Whether you need good connectivity for personal use or for your business, you need to make sure that you have everything in place from a good router to one of the best modems, that’s best suited for your business.

There are various reasons as to why you need some of the best modems and routers but a better idea would be to go for products that combine both.

It makes for an efficient option and one that should help you cut down on the pricing as well. Here are some of the best modem/ router combos that you can use, for both personal and business use.

Read Also: Top 20 Parental Control Routers to Use in 2019

1. Arris/Motorola SURFboard N300 (SBG6580)

The sBG6580 comes with three products in one; it contains Wi-Fi access port, dual band modem as well as Ethernet router. It certainly comes in a convenient combo and packs in advanced functionality as a result.

If you are looking to build your own network, then this is the one you need. But as for the device, it comes with a download speed of 343 Mbps, as well as upload speed o 131Mbps and a WI-Fi speed of 300 Mbps.

It certainly manages to provide you with jus what you need, the perfect combination with which to connect online. It also comes with a integrated security system, which can help keep your connection secure at all times.

It also harbors DOCSIS 3.0 technology, which keep up to the current internet standard, IPV4&6. But the best part is that it comes with 2 year warranty and what’s more, the pricing on the same is quite attractive. Here are some of the specs of the product –

  • It comes in an interesting combo of router, wifi access, and router
  • It is priced attractively
  • It comes with two year warranty
  • And it also features enhanced security

2. NETGEAR N600 (C3700)

This is an interesting product and one that comes with N 600 router and built in DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem, all rolled into one. It also comes with Ethernet ports and USB ports which should enable you to transfer data, with ease.

This product with its decent speed is perfect for HD gaming as well as live streaming. This device is very easy to set up and equally easy to use so much so that even a novice should not have much issue in handling the same.

It definitely stands out for all the right reasons, and moreover also comes with a separate access for guests as well. It also features parental controls which you can set up to ensure that your kids do not use the same to access anything that may seem inappropriate.

The genie app should help you to install the same easily and if you have guests coming over, they can use the guest access. Here are some of the main specs of this product

  • It comes with decent speed
  • It also features parental controls
  • It comes only in black color
  • It has an AC power source

3. ActiontecADSL Router (GT784WN)

One of the best things about this router/modem combo is that it is quite cheap and still manages to pack in quite a bit of advanced functionality. This product packs in the best and comes with full-rate ADSL 2/2+ modem.

In addition to a 4-port switch it also includes 300 Mbps wireless-N router. It certainly seems to be offering the lot and one that should make it perfect for both your home and business alike.

This device has been rigorously tested for performance and it certainly seems to live up to its hype. It comes with parental controls by which you can ensure that your kids’ access safe content at all times.

It also comes with top firewall service which should help provide you with the security you need, for your connection.

It also comes with content filtering as well as multiple layer encryption as well which can help prevent unwanted intrusions, hacking, as well as prevent DDOS attacks.

Actiontec provides round the clock customer support and if that’s not enough, there is the fact the current product also comes with some fantastic speeds which should make this a great product especially if you are into online gaming. Here are a few specs regarding the product

  • It comes with modem, router as well as 4 port switch access
  • It is priced attractively
  • It comes with high speeds, making it perfect for online gaming
  • Enhanced firewall
  • Enhanced security with multiple layer encryption and can help prevent unwanted intrusions, not to mention DDOS attacks

Read Also: Top 8 Smart Speakers To Rule The Charts of 2019

4. NETGEAR N450

The N450 manages to combine the best of Wi-Fi routers, modems into one; this product comes with multiple functions where it comes with DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem that offers 8 times the speed of normal routers.

It also has a Wi-Fi router with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, which can seamlessly enable you to connect online right away, and at high speeds. This product comes with a download speed of 340 Mbps, as well as high speeds to stream movies, online gaming as well as VoiP.

This product is perfect for businesses looking to transfer large packets of data online. This device is engineered to provide you with the right amount of coverage and more importantly, it does not carry any equipment cost either.

It comes with more than an adequate amount of protection thanks to WPA/WPA2 and can help keep your connection secure at all times and even help prevent DDOS attacks.  Some of the stats of this product are-

  • It comes with modem, Wi-Fi router, as well as 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
  • Decent pricing
  • High speeds, perfect for online gaming and high definition streaming
  • Perfect for Video conferencing
  • Enhanced security due to WPA/WPA2

5. TP-Link AC1750 (Archer CR700)

The TP Link may seem over-priced, but given all the advanced functionality, it sure seems worth it. The Archer CR700 is a cable modem router that should provide you with all the coverage you need.

