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Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Tom's Guide
I just got my first glimpse at what's possible with Wi-Fi 8 — and this one new feature has me really excited
Just when I thought Wi-Fi couldn't get any better after the jump from Wi-Fi 6E to Wi-Fi 7, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Wi-Fi Alliance are already hard at work on the next wireless standard. Though Wi-Fi 8 is very much still in the planning stage at this point, after learning more about its potential to transform wireless connectivity as we know it, I'm already excited for a world where every large network you connect to will soon feel more like a mesh one. For those not up to date on the latest Wi-Fi developments, let me break it down for you real quick. Although it was an extension rather than a brand new wireless standard, Wi-Fi 6E was actually a really big deal when it launched back in 2020. The reason being is that up until that point, there were only two wireless bands to work with: 2.4 and 5 GHz. Wi-Fi 6E added another band that utilized the 6GHz spectrum which had just become available. Not only is the 6GHz band faster but it's also less congested as most laptops and phones still use the 5GHz band while the best smart home devices and other less data-hungry gadgets use the 2.4 GHz band. Then came Wi-Fi 7 which added a ton of new features like 4K-QAM modulation for increased throughput and Multi-Link Operation (MLO) for improved reliability and speed while still providing access to that faster 6GHz band. Now with Wi-Fi 8 though, the focus is less on speed and more on reliability. After speaking with the Vice President of Technical Standards at Qualcomm, Rolf de Vegt, I'm even more optimistic about Wi-Fi 8 and the future of wireless connectivity as one of the key features of the next wireless standard will allow everyone to experience exactly what I did when I switched from using one of the best Wi-Fi routers to a mesh Wi-Fi system. Don't get me wrong, making the switch to a new traditional Wi-Fi router over say, the one your internet service provider gave you when you signed up, will certainly be a big and noticeable upgrade. However, if you live in a larger home or apartment, your download and upload speeds will be better but your overall experience might not. The reason behind this is due to one of the most pesky nuisances in the world of home networking: Wi-Fi dead zones. When you're up close to your router, you'll get a strong and reliable signal. However, what happens when you walk away from it and are out of range? You know those spots around your home — like in that faraway room on the other side of your house or even out in your garage — where you just can't get a signal. Those are Wi-Fi dead zones. There are several solutions to deal with this problem from adding one of the best Wi-Fi extenders at the edge of your home network to using your home's electric lines and a pair of the best powerline adapters to increase the range of your home network. However, from my own personal experience which involved trying both of these solutions, neither really did the trick. I was about to give up and just live with poor wireless connectivity in certain areas of my home until I decided to go all in by upgrading to one of the best mesh Wi-Fi systems. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Unlike a traditional router, a mesh Wi-Fi system or mesh router isn't actually a single device designed to fix your Wi-Fi problems. Instead, it's two to three (or even more) devices working together simultaneously to push your Wi-Fi signal even farther. With this kind of setup, you have one device that serves as your main router and gets plugged into one of the best cable modems or an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) if you have fiber internet and the rest of them, referred to as satellites or nodes, are spread throughout your home. These satellites then relay the Wi-Fi signal from your router to one another which results in your house being blanketed with a strong wireless signal. If you live in a big house and want to finally put an end to those Wi-Fi dead spots for good, I wholeheartedly recommend upgrading to a mesh network. The big advantage this offers over using a Wi-Fi extender is that your devices are seamlessly handed off from one satellite to the next. What does this all have to do with Wi-Fi 8 though? Well, once the next wireless standard is widely adopted, you're going to get the same experience moving from one access point to another on much larger networks thanks to a brand new Wi-Fi 8 feature. While we spend a majority of our time online on smaller networks like the ones we have at home, chances are you've probably connected to a much bigger network more often than you think. For example, maybe you've signed onto the network at a college campus, at a large corporate office or even at the airport. In the same way that a mesh Wi-Fi system is able to blanket your whole house with a single, seamless network, Wi-Fi 8's Single Mobility Domains will make it possible to achieve this same experience across larger networks that cover vast spaces like the ones described above. As Rolf de Vegt points out in his blog post, once this new capability is finalized in the upcoming Wi-Fi 8 standard, it will enable seamless roaming across multiple access points. That way, you won't have to deal with the interruptions or packet drops that are caused when devices like your smartphone or laptop are handed off from one access point to another. Vegt goes a step further in his explanation though by pointing out how Single Mobility Domains will give the Wi-Fi 8-equipped devices of the future a 'once connected, always connected' experience. This will be achieved by 'maintaining continuous, low-latency connections' as these devices physically move from one access point to the next one. Here's a real-world example that you might have experienced yourself if you work in a large office and have to book meeting rooms for video calls. Let's