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Tech News and Commentary
Dave and Chris discuss the HP Smart app installing without permission, Windows and WiFi networks, Google Messages’ Photo Moji, Paramount Plus and Apple TV bundle rumors, and more.
John in Decatur, Alabama asked: “I was wondering if it’s possible to have a wi-fi router go bad and be hard-wired and still work.”
John, yes, it sure is.
The wireless part of a router is not any different than any other radio transmitter and it can break while the actual routing part continues to work.
Having said that, if the router is not able to send the wireless signal its likely a better idea to replace it altogether rather than to plug it to an access point to give it wireless capabilities.
Theres no real way to know what else may be broken.
If you havent already, go into the routers settings, its typically possible to disable the wireless transmission of a WiFi router to use it as a traditional wired router, so you may just have a working router with the WiFi part turned off.
The most typical way to access the settings is via a web browser by navigating to the routers IP address, which you can find in your network settings. You will likely need a password to log in as well, which may be printed on the underside of the router itself.
Its worth taking a look and confirming that the WiFi functionality is not just turned off before spending money on a replacement if you may already have a fully working device.
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