It comes with Wi-Fi speeds of 1750 Mbps, which is really fast and makes it a perfect choice especially if you are into online gaming. What makes this product stand out is that it can simultaneously run t 2.4 GHz band (up to 450 Mbps) and at 5 GHz band (up to 1300 Mbps) bands which can help you optimize your net connectivity.

This 2 in 1 device is just what you need to beef up your current network and to provide you with the high speeds you require. It also comes with some fantastic download speeds as well with superior DOCSIS 3.0 cable download speeds of approximately 680 Mbps.

It also comes with 6 internal antennas as well as amplifiers which it uses to reduce interference as well as to boost its signal strength. Incidentally, it comes with both warranty as well as customer support 24/7. Some of the key specs of this product are –

  • It is easy to install and easier still to use
  • It can be connected with multiple devices at the same time
  • It comes with upload speeds of 1750 Mbps
  • It comes with download speeds of 680Mbps
  • It also comes with 6 internal antennas

Read Also: Top 10 WiFi Range Extender To Use In 2019

6. Motorola MG7550 AC1900

The Motorola product is a tad expensive but given its speed, and its current functionality, it is worth every cent and more. This product is compatible with most of the major cable networks and comes with a modem, WiFi router and multiple Gigabit Ethernet ports.

It is capable of extremely high speeds which make it perfect for gaming and if you were seeking for ways to upload large data or to download the same. The product itself comes with a sleek design as well as a vertical design which can help minimize shelf space.

It manages to integrate together the best of modem and router and in the process, provides you with highly secure connection and at high speeds. What makes this modem/ router stand out is that it comes with multiple configurations for sites that are heavily trafficked as opposed to others.

This product provides you with a reliable connection and comes with all the enhanced security that you need. With the AC1900, you get multiple layer encryptions and one that should enable you to avoid DDOS attacks, hacking attempts as well as malware infections. On a scale of one to ten where ten ranks at the highest, this product can be ranked at 8. Some of the key specs are –

  • It comes with high speeds
  • It also comes with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports,
  • It comes with a vertical design which should help save valuable space on the shelf
  • It also comes with enhanced security

It is essential that you check out the above products and then select one that fits in with your current requirement. With the right router and Wi-Fi in place, you should be able to maximize your opportunities and then make the best of the same.

Aldous Huxley could not have imagined it better! It seems that we are truly living in the age of automation.

In America, At least, one in six people own a smart speaker. But what makes these smart speakers great is the fact that they are multifunctional, expressly designed to provide customers with much more than a payback of their favorite tracks.

These smart speakers can integrate with compatible devices and help you control the same, for e.g. with smart speakers, you should be able to control the lighting in your room, your fridge, smart lock and much more.

With troves of brands crowding the market, it is time that we took a closer look at some of the best smart speakers for 2019.

Read Also: Top 20 Parental Control Routers to Use in 2019

1. Sonos one

  • Connectivity: 802.11 b/g 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, one 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port
  • Weight: 4.08 lbs
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Rich sound
  • Best of alexa and Sonos

This speaker brings the best of two world’s together; with the latest edition, you can now look forward to the best of smart speakers, courtesy of Alexa’s debut speaker, Sonos.

This speaker is voice controlled and certainly excels in obeying all the voice commands Apart from this, it also comes with some real smarts that allows you to communicate with Siri, as well as integrate with various devices which you can then control with the help of Sonos.

Google assistant is still MIA, but that’s temporary. This smart speaker stands out for the right reasons.

2. Apple Homepod

  • Connectivity: Wireless, WiFi, Bluetooth
  • Weight: 5.5 lbs
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Fantastic sound
  • Minimalistic design
  • Siri scope is limited
  • No Blue tooth streaming, Apple music is required

The Apple Homepod manages to score over other smart speakers in the fact that it is instantly compatible with all your Apple devices.

The only question that you need to ask yourself when considering this product is to determine whether it Is worthwhile investing in the same, one that fits comfortably only in an Apple ecosystem.

It comes with a great intuitive set up and stands out on its own, not to mention the fact that the speakers do deliver high quality sound as well. It may be a tad expensive but it comes with fantastic functionality, especially in an Apple ecosystem.

