Is this DSL?
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
comes in many forms. Although wireless does not
use special phone lines as other forms of DSL
do, it is often referred to as WDSL or Wireless
DSL.
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How does this compare to
Standard DSL?
Like DSL over the phone line,
your connection is always on and does not tie up
your voice or fax phone line (this is correct,
you don’t need a phone line to utilize
Wireless Broadband). Wireless connections
are capable of much greater speeds than DSL, up
to T1 speeds or greater in both directions. DSL
often has maximum speeds of 384k, and may even
be slower for outbound data traffic.
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How does wireless
compare to the new two way satellite services?
Wireless connections are capable
of much greater speeds at a lower cost.
Satellite connections are usually limited to
128k or 256k speeds up (outbound) and as low as
384k down (inbound). Wireless Internet
connections are up to 5 times faster. Also,
there are problems with latency in satellite
connection which make video, teleconferencing
and gaming over the Internet a problem, the data
will often stop briefly because it has to travel
thousands of miles to the satellite.
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What equipment is needed
at customer locations?
The typical installation consists
of an external radio/antenna mounted to the
exterior of the customer home or business. A
CAT5 cable is run from the external radio to the
customer computer or router. For connection to a
network, or situations where the radio is far
away from a PC there may be other equipment
choices involved. If there are obstructions such
as trees or building at the customer site a
higher mast or a more powerful antenna may be
required. A network engineer can discuss these
options at the time of the site survey.
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How does the radio
interface to my PC?
The computer needs an Ethernet
card and a CAT5 Ethernet cable to connect to the
radio. A system is configured as if it were
using a direct network connection to a LAN
(local area network) with Internet access.
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Can I connect through a
network hub?
Yes. Networks with more than 3
PCs may require additional equipment such as a
firewall/router.
How fast will it go?
The basic rate is normally 128k
or 256k. Speed is dependent on signal strength
so for very long distances needing business
class connections of 384k and greater a higher
gain antenna or amplifier may be required.
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How can I tell if
wireless will work for me?
A site survey will need to be
performed to evaluate the ability to use
wireless where you are; and to determine your
location specific needs.
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How much does the
hardware cost?
The cost of equipment used will
vary with the individual situation. Before we
install you will know your exact charges.
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Is wireless as reliable
as Telco service?
We have found that it is more
reliable than the Telco systems currently
available. Rain, snow, sleet, etc., do not
impact performance. Often time’s cable and
satellite systems experience problems during
adverse weather.
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What about Lightning
protection?
A grounded surge protector is
installed as part of the base installation.
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Will it interfere with
pacemakers?
It is suggested that people with
pace makers not be in the immediate path of the
signal. This would mean closer than just a few
feet from the antenna. These units are less
likely to cause a problem than a microwave oven.
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Will I still need to
keep my second phone line?
Not for Internet access.
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Is there a limit to the
amount of traffic I can send or receive?
Typical Internet users transfer
less than 500MB per month. As your network grows
you may want to consider placing a 1GB per month
limit on residential customer accounts.
Additional data transfer could be billed on a
per MB basis. We recommend business accounts be
allowed unlimited data transfer.
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How large are the
exterior radio units?
The radios are approximately
12” tall and 4” wide. Again, individual
circumstances may vary.
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FAQ
- Frequently Asked Questions
