Today is a big day for TP-Link, as the company revealed that it has opened preorders for its first Wi-Fi 8 hardware. The previously announced Archer 8 Ultra router makes the company’s first entry into what will become a fully stocked portfolio covering Wi-Fi 8 standalone and mesh routers, access points, and client adapters. Interestingly, TP-Link makes it clear that preorders kicked off today in the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and other global markets.

Given that the United States is a key consumer market for TP-Link, the fact that the country is left off the preorder list is telling, but not exactly a surprise to anyone who has been following the wireless industry over the past six months. TP-Link has sat on the sidelines as competitors including Netgear, Asus, and Amazon gained Conditional Approvals from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to sell their hardware in the U.S. Without the Conditional Approval, companies are effectively banned from selling new wireless hardware in the country that wasn't already approved by the FCC.

So, while earlier Wi-Fi 7 gear from TP-Link that received FCC certification can still be sold, any new Wi-Fi 7 or Wi-Fi 8 products are effectively blocked from the market. The company has made several critical moves to position itself as a U.S. company, including incorporating TP-Link Systems in California, but those moves have been challenged in legal filings.

At this point, there haven’t been any clear signs that the U.S. government will lift its freeze on TP-Link hardware, so until that time comes, the Archer 8 Ultra will remain unavailable stateside. And it’s a shame, because the Archer 8 Ultra, which utilizes a Broadcom Wi-Fi 8 chipset, will deliver up to 33 percent more real-world throughput compared to TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 7 hardware, and 24 percent more consistent throughput when operating in high-interference conditions.

The Archer 8 Ultra will feature two auto-sensing 10 Gbps WAN/LAN ports and four 2.5 Gbps LAN ports. TP-Link says that the router covers up to 3,600 square feet and will support up to 200 devices.

"Wi-Fi 8 sets a new foundation, and we’ve built beyond it,” said Jim Poder, Senior Vice President of R&D at TP-Link. “Archer 8 Ultra combines our Wi-Fi 8 StabilityEngine with intelligent antenna technology and AI-powered optimization to deliver what matters most: a smarter, more reliable network that’s easier to use.”

TP-Link’s Wi-Fi 8 family will expand in Q1 2027 with a Deco 8 Ultra mesh router, and a Roam 8 travel router in Q2 2027. Throughout the year, further additions will come in the form of new PCIe/USB wireless adapters, access points, and range extenders.

If you want to expand your home network with cameras, WiFi extenders, and other smart home tech, you'll want to invest in a good power-over-Ethernet switch. At the minute, a Ugreen 10-port PoE+ switch is on sale for just $37.79 on Amazon. That's a new record low for this model, and it unlocks eight extra PoE+ ports (and 10 in total) for your network, at a price that's much more affordable than many of its rivals.

● Check out this deal on Amazon

Ugreen is a brand that you'll see a lot on Amazon, from network gear like this to wall chargers and peripherals. It's budget-focused, with reasonable prices that hide some pretty well-designed hardware. Here, you're getting a 10-port switch that supports the PoE+ standard (IEEE 802.3at), which means it can deliver up to 30W of power for devices on each individual port.

In practice, that means you can hook up newer and much faster devices to this switch, with power and data both being delivered over a single Ethernet cable. The switch supports 60W in total using a cascade system. If the power draw hits 60W, it'll shut down ports to prevent overload, starting from port 8 to port 1, so you can prioritize the ports you want and need the most. The switch will automatically detect PoE devices, so it won't short out a normal device like your PC or laptop by accident. Extended power delivery mode means that you can connect devices as far as 820 feet away, too.

If you're building a smart home network with plenty of devices to power, a switch like this will prove useful. This particular Ugreen switch is unmanaged, so there isn't a huge setup process to work through, and it should work immediately when you plug it into your existing hardware. That does mean it'll lack some of the extra customization that a more expensive managed switch could offer, but for most users, the ease of use will be the bigger draw anyway.

Almost any Ethernet-ready device will work with this switch, even if they aren't able to take advantage of its power delivery. Laptops, PCs, NAS drives, printers, TVs, game consoles, IP cameras, and more will work with this switch.

You're also getting the bonus of speed here. This Ugreen switch delivers gigabit speeds across your network, so you can leave WiFi latency and lag issues far behind when you're playing games or streaming Netflix shows. Ethernet connections using this switch will help you max out the bandwidth from your ISP. You've also got two uplink ports which you can hook up to your existing network for the best bandwidth.