3. Amazon echo 2nd generation

  • Weight: 29 oz
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Connectivity: wireless, Wi Fi, Bluetooth
  • Great new look
  • Attractive price
  • New Alexa features
  • No more rotating dial

The 2nd generation is a lot better than the first one and that’s saying something. The current Amazon Echo (2nd generation), comes with a sleek look that takes your breath away.

What’s more, it comes with rich sound and you can use this smart speaker to play all your favorite sounds.

It does integrate better with your other devices than some of the other smart speakers and should be able to provide you with seamless quality where audio is concerned.

But what really stands out is that this smart speaker is attractively priced.

4. Google home

  • Weight: 1.05 lbs
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Connectivity: Wireless, Bluetooth
  • Great new look
  • Customizable base
  • It comes with a big song library
  • Currently missing Google’s core services
  • Current ecosystem all set to expand soon
  • Can make calls to landlines

When it comes to playing tracks of You Tube, Google home certainly ranks right at the top, What makes this smart speaker stand out, apart from its design is the fact that it is multifunctional and comes with several intuitive features as well.

It integrates well with some, if not all the tech friendly gadgets at your home and you can control the same with this speaker.

It is still a tad short of a few top end smart speakers and has a lot of room to grow in. That being said, this speaker manages to stand out nevertheless with its rich sound and its various functions.

Read Also: Top 10 Apps That Give Free WiFi

5. Amazon echo plus (2nd generation)

  • Weight: 35.65 oz
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Connectivity: Wireless, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  • Better audio drivers
  • Attractive fabric design
  • Temperature sensor and more

Amazon echo plus (2nd generation) is a lot more than a smart speaker; it has transformed into a smart hub. It comes with a subdued fabric design and has certainly evolved from its previous two tier design.

The sound quality is good, and so is its bass, and it certainly comes with good audio quality for that price range. It comes with several smart assistant features which should enable you to link up the speaker to several devices in your home.

It also comes with a built in smart hub, with which you can control several devices at the same time. But the best part about this device is that it is attractively priced

6. JBL Link 20

  • Weight: 1.3 kg
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Connectivity: Wireless, Bluetooth
  • Connects to Google home
  • Attractive fabric design
  • Answers questions and more

One of the reasons that this speaker stands out from most of the other speakers is on account of its sleek look, its ease of use and portability.

It connects seamlessly to Google home and also happens to be waterproof as well. Yup, this is one waterproof smart speaker that actually floats on water, so you can use it anywhere including your boat.

It also comes with helpful LED indicators which lets you know how much battery juice is left, as well as your battery signal. This device should let you know just how strong your current Wi-Fi is and whether it is strong enough to operate the smart speaker.

This product relies entirely on Google assistant more than anything else and is quite easy to use,  by even the most novice of beginners.

7. Sonos beam

  • Weight: 6.35 lbs
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Connectivity: wireless
  • Connects to your TV
  • Attractive fabric design
  • Answers questions and more

This smart speaker is just like Sonos one except that it sits on top of your television  and integrates with the same seamlessly.

It comes with both Alexa and Airplay support and provides you with rich sound, and high fidelity. One of the interesting things about this beam is that it integrates very well with other compatible devices especially your Sonos speakers.

In other words, you can use the beam with your other Sonos speakers to create a surround effect, as well. It comes with voice recognition and with it, you should be able to voice your commands and Sonos beam will execute the same flawlessly.

 

8. JBL LINK VIEW

  • Weight: 2.87 lbs
  • Battery life:n/a
  • Connectivity: Wireless, 802.11b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2
  • Comes with Google assistant
  • Attractive fabric design
  • Answers questions and more

JBL LINK view certainly comes with an interesting display and is compact in size; and this smart display certainly puts it among the top smart speakers for 2019.

It comes with 8 inch screen and two 51mm drivers which help provide flawless content on command. It also comes with voice recognition so you can ask it questions and it will automatically display the required answers, be it the weather or the latest news headlines.

It includes Google assistant and so you can always get the answers to your various questions, with ease. It also comes with the ability to pull up Chromecast videos, You Tube videos and much more. It certainly comes packed in with all the advanced functionality that you need in a smart speaker.

9. Google Home Mini

  • Weight: 173g
  • Battery life: n/a
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi Bluetooth support
  • Comes with Google assistant
  • Attractive fabric design
  • Answers questions and more

If you are on a limited budget, then you may want to opt for the mini version. The Google home Mini is quite compact but despite its size, it still manages to pack a punch.

