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Google Announces a Router: OnHub
An anonymous reader writes: Google has announced they're working with TP-LINK to build a new router they call OnHub. They say it's designed for the way we tend to use Wi-Fi in 2015, optimizing for streaming and sharing in a way that older routers don't. The router has a cylindrical design and comes with a simple, user-friendly mobile app. They say, "OnHub searches the airwaves and selects the best channel for the fastest connection. A unique antenna design and smart software keep working in the background, automatically adjusting OnHub to avoid interference and keep your network at peak performance. You can even prioritize a device, so that your most important activity — like streaming your favorite show — gets the fastest speed." The device will cost $200, it supports Bluetooth Smart Ready, Weave, and 802.15.4, and it will automatically apply firmware updates.
I guess nothing would go wrong with "automatically installing firmware updates".
Be seeing you...
The only thing I want to know about it is
can it self restart when it locks up?
Or is that something that no router co is ever going to fix?
Minimum threshold fixed. Thanks!
Well, they know your entire browsing history, regardless of cookies or adblock or anything else.
Put a proxy in & they can even MITM your https connections.
Now their data of you is worth a lot more to the advertisers. CPMs go way up. Google gets more $$.
Alphabet gets to show why they're good at running companies.
There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
It's an interesting concept, but I don't think I want to turn my router over to a company like Google or Facebook that makes their money Hoovering up every last bit of data they can get about me.
Help save the critically endangered Blue Iguana
You're not going to be buffering anything inbound and proper prioritization outbound means your voip packets go to the front of the line. Buffer bloat is more an issue in the public internet net the end points. Intelligent QoS can make big buffers useful but that's too easy to game both by the bad users/applications and the ISP's themselves (let there own and partners packets cut the line). It's also why gear in the default free zone tends not to have deep buffers.
No sir I dont like it.
Right, like I trust Google to be my router/firewall ... no way in hell I'd let Google be the gatekeeper for the internet in my house.
Because you can bet your ass they're going to get a lot more visibility into everything you do, and use it for their own purpose.
And I'm sure it will be remotely accessibly when law enforcement demands it and introduce several new security holes as it tries to be so easy to use it fails utterly. Mark my words, this will cause a lot of new problems.
I don't trust Google to do that at all. I use their services from a browser, but letting them be directly in charge of my network? No bloody way in hell.
Their "do no evil" pledge means less with every passing year.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
I know this is the dumbest complaint about this device, but why circular? Why do these people design devices as if they'll be the only thing on our desks, shelves, whatever? There should be a new standard "desktop rack" that these devices can fit in.
Stupid sexy Flanders.
I get that technically-oriented people like those on Slashdot are opposed to automatic updates, but this product isn't targeting you. Most people are going to get their wifi router either from their ISP (where the ISP will manage updates) or something they bought at BestBuy and never touched again after they got it working. Most people will never go out of their way to update anything unless it's either done for them automatically or they're prompted to do so.
Wifi routers are absolutely a place where, for most people, security updates should happen automatically, because for most people, the alternative is for wifi routers to spend their entire lifetime running the same version they shipped with, whatever security updates that may entail.
Is the extra spying that comes with it included in the Cost?
Yes, that is free with all alphabet products.
Very easily, in fact ... it's will become trivial.
1.Have browser profiles for detecting your browser from it's behavior: connection handling, tcp packet timing, parallel connection count, cookie handling, request interval, dns caching behavor, resource refetching, caching settings, even favicon fetching interval and a lot more, it's called browser fingerprinting, they could use javascript injection too but that wouldn't be passive.
2.Determining if it will react to certificate authority changes. and proceed to next step if it doesn't.
3.Generate a trusted certificate with an extra certificate in x509 chain.
If you don't know already google has a CA. so they can
Once you know enough about browsers, https, tcp, x509, rsa, CAs, protocol design, 802.XX,
Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion. -- Spazmania (174582)
The router has 12 sectored antennas, 6 per frequency. The 6 antennas are arranged in pairs around a circle. This provides excellent "cell" isolation and better beam forming enhancement.
It is an excellent design concept, even if it does make stacking and hiding less convenient. It is a design previously used only on VERY expensive WiFi gear targeted at VERY dense environments like conference halls and stadiums.
and pron
Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion. -- Spazmania (174582)
Cheapo TP link (35 Euro) here with DD WRT cfw.
Runs and runs and, cough. runs.
The only thing I restart once in several month is, ironically, a Cisco cable modem.
> The instructions for performing maintainence of my heat pump assume foundational HVAC knowledge, too. ...
> But for some reason, computer/network gear, despite being many times more complex pieces of machinery, carry this expectation that a retard like your mom who can't even understand/remember/figure out clicking File and then Open should be able to fully understand them.
The expectation is that mom can adjust the thermostat, without needing to know the differences between various types of refrigerants. Similarly, the goal is that she should be able to look at pictures of the grandkids without configuring ipv6.
Because consumer routers are directly connected to the internet, with no firewall between the router and the net, regular updates are required these days. Mom should be able to use YouTube, and do so safely she needs regular updates on the router.
Nerds like you and I can turn off those updates, install open-wrt, or whatever we want. Just like you CAN install a hotrod intake manifold, but doing so shouldn't be required in order to drive.
Paranoia is strong with you today. Explain to me how a Google router will MITM attack my HTTPS connection to Amazon.com when I am entering my credit card #?
In the case we're discussing, you've actually placed a hardware device on your network, with them in complete control of the firmware, that all of your traffic gets routed through. It is child's play, since your browser (regardless of which browser you use) already trusts their certificates, for them to proxy whatever the hell they want to. Unless you're religious about looking at certificates (or happen to notice that a site you would expect an EV cert from doesn't indicate such in your browser (green address bar, or whatever)) then it's doubtful you'll even notice anything is wrong.
See "DPL-SSL" for an example of how this would work in practice.
What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
Towards the bottom of the link you shared:
While OnHub doesn't track the websites you visit, your DNS provider can associate your web traffic with your public IP address. OnHub sets your default DNS provider to Google Public DNS. (This can be changed in the Advanced Networking settings of the Google On app.)
What could possibly go wrong?
Compare contrast with Comcast's DNS - Comcast owns NBC now so they have a vested interest in hunting down sharing of pirated content. I'd bet every single /.er is a legitimate target for them.
So do you trust Google or Comcast more here? Unless we're all running OpenDNS, and even then are you sure they're not selling your info too?
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Easy. Google has a trusted CA. If they get between any connection, they can MITM it.
Right, because no one would ever notice if Google's CA signed a certificate for amazon.com.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
I would definitely purchase a Google branded router that used local storage to maintain an encrypted synced cache of my Google Drive,Mail,Movies,Music & maybe third party data.
$14 does not buy you a remotely decent 5ghz N router, even in China. Cheap, reliable, fast, secure. Chose MAYBE two.