General FAQ's
Q. How
does WebKraft-HS Internet's wireless broadband compare to DSL and Cable Modem?
Q. How
does wireless broadband compare to Satellite?
Q. How
secure is WebKraft-HS Internet' Service?
Q. How
does the weather affect WebKraft-HS Internet's Service?
Q. How
large is the antenna used to provide your service? Will I need a permit or HOA
approval for the antenna?
Q. Are
there any health concerns with the wireless signal?
Q. What
are the requirements for my PC to use WebKraft-HS Internet's service?
Q. What
router can be used with WebKraft-HS Internet's service?
Q. Can
more than one computer share the connection?
Q. What
is involved in the installation?
Q. What
is the typical lead time to have the WebKraft-HS Internet service installed?
Q. Do
I need to have a separate ISP with WebKraft-HS Internet's service?
Q. Can
I keep my AOL service?
Q.
How does WebKraft-HS Internet's wireless broadband compare to dial-up? -------------------------------------- If you choose to use Voice Over IP (VoIP)
for making phone calls, some VoIP providers recommend routers that they have
tested and have been certified as being compatible with their service. WebKraft
sells Buffalo routers and Linksys or Belkin switches and all components have
been tested in the field. It may also be beneficial to be sure the router you
choose offers QOS (quality of service) options so that you can give voice packets
a higher priority than regular Internet traffic. You may go to our Internet
Phone page to test your service for VoIP compatibility. B. A pole or tower may be installed if
necessary and additional cable or conduit may be used with the owners permission.
These types of services are provided at an additional cost that is set by our
contracted installers and is outside the realm of Basic Installation. -------------------------------------- A. No. Our service goes through the
air to your home or business. This means that you may be able to cancel that
extra phone line you use for Internet of Faxing. If you choose to keep your
standard phone you can do so. If you would like to change over to a Voice Over
IP (VoIP) phone provider you could do so and get rid of your land line. With
VoIP you would pay a flat rate to any provider of your choosing and use the
telephone through your Internet connection. This means that if you bundle your
phone and Internet together you may see a significant cost savings from your
current plans. In most cases you can enjoy High Speed Wireless Internet and
toll free nationwide phone service for less than you pay for dial-up and phone
service combined.
A. Dial-up operates at 56Kbps, by law it can't exceed 53Kbps download speed. Our
service operates from 512Kbps to 1,500Kbps depending on the service plan subscribed
to. Our service is ‘always on’ so you don’t need to re-establish your connection
each time you want to use it. WebKraft-HS Internet does not require any phone
lines.
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Q.
How does WebKraft-HS Internet's wireless broadband compare to DSL and Cable
Modem?
A. Unlike DSL or Cable Modem, our service does not depend on telephone or cable
TV infrastructure. This enables WebKraft-HS Internet to reach many areas where
DSL and Cable Modem are unable or unwilling to go. DSL also has a length limitation
of 18,000 feet from the DSLAM and as you get further away the quality of the signal
gets worse. Cable is a shared bandwidth technology so when your neighbors are
using it too your speed is affected. We guarantee a minimum speed on our network
and our ping times are typically 4 to 5 times faster than DSL or cable options.
Our service plans offer performance comparable to DSL and Cable Modem, but with
some important differences.
* Better upload speeds than comparably priced DSL or Cable Modem.
* Up to a full T-1 with 1.5MB up and Down for a fraction of the cost!
* No hidden fees or taxes. What you see is what you pay!
* Get more bandwidth when it is available for FREE with Burstable accounts
* Optional static IPs even on residential service and no restrictions against
using VPNs.
* Superior customer service because we are a local company and can be at your
location within hours if necessary.
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Q. How does wireless
broadband compare to Satellite?
A. Wireless broadband is sometimes confused with Satellite because they are both
forms of wireless communication. The difference is that WebKraft-HS Internet uses
a terrestrial radio frequency system that uses short-range wireless links that
are no more than 20 miles long. These links go directly back to the fiber that
runs the Internet. The latency on these short-range links is less than their DSL
or Satellite counterparts. Our wireless ping times are roughly 4 to 5 times faster
than wired links like DSL and Cable Modem so the performance remains high. Satellite
ping times are astronomically higher than either of the other technologies.
Satellite links have a large propagation delay due to the roughly 23,000-mile
distance to geosynchronous satellites. This latency imposes a huge performance
penalty on two-way interactive applications, regardless of bandwidth speed. For
this reason Satellite should only be considered as a last resort for Internet
service. Satellite won't even guarantee the speed they advertise. Here are just
a few of the things Satellite can't do that WebKraft High Speed Wireless can.
* Voice over IP phone service (VoIP)
* Virtual Private Networking for connecting to the office remotely (VPN)
* Play first person video games on the computer, Xbox Live, and PS2.
* Offer high upload speeds above 500K for business purposes like remote file
backup.
* Guarantee "Minimum" connection speeds and offer higher burstable "Maximums"
for free.
* No hidden fees or taxes. What you see is what you pay!
Q. How secure is WebKraft-HS
Internet Service?
A. There has been much press recently about the security issues of Wireless
LAN technology known as 802.11b or Wi-fi. It is true that if the user uses the
default settings with most Wi-Fi products it is very easy for an outsider to
get onto the network. However, just changing a few settings can make the network
secure.
