We often forget that routers are very complex machines that run software designed to manage a massive array of functions - software that can carry vulnerabilities. Throw in the fact many people don't know how to secure their network or router and you have a ticking time-bomb that bad guys are waiting to detonate. What can you do defuse this potentially explosive situation?

Few devices are as essential to the smooth running of a modern-day digital household than a wireless router, so it’s strange that this black box is so little understood. Here we’ll outline one of the key features of many modern routers, dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support, so you know exactly what it is and how to take advantage of each.

Though more router manufacturers are making routers easier to set up and configure — even via handy little apps instead of annoying web-based interfaces — most people probably don't tweak many options after purchasing a new router. They log in, change the name and passwords for their Wi-Fi networks and call it a day.

Updating your PC is so straightforward that, depending on your operating system, it'll be taken care of for you automatically (aggressively so). You might even remember to keep your graphics, sound and motherboard drivers up-to-date. But what about your other devices? It's a little trickier to patch your modem / router and NAS, but it is possible.

A new botnet, boasting an army of 500,000 remotely-controlled routers in 54 countries, has been discovered. VPNFilter allows attackers to steal credentials, monitor Modbus SCADA protocols and has a destructive capability that can render an infected device unusable. It can be triggered on a single device or as part of a mass attack.

WiFi is one of the most important developments in the evolution of the internet -- no one wants to be chained to a desktop -- but it's also one of the most frustrating. If you're plagued by slow speeds, bad reception, and other WiFi issues, here are 10 ways you can power up the WiFi in your home.

The first thing I do when my internet goes down is panic. I panic thinking about all the things in the world that I'll be missing out on. The viral tweets, the breaches of my privacy by Facebook and god, all those images of delicious donuts on Instagram. I imagine that's what Julian Assange thought when they cut off his internet earlier this week.

What should you do when your internet goes down to get yourself back online as quickly as possible?

There are literally thousands of Wi-Fi routers on the market. Look through the catalog of an office supply or local computer store, and you'll be faced with a plethora of choices. And some vendors make it hard to compare models by giving marketing-based names to features that are really the same as competitors. This is our guide to the must-have features in a home Wi-Fi router today and five of the best to choose from.

Dear Lifehacker, are you able to recommend a good modem? I'm with Internode. I need a modem router, with wired ports and wireless, and support for naked DSL. In terms of the wi-fi area it needs to cover, I'm in a pretty small townhouse. Someone's buying it for me as a gift, so price is flexible.

Is it awesome or awkward when your router has more grunt than your notebook? Well, depending on how old your laptop is and your fondness for $700 networking hardware, this unusual dream can be yours via ASUS' upcoming Rapture GT-AC5300.

The first router I saw was in the mid 1990s. The company I worked for was a very early adopter of the Internet, at least in the commercial world. After spending a couple of nights with the network manager and his technical support guy dragging Ethernet and coaxial cables through the office roof space we hooked everything up through a router that cost more than most of us earned that year. Today, more than 20 years later, a faster and more capable device costs less than a day's pay for some of us.

Synology's RT2600ac router, at a touch under $400 (if you pay full retail) lets you connect printers and external storage using USB, four devices over gigabit Ethernet, and wireless devices using 802.11 b/g/n/a/ac.

Not again, Netgear. Another serious security vulnerability has been found on a bunch of Netgear routers. This time around, the bug can expose router login passwords and can be exploited remotely. Here's a list of Netgear routers that are affected and where to get the firmware patches for each of them.

Earlier last week, it was revealed that a number of popular Netgear routers had exploitable security holes that made it possible for someone to take control of your network. Now, that hole has been patched up, but you'll need to update your firmware.

Brief news items of note for Lifehacker readers, including: Mario comes to iOS, why you need the Netgear Nighthawk X8 router in your life, the best GIFs of 2016.

DD-WRT is a Linux based alternative OpenSource firmware that works with most WLAN routers. Once equipped, it provides entry-level routers with a level of control normally only found in models that cost $600 or more: everything from broadcasting a stronger signal to remotely accessing your home computers. Here's how it works.

Back in 2015, the US FCC introduced new guidelines that looked like a threat to anyone wanting to hack and install open firmware on their routers. They backed off, but a lot of manufacturers are still locking their devices down, just in case. Linksys, the company announced last week, isn't one of them.

Building your own router might sound like a fools errand, but Ars Technica found that it was not only pretty simple, it also produced better results than most commercial options.

Between your home or work network and the internet sits your broadband router. This humble device is often overlooked, yet it is also your first line of defence against hackers, malware and viruses.

Your router might look like an impenetrable black box of internet mystery, but tweaking a few settings under the hood is easier than you might think. Here are some of the options you can reconfigure to get a faster wireless connection and keep unwelcome visitors off your network.