say you're in a meeting that runs over and somebody else needs to use the space as they have it booked for that time. You grab your laptop and look for somewhere else to go to finish off your call. However, as you leave the meeting room and head farther away from it, the people on the other end notice a dip in your video or audio quality or perhaps the call on your end freezes completely. Well, with Single Mobility Domains, this scenario could soon be a thing of the past. With an estimated finalization date of sometime in 2028 and then consumer devices rolling out in 2029 or 2030, Wi-Fi 8 is still a ways off. However, the advantages and benefits of the next wireless standard are slowly starting to take shape even now in the concept stage. If you want a significantly better Wi-Fi experience, you don't have to wait five years for Wi-Fi 8 networking devices and clients to start rolling out and then another two to three years for them to become widely available and then somewhat affordable. Instead, you can give your home network a huge boost right now with one of the best Wi-Fi 7 routers. The first wave of Wi-Fi 7-powered routers started releasing back in 2023 but it wasn't until the following January that the Wi-Fi Alliance actually formalized the latest wireless standard. In the years since, we've seen networking equipment makers release their top-of-the-line flagship devices but now, they've begun shipping much more affordable mid-range and even budget ones. For those who want to take full advantage of Wi-Fi 7 though, I recommend spending a bit more on a tri-band device — either a traditional router or a mesh one if your home or apartment is large enough — with support for all three wireless bands. Over the course of this year, companies have begun releasing dual-band Wi-Fi 7 devices like the Asus TUF Gaming BE6500 router or the MSI Roamii BE Lite mesh system. You'll pay a bit less for a dual-band device but if you have the internet speeds for it and really want to experience fast Wi-Fi for yourself, then getting a Wi-Fi 7 router with support for the 6GHz band is a must. For a traditional router with a slightly different design, I recommend taking a look at the TP-Link Archer BE800 or if your budget is a bit smaller, the Archer BE550 is a very capable device too, especially at around $300. Now on the mesh front, the Netgear Orbi 870 is a great higher-end option with fantastic range but there's also Amazon's own eero Pro 7 which is perfect for smart homes with Alexa-enabled devices. There are plenty of other great options too and I suggest you check out the rest of our guides and reviews before making your final decision. Finding the right device for your home is the first step to unlocking a fast and stable Wi-Fi connection. This is the kind of thing most of us take for granted, that is until the internet goes down. However, as I can almost guarantee Wi-Fi is something anyone reading this article uses everyday, it's worth investing in a good traditional router or a mesh router. Right now too, you won't have to worry about buyer's remorse and wishing you had waited for the next wireless standard as we're years away from Wi-Fi 8's launch. Personally though, I can't wait to see what the next wireless standard brings and while faster speeds are always great, at the end of the day, improved reliability is even better. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
NDTV
27-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
NASA Reveals How It Fixed A Camera 370-Million-Miles Away In Deep Space
JunoCam, which is a colour, visible-light camera on NASA's Juno spacecraft, suffered radiation damage while orbiting Jupiter. The exposure caused image noise and streaks. The space agency said that the mission team of the Juno spacecraft executed the deep-space move in December 2023 to repair its JunoCam imager in order to capture photos of the Jovian moon Io. NASA engineers used an experimental technique called annealing, which means heating the camera to 77 degree F (25 degree C), to repair microscopic defects in the camera's silicon components. The annealing process successfully restored JunoCam's function, allowing it to capture high-quality images of Jupiter's moon Io, including its north polar region with sulfur dioxide frosts and volcanic activity. NASA said that the results from the "long-distance save" were presented during a technical session on July 16 at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Nuclear & Space Radiation Effects Conference in Nashville. "We knew annealing can sometimes alter a material like silicon at a microscopic level but didn't know if this would fix the damage," JunoCam imaging engineer Jacob Schaffner of Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego said as quoted by NASA. "We commanded JunoCam's one heater to raise the camera's temperature to 77 degrees Fahrenheit - much warmer than typical for JunoCam - and waited with bated breath to see the results." Diagnosing and repairing the camera from 370 million miles away was a significant challenge, with the team relying on remote commands and waiting for results. The success of the annealing technique has implications for future space missions, showing the potential for remote diagnostics and repair in deep space. "After orbit 55, our images were full of streaks and noise," JunoCam instrument lead Michael Ravine of Malin Space Science Systems said as quoted by NASA. "We tried different schemes for processing the images to improve the quality, but nothing worked. With the close encounter of Io bearing down on us in a few weeks, it was Hail Mary time: The only thing left we hadn't tried was to crank JunoCam's heater all the way up and see if more extreme annealing would save us." NASA plans to apply this technique to other instruments and subsystems on the Juno spacecraft, and it may benefit satellites in Earth's orbit and future space missions. Despite the camera issue, Juno has continued to orbit Jupiter 74 times, providing valuable insights into the planet's atmosphere and polar regions.