The wireless system WebKraft-HS Internet uses is completely different than 802.11
or Wi-fi technology. Our Internet uses a system developed by Motorola. This
Motorola system has 3 features that make it very secure.
1. Proprietary. The Motorola system uses completely proprietary technology for
the Radio Frequency signals as well as the data protocols. So a potential hacker
would first have to reverse engineer the Motorola radio equipment.
2. Authentication. No Motorola radio can communicate with our tower without
first having its Electronic Serial Number authenticated against our list of
allowed radios.
3. Encryption. The Motorola Canopy encrypts the user data over the air using
128 bit DES encryption.
These characteristics make our service at least as secure as DSL or Cable modem
systems. As an example, it would probably be easier to tap into your phone line
outside your home than hack through the encryption. Our biggest security issue
is the user who sets up a wireless router and has an "Open" access
to our network and theirs.
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Q. How does
the weather affect WebKraft-HS Internet's Service?
A. The effects of weather on radio signals vary based on the frequency used
and the distance the signal travels. With the frequencies and distances in our
network, signal degradation due to heavy rain, snow, or fog are negligible.
The degradation due to heavy rain is less than .2 db and our system is designed
with at least a 10 db signal fade margin. Line of sight shots offer no reduction
in quality up to 40 miles. If your SM shoots through a lot of tree cover then
there is a possibility of service interruption while the trees drip dry in a
rain storm. Ground fog over long distances can also cause momentary outages
when our backhaul is affected. Fog between the customer and our tower has proven
to not be a problem. Outage times may vary but are typically only a few minutes.
--------------------------------------
Q.
How large is the antenna used to provide your service? Will I need a permit
or HOA approval to place it on my building or home?
A. The antenna we use is 20" tall x 12" wide and weighs about 12 pounds.
Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 prohibits restrictions on
the use of “Over-the-Air Reception Devices” from government (cities or counties)
or non-government (landlords or homeowner associations) entities. The ruling
pertains to antennas less than 1 meter in diameter and less than 12 feet above
roof line. You may still want to contact your homeowners association or landlord
for any guidelines they may have on placement of the antenna. For more information,
you can get a fact sheet from the FCC at www.fcc.gov/mb/facts/otard.html or contact us with any questions.
--------------------------------------
Q.
Are there any health or safety concerns with the wireless signal?
A. No. The technology used operates at very low power levels, similar to a cell
phone, and much less than the amount that is emitted by your microwave oven.
Also, radio frequency power drops dramatically as you move away from the power
source. Typically, our antennas would not be placed where any person would be
able to stand right in front of it for any significant period of time.
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Q.
What are the system requirements for my PC to use WebKraft-HS Internet's service?
Your PC must have a 10BaseT or 100BaseT Ethernet Network Interface Card (NIC).
We do not load any software onto your computer. All your PC needs is TCP/IP
software and a web browser. Windows 95 or newer and MAC OS 8.5 or greater include
TCP/IP and a browser.
--------------------------------------
Q.
What router can be used with WebKraft-HS Internet's service?
A. Any broadband router that has an Ethernet port (10BaseT or 100BaseT) as its
WAN or Internet port will work. This includes the wireless routers that are
currently popular.
Additional benefits of the router include firewall protection as well as multiple
Ethernet ports and IP Addresses to allow multiple computers to be online at
the same time. A ROUTER IS REQUIRED IF MORE THAN ONE COMPUTER IS CONNECTED
TO OUR SERVICE!
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Q. Can more than
one computer share the connection?
A. Yes, there is no additional charge for multiple computers. Our service REQUIRES
a router to separate the customer’s network from WebKraft-HS Internet when more
than one computer will use the Wireless connection. The router can also act
as a firewall to protect the customer’s home network from Internet attackers
and is an administrative demarcation point that allows customers to build their
home network independently.We support the innovative use of home networking
and charges based on total household bandwidth consumption rather than on the
number of computers. We ask that the customer use their name as the Host Name
on the router during installation. Routers are not part of the WebKraft High
Speed Installation and can be installed at our regular onsite rates. Installing
your router correctly and securely ensures that our service and your files are
not compromised.
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Q. What is involved in the
installation?
A. We install a small antenna on or near the roof of your home or business.
Then a Cat5 cable is run down and into your home, typically through an outside
wall penetration or through the floor or ceiling. This is considered to be a
basic installation. Climbing in attics, running cables inside walls, and installing
jack boxes may be completed for an additional charge. Consult with your installer
for more details.
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Q. What
is the typical lead time to have your service installed?
A. We currently have a large waiting list so the exact amount of time before
installation is unknown. If we get caught up and get on a regular schedule we
expect things to be somewhat simple. If your location is within range of one
of our towers and has line of site to that tower, we can usually install in
less then a week. Non line of site installations are common as well and may
take a bit longer depending on the situation. When towers or poles are installed
I have to assistance with that and we only do a few days a week on these types
of installs. If you are an eve mount or you have a tower already you will likely
be seen sooner.
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Q.
Do I need to have a separate ISP service with WebKraft Internet's service?
A. No, the ISP is included as part of our service. We provide IP addresses and
email accounts as part of our plans.
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Q. Can I keep my AOL service?
A.Yes. AOL offers a 'Bring Your Own Access' service currently priced at $14.95
per month. You may keep your existing AOL email addresses. Contact AOL directly
for information on this service.