Tech
Bell’s Giga Hub is great, until you want to replace it
![](https://canadanewsmedia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/home-hub-screeen-scaled.jpg)
I’ve used Bell’s Giga Hub router since Black Friday 2022, and my internet experience has been fantastic. This is the successor to the Home Hub 4000 (the two routers look identical), but the Giga Hub offers support for Wi-Fi 6E, which in theory should make it work better with multiple devices, as long as they also support the new Wi-fi standard.
The Giga Hub was released alongside Bell’s faster 8Gbps speeds in late 2022, and I’ve been testing it with a 1.5Gbps connection. The signal consistently covers my entire house, and in the three months I’ve been using it, I’ve had no complaints. However, I recently tried replacing it with a top-of-the-line TP-Link E2000 (review coming soon), and the process has been a tech nightmare.
However, compared to its predecessors from Bell, the Giga Hub is the company’s best router yet and is modern enough to make most subscribers happy.
Solid value, especially if you can get it for free
Bell’s latest router is incredibly easy to use and set up. Mine was bundled into my plan for free as long as I return it when I cancel my service. After signing up, a technician showed up at my house the next week, installed a fibre line, and I was off to the races.
After he left, I downloaded the Bell Wi-Fi app and set my password and network name with ease. There may not be as many advanced options as I wanted in the app, but setting up a network and monitoring who is online is straightforward, and it’s all most people need. If you need to dive deeper into the advanced settings, you can always visit the traditional modem control panel at Bell.ca/mymodem for full access.
My apartment is on the ground floor of an older Toronto house, and the Giga Hub has no issues blanketing my home with Wi-Fi. I can even use it outside on my back porch or in the basement, so the single unit should offer enough coverage for most smaller homes. Bell sells Wi-Fi extenders for $5 per month if you need more coverage. I haven’t tested these, but the telecom giant uses a model from Plume that supports maximum speeds of 1Gbps via ethernet jacks and slower speeds over Wi-Fi.
I haven’t tried the Wi-Fi extender out, but I’d expect that while they increase your Wi-Fi range, your speed will likely decrease slightly when you’re connected to a Plume pod instead of the main router. Reading about them online, people have mixed opinions. Still, for most, I’d recommend starting with just the router, and then if you need more coverage, look for a cheaper wired access point extender before deciding to pay Bell another $5-$15 per month, depending on how large your home is. A few hundred for an access point you own might seem like a significant upfront investment, but the cost of renting pods can snowball over two-three years.
Perhaps my favourite thing about the Giga Hub is the small display on the front. It makes it easy to interact with the router for simple things like resetting it or viewing your password. There’s even a toggle on the router to connect to Bell TV to make that easy for people with an IPTV setup.
Are things too easy
I spent way too much time on a self-imposed tech time out trying to troubleshoot Wi-Fi
While setting up the Giga Hub is easy, I found that most days, my speeds averaged out to around 400-600Mbps instead of the 1.5Gbps I’m paying for. If I jack in with a Cat6 cable, I can get closer to my full speeds out of the single 10gbps ethernet port, but all the other jacks are only 1Gbps. Beyond that, the promise of modern Wi-Fi has me looking to ditch ethernet cables in the Wi-Fi 6 generation.
I’m not complaining because anything over 500mbps is enough for most of my work, web browsing and streaming videos. Still, since I’m paying for more than twice that speed, it would be nice if the Wi-Fi 6E compatible router could get a little closer to the theoretical maximum, especially since most of my devices now support Wi-Fi 6 at least, which should be able to handle gigabit Wi-Fi speeds. I know I’m unlikely to see those, but even hitting more constantly in the 800Mbps-1Gbps range would feel more like I’m getting my money’s worth from my ISP.
Plus, the speed test on the Giga Hub (pictured above) shows that I was getting a potential 1.6Gbps in from my fibre connection so nothing should stop me from having fantastic network speeds.
There’s also the nerd inside me that wants to experiment with different modems to see how fast I can get my Wi-Fi connection. To do this, I attempted to integrate the TP-Link E2000 into my setup and demote the Giga Hub to modem duty. However, that’s not nearly as easy as it sounds. While you can plug another router into the Giga Hub, it won’t disable the Wi-Fi properties of the Bell-provided router/modem combo machine.
This means upon the first approach, I had two Wi-Fi networks that I’m pretty sure suffered from a double NAT. This led me down a rabbit hole of other Canadians trying desperately to figure out how to use the Giga Hub as a modem. What initially stumped me was that I thought the Home Hub 4000 and the Giga Hub were the same device. In reality, they look the same, but the internal software features several differences, so many of the more in-depth tutorials that work for the Home Hub 4000 didn’t work with the Giga Hub. As I got further invested in this project, I found out that Bell has mostly updated the Giga Hub to be equal to the Home Hub 4000, but the fact that the two modems look the same but feature slight differences was enough to throw another variable, and a lot of doubts, into my troubleshooting.
The size of the Giga Hub does allow for a large and safe channel for the fibre wire to sit in.
