Posted on January 25, 2019 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

If you are choosing to install WiFi, then it may be a good idea to go with a mesh-based WiFi system since you are essentially looking to get your whole residence covered.

There are a few things that you may want to look out for, about whether the WiFi is as good as advertised and if you are indeed able to get connected from any part of your residence.

If you have opted for the older model, then chances are that you may hit a few WiFi dead spots in your residence/office.

But before you rush out to purchase another WiFi modem, you may want to go in for a range extender.

Chances are that all you need is a range extender and with it, you should be able to get connected from any part of your residence.

Most of the range extenders are quite easy to set up, all you have to do is to name it, connect the same to your WiFi, give it a new name and give your WiFi a much-needed boost in the process.

Granted, that choosing one over the lot may be easier said than done, which is why we have tested and listed some of the top range extenders below, for your easy convenience.

1. Netgear AC1200 WiFi Range Extender EX6150

Netgear is indeed a well-known company and one that has indeed grown over the years; it has offered several digital products over the last few years, of which the Netgear AC 1200 happens to be one.

They have managed to show the world that they have still got it by showcasing Netgear AC 1200 to all but what makes this device popular is the fact that it is easy to set up and can be plugged into any electrical outlet.

With this device, you do not have to worry about anything as the installation is fairly simple; just follow the directions as listed with the device. The EX6150 is extremely easy to use, and with it, you should have reliable WiFi in your residence real soon.

2. D-Link WiFi Dual Band Range Extender DAP-1520

This WiFi range extender sticks out on account of its size and the fact that it comes packed with all the advanced functionality that you would ever need.

The DAP 1520 is extremely robust and quite tiny, so much so that it is actually inconspicuous – so much so, that it is almost invisible unless you are specifically looking for this range expander.

It comes with a simple design and lacks an Ethernet port for extending the range, and the antenna is inbuilt as well. And given its size, functionality, it certainly stands out as one of the best range extenders that your money can buy.

3. TP-Link RE350 AC1200 WiFi Range Extender

The WiFi range extender has been developed by a Chinese company and one that is slowly gaining recognition for all the right reasons.

Granted that you may be a bit leery of this product seeing how it has been built by a Chinese company but, it should provide you with the range you require.

Above all, it is priced reasonably and this may be the extender that you need, especially if you are strapped for cash.

It comes with an LED signal indicator on the front and installation is quite simple and easy, so much so that even a novice should not have much problem installing it.

4. Linksys RE6500 AC1200 Dual-Band Wireless Range Extender

On the outset, Linksys range expander seems a bit bulky and it certainly resembles a router, but that being said, it happens to be quite powerful.

The sturdy end of the design allows Linksys to come out with a range expander that includes four gigabit Ethernet ports, which should allow you to expand your current network to include other network devices with ease.

What’s more, this range expander also comes with an audio jack that you can connect to any sound system and stream digital music in real time. This device is indeed powerful and should help you stay connected, at all times.

5. D-Link DAP-1320 Wireless N300 Range Extender

If you were looking for a cheap but effective solution for your WiFi problems, then this one may well do the trick. D-link’s DAP 1320 is all right when it comes to expanding your network range, but it is not that powerful as some of the other range expanders.

Moreover, it does not come with the required Ethernet ports either nor does it feature dual bands or 802.11AC. Despite all this, the device is quite popular as it is quite tiny, easy to handle and set up.

So, if you were looking for a cheap way to boost up your current network, then this range expander may well be your best bet.

6. Linksys Velop

Here’s another range expander from Linksys; this range expander consists of the wireless mesh network and makes the case for why you may want to try one as opposed to the rest.

It is small, effective and highly functional; the best part about this mesh network is that it is quite easy to handle and is quite similar to your phone settings, so you should be able to set it up easily.

With it, you should be able to access all the net you want, at high speeds.

