radio masts, modems etc. LiFi on the other just requires LED lights which are already present all around us. As such adapting LiFi will not require any additional cost. This technology can be embedded in the illumination interiors of our home and office.
High Security
Unlike radio waves, visible light cannot pass through walls. Due to this LiFi data cannot be hacked by third persons outside your premise. This gives more security and is especially advantageous for sensitive boardrooms, industrial systems and privacy at homes.
High Speed
LiFi has the potential to be 100 times faster than WiFi. The fastest recorded speed in lab has been 224Gbps although commercially available speed is far less than this currently. But with advances in technology the potential of LiFi can be huge benefit over WiFi.
Lower Energy Consumption
Cellular base stations and cell towers are major consumers of energy and power. According to TechRadar they make up 60% of total mobile network power consumption. Cooling these base stations is another major consumer of energy. These costs will be minimized with introduction of LiFi technology.
Supports Internet of Things
LiFi and smart devices fit together like hand and glove. As we will in the applications below, smart devices like cars, house lighting system, laundry machines etc., can easily communicate with each other using the LiFi system. Each of the smart devices can be fitted with a light receiver and the lighting of house can be done using LiFi LED bulbs.
Unlimited Bandwidth
LiFi is the future of the communication because of its unlimited bandwidth. The spectrum of visible light is 10,000 times bigger than radio waves. Radio wave spectrum is getting saturated and the US Federal Communications Commission has even warned of a potential spectrum crisis because WiFi is close to full capacity.
When this happens, companies will have no option but to turn to visible light spectrum with its unlimited bandwidth.
Applications of LiFi
There are many potential applications of LiFi technology. LiFi is the right solution wherever radio waves cause disturbance or privacy is an issue. Here are some practical scenarios to give you an idea of LiFi in coming years:
1. Self Driving Cars
LiFi will turn out to be crucial for self driving cars. Cars already use LED lights in their headlights and brake-lights and can be easily designed to use this to communicate with each other.
This will help in preventing accidents, diverting traffic and avoid breach of traffic rules. This is perfect for remote highway stretches where there is no WiFi signal. Cars can simply send and receive data using their own lights.
Street lights and traffic signals can also be integrated in the system to form a secure traffic system that talks to each other without human intervention.
2. Deep Sea Exploration
LiFi presents exciting opportunities in sea exploration. Currently the capacity of rovers is limited by the cables. WiFi cannot be used in deep sea as radio waves get absorbed in water.
Visible light on the other hand can travel in water. It can be used to communicate between divers, remote control vehicles and base ships.
3. Data Connectivity in Sensitive Areas
Some premises like hospitals, aircrafts, petrochemical plants etc., are not safe to use WiFi. Radio waves interfere with critical devices or pose a risk of spark in these areas. LiFi is best for these places as visible light does not pose any of these threats.
Drawbacks and Limitations
This technology is not free from its limitation and there are reasons why LiFi is not yet in use everywhere. Here are the obstacles that need to be worked around if large scale adoption of this technology is to be made possible.
1. Range
LiFi is not a good option if one is looking for wider range. Because light in room cannot penetrate your entire house, you will have restriction of movement. So getting connectivity in your balcony or bathroom is a problem unless you install a LiFi LED in each room.
Also the speed of connection is better with close proximity and direct line of sight. The range of LiFi takes away freedom of movement as of now. This can be worked around with rewiring the whole infrastructure of a house which brings us to the next point.
2. Cost of Installation
Although the cost is low for a large scale industry, restructuring houses for LiFi can turn out to be costly. This is because even after installing a LiFi LED bulb in each room you will have to install a receiver on each device.
However, a LiFi freindly home is much easier to build. Alternatively a technology called Power of Ethernet (PoE) allows transmission of power and data via a single cable. This can make LiFi lighting at home possible.
LiFi friendly home is a possibility in future but as of today there are just too many devices that need to be installed and are not even available widely.
3. Interference from other Lights
Interference from brighter sources can weaken the signal from LED bulb even though receiver is able to differentiate between sunlight and the LED light. Not only this, even any physical obstruction like a piece of furniture can dampen the signals. This makes it difficult to work next to a window or other outdoor places.
4.Speed in Practical Settings
Although LiFi shows potential for a speed 100 times faster than WiFi the commercial option available is way below the WiFi Speed. Even pureLiFi, the company found by inventor of LiFi, Harald Haas, offers products with speed of 40mbps.
