Wi-Fi

A streaming video downloader app for Mac is being offered at a discounted price of $95.99, letting users save shows and movies from streaming services to watch offline while travelling. The deal is drawing attention from travellers who want entertainment without relying on in-flight Wi-Fi or unstable internet connections abroad.

Swiss International Air Lines will fit its entire fleet with SpaceX's Starlink high-speed internet by 2029, according to Swissinfo. The deal means passengers on SWISS flights should get fast, gate-to-gate broadband in the coming years. It follows a broader aviation trend of airlines partnering with satellite providers to upgrade onboard connectivity, and travelers are weighing what free or faster Wi-Fi could mean for the in-flight experience.

Wi-Fi 8, the next generation of wireless connectivity, is beginning to reach households, prompting comparisons with Wi-Fi 7. The new standard focuses on improved reliability, lower latency and more stable connections in congested environments rather than raw speed. Technology outlets are explaining what these changes mean for everyday home networks and when users can realistically expect compatible devices.

A new technical write-up details how to automate testing of Wi-Fi provisioning flows on the ESP32 microcontroller, a common pain point for embedded developers since setup routines often require manual interaction with phones or access points. The post walks through tooling that lets developers run these tests repeatably in continuous integration, and engineers online are sharing and discussing the approach.

MakeUseOf explains why a fast broadband connection can still deliver sluggish Wi-Fi, listing five common culprits. Typical causes in such guides include router placement, outdated hardware, interference from other devices, network congestion and settings that limit wireless speeds, each of which can throttle performance before the internet connection itself becomes the bottleneck.

SpaceX's next-generation Starlink V3 satellites are drawing attention for their sheer size, reportedly spanning about as wide as a Boeing 787's wings once their antennas are deployed. The satellites are designed to deliver dramatically higher bandwidth, supporting the growing list of airlines adopting Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi. Commenters are debating the scale of the hardware and what it means for the future of aviation connectivity and satellite broadband competition.

Valve has added a low-latency codec called Pyrowave to Steam Remote Play, its game-streaming feature. The new codec promises noticeably better image quality and responsiveness when streaming games over local networks, but at a steep cost: it can consume five to ten times more bandwidth than existing options, making it practical mainly for fast wired or Wi-Fi home setups.

Delta Air Lines has chosen Amazon to provide in-flight internet connectivity, a decision that drew an immediate attack from Elon Musk against Delta's chief executive Ed Bastian. Musk, whose company Starlink competes in the aviation connectivity market, publicly criticized the Delta CEO following the announcement. The partnership signals Delta's preference for Amazon's satellite internet service over rival providers, intensifying competition in the growing market for airborne Wi-Fi.

The iOS app Network-Doctor stores every network measurement locally on the device and analyses recurring problems, such as connection losses that happen every evening. It shows a confidence level along with the underlying measurements, aimed at home network, Wi-Fi and FritzBox users who want to diagnose intermittent internet issues.

Apple Music users are being shown how to change the streaming and download audio quality settings on their devices. The settings let listeners choose higher-quality lossless playback or lower-quality options to save data, with separate controls for Wi-Fi and cellular connections and for downloads.

The Wallbox Pulsar Max, a 7.4kW Type 2 electric vehicle charger with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, rated for both indoor and outdoor use, is being featured as a home charging option. The compact unit is aimed at drivers looking for app-connected, weatherproof charging for electric cars.

Digital Trends has published a roundup of five router deals, arguing that upgrading equipment is a smarter first step than paying a broadband provider for a faster plan. The piece suggests many households can improve slow or inconsistent Wi-Fi by replacing an aging router rather than increasing subscription speeds. It is aimed at consumers weighing home internet upgrades.

Delta is the only one of the four largest US airlines that has not signed on to use Elon Musk's Starlink for in-flight Wi-Fi, with the service already adopted by its major rivals. The Wall Street Journal reports that Musk is angry about Delta's refusal, keeping the airline's decision in the spotlight amid intensifying competition over onboard connectivity.

A common home-network problem is making the rounds: a Wi-Fi repeater properly connected via LAN to the router still delivers barely 90 Mbit/s in the room. The usual culprit is an old network cable or a port limited to 100 Mbit/s somewhere in the chain, which caps speeds regardless of how fast the internet line is. The advice: check cables and ports for gigabit support before blaming the router or provider.

Nanoping has published benchmark results on multi-connectivity for real-time streaming over Wi-Fi, examining how combining multiple network paths can reduce latency and disruption during roaming. The work targets applications like audio streaming where dropouts matter, and has drawn attention from developers interested in low-latency wireless networking.

A Japanese tech news item warns Pokemon Go players that launching the game without connecting to Wi-Fi after a mandatory update can burn through large amounts of mobile data. It stresses that downloading game assets is especially important for dedicated players, and lists what trainers should do after being forced to update.

German telecom provider 1&1 has introduced the HomeServer Pro, a new router featuring Wi-Fi 7 support for both DSL and fibre-optic connections. The device targets customers wanting faster wireless speeds and future-proof home networking. Tech blogs in Germany are covering the announcement, highlighting the combination of next-generation Wi-Fi with 1&1's broadband services.

Pocket-lint argues that relying on the free router your internet provider hands out is a costly error for home networks. The piece contends that ISP-supplied hardware is typically underpowered, offers weaker security, and performs worse than a router you buy yourself. Coverage like this tends to circulate whenever people troubleshoot slow Wi-Fi or reconsider their broadband setup.

A tech guide explains how MacBook users can boost their internet speeds. The piece walks through simple settings changes and troubleshooting steps, such as adjusting network preferences, checking for interference, and restarting routers, to improve Wi-Fi performance on Apple laptops.

German telecoms provider 1&1 has introduced the HomeServer Pro, a new router supporting the Wi-Fi 7 standard and designed for both DSL and fibre-optic connections. The device brings next-generation wireless speeds and improved handling of multiple connected devices to 1&1 customers, and the announcement is being picked up by German tech news outlets.

Wi-Fi problems at home are often caused not by the internet line but by a congested radio channel. Neighbouring networks, mesh setups and crowded 2.4 GHz bands can choke the wireless link while a speed test still shows strong results. Users are sharing tips on checking channel occupancy and switching bands to fix sluggish connections, especially in dense residential buildings.

Engadget is highlighting practical ways to repurpose an old Wi-Fi router rather than throwing it away. Suggested second lives include turning the device into a range extender, a wired access point, or a guest network, with recycling or donation as options for hardware too old to be useful. The piece fits a wider interest in reusing household electronics instead of adding to e-waste.

The iOS app Network-Doctor reads out the sync rates of home routers and compares them with actual Wi-Fi throughput, supporting FRITZ!Box, Speedport, Vodafone Station, EasyBox, O2 HomeBox and UPnP routers without requiring access credentials. Each finding comes with measured values, helping users see whether slow Wi-Fi stems from the router connection or the wireless link itself.

Delta Air Lines has reportedly delayed its planned rollout of Starlink in-flight Wi-Fi in favor of Amazon's satellite internet service, according to InsideFlyer. The switch could mean passengers wait longer for faster connectivity on flights, as Delta shifts its partnership from SpaceX's Starlink to Amazon's Project Kuiper. Travelers following the airline's connectivity plans are watching to see how the delay affects onboard internet availability.

A common home-network problem is drawing attention: the router reports a full 100 Mbit sync rate, yet devices on Wi-Fi only receive around 30 Mbit. The advice circulating is simple – test with a LAN cable plugged directly into the router. If the full speed arrives there, the line and provider are fine, and the bottleneck is the Wi-Fi or a repeater rather than the internet connection itself.