7. Trendnet WiFi Everywhere Powerline 1200 AV2

This WiFi range expander is certainly powerful enough and features dual bands – 802.11n (up to 330 Mbps) and 802.11 ac(up to 866 Mbps).

What’s more, with this powerful range expander, you should be able to get connected from anywhere in your residence or office.

The Trendnet WiFi packs quite a punch and while it may not look that great, it is certainly functional and comes with its own WiFi.

In short, with this range expander, not only do you get a powerful range expander but a WiFi as well, in the process. Please note that at the moment, this product is available only in the US and UK markets.

8. Amped Wireless Athena-EX High Power AC2600 WiFi Range Extender (RE2600M)

The Amped Wireless Athena range expander is indeed powerful; it is sleek, small, highly functional and should definitely give your WiFi network the required boost.

It may be a tad pricey but happens to be one of the best, it also supports MU-MIMO data streaming, and delivers a powerful performance.

9. Amped Wireless Titan-EX High Power AC1900 WiFi Range Extender (RE1900A)

The Amped Wireless Titan range expander certainly stands out for all the right reasons. It is quite fast and moreover, it has already been tested for the same.

It comes with 5 wired ports but lacks any parental control. It also cost more than the competition but it is certainly worth it.

10. Netgear Nighthawk X4 AC2200 WiFi Range Extender (EX7300)

The Nighthawk range expander is certainly one of the fastest ones of the lot; it definitely packs quite a punch, and also happens to be one of the fastest plugin range expanders that you are bound to come across.

Incidentally, it also supports MU-MIMO format and yes, it may be a tad pricey bit but it is certainly worth it. What makes this range expander stand out is the fact that it comes loaded with all the advanced functionality that you would need.

What’s more, if you have been facing quite a few dead spots in your residence, then with this range expander, you should be able to install it without any hassle.

Conclusion

These are some of the best WiFi range expanders, and you can take your pick. Granted you may think that expanders are the same even though they all boost your WiFi network for the better.

But irrespective of which range expander you pick, it’s important to pony up as most of the range expanders are quite fast. It may cost a tad more than the others, but in the end, it should be worth it.

Just so you know, that while there are some expanders that are rather slow when compared to others. But comparatively, they are still as good as it gets, if not more.

Please make sure that you review all the details, check out the range expander online and check out some of the reviews left by other customers. This should provide you with a good idea as to whether the range expander is worth it or not.

And you may want to shortlist a few, depending on your current budget and what you are planning to use your internet.

Posted on September 4, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

Be it at the gym and local coffee shops, you can find WiFi networks everywhere today. While it is great of convenience, you’ll need to take out time to secure it by setting a network password.

If you do not have a strong password and leave your connection open, you are prone to malicious attacks and your neighbors could be leeching off the internet you get billed for.

A WiFi password can be set by anyone in a few simple steps. Having a wifi password will save you from countless headaches down the road.

Take a look at the step-by-step guide below to understand how you can set a password and make your WiFi safe and secure:

1. Access your wireless router

This is where you need to start. If you have the setup disc for your router, use it to access your router. In case the disc is not available, you can access the router remotely over the internet.

Enter the router access URL into your web browser. The most common URLs are 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1, and 192.168.2.1.

It is advised that you use the computer connected to the router with an Ethernet cable to access the router. If you try and do it over WiFi, you will be instantly logged out after you change the settings. You will need to reconnect and log in to the network for further use and adjustments.
The username and password for factory setting routers is ‘admin’. In case this is not accepted, enter admin in one of the fields and leave the other one blank.
If you have altered the username or password in the past and cannot remember the same, just long press the reset button on your router to reset to default settings.

If you cannot access the router using any of the guidelines mentioned above, search for your router model online and get specific steps.

2. Go to Wireless Security Settings

Once you have logged in to access your router, you need to visit the tab for “Wireless Settings” or “Security Settings”. The positioning and nomenclature of the labels will vary from one router to another.

3. Choose an encryption type

There are several security options to choose from. The typical settings that you will see for most routers include WEP, WPA2-PSK, or WPA-PSK (Personal).