Tying It All Together
LiFi technology makes use of visible light to transmit data wirelessly. With its unlimited spectrum capacity, security and high speed it is set to be an alternative to WiFi. However, WiFi has its own set of advantages and because of this, LiFi may end up complementing WiFi rather than completely replacing it.
LiFi has potential for unlimited applications and it’s just a matter of when the technology is made commercially viable. As of today, LiFi seems more suitable for industrial use.
Industries can buy LiFi receivers in bulk and design a layout for maximum LED access by smart devices. Penetrating households might be something that will take time for this innovative technology.
What does BMW and 90% of Fortune 500 companies have in common? They all use Microsoft’s cloud computing. The service, known as Microsoft Azure (earlier known as Windows Azure) has been used by many corporations since its launch in 2010 to manage data, develop applications, perform predictive analysis and much more on the cloud.
In this post we will explain on what exactly is Microsoft Azure, how it is used by businesses across the globe to save time and costs. We will also touch upon cloud computing as a market broadly and how Microsoft Azure fits in this $210 billion market.
What is Cloud Computing?
Cloud services were the buzzword in business and IT industry about a decade ago. Whether your work is related to technology or not, you have definitely heard of cloud computing. Cloud computing is model to provide sharable computing resources such as storage, applications, software, services etc. that can be used on-demand.
Cloud computing was envisioned in the 1960s as ‘ Intergalactic Computer Network’. However, the idea only took off after internet could offer sufficient bandwidth to access this service in the late 1990s.
SalesForce.com was the first one to offer enterprise applications through website in 1999. This paved the way for cloud services and many players small and big jumped into the market.
Amazon Web services was among the first few to offer web based services that could be accessed by anyone via internet.
Soon a suite of services were offered to business. Data storage, application development and software applications could all be hosted in the cloud. This meant that companies no longer needed to own tools and software. Instead, these were offered on a pay-as-you-use basis or Software as a service (SaaS).
Take cloud storage for example. Earlier companies had to buy or lease their servers to store their own data. This is known as on-premise computing. With cloud storage data is stored in cloud; that is, in the servers owned, managed and maintained by cloud service providers.
This is also known as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) as it is essentially renting out just the required space needed for your data storage.
What is Microsoft Azure?
Microsoft already had a huge share of enterprise software market by 2007. Most of the big corporations were already using Microsoft’s Exchange E-mail software offered as SaaS (Software as a Service). In 2008, Microsoft announced its cloud service Microsoft Azure and launched it in 2010.
With Azure, Microsoft envisioned to offer much more than SaaS. With Microsoft Azure developers could develop, deploy and manage applications; create Virtual Machines; create and host websites; develop applications for mobile devices.
Microsoft has added many more services with each passing year. Here is what Microsoft Azure has to offer to companies all sizes and at any location.
Azure offers hundreds of features and services. They can be classified broadly under four categories:
1. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
This is simply providing physical infrastructure on a shared basis. Azure provides computing infrastructure such as server, networking and data center management as a service. Virtual Machines are also a service under IaaS.
Examples of services provided under LaaS are – storage, backup & recovery of data, high-performance computing, website hosting, big data analytics etc. All of these require a high computation power and additional hard-disk space. This can be easily provided by LaaS providers.
Additionally LaaS gives the flexibility of scaling up or down the infrastructure as per the demands of business. This means that companies only pay for what they use and do not have to block resources in extra capacity.
2. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
In addition to resources provided under IaaS, this provides the development tools, database management systems and middleware. This gives developers tools to build, deploy and manage applications. Azure manages all the software licenses and application infrastructure so that you can concentrate on developing amazing applications.
From building to testing and updating; PaaS supports you throughout while cutting coding time and adding capabilities to your development teams.
3. Software as a Service (SaaS)
SaaS goes a step further and provides cloud-based apps over internet. Microsoft Azure manages all the software and hardware requirement for app. Users can connect to the app via the internet and companies are billed on pay-as-you-go basis.
Microsoft Office 365 is an example of SaaS. Customer Relationship Management software and ERP are other examples that you might be familiar with.
4. Mobile Service (mBaaS)
This is similar to PaaS. The only difference being that mBaaS or mobile backend as a service give tools to build and deploy application meant for mobile devices.
