Gryphon Online Safety

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Gryphon Parental Controls (Salmon)

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Making a Choice Between Business and Consumer Router

Do you run a small business with a handful of people in the office? Do you live with a big family with everybody needing a strong wifi connection in the time of COVID-19? If your answer is a yes in both the scenarios, you might be in a dilemma to choose between a business or consumer router.

Whether you run a small business or are working from home, there are best internet parental controls routers for everyone. To choose the one that fits into your needs, here are a couple of things to consider.

The kind of wifi activities done the most If your work is mostly dependent on heavy downloading and uploading activities, you would need a router that can take care of these basic necessities. A consumer router might be a better fit for you.

Number of people on the network If the numbers of users are more than 5 or 6, it could be a better idea to settle for a consumer router.

Need for speed or security? For those who prefer a faster wi-fi connection over a safer network, a consumer router could fit into the bill.

What will you get with a consumer router? A home router or say consumer router will provide wireless access to up to 64 devices in most cases at a frequency of 32 per band. Most of these routers come with up to four ethernet ports for wired access and some even have USB connectivity to share heavy files. Almost every home router has a basic firewall and other configuration settings.

What will you get with a basic business router? Business routers often come with application, network and security features on a single device with many offering hardware based VPN access to remote users and clients. Since business routers are expensive, they are often made with premium quality material and can work flawlessly for years. In short, their usage life is more than home routers. However, many reputable manufacturers are nowadays making sure that their consumer routers have top-notch quality and provide an unbeatable performance for the years to come.

In Short While business routers made to be single high-performing devices that have a more complex way of functioning, home routers offer more ease of access and connectivity. If your usage doesn’t demand a lot of features, it makes sense to settle for a home router.

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Which is Best for Work From Home: Mesh Router or Traditional Router?

The pandemic situation has forced many of the working professionals stick to home and continue meeting professional duties from there only. It is rather cumbersome for many people to get strong network connectivity from their traditional Wifi router.

Just because of increase in the range of devices at home, few members are addicted to streaming Netflix, Amazon, etc., and in between you access the network for work from home. The internet speed is slowing down and your router started to creak under the strain.

Now, at this point, if you are thinking to increase the bandwidth of your existing router, change the network provider or increase speed, then you also need to look at Mesh system router.

What is Mesh Wifi System?

Mesh is a centralized routing system which has different nodes or modules available that can be fixed inside different spaces. It offers multiple access points in different household surroundings with a fast network connection as compared to single point traditional router. With this routing system, you can expect high-speed connection despite facing issues in dead zones and roaming from one room to another.

Difference Between Mesh Router System & Traditional Router

If you are the only one in the residential surroundings, then single point traditional router is best for you. But if you have multiple occupants inside house, then better to invest in Mesh router system to have varied access points.

• Coverage: Mesh offers an extended range of coverage across various touch points in the surroundings without getting close to the router. While, traditional router has limited coverage feature only to easy accessibility devices and rest remain in drop zones.

• Speed: There is no doubt in the fact that you can expect high-speed network connectivity from Mesh as compared to traditional one. Still, if you have more dead spots and connectivity issue from the service provider, then even Mesh cannot do anything about it.

• Overall Cost: Initial expenses of installing Mesh router are slightly higher in comparison with the regular router. But it has its benefits of giving seamless connectivity while working from home, especially during video calls, conferences, and virtual meet ups.

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Gryphon® Online Safety System

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Tricks to Spot a Spoof Email to Stay Safe from Cyber threat

Spoofing is something a lot of people may not be aware of, but staying ignorant can lead to serious issues. Spooking not only damages your business reputation but also leads to losses both for you and at times your employees. In spoofing, a hacker will send an email pretending to be your colleague or boss and dupe you of your hard earned money, if you are not careful.  A malicious hacker needs to use a free online SMTP server services, write an email, type the desired email address and send the mail. So, how do you spot a spoof email? Read on to find out.

Check the name and address of the sender Though this trick will not help every time, you can use this method to weed out malicious hackers who use a similar email address in an attempt to impersonate. Check the email address carefully as there will a small element that will be different from the genuine mail id. For instance, you may get a mail from an id which is ***@***.com. The hacker may even use stranger derivations to impersonate the mail id.