That said, I found some helpful information on a great blog called The IT Nerd, as well as DSL Reports and Reddit.
At this point in my troubleshooting, I’m way past anything I’d recommend non-techie people do. So for most, I’d say live with the Giga Hub. However, it got me wondering why this was so hard. I’d never had issues like this with my previous ISPs (Cogeco and TekSavvy). However, one difference with Bell is that it sells Wi-Fi extension pods, incentivizing it to keep people on its own tech.
This realization refilled my resolve with enough hatred for Bell that I was able to dive back into the man v. machine troubleshooting battle once again. I read through miles of forum posts where Bell reps tell users to DM them for details and hundreds of Reddit threads from people with other brands of routers before I finally decided to give up and call tech support.
The call didn’t go super well.
All night and all day in the corner…
The person was able to give me Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) credentials but couldn’t walk me through setting up my Giga Hub with a third-party router. Instead, they tried to upsell me on a subscription to Bell’s Tech support Experts, which cost $6 per month. This is a huge rip-off, and it’s anti-consumer to hide full tech support behind a paywall, so I left this call more frustrated than when I started. Still, with my credentials in hand, I returned to one of the first Reddit posts I had tried and attempted again, only to fail once more.
This led me back to the internet, where I noticed that other Bell customers mentioned that their PPPoE credentials started with ‘b1.’ So I opened my Bell account in a new tab and found a number that began with b1 under the internet section. It was different than the username I was just given by tech support, but it worked with the new password. The new router seemed to work a little better. I’m still not getting over 1gbps via Wi-Fi, but I’m consistently hitting 700-800 Mbps, so I guess that’s a win for now.
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Tech
Google Unveils AI-Powered Pixel 9 Lineup Ahead of Apple’s iPhone 16 Release
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Google has launched its next generation of Pixel phones, setting the stage for a head-to-head competition with Apple as both tech giants aim to integrate more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features into their flagship devices. The unveiling took place near Google’s Mountain View headquarters, marking an early debut for the Pixel 9 lineup, which is designed to showcase the latest advancements in AI technology.
The Pixel 9 series, although a minor player in global smartphone sales, is a crucial platform for Google to demonstrate the cutting-edge capabilities of its Android operating system. With AI at the core of its strategy, Google is positioning the Pixel 9 phones as vessels for the transformative potential of AI, a trend that is expected to revolutionize the way people interact with technology.
Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president overseeing the Pixel phones, emphasized the company’s commitment to AI, stating, “We are obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people.” This echoes the narrative Apple is likely to push when it unveils its iPhone 16, which is also expected to feature advanced AI capabilities.
The Pixel 9 lineup will be the first to fully integrate Google’s Gemini AI technology, designed to enhance user experience through more natural, conversational interactions. The Gemini assistant, which features 10 different human-like voices, can perform a wide array of tasks, particularly if users allow access to their emails and documents.
In an on-stage demonstration, the Gemini assistant showcased its ability to generate creative ideas and even analyze images, although it did experience some hiccups when asked to identify a concert poster for singer Sabrina Carpenter.
To support these AI-driven features, Google has equipped the Pixel 9 with a special chip that enables many AI processes to be handled directly on the device. This not only improves performance but also enhances user privacy and security by reducing the need to send data to remote servers.
Google’s aggressive push into AI with the Pixel 9 comes as Apple prepares to unveil its iPhone 16, which is expected to feature its own AI advancements. However, Google’s decision to offer a one-year free subscription to its advanced Gemini Assistant, valued at $240, may pressure Apple to reconsider any plans to charge for its AI services.
The standard Pixel 9 will be priced at $800, a $100 increase from last year, while the Pixel 9 Pro will range between $1,000 and $1,100, depending on the model. Google also announced the next iteration of its foldable Pixel phone, priced at $1,800.
In addition to the new Pixel phones, Google also revealed updates to its Pixel Watch and wireless earbuds, directly challenging Apple’s dominance in the wearable tech market. These products, like the Pixel 9, are designed to integrate seamlessly with Google’s AI-driven ecosystem.
Google’s event took place against the backdrop of a significant legal challenge, with a judge recently ruling that its search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly. This ruling could lead to further court proceedings that may force Google to make significant changes to its business practices, potentially impacting its Android software or other key components of its $2 trillion empire.
Despite these legal hurdles, Google is pressing forward with its vision of an AI-powered future, using its latest devices to showcase what it believes will be the next big leap in technology. As the battle for AI supremacy heats up, consumers can expect both Google and Apple to push the boundaries of what their devices can do, making the choice between them more compelling than ever.
News
Microsoft Outage Hits Payment Processors
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When major payment processing systems have problems, the issues impact many critical systems that society depends on. In this article, we’ll explain the cause of the Microsoft outage and discuss the impact computer networking issues had on Canada. We’ll also examine whether or not Microsoft was at fault and what businesses can do to prevent further outages.
What Happened With the Microsoft Outage?