There are hundreds of services that Microsoft Azure is offering under these broad headings. Here are a few important categories to give you an idea of how Microsoft Azure services can be used for:
1. Database Services
Manage, store and secure data in a business. Azure provides service to manage SQL database so that you can concentrate on using the data rather than managing it.
Data backup, disaster recovery and data migration are some of the other services that are offered under database management services.
2. Computing Services
Azure can host Virtual Machines for processes that require super computing power. Azure supports up to 9 operating systems and gives a choice of various languages to build, deploy and manage applications.
3. Analytics
With Azure, businesses can stream and maintain big data from smart devices. Services are available for predictive analysis, machine learning and statistical modeling to help businesses make sense of the stream of big data coming in.
4. Media
Companies such as NBC sports, Xbox and Fuji Television Network are using Microsoft Azure’s services to encode and stream video at a massive scale. Azure’s Media services allow companies to deliver live and on-demand content with any scalability.
5. AI & Machine Learning
Azure offers a plethora of services under AI and Machine Learning so that clients can build and manage predictive analysis, build and scale bot services, train deep learning and neural networks.
Some of the services under this are Azure Batch AI, Machine Learning Studio, Azure Bot Service and Azure Data bricks.
These are just some of the broad categories to services available in Microsoft cloud. Some of the other categories are Database Management, Internet of things, Migration, Mobile, Networking, Security, Storage, Web, Developer Tools and Management Tools.
As you can see Azure offers everything a business could possibly need. Whether it’s a simple ERP to run your day to day business or complex machine learning to develop cutting edge apps; Microsoft Azure can support you in its services under IaaS, PaaS and SaaS.
How does it work?
Companies that have all their data and processes up and running in cloud call themselves ‘cloud-native’. From application building to machine learning companies are uploading everything to cloud. So how is running businesses in the cloud made possible?
Cloud computing is enabled by virtualization technology. It allows a CPU to run multiple operating systems (OS) at once. This process performed at a massive scale at Microsoft Datacenters is what makes cloud computing possible.
Here is a video that clearly explains how Microsoft Azure works on Virtualization technology.
The Cloud Computing Market.
The cloud service market is set to grow to $555 billion by 2020 according to Allied Market Research. SaaS is expected to grow the fastest as a segment of cloud services. With adoption of cloud services by all companies large and small and increasing demand for technology services across all industries, cloud services are expected to grow at a fast pace in coming years.
Big players such as Amazon, Google, and IBM are all in the race along with Microsoft Azure. Amazon Web Services is the market leader with 47% share in the market. Microsoft Azure is still behind with little over 10% market share.
However Microsoft is growing at a pace faster than Amazon is expected to catch up soon. In fact, Microsoft Azure has grown at a triple digit growth rate since its launch. Google Cloud Platform is another big player with a much smaller share of 4% as of now.
The cloud services space is expected to remain competitive with each player aggressively adding data centers and dropping prices. Microsoft is set to capture a major portion of this market which is still in its early development stage. Each player is launching cutting edge capabilities in order to stay ahead in the game.
Because of the following advantages the adoption of Azure and other cloud services will only grow in the coming years:
1. Cost Savings
It is estimated that cloud service would save as much as 35% of annual operational costs. Cost savings is the one of the main factors driving adoption of could services in enterprises. With cloud services, companies can do away with infrastructure cost, server cost, maintenance & repair, floor space, staff for upkeep. All these are taken care of by the service provider and businesses only have to pay for the capacity they use.
2. Scaling
Take the case of problems faced by AtmanCo which offers personality testing application for improved job placement. The start-up had to turn away customers because their servers could not scale to support customer demand. Seasonality in demand and sudden traffic can be a problem with fixed infrastructure in a company.
These problems are non- existent in the cloud enabled world. Companies can easily scale up their IT infrastructure using pooled resources in the cloud. In times of less demand they can cut back extra capacity just as easily. This flexibility is vital for start-ups and companies with a seasonal demand.
3. Security
The risk of losing all your data and work is increased in an on-premise infrastructure. Disasters like fire, flood, cyber attack or server breakdown are real threats to a business. This risk can be taken care by cloud storage since the data is stored in multiple remote locations.