It is able to integrate with compatible speakers and thereby provide your audio with much needed boost. This speaker can also answer your questions and even random ones, which makes for an interesting addition to your living room.

These are some of the smart speakers that we can look forward to, for 2019.

It is widely expected that the following year will see more new products being launched with better functionality and more user centric features.

Read Also: Top 10 WiFi Range Extender To Use In 2019

The pricing will also be varied with Amazon offering some of the most attractive prices in the market. The one thing that you can count on is that the smart speaker market is in the process of evolving further and it is not hard to imagine a time when you would be able to control all the devices in your home with the aid of one.

Feedback can’t ever be negative if you know how to present it in the right way. Each employee achieves something, while facing troubles in some areas of his or her work.

Feedback should help employees positively acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses. That is what positive feedback means.

With a few efforts, you can give positive and meaningful feedback to your employees.

Read Also: 35 Leadership Skills Every Manager Needs To Master

1. Go beyond “Great Job”

When an employee spends hours and hours working on a presentation, you can’t motivate just by saying a Great Job. 

It does convey that you liked the work. But you need more words to encourage that same employee to keep working with the same determination.

Adding details to your feedback and becoming specific increase the value of your feedback. You can say-

Your competitor evaluation in the presentation was exactly what we wanted to clarify our point. Amazing work!

If you see, detailing your feedback it not about saying more stuff. It is about becoming specific with what you want to convey. This clarifies the confusions in the mind of your employee. He or she will know what you expect in the future as well.

Simply saying “You did a great job” won’t tell an employee what he or she has done right. You need to clarify what you liked and which areas require more work.

2. Create a comfortable environment

Positive feedback can have some point, in which, an employee has to work on. To positively represent your feedback, you need to create a comfortable environment first.

No need to publicly advertise a feedback ever. Feedback should be a private, one-on-one conversation between you and your employee.

A one-on-one conversation gives more meaning to your praises and criticism. You create a calm and relaxed environment where your employee can think about everything you say right at that moment.

This conveys your support to employees in growing their skills and abilities.

Even praising in private is better than advertising it. Many people don’t want to stand in the spotlight. They simply want to do their work right.

Such people want you to give your feedbacks personally in a one-on-one communication setting. However, you can judge the needs of your employee and praise some of them in front of others.

3. Merge three strengths with three concerns

You or your managers can work on creating balanced feedback with three strengths and three concerns. The strengths should contain the accomplishments of an employee, while the concerns should include areas where that employee can grow.

The strengths motivate and encourage an employee to work on the concerns and improve consistently. At the same time, the strengths also tell how to do things correctly in future. It is as if you offer a list of “what to do” and “what not to do” with your feedback.

This way, you offer positive feedback to each employee without putting too much pressure on them. Your praise makes them value your suggestions regarding the scope of improvement. So, they put more effort into improving their capabilities.

4. Give it a positive ending

The key to positive feedback is to encourage employees. For that, each employee should leave your office with a smile on his or her face.

You should end every feedback with a positive comment. Present all the scope of improvements in the beginning. Use your second half of the conversation to describe how an employee has impressed you.

Your closing comments should convey that you appreciate your employee’s contribution to the growth of the organization. Put positive thoughts into words and let each employee know how much you appreciate his or her presence in the company.

Your employee will leave your office with a positive thought and motivated mindset. This feeling will stay fresh in their mind even if the words get blurred after a few months.

Read Also: How to Improve Policy Implementation at Workplace

5. Talk about performance, not someone’s personality

When constructing statements of your feedback, make sure you don’t judge the personality of an employee. You need to comment on how they perform instead of attacking their personality characteristics.

So, instead of saying- “Your arrogance has become a problem.”

Try saying- “When you oppose my ideas during client meetings, it sends a wrong message.”

Remember that you are not there to attack your employees. You want to help them improve their capabilities in a positive way. So, don’t target their hearts, try to appeal to their minds with your feedback.

6. Give a purpose to your employee

Your feedbacks should have a forward-moving tone. It should inspire an employee to work better and improve regularly.

Which is why you need to outline your feedback with clear objectives. Sit with your managers to describe a few objectives for each employee. Then, shape those objectives in positive statements.

