Articles by Samuel Contreras

Verizon is adding even more value to its holiday deals with a buy one get one deal for 5G phones when you bring two lines to Verizon’s unlimited plans with Ultra Wideband service. This includes the Play More, Get More, and Do More unlimited plans. This plan comes with up to $1000 in savings applied to 24 bill credits when you buy two qualifying phones, many of which are some of the best Android phones you can get. For many devices like the Galaxy S20+ 5G, that’s free. This also comes with two $250 Verizon eGift cards sent within eight weeks.

This deal applies to a handful of 5G Android phones alongside a similar deal for 5G-enabled iPhones. The discount works out to $41.66 per month for 24 months or $33.33 per month for 30 months if you prefer. The Galaxy S20+ 5G and OnePlus 8 5G UW are the standout deals thanks to existing discounts taking the monthly payments even lower than normal. When we reviewed them earlier this year, the S20 Plus and the OnePlus 8 were both great options.

I…

What you need to know

Verizon deployed its nationwide 5G network using DSS which shared spectrum from its LTE network.
T-Mobile claims that since launching its nationwide 5G network, Verizon has the lowest median 5G speeds in the nation.
T-Mobile’s dedicated 5G spectrum and ‘layer cake’ deployment have allowed it to deploy 5G without impacted LTE performance with room to add more capacity.

Mobile networks need plenty of spectrum to work and so far, 5G just hasn’t had much available. At least, not as much as LTE currently has. While T-Mobile and AT&T have been able to deploy coverage on dedicated low-band spectrum, speeds haven’t exactly been impressive compared to the more mature LTE networks. Still, according to T-Mobile CTO Neville Ray this approach allows T-Mobile to build a 5G network without disrupting speeds on LTE while delivering great speed and coverage.

Verizon on the other hand is using DSS for all of its nationwide 5G network. This is separate from the Ultra Wide…

Best answer: Samsung Knox is a security layer built into the Android and Tizen on Samsung devices to add an extra layer of protection to your information.

Security at 5G speeds: Samsung Galaxy S20 5G ($790 at Amazon)

Bring your own device

A lot of people use their own phones for work; BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies are getting more and more popular as phone prices keep rising and consumer Android phones become more secure. We’ve seen Enterprise-level programs for mobile from both Apple and Google, but perhaps one of the easiest to use — both for you and any IT manager — is Samsung Knox.

If you have a fairly new Galaxy phone, like the S20 FE, you probably have Samsung Knox software on it. It’s not really something you can install because it’s part of the Android OS the way Samsung builds it and it isn’t any sort of app or support library. Knox is also built into Tizen on Samsung’s wearables.

What is Samsung Knox?

Samsung Knox is a special security layer found in t…

Wi-Fi 6 speed

Eero 6

$129 at Amazon

Pros

Faster performance
More reliable coverage
Backwards compatible

Cons

Routers are typically more expensive
Not many devices support Wi-Fi 6 (yet)

Wi-Fi 6 and the Eero 6 router offer greater speeds than similar Wi-Fi 5 routers thanks to 2×2 5GHz bands delivering 1201Mbps compared to Wi-Fi 5’s 866.7Mbps. Wi-Fi 6 can also make use of technology like OFDMA, which allows better management of multiple connections to a single access point. If you want to get more speed out of your network with a compact router, Eero 6 is a great choice.

Wi-Fi 5 savings

Eero

$79 at Amazon

Pros

Plenty of speed for most people
Much cheaper than Wi-Fi 6 routers
A greater variety of router options

Cons

Slower than Wi-Fi 5
Support for fewer simultaneous connections
Won’t make the most of new devices

For most people, Wi-Fi 5 isn’t the main limiting factor in their internet speed. Eero’s AC1300 speed can support internet connections of 350Mbps …

Eero 6

Compact next-gen

$103 at Amazon

Pros

Wi-Fi 6 has plenty of speed for most people
Easy setup
Compatible with all other Eeros
Two Ethernet ports on base units

Cons

More expensive

Eero 6 provides the right amount of speed for most homes with 500Mbps in a mesh thanks to its AX1800 setup. It has a compact size and a great app. A Zigbee smart home app is built-in and it works with Amazon Alexa for voice control. Eero Secure is also a great add-on for those that want some extra security on their home network.