Check the Encrypted Fields If you use Gmail, there is an easy and useful feature that will help you check whether the email is genuine or fake. All you need to do is open the email, click on the dropdown arrow that is available underneath the username. The next step is to look for the mailed-by or signed-by fields. If these details are present, there are chances that the mail has been sent by a genuine person. Banks use this verification method to counteract spoofing.

Check the SPF and DKIM in Yahoo Another easy method is to check the SPF and DKIM in Yahoo to check whether you received the mail from a genuine person. All you need to do is enter the email address and click on the ‘Actions’ button available, which is represented by 3 dots. Click on the option which says “View Raw Message”. You will go to a new page, where you need to check for “Received-SPF: pass and dkimpass” to establish the authenticity.

Conclusion Follow the tips mentioned above if you are suspicious and want to check whether you have received the email from a genuine user. In addition, you also need to install the best parental router to stay safe from such malicious activities.

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Manage your Child's Screen Time without the Struggle! · GryphonConnect.com

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Is Your Modem Compatible with Broadband Service?

If you have wifi connection at home, you would know how important it is to have the right modem to enjoy seamless connectivity. This brings us to the topic - how compatible your modem and broadband service are with each other?

Every Internet Service Provider has a list of the modems that are best in terms of compatibility with their broadband service. If the modem that you have isn’t on the list, there’s a possibility that you will see performance issues cropping up soon. It is important that you check the compatibility of the modem with ISP before looking for best router for controlling Internet access and other features.

To make things easier, it will be better to know a little about DOCSIS and channel bonding. DOCSIS stands for Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification standards. These are the international standards certifying that modem you choose is compatible with most of the cable providers. At present, DOCSIS 3.0 is available that supports the downstream speed from 170 Mbps to 1 Gbps depending on the number of channels being used.

When shopping for modem, you will also find numbers like 8x4 and 4x4, which indicate the number of upstream and downstream channels supported by the modem. A modem with 8x4 will work fine with an Internet service plan of up to 100 Mbps. For those who do coding or watch a lot of HD videos, a DOCSIS compatible 24x8 modem will serve the purpose as it can handle ISP of 100 to 300 Mbps.

The other thing to check is if you are getting the Wi-Fi speed that you are paying for. Let’s look at some of the speed recommendations for the common services that we use on the Internet:

•5 Mbps for HD videos on Netflix •25 Mbps for streaming Netflix in 4K •1.5 Mbps to stream Hulu •1.5 Mbps upload and download speed for HD experience on Skype •15-20 Mbps for smooth online gaming experience

When you know what you want, it will be easier to choose a modem that fulfils the needs. When you come across modems that are compatible with the broadband and serve what you want, narrow down your search to best parental control device for wifi, so that you can browse the Internet in a safe and secure environment.

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Ultimate Hack Protected Parental Control Mesh WiFi Router - All in One Solution - GryphonConnect.com

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Hacks to Improve your Video Streaming Experience

Buffering is a part of our video streaming experience. Nevertheless, it is frustrating and nobody wants to deal with it while watching a movie. Poor internet connection is the reason for bad video streaming experience. But, is there a way out? The answer is yes. Boosting your home wi-fi network could be the solution to the problem. Let’s look at the ways to do so.

You can boost the wi-fi signal by keeping the router at an elevated position, setting the antennas in a different position or changing the location of the router.

If none of these hacks work, you might try out these:

• Installing a wifi mesh system can turn out be a good idea. A mesh system has multiple nodes that transfer the wifi signals ensuring that every corner of the house gets Internet connectivity. These are compatible with even the most secure routers.

• Check if your Internet plan is optimised for video streaming. If your subscription does not have the right speed, you will not get a smooth video streaming experience. Having a basic idea of the bandwidth required for data streaming will help you in choosing the right plan. For instance, if you are streaming an HD video on Netflix, it will consume bandwidth of 5 Mbps.

• Your router should be wi-fi 802.11 ac or wi-fi 5 802.11 ax compatible. The other point to take care of is that your modem should have DOCSIS 3.0 or 3.1 standard for fast download speed.

• You can also go for a wired setup because a direct connection can resolve the problem of buffering. Get the ethernet cable and connect it with your router port.

If your router is outdated, it’s time to head straight to the store and get an advanced one. Look for best router for child safety, if you have kids at home. This way you will limit on the Internet access of kids and also save more on the data that can uplift your video streaming experience.