Convey your feedback as an outline for the future. This saves employees from regretting about what they have done wrong in the past. Their minds immediately go into an action mode. They feel they have a chance to make things right.

At the same time, you should clearly convey that all the possible support is available at the expense of the employee. Make sure each employee knows that you are there to guide and support in the process.

7. Link your feedback to an organizational impact

The strength of your feedback increases a thousand times when you align it with an organizational impact. Suppose an employee has delivered his end of work on-time for the last 6 months.

This surely has helped other departments performing better, which has increased the growth rate of the whole organization.

Simply saying that an employee is punctual with his deadlines is not effective enough. But when you describe the organizational impact of his support, it motivates him to keep working with the same determination.

To give such in-depth feedback, you first need to recognize organizational impacts of the behaviors and efforts of your employees.

Then, you can outline each individual characteristic in connection with a large organizational impact. It conveys to each employee how their small actions decide the fate of the company. So, they become more responsible.

8. Document and prepare your feedback approach in advance

The preparation of feedback should be an ongoing process for managers and higher authorities. It would be wise to keep developing performance reports consistently for each employee.

Create a list of positive assets each employee brings to the table. This way, you will know what to say when the time of giving feedback comes. Also, you can use the same reports to decide on appraisals and promotions.

Using the prepared reports, you can practice your feedback in advance. If you want, make a list of bullet points for each employee.

These bullet points can have every factor you want to talk about such as performance, achievements, job behavior, and others. This helps you choose the right words and cover everything to offer comprehensive feedback to each employee.

9. Choose the right time to give feedback

When you have some positive and constructive things to convey, find the right time. Giving positive feedback right after finishing a project or before the beginning of a project seems logical.

Your positive words further motivate your employees to improve their efforts.

Just after finishing a project successfully, you can offer your positive feedback to appreciate employees’ contributions. This allows each employee to know that their hard work has been noticed.

If you choose to give your feedbacks right before a project, your appreciative words can trigger the sense of improvement in employees. This allows each employee to use your feedback right away on a new project.

You can choose a time that suits the mindset of your employees.

Read Also: 20 Skills Required For Effective Team Management

10. Make your feedback session interactive

Your feedback session should be as interactive as possible. It will allow employees to convey their work approach, performance capabilities and the challenges they face.

At the same time, you can learn more about the reasons why some employees succeed while others struggle to perform optimally. The interactive approach also leads to some ground level ideas and plans, which helps in improving the work system as a whole.

The interactive approach becomes easier to achieve when you outline your feedback in a positive tone. Even the concerns are presented as a scope of work, which allows employees to express their conflicts.

Along with all the mentioned tips, you should also try to be as direct as possible. Give your feedbacks personally without using a messenger or a communication channel.

Also, include observations instead of interpretations. If you can accomplish all of that, it will create a growth mindset in your whole organization.

Positive feedback to your employees is fuel to perform better in the coming future. Genuine praise and genuine concern are taken positively by everyone. You just need to choose the right words without judging an employee.

You can accomplish a lot with positive feedback. So, use the mentioned ideas to improve your ability to convey them.

 

When it comes to managing a team, a manager must possess several skills so that he can manage the team effectively. He needs to be able to quickly identify those who can add value to the whole team.

Essentially any management and/or leadership require several skills and you may want to quickly review the same listed below so that you can fine-tune the same.

Read Also: 20 Skills Required For Effective Team Management

1. Integrity

The first thing that you need to know is that a good leader leads by example. You need to maintain a high standard of integrity and work ethic.

Chances are that the rest of the team are already looking towards you as a peer role model and you need to make sure that you set an example, for the rest of your team to follow.

2. Team building

One of the marks of any good manager or leader is the innate ability to form inclusive teams irrespective of gender or any other metric other than skill set.

You must have the ability to identify valuable skills in all those you come across irrespective of any difference and make them part of your team. It is vital that you support them at every stage of their work and work with them to get it done on schedule.

3. Positivity

You need to make sure that team knows that you back every decision that the company makes and that you believe in the company’s goals and priorities. This mark of positivity should help enthuse and even motivate the team to perform better.

4. Communication

It is important, that as a manager, you are able to communicate all your goals, priorities to the rest of the team and even repeat it at times so that there is no miscommunication on the same.

You need to ensure that everyone is on board and understands their role and what’s expected of them, as you move ahead with the rest of the project.