Time Business News
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time Business News
How PoE Renewable Energy Solutions Support Solar-Powered Charging Stations
Statista projects that, by the end of 2025, the global electric vehicle market will reach $800 billion (US) in value with a projected annual growth rate of 6%. While China remains the world's primary market for electric vehicle (EV) sales, other regions are likely to experience growth as consumers become increasingly concerned about carbon emissions and gain a better understanding of EVs and their benefits. The primary obstacles to widespread acceptance of EV technology are higher purchase prices and a lack of charging stations. While vehicle pricing is up to the manufacturers, charging station infrastructure development requires private and public funding. Urban and suburban areas should strive to provide sufficient volume to sustain a viable business model. Rural spaces, such as the plains of Kansas and Nebraska, may lack the volume to justify private investment, necessitating public funds to ensure a comprehensive US network. Because conventional charging stations draw power from existing utility grids, energy costs and availability may vary. As the American market grows, EVs will demand more energy, which could overload the local grid, especially in areas with aging infrastructure. In less populated regions, drawing power from local grids may be difficult and possibly cost-prohibitive. Combining solar power with Power over Ethernet (PoE) renewable energy technology is an effective way to drive the development of self-powered charging stations nationwide. PoE technology enables the transmission of both electrical power and data over a single Ethernet cable. Sending power and data over one wire eliminates the need for a separate power supply for PoE-enabled devices. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) working groups develop standards that ensure compatibility among PoE devices. The following standards have been released: IEEE 802.3af supports up to 15.4 watts of power output. supports up to 15.4 watts of power output. IEEE 802.3at defines power outputs up to 30 watts. defines power outputs up to 30 watts. IEEE 802.3bt Type 3 supports up to 60 watts of power. Type 3 supports up to 60 watts of power. IEEE 802.3bt Type 4 has a maximum power output of 100 watts. The IEEE continues to work on standards to support more power and data. A Renewable Power Managed Ethernet Switch, such as Planet's BSP-360 switch, connects to a renewable energy source, a storage battery, and a charging station. The switch receives DC current, ranging from 24V to 45V, from energy sources such as solar panels. Any energy gathered by these sources can be used to power the managed PoE switch or be stored in a lithium or lead-acid battery. The PoE switch can then power any PoE-enabled device, eliminating the need for an additional power source. By leveraging PoE-enabled renewable energy solutions, Kansas can utilize its, on average, 230 sunny days to great use, powering charging stations across the Great Plains. Commercial EV charging stations typically offer two charging levels: Level 1 adds a range of approximately four to five miles per hour of charging using a 120-volt outlet. adds a range of approximately four to five miles per hour of charging using a 120-volt outlet. Level 2 adds a range of approximately ten to twenty miles per hour of charging using a 240-volt outlet. A third option is available for DC fast charging. It requires a commercial-grade power supply of 480 volts or higher with dedicated circuits. The charging rates at each station determine the power capacity needed from the PoE power source. The IECC's 2024 EV standards outline charging infrastructure specifications, including load and capacity requirements. In addition to power requirements, US charging stations must consider the following standards and regulations: The National Electrical Code outlines design and inspection requirements to ensure compliance with safety standards. Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is a negotiating protocol between EV applications and charging stations. First published in 2009, OCPP's latest release (2.0.1) incorporates changes to simplify transactions. For many implementations, OCPP certification is becoming a requirement. ISO 15118defines a plug-and-charge protocol standard that requires drivers to set up a purchasing profile. When drivers plug the car into a charging station, payment is transmitted using pre-existing profiles. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act defines accessibility requirements for users with disabilities. It stipulates the requirements for spacing between charging stations to allow for wheelchair access. Charging stations must provide accessible communication methods through user interfaces and voice activation. Stations must display clear signage to ensure safe ingress and egress. EV standards are continually evolving, and new requirements are being released as the industry matures. In addition to these nationwide requirements, every local jurisdiction has its own set of building and business codes that charging stations must comply with. For example, charging stations in residential areas may be required to construct fences or barriers to prevent headlights from shining into homes. There may be restrictions on the number of parking spaces in specific locations, and construction should also