Consumer Reports – “Before COVID-19 forced many of us to work and learn remotely, the difference between a so-so router and a great one wasn’t that important.  As long as Netflix worked in the living room and the kids could play games online with their friends, why bother thinking about it? But now that wireless routers have become a more critical part in our lives, it’s time to pay closer attention to them. That includes recognizing when they should be replaced, either because they no longer perform well or aren’t receiving security updates. The security concern is a big one. We trust wireless routers to safely and reliably connect our laptops, smart TVs, and video game consoles to the internet. The last thing we want is to have data we send or receive become vulnerable to hackers.  To be clear, we’re talking here about routers you buy and set up yourself, not the ones provided by internet service providers for a monthly fee. If you have questions about those routers, call your ISP.  If you own your router, there is no clear-cut way to decide when to replace it. But there are a few signs that indicate it’s time to say goodbye.  These are the signs that your router is no longer fit for duty…” [h/t Pete Weiss]