The WPA2 option is most secure for wireless connections and should be your choice. You may not be able to choose this option if you are using an older router.

Furthermore, if you will be connecting multiple devices and some of them are older router versions, you will not be able to choose and connect to a network that uses WPA2.

4. Select AES algorithms with WPA2-Personal

Once you have selected WPA2 as the Security option, you could be asked to select the type of WPA encryption. If the option exists, select AES as the encryption algorithm.

AES, also known as Advanced Encryption Standard is the most secure algorithm for wireless encryption. Certain routers may also give you the TKIP option, however, that is older and less secure.

5. Set your username and password

The screen in front of you will show fields for SSID and passphrase. SSID is the name of the network, commonly known as the username while the passphrase is the password that you will need to enter on all devices trying to connect to the network.

Remember to choose a strong password. This must be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. If the password is easy to crack, you will not be able to keep yourself safe from hackers.

Some online websites can help you choose a strong password for solid protection. Use them if you need to.

6. Save and Refresh

Click on the Apply or Save button to change your Wireless Security settings successfully. Most routers of today’s generation will refresh automatically and all devices that were earlier connected to the network will be disconnected until the new password is used to sign in.

For routers that do not automatically refresh to the new settings, manually turn off the router and wait for 10 seconds before you turn it on again. It will take some time to boot. You can notice the lights to see when your router has successfully refreshed to new settings.
Enter the new login username and password to all devices that regularly connect to your Wi-Fi network. Make sure you take a note of the password so that there are no chances of confusion in future.

To sum it up

To keep your WiFi network secure for long, it is advised that you change your password every 6 months. Here’s a quick summary of the steps you need to follow:

Log in to your wireless router
Select the Wireless Security settings tab
Open the section for Passwords
Choose WPA2 and AES for encryption settings
Enter a new password and click on Save or Apply

Also Read : How Do I Secure WiFi Network

Posted on August 22, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

Wifi issues can be quiet disruptive if internet lies at the heart of your routine. You cannot access your email and browsers; movie streaming becomes a challenge; updates on social media take too long making you miss out on a lot, and your phones start to depend on data plans.

The reasons for an interruption in your Wi-Fi connection are plenty – the location of the router, firmware limitations, hardware issues, signal congestion, or just the size and vastness of your house.

Whatever it may be, slower internet speeds are not easy to handle and can really bother you at times, especially if you are trying to complete an important task at hand.

Here is a list of some of the most common Wifi issues along with suggested solutions to fix the same:

1. Router Location & Distance

Internet speeds have drastically increased over the last few years. Despite such a tremendous improvement, some wireless and wired networks tend to get bogged down.

Slowing down the speed of data transfer due to the distance of the router is the most common wifi issue. If the router is too far, the connection will get unreliable.

Suggested Solution – Bring your device close to the router. If the router is lying in another room, go into the room where the router is lying and see if that helps to fix the problem.

In case the problem persists, place your router at a height away from other obstructions and interfering devices. You can also try placing it in a central location of your home.

2. Router Firmware

If your router’s firmware is not updated, you could be missing out on the advantages of certain features. Security issues might also be hampering the performance.

Suggested Solution – Visit the administration page of your router and check for any recommended updates. Review, download and install the same to enjoy additional features and improvements.

The step-by-step guide to upgrading your router’s firmware will be dependent on the make and model of the router. Take a look at the manufacturer’s website for more information and detailed directions.

3. Bandwidth

Another common reason for Internet speed slowdowns is lack of bandwidth. When several members in the house are using the internet on different devices to access data-hungry applications, your otherwise fast internet connection spreads out thinly and is distributed across multiple devices.

Suggested Solution – Try and reduce the load by disconnecting devices that don’t require an internet connection. If the use of YouTube and Netflix is high, connect one of the devices directly to the router with the help of a Cat-5 ethernet cable.