consider size requirements to ensure compliance with Section 508. Building codes may require that only licensed electricians install charging stations and oversee connections to utility grids. There may also be zoning constraints or signage guidelines. Before investing in EV charging stations, check with local authorities to avoid any unexpected obstacles. If local utilities are publicly owned, coordinating deployment will be part of these entities' approval processes. If the electrical company is privately operated, be sure to discuss directly with them to understand how to add charging stations to their grid. The company will want to assess the impact on its existing grid and determine if infrastructure upgrades are needed. Interest in electric cars began in the early 19th century; however, sustained interest by the buying public didn't emerge until the 21st century. As of March 2025, the United States had over 204,600 charging outlets, with 51,200 located in California. According to the US Department of Energy, by 2030, the United States will need 28 million EV charging ports distributed across the country. Most charging stations will be located at single-family homes and workplaces. However, public charging stations will be necessary in areas such as multi-family buildings, hotels, and shopping centers. A network of fast-charging stations will be crucial for long-distance travel. Planet's PoE renewable switch and cellular gateways are designed to facilitate the growth of sustainable charging stations. These products enable the placement of self-powered charging stations where they are needed most. Contact us for more information on PoE solutions. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
The Star
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Bridging the digital divide: A tiny village smarter than Hong Kong
At first glance, Etteln seems like a German village like any other. Single-family homes huddled around the local church, a shooting club, tractors chugging along deserted country roads. But the community in western Germany, home to some 1,750, proudly considers itself the country's "most digital village". Last year, Etteln came in first in the Smart City Contest held by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers – ahead of Hong Kong in second place. Despite the fact that this is the 21st century, Germany's rural areas remain notoriously cut off when it comes to the benefits of the digital age. Reception is often poor and broadband Internet lacking, despite repeated promises by successive administrations to close the digital gap. In 2018, when Etteln's primary school was in danger of being closed down as the population dwindled, villagers decided it was time to take matters into their own hands. Village chief Ulrich Ahle recalls how families looking to build a home in the countryside kept telling him that Etteln wasn't an option – too cut off from the world, they said. Today, he can no longer meet the demand for plots, he says. Born and raised in Etteln, the 62-year-old has been the village chief for some 10 years and one of the driving forces behind the digital transformation – also due to his professional background in IT. But the most important factor has been the locals themselves, eager to bring about change, Ahle says. Claudia Günter shows off the Etteln village app in a place smarter than many a big city. When the coronavirus pandemic brought much of the world to a standstill in 2020 and life increasingly moved online, 65 villagers laid 30 kilometres of fibre optic cable, using tractors and shovels. Some 3,500 hours of manual work later, every last corner of the village had access to high-speed Internet. Since then, the village has implemented a plethora of digital pilot projects, mobilising some €1.5mil (RM7.45mil) in public funding. At the heart of Etteln's digital transformation is the village app, which currently has some 500 active users. Village boss Ahle shows a group of visitors around town, stopping to show them the hail-a-ride-spot – an inconspicuous-looking bench. What may not initially seem like a very promising prospect, the concept reliably allows you to catch a ride with someone heading to a neighbouring town. If you press a number on the keypad that's mounted on the wall above a bench, app users get a notification telling them where the person is looking to go. Alternatively, you can rent the electric car run by the Etteln Aktiv association online and free of charge. During a tour, which also includes three big interactive screens placed around town offering information on the village and the wider region, village chief Ahle explains how Etteln got where it is today. "We don't need to reinvent the wheel. We just need to look at what others have done successfully and adapt it for ourselves," he says. Thilo Vogt, mayor-elect of a town in central Germany, is visibly impressed. "The drive of the people here is truly inspiring," he says. He hopes to be able to implement some of the things he saw in Etteln during his term. When the visitors raise their concerns, Ahle responds with a smile. Vandalism? "Never happened here." How to deal with scepticism among the population? "We're not taking anything away from people. Our digital services are additions to analogue community life, not replacements." The key to any new project is that it must improve life in the local area, he says. Etteln reached its biggest milestone yet when creating a digital twin – a