Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Linksys to release clever Smart Wi-Fi app, with notification support, for high-end routers

Justin Pot
By

If you own a Linksys router, check your phone’s app store. There’s a new version of Linksys Smart Wi-Fi coming out July 22 for Android and iOS, and it looks a lot easier to use while also adding new features. There’s even support for automatic notifications when your router goes offline.

We pointed out the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi app while reviewing routers like the massive Linksys EA9500 and the Linksys EA7500, noting that it was a relatively straight-forward interface that was easy for beginners while still usable for advanced users. But we couldn’t help but notice things looked terribly dated, with a clunky interface that didn’t feel native on iOS and Android devices

Recommended Videos

The update looks a lot better, with a design that’s more neutral. But this isn’t just a cosmetic release, there are also new features.

Related

For one thing, you can now get a notification on your phone every time your home Internet goes down. This is useful when you’re at home, because you’ll know the problem is with your Internet connection instead of your computer, or whatever site you’re failing to load at the time. But it’s also useful when you’re on the go, wondering why your home server or security cameras aren’t working.

And that’s not the only new feature. Here are a few things the new app can do:

  • Share your Wi-Fi credentials with guests easily from your phone.
  • New parental control features, including blocking all Internet access at particular times. Stop your kids from browsing the web at night.
  • New collection of device icons, making it easier to work out which device is which at a glance.
  • Monitor the free space on any external hard drives connected to the router

The new app will work with devices running iOS 8 Android 4.0.3 and above. It supports all routers that currently support the Linksys Smart Wi-Fi app. You can find more information at the company’s website.

Update 7/21/2016: Linksys ran into issues with the launch of its app, and has postponed the roll-out to July 22. 

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Justin Pot
Justin Pot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Justin's always had a passion for trying out new software, asking questions, and explaining things – tech journalism is the…
4 CPUs you should buy instead of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D sitting on a motherboard.

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is one of the best gaming processors you can buy, and it's easy to see why. It's easily the fastest gaming CPU on the market, it's reasonably priced, and it's available on a platform that AMD says it will support for several years. But it's not the right chip for everyone.

Although the Ryzen 7 7800X3D ticks all the right boxes, there are several alternatives available. Some are cheaper while still offering great performance, while others are more powerful in applications outside of gaming. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a great CPU, but if you want to do a little more shopping, these are the other processors you should consider.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D

Read more
Even the new mid-tier Snapdragon X Plus beats Apple’s M3
A photo of the Snapdragon X Plus CPU in the die

You might have already heard of the Snapdragon X Elite, the upcoming chips from Qualcomm that everyone's excited about. They're not out yet, but Qualcomm is already announcing another configuration to live alongside it: the Snapdragon X Plus.

The Snapdragon X Plus is pretty similar to the flagship Snapdragon X Elite in terms of everyday performance but, as a new chip tier, aims to bring AI capabilities to a wider portfolio of ARM-powered laptops. To be clear, though, this one is a step down from the flagship Snapdragon X Elite, in the same way that an Intel Core Ultra 7 is a step down from Core Ultra 9.

Read more
Gigabyte just confirmed AMD’s Ryzen 9000 CPUs
Pads on the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Gigabyte spoiled AMD's surprise a bit by confirming the company's next-gen CPUs. In a press release announcing a new BIOS for X670, B650, and A620 motherboards, Gigabyte not only confirmed that support has been added for next-gen AMD CPUs, but specifically referred to them as "AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors."

We've already seen MSI and Asus add support for next-gen AMD CPUs through BIOS updates, but neither of them called the CPUs Ryzen 9000. They didn't put out a dedicated press release for the updates, either. It should go without saying, but we don't often see a press release for new BIOS versions, suggesting Gigabyte wanted to make a splash with its support.

Read more