Important Streaming Box Notice!

Some Streaming Boxes May Put Your Home Network at Risk 

Low-cost Android streaming devices may seem like a great deal, but some come with serious hidden risks.  According to a recent FBI advisory, many of these devices are infected with malware before they’re ever sold, putting home networks and personal information at risk. 

In simple terms — what’s happening? 

Think of your streaming box (or any smart device) like your house.
If a criminal sneaks in and installs a remote-control device, they can now use your house without you knowing. 

When they do this to thousands of devices at once, they create a hidden “network” they control — that’s a botnet. 

How to tell if something isn’t right 

You don’t need to be tech-savvy — here are signs anyone can spot: 

• Your internet suddenly feels slow or your data use jumps for no reason 

• A device keeps rebooting, overheating, or acting strangely 

• You see apps you don’t remember installing 

• You had to turn off safety settings or “allow unknown apps” when setting up the device 

What kinds of devices are causing problems? 

The FBI has warned that criminals are targeting unbranded or off brand Android streaming boxes (including ones called Superbox, VeeSee, and others), projectors, digital picture frames, and several smart home gadgets. 

These devices may look like a great deal, but many come with hidden software that gives criminals backdoor access. 

What you should do right now 

If you have a device like this — or something on your network just feels “off” — here’s what we recommend: 

• Unplug it or disconnect it from Wi-Fi immediately. 

• Remove any apps you didn’t get from the official app store. 

• Update the device’s software (if it’s from a known, trusted brand). 

• Change your Wi-Fi and device passwords — use strong, unique ones. 

• Put smart home devices on a guest Wi-Fi network so they don’t connect to your main devices (we can help set this up). 

If Range detects one of these devices on your network 

We may reach out and ask you to disconnect it. These devices slow down your internet and create security risks — not just for you, but for everyone using the network. 

Need help? We’re here. 

If you’re unsure whether a device is safe, or if something doesn’t seem right, please contact us at 800.927.2643 or email info@range.net. We’ll help you figure it out.