Google Wifi

The name you know

$99 at Amazon

Pros

Great Google software
Easy setup
Works with Nest Wifi
Two Ethernet ports on each unit

Cons

Google collects data
Slow even by Wi-Fi 5 standard

Google Wifi is simple to use, easy to set up, and inexpensive; you can even run a cable to a switch should you need to do it. If you just need enough speed for streaming and browsing, Google Wifi is still a good choice. You can add more Google Wifi or Nest Wifi nod…

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.

The best Wi-Fi routers at a glance

TP-Link Archer AX1800 — 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 …

It’s finally time to think about 5G when choosing a new phone and making sure you’re using the best carrier for 5G. 5G coverage has continued to grow and is available in more places than ever. Increased use of sub-6 5G has led to great coverage and many supported phones while mmWave is pushing out the boat on speed and capacity in dense urban areas. There are also some MVNO options allowing for even more access. With a mix of sub-6 on low-band and mid-band spectrum for rural and suburban areas and mmWave in progress in urban areas, T-Mobile is the best carrier for 5G.

Best Overall: T-Mobile

T-Mobile invested heavily in the 600MHz spectrum, which is used to bolster it’s LTE as well as start building a capable 5G network. While this 600MHz 5G hasn’t been able to deliver speeds significantly higher than modern LTE in real world testing, it does deliver these speeds consistently. For most people using it, this network will be plenty fast enough.

Perhaps the most important part of T-…

Compact speed

Eero Pro 6 (2-pack)

$319 at Amazon

Pros

Compact router size
Expands with all other Eeros
Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 speed
More powerful app

Cons

Only two Ethernet ports per node
Worse coverage per node

Eero has taken its mesh line into gigabit territory with an AX4200 Wi-Fi 6 Eero Pro 6. Two units cover around 3,500 square feet and can be expanded with any other Eero router. Gigabit speeds are possible even when connected to a remote node thanks to a fast Wi-Fi 6 backhaul. Easily set up your Eero mesh with the Eero app and control it with Alexa.

Great coverage

Netgear Orbi RBK752

$380 at Best Buy

Pros

Great coverage
Tri-band Wi-Fi 6 speeds
Three Ethernet ports on the base with two more on the satellite
Link aggregation for internet speeds over 1Gbps

Cons

Can only be expanded with Wi-Fi 6 Orbi Satellites
Units are much taller
More expensive

Netgear Orbi RBK752 is a very powerful whole-home Wi-Fi system with fast AX4200 speeds supported with a tri-b…

Have a carrier in mind or just looking for a cheap plan? Here are some of the cheapest data plans you can get.

If you want to save money on your phone plan, there are more options than ever from new ways to save on the major carriers or going with an MVNO. MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators) or alternative carriers, lease coverage from the larger networks and resell it for less.

That being said, depending on your usage and needs, a plan from one of the Big Three might be your least expensive option.

Before choosing a plan

Before you choose a carrier and/or a wireless plan, first determine your needs and usage habits. If this is your first smartphone, I’d like to first welcome you to the 21st Century and secondly encourage you to try out your options without getting yourself into any yearly or multi-year contracts. There are a tone of cheap unlocked phones to choose from as well.

If this ain’t your first rodeo, then reflect on your phone habits from the past. How much data h…

Best answer: Yes, if you have an older router, you should consider moving up to Wi-Fi 6, especially since the prices have come down and new phones will likely support the tech. If you already have a fast Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) router, it won’t be worth it, however.

Fast Wi-Fi 6 networking: TP-Link Archer AX6000 ($283 at Amazon)
Wi-Fi 6 in a mesh: Netgear Nighthawk MK62 ($230 at Dell)

Speed and capacity upgrades on Wi-Fi 6 routers

If it’s time for you to buy a new router or you need to get your first router, it’s worth it to be ready for new Wi-Fi devices. Wi-Fi 6 can handle more devices at once and will be able to keep speed and latency more consistent even under heavy load. A lot of phones support Wi-Fi 6, and allow for up to 1,200Mbps compared to Wi-Fi 5’s typical 867Mbps.

Since most people keep their routers for years and may upgrade their phones or computers multiple times before getting a new router, it’s best to get a router that’s ready for the future. Thankfully, Wi-Fi 6 ro…