Embiid hasn’t faced Nikola Jokic in Denver since 2019.
January 2024
Joel Embiid misses 4th straight road game vs. Nuggets, 6 absences away from being ineligible for MVP
Embiid hasn’t faced Nikola Jokic in Denver since 2019.
Shorthanded Sixers rule Embiid, Maxey out for matchup with Nuggets
The undermanned Sixers ruled Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey out Saturday ahead of their game against the Nuggets.
New Giants pitcher Ray details recovery from Tommy John surgery
Robbie Ray is eager to quickly recover from Tommy John surgery with the Giants after recently being traded to San Francisco.
Mets re-signing RHP Adam Ottavino to one-year deal
Right-hander Adam Ottavino is returning to the Mets on a one-year deal worth $4.5 million.
Zach Ertz will not play for Lions vs. 49ers
Veteran tight end Zach Ertz will not play for the Lions in the NFC Championship Game.
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball: Examining the pitching landscape
How early will you take a pitcher? Check out where our fantasy analysts have the top starters ranked going into the 2024 season.
MLB 2024 Fantasy Baseball Draft Rankings: Starting Pitchers
Check out where our fantasy analysts have the top starters ranked going into the 2024 season.
How to Descale a Keurig (or Other Pod Coffee Maker)
Pod-based coffee machines like Keurig and Nespresso are more convenient than their pot-filling predecessors, but they still get dirty inside, the same as any coffee maker. You should descale your machine every three months or so, removing calcium buildup and other gunk in there. Sure, you can buy products designed to do this for you, but you can also just use vinegar.
How to descale a Keurig
To descale your Keurig machine, fill your water reservoir with a mixture of half water and half distilled white vinegar. Place a large mug or bowl where you’d normally put your coffee cup and run the machine as normal, dumping the mixture every time the mug fills. Keep doing this until the water reservoir runs out of mixture. Wash and refill the reservoir, then repeat the process to rinse it out, refilling your container until there’s nothing left in the machine.
Be careful not to overwork your poor Keurig. Consider giving it a half-hour break between descaling and rinsing.
How to descale a Nespresso
Nespresso warns against using vinegar or other-branded descaling solutions, which you could argue is because they want you to spend money on theirs. Still, if you’re nervous, just buy the Nespresso cleaning products. Online, plenty of people have discussed using vinegar to clean theirs out, but to be on the safe side if you’re going to do it, dilute the vinegar quite a bit. I tried it using one part vinegar and two parts water, and only running the solution through once, and it worked great.
Credit: Lindsey Ellefson
Be sure to follow the directions for your specific model, but in general, you’re likely going to have to turn off your machine, push the top button and lever simultaneously until the light turns orange, and press the lever down once to start descaling. It will take a while, but it will empty your reservoir. (Conversely, I just “brewed” a cup of the mixture and had no issues.) Rinse the machine by washing out the reservoir, filling it with water, and running some plain water through a few times.
Tools for descaling pod-based coffee machines
If you’re cheap like me, grab some distilled white vinegar and get to it. You can get 128 ounces for $3.99 at Target.
If you’re worried about using vinegar, Amazon has Keurig’s three-month brewer maintenance kit ($17.99) and Nespresso’s descaling solution ($19.99) available, too.
How Mesh Networking Can Solve Your Wifi Connectivity Problems
The idea of mesh networking has been around for several years. However, we didn’t start seeing the term pop up on wifi routers and devices until around the mid 2010s. That’s when companies like Eero, Google, and Netgear started rolling out “mesh networking kits,” which allowed you to blanket your home in a stronger wifi signal.
Despite being around for several years now, the idea of mesh networking is still a bit foreign to many people. As such, any talk of adding mesh networking to your home can bring about confusion and even some anxiety about whether you’re making the right choice when it comes to buying a new router. Thankfully, mesh networking isn’t nearly as complicated as it sounds.
What is mesh networking?
Mesh networking, as opposed to traditional wifi setups, uses multiple devices rather than just one router. While only one device is actually connected to the modem, all devices in the mesh can put out a full strength signal, and, crucially, piggyback off one another to stitch together one large wifi network. In short, it extends your coverage within your home while maintaining strength and speed.
Mesh has a big advantage over typical setups, even those with range extenders. Your home internet router, for example, has a set range that its signal can reach. While other devices like wifi range extenders and repeaters can extend this signal, they come at a cost, usually halving the bandwidth of any network they’re feeding off of. A mesh network expands that signal as well, but because of the way its designed, it doesn’t pull from the speed at all, allowing the full signal to reach wherever you need it to without any kind of bandwidth compromise.
What is a mesh networking kit?
A mesh networking kit typically includes a main router (which connects to your modem) as well as one or several satellites, which act as nodes that expand the wifi signal. Each node connects to the node that came before it, expanding your signal further with each satellite. Depending on the brand that you buy, these kits can offer an expandable range of up to 5,000 square feet.
One easy way to think of these kits, and the devices they offer, is to imagine that they are all separate blankets that have been sewn together to create a larger blanket that covers your entire home. Together they deliver a stronger and more cohesive experience that will improve your home wifi.
Do I need a mesh network?
While many of us have dead zones for our home wifi, not everyone will benefit from a mesh network. Mesh networking works best for those who have large homes, or homes with multiple floors and thick walls. That’s because these thick walls and floors make it more difficult for the wifi signal to travel through, so a traditional router may have trouble getting a strong signal to these areas of your home.
With a mesh network, though, your satellites or nodes can pick up the slack, broadcasting a full strength signal to areas that would otherwise receive a diminished signal, or no signal at all. You’ll experience the same speeds as the original signal throughout your entire home. And, because mesh wifi all runs on the same SSID (wifi network name) and password, you don’t need to switch between networks as you connect to different nodes.
If you only have a couple of dead zones, like say, near your TV, then buying one of the best Wi-Fi extenders can often be cheaper, and it will solve the problem well enough. You’ll lose out on some of the speed that your original network offers, but you won’t end up overpaying to fix a problem that can be fixed for much cheaper.
What mesh networking system should I buy?
If you think that a mesh network is something you need, then you have plenty of options to choose from. Those looking for a budget-friendly option will find that the Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System offers solid square footage and speeds at an affordable price of just $115.99 for a three-device package.
If you want something that’s easy to expand, then the Eero 6+ is a solid option, and it starts at just $139.99, though that is for each device. You can purchase multi-packs off Amazon, which can save you some money if you need multiple devices in your mesh network. Each device covers up to 1,500 square foot, though, so that should be more than enough for most folks.
Finally, those looking for a good gaming setup for mesh networking will find the ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 2-Pack is a solid choice. It runs $479.99 at list price, but it can often be found for much cheaper, and it’s designed with a ton of gamer-centric features that may make the price a bit more justifiable for many.
Check out the mesh networks recommended in this piece:
-
Vilo Mesh Wi-Fi System: $115.99 (three-pack)
-
Eero 6+: $139.99 (each)
-
ASUS ROG Rapture GT6 2-Pack: $479.99