The $37.79 sale price for this 10-port Ugreen switch is a great one, but it's only around for a limited-time only. If you want to pick up this fanless, lightning-protected, compact Gigabit PoE+ switch, you'll need to get your order in before the deal runs out.

On this day in 1980, version 1.0 of the Ethernet specification was published by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), Intel, and Xerox. This ‘DIX’ standard was established at a time still nearly three years before the modern internet existed. Nevertheless, Ethernet would become the default technology for connecting computers to each other in local networks – and all around the world. However, we must point out that Ethernet had existed in experimental form at Xerox PARC in the 1970s.

Before Ethernet, computer manufacturers were wary of building LAN connectivity into their computers. It seemed wasteful to integrate one type of network adapter that wouldn’t always work with other networked computers and equipment an organization might use. To foster the adoption of Ethernet industrywide, DIX allowed any vendor to use the specification in their own hardware implementations.

Ethernet has been adjusted, refined, and improved over time to remain competitive and relevant. In 1980, it arrived using coaxial cable wiring and with a top speed of 10 Mbps. Five years later, it would move to adapters with BNC connectors. The first RJ45 implementation, a connector that still identifies Ethernet ports to this day, was in 1990 alongside the introduction of 10BASE-T twisted-pair cabling (but still at 10 Mbps).

Data speeds ramped up tenfold, hitting 100 Mbps in 1995, and it would be just four more years until the next tenfold boost with the debut of Gigabit (1 Gbps) Ethernet. If you buy a PC nowadays, you will commonly see Ethernet ports labeled 2.5G and/or 10G. To make use of the latter, Cat6a or better cabling is typically recommended for reliable links. However, data centers run equipment connected via 800 Gbps+ Ethernet protocol connections over advanced fiber optics.

Despite the rise and generational advances delivered by Wi-Fi 7, wired Ethernet is still preferred for speed, low latency, and stability. These are very desirable qualities for enthusiasts, home labbers, and gamers alike. Thus, even on small form factor PCs and laptops with the latest Wi-Fi but no RJ45 networking port, some might choose to connect a USB Type-C to RJ45 Ethernet dongle when they are at the home/office with wired networking available.

Meta has announced plans to build and install a new subsea cable that will connect France and the United States at a breakneck 1 Pbps (1 petabit per second or 1,000 terabits per second). It will become the most advanced subsea cable at its length and blow Meta's own 0.5 Pbps Anjana cable system out of the water. Figuratively, of course.

Anjana runs from Spain to the US for a total distance of 4,425 miles at a relatively leisurely 480 Tbps thanks to its 24 fiber pairs. But Petal ratchets things up a notch, using 48 fiber pairs and a two-core fiber-based solution (with 24 pairs each) to achieve 1 Pbps across transatlantic distances.

Meta claims that the new cable will have enough network capacity to allow 75% of the planet's population to stream music at the same time — so long as they stick to 160 kbps MP3s or lower, that is. No lossless streaming for you.

Either way, you'll have to wait a while for your theoretical music fix. Meta says that Petal is expected to enter service in 2029. It'll be built in partnership with NEC and Sumitomo Electric Industries, with support for the French landing from Orange.

Subsea cables might not be at the top of many internet users' minds, but they're vital to the way our connected world functions today — and they've often been the subject of sabotage plots as a result. As the number of connected devices continues to grow, these cables become all the more important. And they need to be fast and reliable.

Meta says that its decision to use a two-core fiber design for Petal brought complications along with its huge performance. Minimizing crosstalk is key, as is ensuring low attenuation throughout the length of the cable.

The fix for the attenuation involves using ultra-pure synthetic silica during the manufacture of the preform, while crosstalk is minimized by "carefully controlling for high refractive indexes in the cores against lower indexes within the surrounding medium and counter-propagating the optical signals."

Meta says that a subsea cable of this length typically needs around 100 repeaters to get the signal from one end to the other without degradation. Petal uses single-body 96-amp repeaters, each with single-core fiber amplification and a Fan-In/Fan-Out (FIFO) interface to convert two-core fiber into two single-core fibers inside the repeater before converting it back to two-core fiber following amplification. The theory is that this approach will allow Petal to retain the efficiency and reliability afforded by single-core amplification.

As for why Meta feels the need to build such a cable, it points to its desire to bring "greater capacity, stronger resiliency, and future-proof infrastructure to Europe as demand for communications and reliable connectivity continues to increase." We hope that dual-core fiber isn't twice as tasty to the average shark.