virtual copy of the village that is fed with drone images and real-time data. The digital map can be used to visualise construction plans and simulate flood scenarios, for example, with numerous sensors measuring soil moisture and precipitation. The aim is also to bring together isolated digital solutions on a shared data platform, says Christine Wegner, project manager responsible for the digital twin at the wider municipality of Borchen. "Some applications only become apparent when you bring data together," she explains the holistic approach. Etteln is also well ahead when it comes to the transition to renewables, boasting a particularly large number of wind turbines in the region, while every third roof is equipped with solar panels. The village produces 34 times the electricity it needs – allowing it to power its digital projects with sustainable electricity stored in an innovative digital battery storage system. The Etteln data platform is located on a server in the neighbouring town, housed inside a wind turbine. Several servers are housed in a turbine in Etteln, the outsider village that won the Smart City Award. European Commission figures show that Germany has much to do compared to many Baltic or Scandinavian countries when it comes to the digitalisation of public services. "We are simply 10 years behind in terms of development," says village chief Ahle. But experts say things are moving in the right direction, even in rural areas. "We are on the right track," says Steffen Hess, head of the research department for digital innovations and smart cities at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering (IESE). He has overseen several projects on digitisation in rural areas. Aided by subsidies, many municipalities have now built up a good digital infrastructure, he says. "Crises such as the pandemic have shown many people how powerful digitisation can be." At the same time, Hess says a gap remains between communities that have understood digitalisation as a location factor and those dragging their feet. "In many places, municipalities still have to cope with very small budgets," he notes. The overall positive development is threatening to stall at the moment because other issues have taken political priority, Hess says. "We must not lose momentum now; on the contrary, we must understand that the digitalisation of rural areas is a central part of state modernisation." In Etteln, digital transformation has long since become a self-perpetuating process, thanks to widespread coverage of progress there. These days, innovators approach him to offer to set up pilot projects on site, not vice versa, says Ahle. While funding for the digital twin is due to expire in a few months, the village is determined to continue the project. "All projects are designed in such a way that they can be continued on a voluntary basis if necessary," says Ahle. However, he is also in talks with sponsors, he adds. – dpa
India Today
28-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
IIT Bombay's Spoken Tutorial now a global standard for digital learning
India's EdTech sector just made history. The Spoken Tutorial pedagogy developed by IIT Bombay has officially been recognised as a global IEEE standard -- a first for the country. Titled IEEE P2955, the new standard lays down best practices for designing tutorials that are scalable, self-paced and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world's largest technical professional organisation, known for setting global standards across a wide range of engineering and technology Spoken Tutorial model, which already powers digital skilling programmes across Indian schools, colleges and rural setups, has now been validated on the world IS THE SPOKEN TUTORIAL PEDAGOGY? Spoken Tutorial is a multi-award-winning educational platform developed by Professor Kannan Moudgalya and his team at IIT offers self-paced, script-based video tutorials in over 20 Indian languages, allowing anyone with a computer and internet access to learn various Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) -- anytime, anywhere, and in the language of their tutorials are being used by more than 1,000 institutions across India and have already trained over 9 million learners, especially in schools, colleges and rural can also take end-of-course online tests and earn certificates, which help improve placement chances and the same approach has received the IEEE P2955 standard tag under the title 'Recommended Practice for Creating Self-Learning Tutorials and Side-by-Side Learning.'WHY THIS MATTERSadvertisementThe approval, finalised on June 19, 2025 by the IEEE Standards Association, is a milestone not just for IIT Bombay but also for India's growing presence in global EdTech innovation.'This proves that homegrown education models can set global benchmarks,' said IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh B. Moudgalya called it a win for equity in education: 'This is a validation of our vision that high quality education can reach every learner, no matter where they are.'The standard took four years of global collaboration, involving around 20 experts from different countries who met monthly to build and review NEXT?The standard will soon be released for global adoption. With tutorials already translated in over 20 Indian languages, the model is likely to drive future education policy, especially in areas of digital literacy, vocational training, and tech skilling.- EndsMust Watch