Disaster recovery plans offered as cloud service ensures everything from major attacks to a minor power outage is taken care of. Azure Advanced Threat Protection is even able to detect advanced attacks on database.
4. Innovation
Perhaps the best advantage of cloud is the freedom it gives employees to put ideas into practices quickly. With IT infrastructure up and running in the cloud, IT does not have to waste their time in maintenance, routine tasks and fire fighting incidents. Instead they can concentrate on implementing valuable business ideas with hundreds of tools available to them on the cloud.
How is it priced?
If you are running your own servers and licensing software currently, Microsoft Azure will definitely turn out to be cheaper for you. With flexible purchase and all the advantages mentioned above choosing cloud over on-premise is a no-brainer.
The pricing is pay-as-you- go basis with each service being charged separately by hour. Some services may be charged per execution. For example, Virtual machine is charged $0.5/hour whereas compute functions are charged at $13.22/ million execution. Many services are free for 12 months in a limited capacity.
Microsoft gives its client up to 72% cost savings on entering a lock-in period of one to three years. This means that you book your services in advance instead to the pay-as-you-go model. This is a good option for clients who are sure of using Azure services in the long run.
Future of Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure currently has 54 datacenter regions with more additions announced regularly. This is one of the USP of Azure as there global infrastructure is larger than any other player in the market. With aggressive marketing strategy and continuous additions of new capabilities, Azure market share is expected to grow to over 20% in the coming years.
Over 70 compliance covering and US government’s trust as cloud service provider the future of Microsoft Azure looks bright and promising.
Final Thoughts
Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing service fit for companies big and small across all sectors. From cutting edge machine learning of Virtual Machines (VMs) to streaming on-demand content, Azure is making everything possible with shared platform.
What’s more! More than hundreds of services are available cheap, scalable and within minutes for everyone now. The playing field has leveled up for startups too, who don’t need to spend on expensive infrastructure or software licensing. Microsoft Azure makes everything a business needs available through SaaS, PaaS and IaaS.
With the next wave of big data coming from smart devices, cloud services are going to be more than just remote platforms. They are going to be critical infrastructure and enabler of technology. Although Microsoft Azure is second in terms of market leader, its global footprint and stronghold in enterprise line-of-business will definitely give it a boost in coming years.
We have attempted, in this article, to list top 15 parental control routers for the year 2018 and their most exciting features. Read on and take your pick from the lot.
Costing a little over $80, Circle with Disney is fine if you do not want to immediately purchase a new router. However, some of you may want to infuse a few parental controls into an already existing network. The small white cubes fit into slots in your router to inspect the connection between the Internet and the devices in the house.
Once this is done, you would also need to download the app ‘Circle with Disney’ into your smartphone which could be an Android device or an iPhone. Once this is done, you can monitor the happenings on the network, filter content and also peek to see who is on the Internet at any given point in time.
For the purpose of filtering content, the Circle with Disney has many pre-set filters that are age-based. For a child aged 5, a Pre-K setting would be ideal. ‘Teen’ setting for teens is available and you can set the filter for ‘Adult’ for your own devices.
It is possible to create your own customized filters and these cubes also help to turn off the Internet connection at pre-set times to specific devices. The unique point about Circle with Disney is that it is best for any age.
2. Router Limits Mini
In case you are on the lookout for a router that has some necessary parental controls that you want to add to your router but is easier on your pocket without an overrun on the budget, you can, perhaps, take a look at Router Limits Mini.
This router is a small device that connects LAN ports of your router at home and gives you complete control on the content that flows into all the devices at home, all for just $80.
Router Limits Mini acts in between the Internet and your children’s devices. However, this cannot help to improve speed or performance like a conventional router as it is merely an add-on device. It will allow you to pre-set times at which the devices will either connect or disconnect.
You can pause Internet connectivity at will and you can monitor all activity on the Internet. Internet searches can be locked and only enabled through Google or Bing Safe Search mode and Restricted Mode on YouTube.
3. Netgear Nighthawk AC1900
This is a dual-band WI-Fi router that is able to deliver Internet speeds up to 1.3 Gbps. This has an option by which you can optimize bandwidth for streaming and gaming videos.
There is also an option to boost coverage indoors. The most prominent feature of this router is its ability to support Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. This allows you to control the network with your voice commands.