2026 has been a trying year for router manufacturers, as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has subjected leading companies to strict oversight and outright bans. As an olive branch of sorts, the FCC has handed out "conditional approvals" to be included on the Covered List to companies that have jumped through all the necessary hoops to satisfy the commission's concerns. Asus is the latest company to secure that approval, which was confirmed in an FCC notice issued this week.

According to the FCC, the following Asus networking products have been granted conditional approval:

• RT Series
• ROG GT Series
• OG Strix GS Series
• TUF Gaming Series
• ExpertWiFi Series
• ZenWiFi Mesh Series
• 5G MiFi Series
• Wireless repeaters
• Wireless access points

In other words, Asus' entire wireless networking portfolio is cleared for sale in the U.S., with the conditional approval granted until March 6, 2028 (18 months from the date of issuance). The FCC explains, "We find that each of the Conditional Approvals constitutes 'a specific determination' by [Department of War] that such devices do not pose risks to U.S. national security."

This latest move by the FCC is a welcome sigh of relief for Asus, a Taiwanese company with an extensive networking portfolio and some of the best Wi-Fi routers. More importantly, Asus is ready to unleash a whole new generation of Wi-Fi 8 products over the next year. Wi-Fi 8 promises significant reliability and quality-of-life improvements across a wide range of wireless devices, so having a front-row seat to the transition from Wi-Fi 7 to Wi-Fi 8 is pivotal for Asus.

We've already seen a concept ROG NeoCore Wi-Fi 8 router from Asus at CES this year, and the company announced its first consumer Wi-Fi 8 router, the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, in June. The ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro is promising a 2x uplift in real-world throughput compared to its current-generation Wi-Fi 7 products.

Asus joins Netgear and Amazon Eero/Leo on the conditional approval list. The largest player in the U.S. wireless router market is TP-Link, and it still hasn't gained FCC approval. The U.S. government has been reluctant to give its blessing, and a war of words has been brewing over alleged Chinese ties despite TP-Link Systems Inc. being headquartered in California. As a result, the company has not confirmed a release date for its newly announced Wi-Fi 8 "Ultra" routers in the U.S.

A bad network connection at home or in your office doesn't have to be permanent, because you can grab a wired upgrade for less than $10 right now. This gigabit TP-Link switch is down to $9.98, but only for a limited time.

● Check out this deal on Amazon

This TP-Link switch does often vary in price, according to Camelcamelcamel's data, but under $10 is a good deal price for this model. A network switch like this will unlock extra Ethernet ports on your wired network and will plug straight into your existing router. There isn't a better alternative to a wired LAN connection for maxing out the bandwidth on your internet connection, especially if you want to play games or stream 4K video.

Speed is the ultimate value of this TP-Link Litewave 5-Port LS1005G switch, too. You're getting gigabit Ethernet speeds, meaning you don't have to worry about lag or slowdowns if your internet connection is fast enough. This is an unmanaged switch, so there's no need for you to configure it or navigate a difficult setup process. Just switch it on, plug it in using your router or modem's WAN port, and you'll be able to use the four remaining ports.

Measuring just 2.8 x 3.5 x 0.9 inches in size, you won't need a lot of space for this TP-Link switch, and you should be able to place it in a convenient location near your router or around your home with a long enough cable. It's silent, with no fans, so it won't interrupt you while you're gaming or streaming, either.

You won't find a better plug-and-play solution for a beginner than an unmanaged wired network switch like this one. The downside is that it won't offer the same level of customization, with managed switches offering more features and configuration settings at a higher price. This TP-Link Litewave LS1005G is going to be fine for most users, though, and it'll work with almost any Ethernet-capable device you own without any issue, including PCs, laptops, NAS drives, games consoles, IP cameras, and even another router or Wi-Fi extender.

Rather than deal with a slow, laggy connection, paying $9.98 for this TP-Link Litewave 5-port LS1005G switch can be a quick and immediate upgrade to your wired network. The limited-time deal won't last for long, so if you want to grab it for under $10, you'll need to be quick.

BT, the UK’s largest telecommunications provider, is slowly upgrading its entire network to fiber, with the company looking to move residential endpoints away from copper, and it seems that it will make a killing when it recycles its old cables. According to The Guardian, the company has signed a deal with EMR, one of the largest cable recycling companies in the country, for the recovery of around 200,000 tons of copper over a span of four years. Although the total value of the deal is unclear, the latter has also already paid more than USD 134 million (GBP 99 million) to the telecoms company for a few thousand tons of copper. Aside from the deal with EMR, BT and its subsidiary, Openreach, could also sell the recovered copper directly on the spot market.

