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Android Network Configuration Made Easy

First, check your Wi-Fi connection. On your homescreen, tap on the “Apps” icon.  Next, tap “Settings” > “Data Usage. Then, check the “Show Wi-Fi Usage” box, followed by the “Wi-Fi” tab. You should now have a good sense of which networks you’ve been connected to, whether you’re connected to one now, and which ones have been saved on your device.

For those who use Android Nougat, you may have been forced to reconfigure your network settings more than once in the past few months, weeks, or even days. Regardless of whether you’re using 2G, 3G, or 4G (also commonly known as LTE), the process to troubleshoot and reset these settings is the same. It’s also helpful to know that 3G uses less data. So, although it’s slower, often you can (and perhaps should, depending on the context) switch to a 3G setting in order to conserve some of your data usage.

First, choose “Settings” from your “Apps.” Tap on “More” > “Mobile Networks” > “Preferred Network Type.” Here, you can choose between 4G, 3G, or 2G. Although 4G is recommended, as stated above, it can use more of your data more quickly in a given time frame. Most apps and mobile services operate on both 4G and 3G without problems.

You can also change the DNS settings on your Android. As a general rule, you are probably already using the DNS settings from your Internet provider, but you can choose a third-party server to increase speed, strengthen security settings, or bypass censorship filters. To do so, follow these steps:

Open “Settings,” then click “Wi-Fi.” Hold down on your current network until two options appear, then choose “Modify Network” > “Show Advanced Options.” Then, change “IP Settings” to “Static.” Add the new DNS servers to the DNS 1 and DNS 2 fields. Then, click “Save,” disconnect from the server, and then reconnect to finish off your reconfiguration.

Note that changing your DNS server is best as a short-term option. In the long-term, setting your Wi-Fi connection to “static” will interfere with your phone’s DHCP allocation, which ultimately might create more problems.

AT&T isn’t the only company working on 5G technology — in fact, they were late to the game. After Verizon made the announcement back in 2015, stating that the company planned to have 5G available in 2017, AT&T dragged its feet. They cited a lack of standards (which won’t even be available until 2018), and resisted the 5G push.

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It’s hard for the mobile community to determine future needs, especially considering that 5G will be in use for a few decades. The 5GIC in Guilford (UK) opened in April 2015, and is focused solely on building 5G technology.

AT&T has since changed their tune. No one knows exactly what 5G will do for the world, but AT&T wants to be first. Considering that 2G allowed texting, 3G gave us internet access, and 4G brought about video, everyone is wondering what 5G will do.

5G Tech Has Potential

“New experiences like virtual reality, self-driving cars, robotics, smart cities and more are about to test networks like never before,” said John Donovan (AT&T’s chief strategy officer), in a statement. He believes that “5G will help make them a reality.”

AT&T says that its 5G networks will offer significantly faster speeds than 4G. They also believe there will be less lag between online actions. According to the experts, most of the world won’t even benefit from 5G, whatever it ends up being, until somewhere around 2020.

Some mobile tech experts warn that AT&T may be putting themselves at a disadvantage. What if they are able to offer the technology but nobody is ready for it? It’s the same thing that happened to Sprint back in the 2010s. They were the first US mobile carrier to offer 4G, but it just wasn’t fast enough.

There are a lot of unanswered questions. Will 5G drive up costs? How will 5G affect phone batteries? While waiting to learn the answer, make sure your Android smartphone battery is in tip-top shape. Install PSafe’s PowerPRO to see what apps are draining away all of your power.

ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN has excellent stealth services for private networks, but it is a little pricey at $8.32/month. ExpressVPN is incredibly secure with no usage logs, with the exception of some minor connection logs. With servers in over 75 countries, the program offers connection across the globe. There is also a 30-day money back guarantee if you are displeased with the services provided to you.

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Buffered
Buffered offers protection similar to that of ExpressVPN. While it maintains the same security level as ExpressVPN, it only works in 16 countries, so its usage is much more confined to certain areas. Buffered also has a pretty high price, at $8.25/month. Buffered’s unique feature is called the “port discovery.” This allows you to surpass login requirements whenever you are using public Wi-Fi.

IPVanish
IPVanish provides secure VPN services at an extremely competitive price ($6.49/month). This company is unique because they accept bitcoin as a form of currency. Like the other two services, IPVanish keeps no logs. Although it has a basic interface, the security and price are two reasons alone to download IPVanish. The simplicity of the program is also friendly to novice users who are not familiar with Virtual Private Networking systems. While the other two services provide a 30-day money back guarantee, IPVanish only provides a one-week money back guarantee.

VPNArena
VPNArena is a VPN service that keeps no logs and has excellent encryption services. As a result, many consider VPNArena to be the one of the most secure systems among VPN servers. This company offers a free 7 day trial, and you are allowed to connect up to five devices to the network. This network is also the most affordable of the ones listed, as it only costs $4.92/month.