Articles by Samuel Contreras

Best answer: 5Ge is the same as 4G LTE Advanced and has nothing to do with true 5G besides indicating that the tower’s network connection is ready for 5G equipment. True 5G uses new, more efficient technology to improve the speed and consistency of a wireless network.

Good 4G is not 5G

5Ge is short for 5G Evolution, which AT&T insists is the first step in rolling out true 5G. While marketing this technology under the 5G umbrella has lead to criticism for confusing customers and even legal action from Sprint, the fact of the matter is that 5Ge is really a type of 4G most providers refer to as LTE Advanced. Verizon and T-Mobile have also deployed this tech under the LTE+ name.

While 5Ge isn’t 5G, it does represent the very best of LTE and should deliver download speeds in line with low-band 5G networks.

A strong 4G LTE signal can provide all the speed most people will need on a smartphone, and as AT&T is trying to prove, there is still life left in LTE technology. AT&amp…

Best answer: Yes. If you live in a congested area or have a lot of connected devices, tri-band can improve signal quality and speed even on Wi-Fi 6. However, you’ll have to pay more for the privilege.

Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 with 2.5G Ethernet: TP-Link Archer AX90 ($330 at Best Buy)
A fast tri-band AX6600 Nighthawk: Netgear Nighthawk RAX70 ($342 at Amazon)

Do you need another band?

A dual-band router uses a 2.4GHz channel paired with a 5.2GHz channel. A tri-band router, on the other hand, can help by making use of an additional 5GHz channel to add capacity on another channel. A tri-band router adds in a 5.8 GHz band that typically has less traffic. This combination of the three different bands allows for much greater flexibility in connecting your devices but it’s only one part of your connection.

If you’ve got speed or coverage issues with your home Wi-Fi connection, there are a few things you need to check first. The first thing you should do is a speed test with a Wi-Fi device clos…

Enough of everything

Visible

$40/mo. at Visible

Pros

No contract
Unlimited talk and text
Unlimited LTE and 5G data
Unlimited hotspot (5Mbps)
Savings with Visible Party Pay

Cons

Fewer supported phones
No 3G or roaming access

Visible has an impressive set of features, especially considering the price. With one of the largest LTE networks plus nationwide 5G combined with an unlimited package including hotspot connectivity, Visible is about as close as it comes to hassle-free wireless.

More is more

Verizon Wireless

From $55/mo. at Verizon

Pros

Greater coverage
Faster speeds
Larger phone selection
Ultra-Wideband 5G included with unlimited plans
Nationwide 5G on every plan

Cons

More expensive for one line
Contract required

Verizon Wireless continues to set the bar in wireless service as one of the strongest networks available. With some of the fastest speeds and a massive LTE network, a growing 5G network, and 3G and roaming to fill in the gaps, it’s one of…

The best 5G network will have a good balance of speed and coverage with room to grow and add capacity as 5G adoption increases. 5G connectivity is now available to millions of people in the U.S. thanks to improved support from phone makers and sub-6 5G networks. AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon all now offer 5G coverage with sub-6 and mmWave. However, T-Mobile has the best overall 5G network thanks to its wide sub-6 at both 600MHz and 2.5GHz coverage with room to grow with mmWave spectrum.

Best Overall: T-Mobile

T-Mobile’s 5G network covers millions of people in the U.S. and if you live in an urban or suburban area, there’s a good chance you have coverage. This is mostly thanks to T-Mobile’s low-band 600Mhz spectrum, which offers excellent coverage and speeds comparable to fast LTE. T-Mobile is also continuing to improve its 5G network with Sprint’s mid-band 2.5GHz spectrum in addition to its own mmWave spectrum.

Millimeter Wave, or mmWave spectrum, refers to frequencies in exces…

The best Wi-Fi routers you can buy can be lifesavers. The difference between good Wi-Fi in your house and poor connectivity can be the difference between a good day and a bad one. Whether you need something with a ton of speed and connections or just want to make sure you don’t drop connection when you move around your home there’s a router that’s right for you.