5. Listening

Any good leader would know that it is important, to say and, equally vital to listen as well. While it is true that you do have to communicate all project related information to the rest of your team or employees, at times, you would also need to listen to what they may have to say on the issue as it can help you streamline your performance and help you achieve your targets faster.

6. Motivated

Every leader needs to be self-motivated; this is not just another job but an opportunity that you can use to redefine your own career goals. To that end, you need to stay motivated and try and accomplish all you possibly can.

7. Confidence and optimism

In this case, both confidence and optimism go hand in hand. Just remember that the rest of your team is looking towards you for cues and you need to be optimistic and confident at all times – as this should help the rest of the team remain confident about their chances as well.

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8. Accountability

When it comes to sharing the blame, the buck stops at the top man and that happens to be you. You need to be responsible enough to take responsibility for any mess up and try not to shirk the same by passing the buck to someone else.

9. Courage

As a leader, you may be required to take a decision which may be highly unpopular. But these decisions have to be taken nevertheless and a mark of any good leader is one who does not shy away from the task at hand.

10. Engaged

One of the best ways to get the most out of your team is by staying engaged and that means involving yourself in the process and not sitting it out by the sidelines shouting directions at others.

11. A healthy sense of humour

When working on various projects, things can go wrong as they inevitably do – but it is important to retain that healthy sense of humour, and refocus on what’s positive, at all times.

12. Passion

It goes without saying that every employee needs to be passionate about his work as it can help propel them up to greater heights.

The same is true of any leader or manager, you must believe in the goals you set as this can help motivate the rest of your team.

13. Respectable

Any good leader would know that being respected by others can go a long way to make yourself heard; at the least, the others pay attention to what you are saying and try to understand the reason ‘why’.

14. Likeable

A good leader is always feared, respected and liked by the rest of his employees. The same cliché holds true for any team that you may manage since being liked enables you to easily build a rapport with others and build a closer relationship with those working under you.

15. Ethical

It goes without saying that you need to maintain a high standard of ethics, otherwise, the rest of your employees may not have the same respect they once had for you.

16. Loyal

While it is true that you can and should expect loyalty from your employees, you should also show them the same loyalty towards them by helping them with their work and even supporting them on various personal issues as well.

17. Charisma

Every good leader needs to have a magnetizing persona or charisma that can help them stand out in the crowd.

Read Also: How to Improve Policy Implementation at Workplace

18. Drive

Any good leader or manager would have the necessary drive and motivation to succeed in all their key goals; doing what you love doing can help motivate you and give you the drive you need to achieve your goals.

19. Emotional intelligence

More often than not, people often lack in the same. The fact is that emotional intelligence can help any good leader or manager performs better since they retain better control over their emotions and can gauge the reactions and emotions of others around them.

20. Emotional control

As a mark of a good leader, you must be able to control all emotions within yourself. Sure, when you are at home, you can let go but doing so at the office is a big no-no.

21. Opportunity cost

Any good leader would know the value of opportunity cost and while the opportunity is often realized in USD, it takes everything into consideration such as resources, man hours etc.

22. Humility

As a leader, it is important to remember that humility can help transform you for the better, so do not forget asking other team members for their feedback regarding your own performance as a manager as it can help you identify problem areas you need to work on.

23. Discipline

No one’s asking you to be a hard taskmaster but as any leader would be aware, it consists of you of retaining an inner discipline and being resolved to attain those goals.

24. Perspective

At times, as a leader, you must have the ability to seek out a fresh perspective since you may well be missing the forest for the trees.

25. Risk management

As a leader, you must be able to identify, evaluate and address risks so that your team can perform better.

 

26. Time management

You must be adept at managing time since it can help you multi-task various tasks at the same time.

27. Self-assurance

As a leader, you may need to chart a new road ahead for your company and need to be self-assured to overcome the various challenges you are bound to face.

28. Maturity

As any good leader knows already, maturity rarely goes hand in hand with age; maturity is when you know how to communicate with others effectively when you listen to others and take their feedback seriously.

29. Serve as an example

Before you have high expectations from the rest of your team, it is important that you set an example for others to follow and emulate as well.

30. Network building

Often it is important as to who you know, as this can help you with your career and any decisions you make. This is why most leaders often try and build a network and keep in touch with people from various walks of life.

31. Sociable

It is important for any leader to be sociable and outgoing as it can help you communicate better with others and even help in building a relationship as well.

