Hi techies with kind hearts and spare time! Last year, our household entered the present/future world of mobile computing by being blessed with an influx of electronic gadgets that can connect to the internet via WiFi (a couple of tablets and a few smartphones). We didn't have any problems using our router before (some D-Link 802.11b/g) with our laptops and with the new gadgets until some of the devices updated their firmwares. Now we are having problems connecting to the internet or logging in with certain apps. For example, my Sony Xperia neo L and my dad's Samsung Galaxy S III cannot connect to our router anymore but can still connect to our newer, ISP-provided 802.11 b/g/n modem. Furthermore, my sister's Galaxy Tab 2.0 (recently upgraded to Jellybean) and my mom's iPad 4 and iPhone cannot log in to apps like Facebook, Skydrive, etc. when connected to the D-Link router but have no problems with browsing and other apps. Stranger still, they can log in to the said apps when connected to our modem. What gives?
We have very little knowledge about routers, modems and other networking devices so we don't really know where to even start fixing the problem. My guess is that after their updates, the Android and iOS devices could not "communicate" with the older router anymore. We don't mind buying a new router as the old one's maybe 5 years old. However, we want to be sure that it will solve our problem and if we need to look out for particular specs on our new router that will solve our problem. For example, do we need the new one to be 802.11 b/g/n/ac? Or are the apps looking for a more secure connection to log in (the old D-Link router is only protected by WEP while the modem is secured with WPA/WPA2 PSK)? I don't even know what these things mean. Do they have any connection to the problem in the first place?
The problem isn't really a big one to me as I still access the 'net with my laptop most of the time. But my sister and my parents have had to resort to huddling around the modem when they connect with their mobile computing devices. It's good for bonding but it's also quite inconvenient.
Please help, techies? Thanks for any insight. Really.
We have very little knowledge about routers, modems and other networking devices so we don't really know where to even start fixing the problem. My guess is that after their updates, the Android and iOS devices could not "communicate" with the older router anymore. We don't mind buying a new router as the old one's maybe 5 years old. However, we want to be sure that it will solve our problem and if we need to look out for particular specs on our new router that will solve our problem. For example, do we need the new one to be 802.11 b/g/n/ac? Or are the apps looking for a more secure connection to log in (the old D-Link router is only protected by WEP while the modem is secured with WPA/WPA2 PSK)? I don't even know what these things mean. Do they have any connection to the problem in the first place?
The problem isn't really a big one to me as I still access the 'net with my laptop most of the time. But my sister and my parents have had to resort to huddling around the modem when they connect with their mobile computing devices. It's good for bonding but it's also quite inconvenient.
Please help, techies? Thanks for any insight. Really.