Another interesting feature is that this router is adaptable with the parental controls of Circle with Disney. This means you can download their app on your iPhone or Android phone and access the Internet to monitor the children’s activity when they are online, and even cut Internet access at will through the app. It costs around $160.
4. Linksys AC1750
The Linksys AC1750 router comes with all parental controls and with an affordable price tag of over just a $100. This dual-band wireless router can render speeds of up to 1.7 Gbps.
It also senses and delivers maximum speeds to individual devices that are connected according to the capacity they can handle at any point in time. It can boost coverage in small homes.
The router can be controlled via an app (Smart Wi-Fi App) that can be downloaded on your iPhone/Android smartphone. Therefore additional features such as being able to set passwords, prioritizing traffic to chosen devices, create guest Wi-Fi networks, are available.
The basic parental controls such as allowing only specific content to flow through to the devices and cutting off specific sites are also possible through the Smart Wi-Fi App.
5. Asus AC3100
If you are a parent looking for the most powerful one in the market, then Asus AC3100 is the one for you. Equipped with dual-band functionality, it delivers speeds of up to 2.1Gbps. It can boost coverage for an area of up to 5000 square feet.
The Asus AC3100 comes with a dual-core processor that facilitates fast data transfers through USB to connected storage devices. The Gigabit LAN ports help to make fast instantaneous connections with all devices connected to the router.
AiProtection is a feature incorporated into the Asus AC3100 that handles all the parental controls. With the help of this, you can pre-set the content that can flow into your children’s devices. You can also monitor all the happenings on the network. The settings can be changed at will.
This sophisticated router is built to optimize video games to their highest speeds and it also allows you to take advantage of the fastest connections available from any devices.
6. Symantec Norton Core
If security when on the Internet is your prime concern, then you should pick up the Symantec Norton Core Wi-Fi router. It is globe-shaped and beams the wireless signals around your home. It is equipped with 2 USB 3.0 ports placed on the rear of the router. It also has a 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports that help to connect devices.
Through an app that you can download into your Android/iOS phone, you can monitor network activities, pre-set time limits to be spent on the Internet and even filter only specific content to flow to the devices.
Additional benefits offered by Symantec Norton Core include very advanced security features with the help of software that keeps hackers out of the home. The router costs a little over $180.
7. Netgear R7000P Nighthawk AC2300
This router that costs about $160 is dual-band and offers high-speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps. It helps to connect to the fastest speeds from devices by maximizing bandwidth. The 2 USB ports on the rear allow for high-speed data transfer onto storage devices. The router comes with 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports to connect to devices.
Beamforming+ Technology that is present in the router helps to stream large files (e.g., 4K video) in a better manner. Time limits for Internet activity can be pre-set, the ‘Bedtime’ feature will help to turn off the Internet at night, and filters help to decide what sort of content will flow through the network at home.
8. Linksys EA6900 AC1900 Wi-Fi Router
This Linksys router is the safest one that you can bet on but not a very cheap one. With 3 antennas that can vastly improve coverage in the home.
It has a dual-core processor for transferring data at high speeds and also has a USB port and a 2.0 port for printing, storage and sharing of data. Another interesting feature is the cloud storage that all owners of the router are eligible for.
The Linksys EA6900 router is updated every now and then and all the latest safety protocols are available. The Smart Wi-Fi feature allows all parental controls required for access, setting the time limits and controlling Internet access. The changes are Instantaneous and show up without any time delay whatsoever.
The connections to the devices are stable and the device maintains a balanced network.
9. Buffalo Airstation Extreme Smart Wi-Fi Router
This is for users who can manage this router’s complicated adjustments. However, the performance is great and Internet speeds can go up to 400 Mbps. The range offered by the router is about 15 feet. The range, however, decreases with increase in spatial distance (223 Mbps at 100 feet of space).
One interesting aspect of this sleek router is that along with a full support from DD-WRT, there is no requirement for firmware installation and also filters inappropriate advertisements. In addition to these capabilities, this router can also act as a bridge or access point.
It is very easy to set it up on a desktop and to configure the router it takes about two minutes of your time. The app that is used to control this router is a little more complicated than usual and may take some time for the user to get used to. Many devices can be connected to this router.
10. Netgear AC1750 Smart Wi-Fi Router
This one is a simple but powerful parental control router. It offers high speeds of up to 1750 Mbps and the coverage range is about 40 feet. It comes with three antennas to support the extensive coverage that this router offers.