32. Public speaking

A good leader must be an effective communicator and that often includes speaking in public, at large gatherings. You must be able to convey your ideas adroitly and with the right amount of panache.

33. Reasonable

As a good leader, you must know your limits and that means that you cannot make unreasonable demands from the rest of your team as this can result in you being disliked by everyone.

34. Boldness

As a leader, you would often be required to take tough decisions and you need to boldly take the same, in the interests of the company.

35. Empathy

Often, a good leader who stays too focused on his goals can lose sight of all those around him. While it is good to be focused on the task at hand, you need to empathize with all those around you, and especially with the rest of your team.

By being empathic to their current plight and needs, you can help bridge any gap and build a better relationship in the process.

Read Also: Do We Need Employee Assistance Programs at the Workplace?

Conclusion

Leadership skills can help you win over your subordinates and colleagues. All one needs is passion for learning such skills and inculcating them in his or her life for getting maximum results.

WiFi and Bluetooth are two modes of wireless communication. Both modes utilize radio signals to establish connection. But there is a core difference between these two with respect to the purpose they serve.

Bluetooth allows connection in a short range between devices. This helps in sharing data between the connected devices.

On the contrary, WiFi enables access to the internet.

Bluetooth is limited to the devices connected in a short range. But there is a higher connection possibility for WiFi users.

The bandwidth also changes between the two modes. WiFi offers higher speed due to high bandwidth, while Bluetooth connection works on low bandwidth.

Read Also: What Is The Difference Between Broadband And WiFi

Bluetooth

1. What is Bluetooth?

Bluetooth is a universal mode of wireless connection that works in a short range. This wireless connection is used for data communications.

IBM, Nokia, Toshiba, and Ericsson are the companies that invented Bluetooth. However, it was Intel that created SIG or Special Internet Group to promote the concept of Bluetooth.

They also developed Wireless Personal Area Network or WPAN. With that, Bluetooth became the very first technology for short-distance wireless network for data application and communication.

The rate of data is pretty low with respect to WiFi. But it offers an inexpensive way of creating a small but effective wireless network.

Using Bluetooth SIG, the process of cable replacement takes place. Ad-hoc network becomes possible. Plus, connected devices create APs or Integrated Access Points. These access points allow all users to utilize wireless voice and data.

2. What is the architecture of Bluetooth?

The topology of Bluetooth is called the scattered kind of ad-hoc topology. This topology defines the collection of connected devices in an ad-hoc way. This collection is called Piconet.

There are total 4 states of Bluetooth connection:

  • M or Master- This state can contain 7 to 200 collections of slaves in the active
  • S or Slave- The slaves are the names given to terminals. These terminals can become a part of one or more piconet at once.
  • SB or Stand by- These stay in line to join an existing piconet. During the waiting period, SB’s MAC address stay retained in them.
  • P or Parked/hold- P are the ones waiting to get attached to the existing piconet. But these ones release their MAC address.

3. How is a physical connection developed to use Bluetooth?

To create a physical connection, a modem with FHSS type is used. FHSS or Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum modem is leveraged along with 0 dBm of antenna power. Alternatively, 20 dBm can be used for the operation as well.

The hopping rate of Bluetooth should be 1600 hops/second. Bluetooth can attain a specific hopping format for every piconet, which is known as its frequency.

4. How to manage a Bluetooth connection?

The connection takes two major processes for an establishment. These processes are called Inquiry connection and Page connection.

Every active device is assigned to 3-bit in AMA (also known as Active Member Address). Every parked device gets allocated to 8-bit in PMA (also known as Parked Member Address). There is no address required for standby devices.

  • Sniff- In this state, slaves listen minimized rate of the piconet.
  • Hold- Slave restricts all the ACL transmission and allows SCO packet exchange.
  • Park- Slave allows the release of AMA it has.
  • Page- AMA becomes the master after getting assigned.
  • Connected- The process of listening, transmitting and receiving is involved in this state.
  • Standby- The listening process happens periodically.
  • Inquiry- A search is conducted to locate other devices in the network area.

5. What about the security aspect of Bluetooth?

With Bluetooth, you can expect information confidentiality and usage security as well. The utilization of a random number, device’s MAC address ensures its security.

The two-step approach, Authentication, and Encryption, further enhances the security. However, there are three ways of Bluetooth operations, which are non-secure, link level and service level.

