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 26, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

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.

An Australian radio astronomer John O’Sullivan along with his colleague Terence Percival and Graham Daniels played a significant role in the development of an essential patent, which was designated to be used in the Wi-Fi technology as a by-product.

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.

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

Frequently interrupted WiFi connectivity might be an issue for most of the users and network administrators as well. A well- optimized wireless network is crucial for making most out of your internet connection. WiFi analyzer apps for Android are a convenient choice for all sorts of users to resolve issues on WiFi networks.

Here are 11 best Wifi analyzer apps to tackle issues on Wifi Network

1. WiFi Analyzer

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.

2. Network Signal Info

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.

3. Open Signal

Open Signal is designed for Wifi as well as cellular monitoring. It is in fact a powerful wifi analyzer app owing to many useful features.

It helps you in,

Locating nearest mobile tower
Identify accurate signal strength
Perform speed & latency tests
Getting exact wireless information
Detecting connection quality
In- depth network analysis

You can download this app for free and it doesn’t support any ads as well. So, install this app if you want to perform a detailed network analysis.

4. ScanFi

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.

5. WiFi Monitor

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.

6. WiFi Manager

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.

7. WiFi Analyzer – Home WiFi Alert

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.

8. WiFi Signal Strength

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.

9. WiFi Analytics Tool

This is one of a kind app which offers you advanced signal strength graphs and makes it easier to optimize your Wi-Fi network set up.

Best Features

Wifi Channel Graph
Wifi Signal Strength Graph
Wifi Scanner
Channel Interference Analyzer
Signal Strength Meter

10. WiFi Data – Signal Analyzer

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.

11. IP Tools: WiFi Analyzer

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.

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.

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

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.

Whereas WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) uses radio waves in the electromagnetic spectrum, LiFi uses the visible light, infrared and ultraviolet waves to transmit data. What this means is that a simple microchip in your home lamps or office lighting can turn them into a LiFi router.

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.

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

The two truths that we have to acknowledge today are that children are addicted to the Internet and the Internet is a great place to learn new things. What if the new ‘things’ are all about malware and inappropriate content? Parents should be more concerned about keeping their children away from harmful stuff.

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.

Read Updated Version: Top 20 Parental Control Routers to Use in 2019

1. Circle with Disney

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.

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Wifi Attendance Super Admin

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.