More than 22,000 metric tons have already been recovered from the system since BT started its network upgrade, with the metal costing around USD 8,500 per metric ton on the market. If the company sold all that material in the open market, it would have made revenue of USD 187 million. However, the massive AI-driven demand for copper has pushed prices to a record high of more than USD 14,000 per metric ton. The upgrade work is expected to continue well into the 2030s, with Openreach estimating that it could still recover up to 200,000 metric tons of material. That means the company could make an estimated USD 2.7 to 2.8 billion just from the sale of these old network cables.

The AI boom is pushing up demand for several industries — from high-tech products like memory and storage chips and jet engines to “exotic” materials such as rare earth elements and glass cloth fibers. Most people will not equate copper to AI data centers, especially as the PCBs used in their servers often contain so little of the metal, relatively speaking. AI data centers are also switching to optical interconnects and silicon photonics, meaning the internal networks of these data centers will increasingly rely on fiber optics.

However, data centers are forecast to use 194 gigawatts of power by 2035, and all this power can only be transferred via metal cables. While you can also use aluminum wires to transmit power, copper is often the preferred choice for its stability, better electrical conductivity, increased durability, and superior thermal performance. So, as AI hyperscalers expand their operations and build more data centers, the demand for copper wires will also increase accordingly. Utility providers will also need to purchase more cables as they upgrade the grid to deliver the electricity needed by the AI infrastructure.

The AI-powered boom for copper material is a win-win situation for BT, Openreach, and their subscribers. The people will now get end-to-end fiber connections in their homes, hopefully giving them better speed and reliability, while the providers are basically getting a discount on the upgrades that they’re making on their networks.

Earlier this year, TP-Link announced its intentions to launch the first members of its Wi-Fi 8 (802.11bn) networking family. At the time, the company revealed that it would first launch a standalone Archer 8 consumer router this fall, followed by a Deco 8 mesh router. And right on cue, TP-Link stated today that the Archer 8 Ultra BN19000 tri-band router will launch on September 30.

TP-Link is going light on the details at this time, but this is what we know so far. The Archer 8 Ultra BN19000 will come equipped with 18 internal antennas and deliver up to 19 Gbps aggregate wireless speeds. In addition, it will have 10 Gbps wired connectivity, though we don’t know whether that includes WAN and LAN ports or just the latter.

For users who require broader coverage in larger homes or offices, the Deco 8 Ultra BN22000 tri-band mesh router offers aggregate speeds of up to 22 Gbps and includes 10 Gbps wired connectivity. TP-Link typically sells its mesh systems in two- or three-pack configurations, and the Deco 8 Ultra BN22000 3-pack covers up to 9,800 square feet. Unfortunately, the Wi-Fi 8 mesh system won’t be available until Q1 2027, according to TP-Link.

TP-Link plans to expand its Wi-Fi 8 portfolio by Q2 2027 with a new Roam 8 travel router, along with range extenders and PCIe/USB client adapters. Although we don’t know which specific chipsets will power Archer 8 Ultra, Deco 8 Ultra, and other unannounced Wi-Fi 8 devices, the company says its products will use hardware from Broadcom, MediaTek, and Qualcomm.

Wi-Fi 8 is shaping up to be more of a quality-of-life improvement over Wi-Fi 7 than a substantial theoretical speed improvement. Put simply, Wi-Fi 8 hardware devices should be able to come closer to fulfilling the real-world performance metrics that Wi-Fi 7 devices originally promised.

To this end, TP-Link says that its so-called StabilityEngine leverages core Wi-Fi technologies including Enhanced Long Range (ELR) and Distributed Resource Units (DRU). These features together help improve wireless connectivity, primarily for low-power IoT devices that are typically positioned at the edge of your home’s wireless coverage. There are also additional technologies at play, such as Unequal Modulation (UEQM) and Modulation and Coding Schemes (MCS), to ensure uninterrupted wireless traffic in high-interference situations.

A new design language is also being ushered in with the Archer 8 and Deco 8 products, which was teased during TP-Link’s May 2026 announcement. “We stopped building a piece of networking equipment and started designing for the home,” explained TP-Link industrial design chief Gary Chang. “When a router’s design becomes something people want to display, it ends up exactly where it performs best.”

What remains unclear is how or when these new Wi-Fi 8 products will launch in the U.S. As of today, TP-Link has yet to obtain FCC approval to release all-new products in the country. Unlike competitors Amazon and Netgear, which received conditional approval from the FCC Covered List, the U.S. government is still playing hardball with TP-Link. For its part, TP-Link only says that preorders for the Archer 8 Ultra will open in “select regions” on September 30.