Read Also: What Is LiFi? All You Need to Know

WiFi

1. What is WiFi?

Wi-Fi is also called Wireless Fidelity. This technical name is IEEE 802.11 suite. This standard was the initial WLANs standard. These same standards create an interface that ensures transmission and receiving process between multiple wireless clients and access point.

With 802.11 standards, inventors wanted to increase the range of wireless connectivity. Making portable, permanent and mobile connections, these standards lead to the development of much-needed PHY and MAC layer.

Features of IEEE 802.11 standard include:

  • It enables a time-bounded, asynchronous delivery facility.
  • It provides support to continuous service in the whole area that comes within the distribution system.

2. What is the architecture of WiFi?

The topologies or operation models have two types:

  • Infrastructure topology: This mode generally contains at least one AP or access point. The AP stays linked to a wired infrastructure of the network along with multiple wireless stations. AP has the control over encryption and creates the route for wireless traffic towards the internet network.
  • Ad-hoc topology: In this mode, two wireless stations connect with each other directly without any access point. There is also no need for a wired network in this mode. This topology is also called IBSS or Independent Basic Service Set. A wireless network between two laptops is an Ad-Hoc mode.

3. What about WiFi’s security?

There are provisions provided for privacy and authentication path. The authentication process can be done in two ways:

  • Open system- This is a default scheme of authentication. An algorithm ID for authentication is sent by a request frame. The results of this request are judged with respect to the response time.
  • Shared key- This authentication mode is more secure. In this, a request frame usually carries a 40-bit encrypted code, which is used for frame ID authentication. This code stays secret between the IP and the request frame. Two stations complete the process of sending, encrypting and responding with the secret code. This completes the authentication process.

Read Also: WiFi Can Let You See Through Walls – Know How!

Bluetooth vs WiFi

1. Bandwidth

Bluetooth bandwidth stays low, while WiFi works with high bandwidth. This is due to the range of network and the limitations associated with the connected devices.

2. Required hardware

The devices need to have Bluetooth adapter in order to connect in a Bluetooth network with each other. The connection to Wi-Fi requires the availability of a wireless adapter in every device along with the availability of one wireless router.

In terms of required hardware, both types require their own adapter availability. However, WiFi needs one wireless router as well.

3. Usability

When it comes to usability, Bluetooth network seems pretty simple. The connection is small, which allows users to easily switch from one device to another for a new connection.

The process of using WiFi is a bit complicated with respect to Bluetooth. First of all, it requires the correct installation and configuration of router. The software configuration also takes complex steps. Only then, the complete setup establishes WiFi network connectivity.

4. Range

In terms of connection range, Bluetooth provides a small area of network around 10 meters. This is nothing when you see the connection range of WiFi. A WiFi network can give you 100 meters of connection range.

5. Security

When compared in terms of security, WiFi seems better than Bluetooth. WiFi offers better security features. Which is why Bluetooth seems less secure as compared to WiFi. However, there are security issues regarding the use of WiFi as well.

6. Use of energy

The energy consumption is pretty low in Bluetooth, which makes it easier to install in small devices as well. The WiFi network takes higher energy, as there is a router involved along with multiple network stations.

7. Range of frequency

The frequency can range 2.400-2.483 GHz in a Bluetooth network. This range goes up to 2.4-5 GHz in WiFi. This frequency range is the reason why Wi-Fi enables better and more complex connections.

8. User flexibility

Bluetooth allows a certain number of devices to connect together in a short range. So, the user flexibility is pretty low in this type of network as compared to WiFi.

With WiFi, many users can get access to the network at once.

9. Modulation techniques

The modulation technique for Bluetooth is GFSK or Gaussian Frequency Shift Keying.

The modulation technique for WiFi network is OFDM or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing. It can also use another technique called QAM or Quadrature Amplitude Modulation.

Conclusion

Both WiFi and Bluetooth technologies have enabled users in terms of wireless communication. Multiple devices can connect with each other and share data. The purpose of both connection types is different, but they both have their own advantages.

While Bluetooth works fairly to connect devices in a short range, you need WiFi to get large connectivity to the internet.

With this knowledge, you can now utilize both kinds of wireless communications as per your need. You know the advantages, so choose a type of network that aligns with what you are trying to accomplish.

For instance, large connectivity for multiple users asks for WiFi. But you can connect two devices using Bluetooth for data transfer in a short range.