DW Highspeed Wireless FAQ
What is Wireless Broadband
technology?
Wireless Broadband brings high-speed Internet into your home or business using
radio waves instead of a phone line or cable TV line. NO PHONE LINES OR CABLE TV
LINES NEEDED! Click here for a short history of wireless networking.
How fast is it?
Our service has a maximum upload and download speed equal to a full T-1
(1.544Mbps) but subject to distance from our antenna, your location within our
coverage area, latency on the Internet, etc. Currently we do not throttle your
bandwidth with the exception of abusers and services like Kaza and Morpheus. Our
backbone speeds are always being increased as our subscriber base increases and
we are always working on optimizing our network.
What is your current coverage area?
Check out the Coverage Area List by clicking here. Although a safe bet is a 7
mile radius, we do have customers at over 14 miles from our tower sites.
What equipment is needed?
For residential installations, all you need is a free slot (USB and other
options are coming) in your computer. For businesses, we can connect the same
way or via your existing Local Area Network (LAN) using a firewall we provide.
In both scenarios we include all equipment with the installation. See pictures
of our equipment on our Pricing page.
How secure is Wireless Broadband Technology?
Wireless is as secure as the Internet itself. Because important data like credit
card numbers are usually encrypted when you order something on the Internet,
that same data will travel our network encrypted. And just as it is possible to
view data traveling through the Internet, it is possible to view data traveling
through the air over our radio links. However, wireless Internet is no more
likely to be hacked than any other type of Internet connection.
Do I have to change my Internet Service Provider (ISP) and e-mail address?
Yes. However, in the DigitalWeb site you can create your own free e-mail
addresses (yourname@digitalweb.net) If you want to keep your old e-mail address,
you can either configure your e-mail client to continue to use your old address,
or you can have your current ISP forward all your mail from your old address to
your new one.
Can I have more than one email address with my DigitalWeb account?
Yes. You can create your own e-mail addresses in the Private Members section of
our web site once your account is activated.
Do I need a phone line?
NO PHONE LINES ARE NEEDED. You will be able to send and receive data through our
wireless link.
If I have Wireless Internet, can I still use my dial-up 28.8 kbps or 56 kbps
modem?
Sure! Although we have no idea why you'd want to. Once you've experienced the
speed of our Wireless Internet access, you'll never again want to wait for
traditional dial-up services. If you want to be cautious you can keep your modem
for backup purposes.
Is Internet access unlimited?
Wireless Internet is a full-time connection; your computer is connected 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Why does DigitalWeb charge by data transmitted?
All accounts include up to 1GB (Gigabyte=approx 2 CD's or 800 diskettes worth of
data). This is more than enough for the average Internet user using e-mail and
browsing. The problem lies with the popularity of services similar to the
now-defunct Napster file-sharing service - these services allow you to upload
and download music and video to and from other users on the Internet and if we
had no limits on bandwidth, the minority of customers using these file-sharing
services could possibly slow down our backbone connection for the rest of our
customers. So by charging a small fee for these types of huge data transfers, we
are ensuring that we can continue to upgrade our backbone so these services do
not affect the rest of our customers.
Can I run a server on your system?
Yes, with our Static IP address option.
I have more than one computer. Do I need more than one Wireless Internet
installation?
Our Residential Service package connects one computer to the Internet, but if
your computers are connected via a network, you can install Internet sharing
software to share the single connection with your other computers. However, if
you choose our Business Service package, we plug our firewall and bridging
equipment right into your network and all computers are able to access the
Internet immediately.
How long will it take to install?
Once we have completed a site survey to pre-approve your site for wireless, the
installation is usually completed within 5 - 10 working days. The actual on-site
installation time can vary from 1 to 4 hours.
What is the downside to wireless Internet?
Wireless Internet requires direct line of sight from your site to one of our
antennas, if you don't have line of sight (which is rare) you may not be able to
use our service. Another downside is that while our radio signals will travel
through a wall, they most times will not travel through live plants.
Can weather affect the Wireless Internet signal?
Short answer, No. However, your speed may decrease by up to 50% during
torrential downpours of 6" per hour or more. Luckily, this type of rain is very
rare in our coverage areas. Wireless links are not affected by fog, smog, snow
or non-torrential rain.
What can affect the Wireless Internet signal?
Our signal will penetrate the walls of most buildings. It will not pass through
live trees, but is unaffected by plastic trees. The general rule of thumb is
that the radio signal will pass through anything that doesn't contain water or
metal.
Is Wireless the same as "satellite" Internet?
NO! Wireless uses ground-based antennas to transmit data to your location. And
while satellite systems usually require you to use a regular phone line and
modem to send data, wireless systems are 2-way transmissions. Also, satellite
systems have higher "latency" (the time it takes data to travel between 2
points) since the data has to travel from your location up to the satellite
22,300 miles over the equator and back down to the Internet. This can make
surfing seem sluggish and videoconferencing and gaming unbareable. See
www.speedguide.net/editorials/satellite.shtml for more information.
How does this Wireless compare to Cable and/or DSL?
Cable is frequently oversubscribed, meaning that the cable company doesn't use
enough high-speed connections to the Internet backbone for the number of users
on their system which causes Internet access to slow down. DSL is limited by
distance. DSL speeds decrease the farther away from the telephone company's
central office (CO) you are, and doesn't work at all if you are more than 18,000
feet away (About 3 to 4 miles). Additionally, there are times when you might
need to add a phone line just to get DSL if you have certain bundled services.
Why should I choose Wireless Internet access over other high-speed
(broadband) options such as Cable, DSL or ISDN?
There are a couple of reasons. First, Wireless Internet access is one of the
fastest options available today. Typically, users experience speeds of 1,000 -
1,500 kbps or more. ISDN runs at a constant speed of 128 kbps. DSL speeds vary
depending on how much you pay, but top out at about 4,500 kbps. Additionally,
some DSL service is Asymetrical meaning your maximum uploads are much smaller
than your downloads which makes 2 way communication slower. Cable modems
typically run at speeds of 400 kbps but depending on your cable company, can go
as high as 4,500 kbps or more. Second, Wireless Internet access is more
affordable than most broadband options. Especially when you consider that no
additional phone lines are necessary. Finally, Wireless can go where Cable and
DSL can't... into the country and smaller communities.
How much does it cost?
Click here for full
Pricing
What does the equipment look like?
The equipment is constantly changing, but currently we use PC card radios or
external radios with various external antennas depending on your distance from
the tower. Pictures can be found on our
picture pages.
What frequency does your wireless equipment use?
Our equipment is based on 2.4GHZ Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS) using
radio technology from various manufacturers. It is 802.11b or "Wi-Fi" compliant.
Where can I learn more about broadband wireless technology?
Additional information about broadband wireless technology can be accessed at
the following web site: The Wireless LAN Association -
http://www.wlana.com |