The outage with Microsoft’s Azure payment processor resulted from a buggy security update from an outside company, CrowdStrike. CrowdStrike offers information technology security services for many Microsoft Windows computers. The company’s software developers sent a new update out, but instead of patching up minor issues with the existing software, the code within conflicted with Windows and prevented computers from booting up. Users expecting to start their computers for a typical day were instead faced with the dreaded “Blue Screen of Death” error message.
So, how does this produce a problem and a payment processor issue? Many computers running payment processing, among many other kinds of software used for airlines, banks, retail, and other essential services, couldn’t start and were unable to let payments through. This is a catastrophic issue for companies that are heavily reliant upon the speed and ease of an electronic transaction.
In Canada, the outage impacted critical computer systems for air travel. Flights couldn’t be paid for and booked, which caused major problems for customers unable to make transactions while flights remained grounded. Travellers stuck waiting for flights to take off made their way over to the airports’ Starbucks and other vendors, only to discover unusually long lines due to payment issues. Even online gamblers looking to take their minds off the situation couldn’t take full advantage of one of the fastest payment options out there because of the outage.
Aside from payments, hospitals for major health systems had to use paper to complete important tasks like ordering lab work and getting meals to patients. Emergency dispatch lines were temporarily unable to function correctly while their computer systems were down.
How Was the Outage Fixed?
Thankfully, CrowdStrike fixed the problem on their end quickly, mostly via an additional reboot that allowed CrowdStrike to send over unflawed code. Unfortunately, for some business and private customers, rebooting wouldn’t be enough with command-line level adjustments needed for the operating system to run correctly.
The Good and Bad of Outages
First, we’re thankful that the outage was not caused by hackers accessing and stealing a mountain of personal data. A recent outage with an automotive software provider went on for much longer and ended much worse for software provider CDK, which likely paid an undisclosed sum north of $20 million to get data back and systems restored.
By some chance, Microsoft is reported to have experienced its own outage, and many information technology professionals blame Microsoft in part for their issues because of how their systems attempted to fix the problem by rebooting over and over again, though some of Microsoft’s PCs needed to warn users to make a change manually. Unfortunately, any computer that required manual intervention took longer to recover, as a knowledgeable person had to access each computer affected by the issue. In some cases, between dealing with several hours of backlogged tasks and slow recovery processes, some businesses took days, not hours, to get back online.
The outage brings up another major point in the cybersecurity and computer industry. CrowdStrike and Microsoft are both big companies in their respective fields. As a result, the effects of bad code spread much further than they could have if there were more competitors making security products or if there were more software companies making operating systems like Windows. While only 8 million computers were believed to be affected out of a much larger global network, those are essential computers for worldwide communication and payment processing. Perhaps companies should be putting their eggs in more than one basket?
The testing methods for the outage are unclear—did CrowdStrike test the routine software update enough to detect the potential for a major outage? Apparently not.
What Should Businesses Do Next?
Software like Microsoft Azure’s payment systems come from what information technology professionals call ‘the cloud.’ The software is remotely managed over the internet, meaning that the computer that runs the system is not physically present at the location. Unfortunately, this also means that an issue with the internet can take critical systems out of service.
Businesses ranging from major airlines and banks to mom-and-pop stores would be well served by backup systems at their locations. These don’t have to be as primitive as the old-fashioned credit-card carbon-copy slide, but there are options available with consistent service that don’t repeatedly rely on the same networks.
Conclusion
There were certainly challenging moments for Canadian businesses and emergency services during the CrowdStrike and Microsoft outage. As they scrambled to understand the problem and waited, albeit briefly, for issues to resolve, many companies learned the importance of having local and reliable backup for their computer systems.
Tech
New photos reveal more details about Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold
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Google’s secret new line of Pixel 9 phones isn’t that big of a secret anymore. Taiwan’s National Communications Commission (NCC) released new photos of the phones including the Pixel 9 Pro Fold from almost every conceivable angle.
Android Authority found the photos in the NCC archives and uploaded galleries of each of the four phones including the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and 9 Pro Fold. They reveal some interesting details about the new Pixel phones.
The charging rates will be a little faster than the last generation of Pixel phones: Taiwanese authorities measured 24.12W for the base model, 25.20W for the Pro and 32.67W for the 9 Pro XL. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold, however, was the slowest of all of them at 20.25W. These numbers don’t often match up perfectly with the advertised ratings, so expect Google to be promoting higher numbers at its event.
Speaking of chargers, it looks like Google needed a bigger charger to power its new phones. Photos included in the NCC leak show each phone will come with a wall charger that’s around 45W depending on which model you purchase. The charger’s plug moved from the middle to the top of the brick.
The latest photo dump also shows the 9 Pro Fold unfolded for the first time. Google has moved the selfie camera to the inside screen for a wider field of view. The 9 Pro Fold also has a slimmer top and bottom, a reduced fold crease on the display and a full 180 degree unfolding angle to make a screen that’s just over 250mm or just under 10 inches.
These photos are the latest in a very long list of leaks of Google Pixel 9 photos. The last Pixel 9 leak came down yesterday showing two prototype models of the base and XL models. Google might look into buying a new combination lock for the high school locker where they apparently keep all their unreleased gear.
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