Hi, Wednesday. (I’ve always hated the term “humpday.” 🐫) Thanks to everyone who sent me a note about what you need help with in your tech life. You can hit “Reply” and shoot me an email or use this form.

⏳ Quick tip I use all the time: You know you sent someone a pic but can’t find it. On iPhone, open Messages, tap a convo then the person’s profile photo or group name. Scroll to Photos > See All. On Android, open Messages, then tap the search bar at the top. — Kim

So, your Wi-Fi is spotty. Or crappy slow. Or maybe it’s just unreliable, depending on what room you’re in. The bad news: It could be just about anything — signal congestion, your location, firmware issues, hardware limitations or even your internet service provider limiting you.

The good news: You have me, your tech secret weapon, to help you detangle your internet mess.

Yeah, you need to update that

Do you remember the last time you updated your router? (I can see your blank stare from here.) Like all the rest of your tech, do this regularly to get new features, improvements and bug patches.

Take care of this through your router admin page. Try ManualsOnline to look up your model if you need help.

💡 FYI: Router firmware updates require a restart. Don’t do it when someone is in the middle of work or watching a movie.

You picked the worst spot in the house

Your router should be in a central location, close to where you need strong connections. Ideally, you can place it pretty high up, like on a shelf or even mounted on the wall. If your router has antennas, point them in different directions.

Cordless phones, Bluetooth speakers, microwaves and baby monitors can impact your router’s speed. This is particularly true with older routers that can only operate on the 2.4GHz frequency.

The kids are downloading games while you’re in meetings

Too many devices on the same network can slow things to a crawl — especially if some of those devices (looking at you, Nintendo Switch) use a lot of bandwidth. Try this: Put the kids on a separate network.

Set up a different router specifically for their devices or just kick everyone else to the guest network. Here’s how to set that up.

😂 Oh, and set your Wi-Fi password to 2444666668888888. When someone asks you for your password, you can tell them it's 12345678.

Maybe it’s your router itself

An older router relying on older standards simply can't keep up with multiple devices streaming, video chatting, gaming and all the rest.

• I use a mesh system since it spreads strong coverage across the whole house.
• This is a solid standard router for a smaller home (up to 1,200 square feet).
• Good pick if your house is up to about 2,000 square feet. You can add mesh points later if you need ‘em.

✅ Have a barn, “she shed” or detached man cave that needs Wi-Fi? I used this genius wireless extender to get internet 1,800 feet from a neighbor’s house to my new house during construction. Works great!

🧊 Honestly, that’s the tip of the iceberg. I could share Wi-Fi tips all day, but I can’t fit ‘em all here. Keep going!

Shop around the TikTok: More Chinese junk will be landing across the U.S. TikTok is adding a full shopping platform to the app to compete with Temu and Shein in August ... which is somehow just days away.

The clock is ticking: Have an old Google account? Starting Dec. 1, Google is wiping accounts that haven’t been accessed in two years. That includes everything in Gmail, Drive, YouTube and Photos. Log in now while you’re thinking about it. (Psst, want more daily updates like this? Get the Current Tech News in your inbox every morning.)

Shopify gets AI-ified: Are you a part of Shopify's more than 4.39 million sites? Get ready for a ChatGPT AI upgrade. It'll write marketing emails and schedule them when they will most likely get read. Plus, Shopify's new chatbot, Sidekick, can handle store management tasks and answer common customer questions. Total timesaver.

Prepare for take-off: If you’re traveling with a group, forget forwarding airline confirmation emails or sending texts to figure out who’s where. Flighty (iOS only) added a slick new feature that lets you create a group and get automatic notifications of friends’ flight arrivals, gate information and delays.

Maps not from Google or Apple: If you don’t want to be tracked by Big Tech, the Linux Foundation released its first mapping program. Let me tell you, unless you're a bona fide tech nerd, this is not for you. This is an alpha release, which means it hasn’t even reached beta status. You’ve been warned.

I turn tech complexity into simplicity with my Daily Tech Update podcast. I’ll give you the top tech news and a useful digital life hack, all in under two minutes. It's the perfect match for your daily routine — no tech expertise required.

👉 Your journey to tech confidence is a click away!

📴 Buzz, buzz: Do Not Disturb is fantastic, but there are certain people you might want to reach you, even if it’s on (like your kid or spouse). Set them up as an approved contact. Sweet.

Be Mr. or Ms. Productive: If you need to buckle down and get work done, trust me, a phone timer is not the way to go. Too tempting. Try E.ggtimer.com. It’s not fancy, and you won’t find a ton of bells and whistles. That’s why I like it! Fewer distractions.

🤳 Bug off: That selfie is perfect, except for the rando who wandered into the frame. This online tool lets you delete background objects.

Scamazon: The FTC sued Amazon because the process of canceling Prime is so annoying. If you ever want to say goodbye to Amazon, it’s not easy. I have directions for your computer and phone here.

🔋 Plug it in, plug it in: Just like phones, laptop batteries lose their juice over time. Good rule of thumb: Keep your battery charged to at least 40% most of the time, and don’t keep it plugged in all the time. Check your battery health if you’ve never done it. A bad report = A new laptop sooner than later.

A virtual private network, or VPN, is a great place to start. A VPN encrypts your data and hides your IP address, giving you an extra layer of protection from snoops, advertisers and Big Tech companies looking to profit off you.

Some VPNs slow your connection or, worse, track your internet activity and compromise your security. Not ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN’s servers run on RAM, or volatile memory, that’s cleared each time the server is reset — meaning they don’t save your data. You can connect in just one click from a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, iPad, you name it.

🚨 Deal alert: Get an extra THREE months free since you subscribe to my newsletter.

❓ Have a question for me? Drop it right here, or leave me a voicemail at 602‑381‑8200 ext. 290.

You’re entitled to a free credit check every year, so never get roped into paying for it. Even if you’re not applying for a loan, it’s worth doing to find anything strange. You can spot identity theft a lot sooner than if you wait to notice it some other way. 💳

Bye-bye, bad guys →

Ah, group texts. Love to hate ‘em. By the way, yesterday’s Guess the Gadget: An Apple Watch connected to its charger. High five to the brainiacs who guessed it and to Paul in Idaho, who won a Komando fanny pack!

📩 GIVEAWAY ALERT: Reply to this email and let me know if you’re Team iPhone or Team Android. That’s it! I’ll pick one person randomly to take home $10 in Amazon bucks.

Hey, I’m glad you’re here. It’d be a real bummer if I were writing this email for just me. Do me a solid and share this tech newsletter with a friend. Use your custom referral link below and earn rewards for everyone who signs up. Win, win! — Kim

Your friends deserve to be as tech-smart as you! Use the custom link below to share this newsletter and earn great prizes along the way.