This allows for some of the wireless bandwidth to be free. You must also check the data plan you have because if your internet speed from the backend is not enough to support such high use, you will always experience slowdowns.

Another important thing to check is the security of your internet connection. If you have an open network, chances that someone nearby is leeching off your bandwidth are high. Setup the security for your network and share your password only with a few.

4. Outdated Router

Wireless technology has significantly evolved in the last one decade. Wireless standards have updated, internet speeds are faster, fiber is introduced in most areas, and the number of devices requiring an internet connection is higher.

Now, even your television, printer, smartphone, speakers, refrigerator, security systems, lights, and more are dependent on the internet. An outdated router cannot support all devices simultaneously.

Suggested Solution – If the internet speed is affected due to modem limitations, it is time for you to upgrade. It is recommended that you purchase a new router every two years as advancement in technology requires you to upgrade with the latest technology.

5. No Internet

In certain situations, the router just stops communicating because of technical glitches. There isn’t a specific and distinct reason for the same.

Suggested Solution – Start by unplugging both the router and modem. Disconnect power and wait for around 30 seconds before you power it again.

6. Internet Service Outage

Sometimes the internet connection drops completely, not because of a hardware trouble but because of backend service interferences. There isn’t much to explain and do in such a scenario because it just happens.

Suggested Solution – Visit a coffee shop to use their internet services or use your phone’s hotspot connection. Meanwhile, connect with the team at your Internet Service Provider’s end and inform them about the outage so that they can fix it.

Unfortunately, calling the ISP won’t give you instant internet speed and recovery but they will at least be informed of the affected areas and take relevant actions.

Most professionals today are extremely dependent on WiFi services and internet speeds must be fast. If the fixes mentioned above do not help, contact a technician and take their guidance to fix slow internet connections.

Posted on August 21, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

Wifi technology is extremely convenient because it allows us to access the internet wirelessly. Connecting your laptop to Wifi is really simple. Let’s look at the components of a Wifi Setup to understand how to connect to a WiFi in three easy steps.

Modem : A modem is device the converts the analog signal into digital signal. It is short from for modulator-demodulator and is required to convert the data from internet that travels through optical fibers.

Quick Fact – Do you know how internet connections are made possible between your Internet Service Provides (ISP) and servers across the globe? This is not done wireless or through the satellite.

Data is transmitted through optical fibers laid in the oceans. These cables are called Submarine Cables and physically connect all the continents and countries of the world.

Router : A router is a device that is connected to Modem and converts the digital data into radio waves. Radio waves are what makes WiFi possible.

Instead of transmitting data from internet via a cable connected to modem (like in the old days), the data in a WiFi network is carried by radio waves.

Nowadays some ISP provide the modem and router in a single device to make things easier. The router is just connected to the cable that comes from the local Internet Service Provider (ISP) of through the ethernet ports given in the apartments (which are again connected to cables by ISP)

Laptop: Your router is connected to your computing device like laptop, mobile and PC through the radio waves. All modern devices have an in-built WiFi adapter that can send and receive data wirelessly (through radio waves) from your router.

This is the setup of a WiFi network, now lets look at how to connect your Laptop to WiFi in 3 simple steps:

Step 1

Make sure your WiFi network is active, router is on and modem is connected. Also keep WiFi password handy as you will be prompted to enter it in next step.

If it’s your first time starting a WiFi in your home/ office you will have to setup the WiFi network with the secure password.

To setup a WiFi, just switch on and connect your router and modem to the cable / Ethernet port provided by your local ISP.

After that you need to go to your browser in your laptop and type in your IP address. This IP address will depend on the router service you use.

For example Belkin users must type in http://192.168.0.1. and Linksys users have to type in http://192.168.1.1. in their browser. You can find this IP address in the router manual or on Google.

You can then set your routers username and password. Set the SSID (wireless capability) as active and type in the username and password provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Choose WPA as your security. You can take help from your ISP to set this up or if you run into problems.