This router can be connected to 12 different devices. The Beamforming technology helps the router to connect selectively to the device that needs it the most. The router is compatible with both WLAN and VLAN networks and the installation is easy and simple.
The parental controls help to filter content to all the devices that are connected to the router. It is possible to apply time limits from any type of connected device. These parental controls have been reviewed as being basic. It is possible to access the router remotely.
11. D-Link Gaming Router AC1300
This gaming router offers dual-band speeds up to 450 Mbps and 867 Mbps. The router comes equipped with the StreamBoost technology that helps to manage the Internet connection. The router can be easily set and configured with the help of a Wizard.
A user interface has to be studied properly before going on to apply parental controls using this router. Customizing and blacklisting content and setting the Internet access time limits can be done with a little bit of effort.
The bandwidth in the D-Link gaming router is distributed effectively between the different applications (real-life and games). This is a router with parental controls for those parents with gamer habits.
12. Tenda AC9 Wireless AC1200 Router
This router comes equipped with two antennae for increased coverage and is powered by the Beamforming technology. All the features of this router can be managed via the Tenda app.
Parental controls such as whitelisting or blacklisting content and websites are possible. You can set time limits for Internet access by using the app. The restrictions can be disabled only through the app.
The cost of the router is pretty cheap for the parental controls and the other facilities that it offers. The router is easy to set up and takes only a few minutes to configure. With a consistent Internet speed, the Wi-Fi coverage offered by the router is very good.
13. Clean Router
Clean router is a Wi-Fi parental control standalone router that can be plugged into a modem. Once this router is configured, it covers all the devices including gaming consoles (in case they are also attached).
It is equipped with an ‘Intellifilter’ system that helps the parents to filter sites and only let appropriate content flow through to the devices. The filtering is active for up to nine categories. It is also equipped to filter videos from YouTube.
14. Torch
This is a WI-Fi router made of wood veneer and it offers dynamic filtering of the Internet. It does not require any app or any other software for it to work on the devices of the house.
It provides standard Internet monitoring features such as pausing Internet activity, locking of websites, and pre-setting Internet access times including cut-off times.
The router also offers high Internet speeds and about 4000 square feet of coverage. The parental router comes free but there is a monthly subscription charge that is to be paid.
15. Screen
Screen is an app based content blocker that can be installed on different devices. It comes with a small box that is connected to the gaming console, TV and other streaming devices. Thus, every device in the home can be monitored.
Once installed, it offers parental controls including Internet access time limits that can be set, bed-times or cut-off times that can be set, device usage tracking facility, etc. Remote access and control are possible.
Tying It All Together
Manually protecting kids from the wrong content on the Internet can be both exhausting and ineffective. The parental control routers detailed above help you to do this job effectively and easily and most importantly protect your children from the wrong kind of Internet exposure that you as parents are worried about.
Currently, Wi-Fi is the most sought after means to connect other mobile devices to the Internet. Recently there have been a number of surveys that were conducted to see the kind of activity taking place and the kind of devices that are connected. These surveys had some startling results to reveal.
Whereas tablets and e-Readers were the fastest growing category of devices that were being connected, the home was found to be the place where most people used their own mobile devices.
WI-Fi was the most preferred means to connect to the Internet. However, the respondents of the survey wanted a more seamless Wi-Fi integration with their mobile devices.
So much so, these surveys have managed to gather data as the basis for a few predictions as to how Wi-Fi and mobility will change in the next couple of years. Read on to know what is going to be different and what changes are in store.
1. Wi-Fi will become a business cost for business owners
Just like providing utilities such as lighting and heating, customers in restaurants, hospitals, public spaces, shopping malls, sports facilities will expect Wi-Fi to just be present there.
Therefore, very soon, for any organization that expects customers, providing Wi-Fi will add to the cost of doing their business.
2. Wi-Fi is going to be ‘omnipresent’
The prediction is that Wi-Fi public hotspots will increase exponentially over the next four or five years. Wi-Fi will be omnipresent. There are over 500 million hotspots expected by the year 2021. Currently there are an estimated 100 million hotspots worldwide.
You may not, perhaps, find it on the top of mountains, other remote places or along some highways. However, it is going to cover you like a blanket everywhere else that you spend your life: at home, schools, offices, hospitals, malls, and other public spaces.