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Your home security system is vulnerable to attack · GryphonConnect.com

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How to Secure Your Businesses’ Wi-Fi Network - Part 2

Whether you are an enterprise or a small business, you cannot overlook the importance of securing the Wi-Fi network. Even the most secure wireless routers can fall prey to malware attacks and data theft, if you let them do all the work themselves. And to ensure that this doesn’t happen, here’s our Part 2 of How to Secure Your Businesses’ Wi-Fi Network.

Use WPA2 Make sure that you have chosen the default encryption protocol WPA (Wi-fi Protected Access) in router settings. If you have an old router model, it might have WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) protocol, that is easy to hack. You can either look for best secure wireless router or check for firmware upgrades to make the router WPA-compatible.

Keep WPS turned off WPS or Wi-Fi Protected Setup makes pairing a device in an encrypted network easy, just by pressing a button. However, this option makes the router vulnerable as anyone who has physical access to the router can enter your network. Therefore, it makes sense to turn off the WPS option from security perspective.

Turn on the firewalls While many advanced routers come up with an in-built firewall to protect the internal network from malicious attacks, the feature might not be automatically activated. If you see options such as Network Address Translation (NAT) or Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) in settings, turn them on to enable firewall.

Get rid off Rogue APs Rogue AP is basically an unofficial access point to your Wi-Fi network. Usually anyone who have bad connectivity at the workplace might create this AP. The problem with this network is that it might not securely configured like the original wi-fi network is. Attackers might get access to your network through Rogue APs. To avoid this, do access point scanning at regular intervals.

Final Words In addition to the above-discussed pointers, changing network name or disabling DHCP could be the other ways to make the wi-fi network at the workplace more safe and secure.

How to Secure Your Businesses’ Wi-Fi Network - Part 1 :- https://gryphon-online-safety.blogspot.com/2020/12/how-to-secure-your-businesses-wi-fi.htm

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Secure your home from intruders, digital attacks, and hackers · GryphonConnect.com

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Fixing Intermittent Internet Connection in Windows 10

You are in the middle of an office meeting or watching a movie or finishing an urgent work but the Internet keeps on reconnecting and disconnecting. How does it feel? The answer is, frustrating. Intermittent Internet connection is purely a test of your patience, which you should not let happen. Let’s look at the ways of fixing the problem in Windows 10.

Try getting closer to the router There’s a possibility that the location where you are sitting and working might not be receiving strong signals or have many wireless networks. Try moving closer to where the router is, and you will see the difference.

Disconnect other devices If multiple devices are connected to Wi-Fi, there’s a high possibility that the bandwidth might not be sufficient for all. You can switch to a wired-LAN or disconnect other devices that are connected to the same network.

Check the router Overheating of the router could lead to Intermittent Internet connection. Turn it off and wait for it to cool down. The other solution is to power cycle it to check if there’s any improvement in the connection speed and efficiency.

Replace the cable modem If the cable modem that you are using was provided by the ISP and is anywhere between 6 months to 1 year old, consider replacing it. These might have bad quality and a shorter life span than we expected.

Disconnect Devices Connected To Your WiFi When multiple devices are using your WiFi all at once, there’s not enough bandwidth for each device, so disconnecting some of them can improve performance on your computer.

Network card failure If you are facing the problem in a desktop or laptop, there’s a possibility that the network card of your computer might be struggling to provide steady Internet connectivity. Reinstall the network card drivers to fix the problem. Right-click Start > Device Manager and click on Network adapter. Uninstall it and restart the computer. Enable the Windows to reinstall the card and drivers.

Final Words Intermittent Internet Connectivity is a problem that can arise even in the most secure wireless routers. It is, however, not a big issue to deal with. It can be easily resolved at home without the need for seeking help from an expert.

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Hate your Phone for Slow Downloads? We Might Know the Reason!

