I suspect that you need to change the band/channel of your router to stop the connection dropping. You probably have a remote that is interfering with the router's wifi and you just need to change the channel.

I did that a while ago, and then I did it again last week. Still kept dropping. Honestly, assigning manual IP addresses has been the only thing that fixed it. I just don't want to screw things up if I shouldn't be assigning manual addresses.

You won't hurt anything. It sounds like your router is kind of broken, but no need to replace it if you've got a good workaround.

yeah, I agree with Gris.

Is this scary? Or no big deal?

Apple patents mobile camera that other people can shut off

An Apple patent describes a system for allowing venue owners to override compliant cameras. The patent describes using an infrared signal that compliant cameras would detect; in the presence of this signal, the device would not allow its owner to activate its record function. It is intended for use at live events and galleries and museums, and it will be a tremendous boon to policemen who shoot unarmed subway riders, despotic armies putting down revolutions as well as anyone else who is breaking the law or exercising coercive power.

This is part of an increasing trend to designing hardware and software that allows remote parties to override the instructions of the owners and users of devices. This trend, coupled with the increasing degree to which devices are privy to our secrets, our sensitive information, and even our biological functions, worries me an awful lot.

I vote for scary.

and useful at parties for those of us who don't like our picture being taken. I can see it now. Mom gets everyone to scrunch together for a group photo. And the emo son taps away at his iOS device and makes the camera not work. Mom looks at the camera exasperated "why does this thing never work for these group photos? I miss my old KodaChrome instamatic with cube flash".

on the one hand, it is scary. but I'm waiting for the hacker patch so that such a feature does not work.

Very scary because governments could use it to stop people from recording protests or police misconduct. I mean, if you were the government you'd probably just use it preemptively, as another tool in your arsenal. And that's not cool.

But would the system have to be installed somewhere? So, it could be used in a club or concert venue building, but not a handheld or mobile blocker in a car or something.

But would the system have to be installed somewhere?

Who knows?

Apple just applied for (or was just granted) the patent for this, so I imagine a bunch of stuff is yet to be determined.