Step 2

Now that the your WiFi is setup and working switch on your laptop. There will be an internet access icon at the bottom right of your screen. Simple click on it and select the name of WiFi you want to connect to ( or the one you set up in previous step).

If you don’t see the icon, go to settings in your laptop. Select Network & Internet in it and select WiFi. Switch on WiFi and you will see all the WiFi networks available in your vicinity. Select the WiFi you want to connect to.

Step 3

Most WiFi networks will have a password to secure data. You will get a prompt to enter in password once you click on the WiFi you want to connect. Just enter the password given by the WiFi owner (of the one you setup in step 1)

Your laptop is not connected to Internet via router and Ethernet/ Dial – In connection provided by your ISP. Remember that the data is being carried form the router to your laptop by the radio waves with frequencies between 2.4 GHz and 5Ghz.

You are now free to move about anywhere within the WiFi range. Usually the range of WiFi router is 50 – 70 meters.

A Word about Public WiFi

Free WiFi are available in every cafe, restaurant and airport today. These are public WiFi available to everyone in the premise.

You can connect to these in the same three steps mentioned above. Just ask the café owners/ customer service authorities to give you the password for the WiFi.

Remember that any public WiFi with no password protection is not safe. Hackers can easily intercept the data sent from your laptop/ mobile and hack your accounts or infect your device with malware.

Another strategy used by hackers is to setup a free WiFi with a rogue name that is misleading. So do not connect to any WiFi whose source is not known to you or is not trusted.

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

Organizations now are opting, a tech oriented solution to every functionality. Marking attendance is one basic functionality unbiquitous across all sectors.

Conventional methods of registering the routine workforce turnout were laborious and time consuming.

The methods started off with paper based attendance marking and evolved to modern means like biometric systems and RFID cards.

The latest intruder is the wifi based attendance system.

What is a WiFi

WiFi based attendance systems are slowly propagating across the channels of establishments. The system offers a host of features that make employee management simple and effective.

Below are the highlights of the system that led to it being so popular and adored by the human resource departments:

1. Handy and efficient

The system is user friendly and works via multiple platforms. WiFi attendance works smoothly on any android or iOS device. The employees can mark their attendance once they are in the range set by the company.

The system is convenient for using – Basic requirement for the software is a mobile phone. The user interface of the systems is simple and hence makes it easy for any person to understand the working. The process is as simple as it can get. One tap and the employee is logged in.

2. More secured than conventional mode of attendance

The data is securely housed on azure cloud server. This platform is the most popular in business owing to the trustworthy features of secure storage. The concerns of security are ruled out right there.

3. Attendance information can be accessed 24X7

The best part about virtual records is that they are not bound by the confines of time in terms of availability. Your Human resource manager need go fishing through documents to retrieve data from a particular date.

All data is accessible on his computer. Primarily all he needs is the credentials to log in to the system and retrieve the information whenever needed.

4. Enhanced attendance evaluation

The process is automated to cumulate the data and calculates the number of hours the personnel have worked for a particular month.

The HR’s job is thus simplified for the purpose of calculating salary and overtime hours. The system requires zero human interference for maintaining records and computations.

5. Overtime observances

The easily accessible data makes it possible for the employees to check their number of work hours themselves. The readily available data makes it easier for the HR to restructure compensations and crank down unplanned leaves.

6. Time saving results

We can only imagine the amount of time that is saved owing to automated calculations in place of manual labor. The time saved can therefore be channelized towards improving infrastructure and workforce provisions.

7. Location Tracking feature

The system is supplemented with employee tracking feature. It is capable of tracing the location of the employee’s device. If an employee marks his attendance from anywhere outside the premises, the authority will be notified regarding the activity.

Not just that, but the HR can manage and track an employee’s location in real time.

Managing work place discipline will thus be a pushover!

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

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.

2. Enable Enterprise Mode WiFi Security

The enterprise mode of WiFI Protected Access uses 802.1X authentication for stronger security.

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.