Slow download and upload speed a common problem and annoying for almost every user. This could cause an interruption in video playback, lag in your video conference, or even slower Google Map when you are trying to find a location. So, what are the reasons that lead to slow downloads on your phone? We have the answer: High traffic At times, there’s high traffic on the network that could result in slow download speed. Many users might be trying a web service at the same time. For instance, there’s a Christmas sale and most people will be trying to buy things on heavy discounts on an online shopping site. The result is - terrible download speed. Data throttling Data carriers often put speed restrictions to either reduce cost or when your data limit is over. This leads to throttling, which means slow speed during wireless data transfer. In this scenario, it is best to check with your operator and increase the data plan. Phone is outdated or has less space If the phone that you are using is one or two generations old, it might not provide you with a decent download speed. While some functionalities will work fine on the app, others might slow down because of less space or low processor speed. Data cache Your mobile phone caches all the data when you are browsing online and stores local copies of the web pages and other information. Over time, these caches might take up a lot of space on RAM, and interrupt with the download speed. Clearing cache regularly is the only way to prevent the problem. Weak Signal If the mobile network that you are using has weak signals, the download and upload speed will be less. Similarly, if you are connected to a wi-fi or mesh wifi system in your house that is having speed issues, your browsing experience is ought to suffer. Sum Up Slow download speed is a common issue. Make sure the device you are using is updated, has sufficient memory and high signal strength. If you are connected to wi-fi, there should not be multiple devices connected at the same time consuming all the bandwidth. Be aware of these small issues and you will have a smooth browsing experience.

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Protect your family from inappropriate web content · GryphonConnect.com

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A Simple Guide to Make your Fiber Wi-Fi Broadband Delivery Better Speed

Not many know that the speed of their broadband service is not only dependent on their monthly plan. A lot of factors could be slowing down the Internet connection. So, next time before you blame the ISP for snail slow Internet speed, here are a few more areas to address.

Select the right frequency and channel

Your wi-fi has channels, and changing them could make a lot of difference to the speed. Devices at home such as microwave and Bluetooth could interfere with wi-fi signals, causing congestion. You can try channels 1, 6 or 11. In case they don’t work, try 2 or 10. Keep changing unless the speed improves. Similarly, you can experiment with the frequency of the router also.

Make sure the password is unique Wi-Fi theft is nothing new, especially when most of us are working from home during the pandemic. The first and foremost way to prevent intrusion is by changing the password. Always set a unique password that includes lower and upper cases along with numerical so that hackers are unable to crack it.

Update antivirus and web browser software If there’s an expired antivirus in your device, it will not update the library and increase the threat to malware and spyware. This also slows down the wi-fi speed. Make sure your antivirus is updated. Another thing worth taking care here is that an old unregistered antivirus will be taking up a lot of bandwidth, so delete it or re-install.

Get range extender These little devices come in handy when you are troubled with slow wifi connection. Look for a range extender that has comes with app control feature so that you don’t need to open the settings in browser, every time you want to change them. If the budget allows, we recommend going a step further and investing in wifi mesh routers.

Final Words If your router is outdated, we recommend replacing it. Check out best family routers available in market, and we are sure the advanced one will solve all your worries.

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3 Unique Ways to Ensure Children's Digital Safety

Online safety of any child is a worrisome factor that we as parents need to always keep in check. Where the current pandemic has brought the educational sphere to the digital platform, children are getting exposed more and more to the digital world. Where, at one hand we cannot stop our children to get the basic education over online medium, on the other hand, we cannot compromise their safety. So, below are some useful methodologies that you can use to keep your children safe from cyber dangers. 1. Device Management To let your child get the most benefit out of the internet, device management is very important. All the study-related and knowledge gathering activities can be safely accessed with proper device settings. We can start with filter content settings for custom based accessibility like website or apps. When using mobiles or tablets, device lock feature can be set for certain apps. Another option is to go for the safest wireless router that can automatically manage all internet device security by connecting through the network. 2. Internet Time Management Children can spend a lot of time when using the internet. If we ignore this fact then it will become a serious health issue for them. Parental control apps in wifi routers can easily mark the amount of time your child spends online. Based on the data a schedule can be prepared to instruct the duration of internet usage. This will ensure that they make it a habit before bedtime and during the day. It will also prevent your children to have strained eyes and help you keep track of them using the digital platforms. 3. Be Open to your Kids We, as parents need to be open to our children when it comes touching parental control features. It might be possible for children to deactivate parental controls out of curiosity or for sake of playing games. If we explain our concerns to them regarding their online safety, not only will they know about cyber crimes, they would feel equally important as critical information is shared with them. On doing this you can gain the trust of your child. That way you can be assured of using parental control apps without any problem. Conclusion Parental control feature is a lifesaver for restricting unwanted disadvantages of internet. Managing home network devices becomes much easier with genuine cooperation of your children. A safest wireless router does its job properly, but transparency among family members will achieve a better outcome.