Top 6 Wi-Fi routers at a glance

TP-Link Archer AX21 — Best Wi-Fi Router Overall: Solid speeds, plenty of capacity, and a great price.
TP-Link Archer A7 — Best Value: Has enough speed for HD streaming and multiple devices simultaneously.
Asus RT-AX55 — Best Value for Families: Enough Wi-Fi 6 speed for a small family with included parental controls and security.
Netgear Nighthawk RAX50S — Best Router for Families: Plenty of speed for a lot of connections as well as internet security included for a year.
TP-Link Archer C5400X — Best Router for Gaming: Great speeds with a laser-focus on wired devices to keep ping times…

With so many phones becoming affordable unlocked, the best prepaid phones look a lot like the best phones in general. Technically, almost any phone can be a prepaid phone these days — that is, just about any phone can be financed or bought outright and used on a prepaid network. This includes nearly all of the best Android phones you can get. Still, most prepaid shoppers are looking for a value offering, so we’ve compiled some of the best phones that will work with the major prepaid carriers under $350. The Google Pixel 4a is the best prepaid phone overall thanks to its fast hardware, great camera, and consistent software updates.

Best on T-Mobile: Google Pixel 4a

The Google Pixel series of phones is the purest Android experience you can get. The Pixel 4a follows up the 3a in offering great performance and a flagship-level camera for a great price. This includes Google’s great camera app with features like Night Sight. This phone supports just about every network out there and …

It’s time to step up and do better.

Talk, text, and data are the core features of a phone plan, but now that coverage has reached equilibrium for many people, prepaid carriers need to offer more than the basics. Carriers are beginning to differentiate themselves on the extras they pack in with their plans, such as subscriptions to streaming services or offering services like scam call blocking.

Some of the best values in wireless right now like Mint Mobile and Visible stick to the basics, but with more carriers offering similar levels of service for around the same price, these simple carriers are looking increasingly interchangeable. For a prepaid carrier to stand out in 2021, it’s going to need to offer a more complete package to stand out. Each of the best MVNO carriers have something to help it stand out.

What are the basics in 2020?

Unlimited talk and text is a no brainer and with carriers like Ting offering it for $10 per month, it’s hard to justify anything less.

I ex…

The best mesh Wi-Fi systems are the networking versions of working smarter, not harder. Compared to a traditional router, mesh systems use several smaller Wi-Fi routers placed around your home to cover you from multiple angles and dodge things like thick walls that can kill your signal. Whether you want top speed and customizability or simplicity and consistency, there’s a mesh system that will work in any home. The Eero hits all of the sweet spots of a Wi-Fi system in a small understated housing that loses obtrusive articulating antennas.

Best Overall Mesh Router: Eero

Eero made one of the first consumer mesh Wi-Fi systems and the company keeps making them better with each revision. The current generation has the best blend of advanced networking features of any system available thanks to the small size and compatibility with the wall-plug Eero Beacon. It’s also compatible with the Eero 6 if you think you might upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 in the future.

Eero isn’t trying to be the faste…

The best Wi-Fi 6 routers get us closer to 5G speeds at home. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) has arrived and promises to push Wi-Fi speeds over 10Gbps by combining 2.4GHz and wider 5GHz bands to provide a better experience and much wider coverage in the home. The new Wi-Fi standard is becoming increasingly common in phones and laptops and now is the right time to invest in one of the best Wi-Fi 6 routers on the market.

What are the best Wi-Fi 6 routers?

The TP-Link Archer AX6000 is the best Wi-Fi 6 router for most people, with fast speeds and plenty of features to keep your network fast for a long time, including the robust HomeCare software package.

The second best option is the Linksys MAX-STREAM Mesh Router, which is for people who don’t necessarily need a mesh solution right now but may want to expand their network in the future. Mesh router solutions pair multiple “nodes” together to increase signal quality and speeds throughout larger homes.

And if you’re looking for something with the …

The best Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers take whole-home wireless speeds to the next level. Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) has allowed mesh systems to deliver full gigabit speeds with ease throughout a large house by getting even more performance out of the available spectrum. Wi-Fi 6 lets compact routers hit gigabit speeds on their own and over 500Mbps while deployed as a mesh. With more phones than ever, including Wi-Fi 6 support, and families asking more of their internet connections than ever, it’s a good time to upgrade to Wi-Fi 6.

What are the best Wi-Fi 6 mesh routers?

The Linksys MX10 Velop is the best Wi-Fi 6 router for people looking to take advantage of a fast connection all over their home. Alexa support and great parental control options, this is a great mesh system for families.

The second best option is the Netgear Nighthawk MK62 which is designed for people that want a compact mesh system with enough speed for most people. A compact router and satellite design allow you to blanket your hom…