MakeUseOf

I wired my home network once, and these are the 5 mistakes I wouldn't repeat

Jonathon Jachura — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:00:13 GMT

When we built our ranch in northern Indiana, I wired the basement myself and ran Cat6 to every drop I could reach. I even crimped my own cables off a 1,000-foot spool to skip the cost of pre-made runs. The network works. Every port hits gigabit, the access points cover the whole house, and I'd take on the project again tomorrow. But wiring a house teaches you things you only learn once you live with the result. A few choices from that week still nag at me, and a couple of them cost real time to fix after the drywall closed. These are the five I'd handle differently starting over.

I thought my Windows PC was clean until WinHance found hidden bloatware

Oluwaseun Bamisile — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 21:00:14 GMT

Windows being filled with bloatware is like saying rain is wet: it's common knowledge. A lot of the programs that come preinstalled with Windows are things nobody asks for or even uses. Like, who uses Clipchamp or still plays Solitaire? Definitely not me, and I don't know anyone who does.

Smart thermostats aren't the money savers we've been sold

Jonathon Jachura — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:30:13 GMT

The sales pitch never changes. Mount a smart thermostat, let it study when you come and go, and watch your heating and cooling bill drop by double digits. I bought it completely. I put an Amazon Smart Thermostat on all three zones of my ranch house and waited for the savings to roll in on their own. The first month, the bill barely moved.

Every file you download carries a hidden Windows tag you probably never noticed

Oluwademilade Afolabi — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:00:13 GMT

You download a normal-looking PDF, image, or software installer from the web. You open File Explorer, check its size and icon, and there's nothing obvious separating it from a file you created yourself.

I stopped waiting for Microsoft to fix Windows and did it myself with 3 free apps

Tashreef Shareef — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 19:00:13 GMT

With every new update, Microsoft adds a new feature to its Windows operating system. While Windows has been getting better in a few ways, Microsoft doesn't seem interested in making its core features any better. Easier ways to search for apps and files, quick access to them, better process management: these have been distant dreams at this point.

Samsung hides a Wi-Fi analyzer inside One UI, and it found my worst Wi-Fi problem

Sagar Naresh — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:30:13 GMT

I've been told countless times that the best way to keep tabs on my home network is with an app, like Wi-Fi Analyzer. It's undoubtedly very useful, and I've used it at home and in the office to help figure out why we have network congestion.

I turned an old Android phone into a NAS instead of buying one

Yadullah Abidi — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 18:01:13 GMT

I've had a retired Android phone sitting in a drawer, doing absolutely nothing except slowly losing charge. Rather than let it become e-waste or sell it for pocket change, I decided to see if it could replace a dedicated NAS box for my basic file-sharing needs.

I won't ever buy a wireless charger again

Tashreef Shareef — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 17:01:13 GMT

Wireless charging has its perks. You can place your phone on a pad, as long as it's centered, and it starts charging without a cable. I lent one to a relative whose iPhone port broke and can no longer charge over a wire. It's a handy solution to the dreaded moisture detection error on Android phones, too.

Ryobi's two incompatible battery systems finally share one charger

Jonathon Jachura — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:30:14 GMT

My garage runs two Ryobi battery platforms at once. The 18V ONE+ packs power my drill, impact driver, and half a dozen bench tools, while the 40V batteries handle the string trimmer and leaf blower out in the yard. Buying into both of Ryobi's yard and workshop lines meant buying two of nearly everything, chargers included, and those chargers have hogged bench space for years. Ryobi's newer dual-platform hyper charger changes that math.

Ten taps for secret Android Auto developer menu unlocks sideloaded apps and the wireless toggle Google buried

Rob LeFebvre — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 16:00:14 GMT

Ten quick taps inside Android Auto’s About menu bypasses Google’s strict app restrictions and unlocks a buried dashboard designed specifically for developers.