3. People are likely to access all entertainment using their mobile devices
Predictions are strong that about 50 percent of mobile device users are more likely to read eBooks in the next couple of years
More than half of the mobile users will be watching recorded videos and streaming pictures
At least three-quarters of mobile users worldwide will access social media networks
4. Customers would want Wi-Fi to be ‘free’
In all likelihood, customers would not want to pay for Wi-Fi. Most of them would expect that it is part of the overall service that has been provided like in bus stations, malls, hospitals, public spaces, etc.
5. Wi-Fi Wave 2 will take over
Wave 2 802.11ax is the latest Wi-Fi standard that has been certified by IEEE. The most unique new point about this standard is MU-MIMO.
It means, manufacturers can create access points that will be able to talk to multiple devices at the very same instant. In the earlier times the technology could handle multiple streams only in a sequential manner.
Though the new standard has not yet been formally ratified by IEEE, it is predicted that vendors may start releasing some gear (pre-standard) for 802.11ax version soon enough.
6. Quality of Public Wi-Fi will improve
Right now, many public-space Wi-Fi equipment and technology are on ‘trial mode’, meaning, their infrastructure is not top-class. However, with the predicted rise in the number of users, the level of expectations will be much higher.
Therefore, the authorities will have to deploy high-quality equipment and upgrade existing systems to better the performance to match the expectations of discerning customers.
7. Wi-Fi monetization ideas will emerge
Service providers will have to attach another cost component for provision of free Wi-Fi services. However, now monetization ideas such as data analytics, location-based services and advertising may come to the fore to recover these costs.
8. New models of Wi-Fi – based mobile offerings will come up
Mainstream cable and landline service providers are likely to make Wi-Fi centric mobile plans with cellular backup for customers. That is to say, more mainstream providers will opt for such models than ones that are already functioning in this niche.
9. Outsourcing of Wi-Fi operations to service providers will become more common
It is likely that Wi-Fi networks will grow more complex than before. In such a case, most businesses are likely to rope in service providers as partners to who they will outsource the operations and deployment as a managed service. In the meanwhile, the service providers will also be simultaneously expand their Wi-Fi networks.
10. Internet of Things will dependent on Wi-Fi
Internet of Things will depend on Wi-Fi for easy access. The Wi-Fi will be the key technology used to enable and access IOT deployments both at home and for businesses.
Wi-Fi technology will not have any of the challenges of coverage, cost and bandwidth presented by conventional mobile cellular networks.
11. Wholesale and retail Wi-Fi will emerge
Wi-Fi network operators will work to provide network capacity in wholesale and will get licensed mobile operators will work in small site locations or cells to expand their networks. The experience provided will be more mobile-like.
There would be agreements for domestic and international roaming facilities and access rates would differ. With global agreements, a consumer can roam out to different international Wi-Fi networks just like they do with mobile cell networks.
12. WI-Fi indoor mobile coverage will gain importance
Mobile operators are vying to increase their indoor mobile coverage by using the Wi-Fi calling facility. Some of the mobile companies are sending wireless routers to homes to provide high coverage.
13. Quality of mobile service will come down
In spite of increased data speeds, better access, security has become a big concern. It is also predicted that the quality of mobile services will take a hit. Handsets that are feature-rich, use of 3G technologies, and out-dated roaming service options have degraded mobile service quality over the years.
This trend is predicted to continue with introduction of newer mobile technologies. Even the use of feature-heavy handsets will degrade the quality of calls.
Complex applications will work to drain battery life and calls are likely to drop frequently. The call quality is also likely to be poor. Demand for phones that work on a single band is predicted to increase.
14. Smartphone access will mainly happen through Wi-Fi technology
It is predicted that over three-quarters of smartphones will use Wi-Fi regularly. Smartphone owners are likely to use Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet for nearly fifty per cent of the time.
15. There will be an exponential growth of Wi-Fi connected devices
According to research, there are expected to be close to 41 billion active Wi-Fi connected devices by the year 2020. Therefore, just from being a simple method to connect different devices, Wi-Fi will emerge as an extended and integrated customer-centric technology.
Final Thoughts
With the above trends in mind, it is important for service providers to take advantage of the propositions that Wi-Fi offers to better their services and reward better customer experience. This would help to increase customer loyalty and optimize costs in the future.
