Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Wireless Internet is high speed, or Broadband Internet access, that uses radio frequencies instead of cables. It is always on and does not use phone lines. This means you can talk on the phone and be on the Internet at the same time. And fixed wireless is better than satellite Internet because it is much less expensive and faster. Fixed wireless does not pass through thousands of miles of sky to get to you. And to top it off, our wireless system uses a frequency that
passes through trees and other obstacles, enabling us to service many homes and business without installing outdoor antennas.
No. The equipment that we use is based on a
proprietary implementation of 900 MHz transmission standards and is much more
suitable for use over long distances and through foliage and other light
obstructions.
We provide the antenna
and receiver/modem for you to access our service. The basic
computer requirement is a Windows Vista, 2000, XP, or Apple
OS 9 machine. We do not support older machines.
You will need a network card in your computer. Most computers less than three years old will likely have one installed. If yours does not, we can install one for a minimal charge. chebeague.net will provide the wireless
receiver/modem and any antennas necessary to connect to our network.
We also recommend that you use surge devices to protect your equipment from electrical fluctuations, a router for basic firewall protection, and antivirus software. We
can provide these components or they all can be found at reasonable prices at local computer stores.
chebeague.net provides symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 1024 Kbps. This means your speed will be more consistent,
both up and down. The average user can expect a minimum of between 600 and
800 Kbps for both uploads and downloads, with a meg up and down much more
common.
Symmetrical upload and download means that you get same speed both while downloading as well as uploading. Many wireless and DSL providers limit upload speeds which impacts your overall Internet browsing experience.
No. Radios and antennas must be supplied by
chebeague.net in order to ensure uniformity and
compatibility of equipment. The receiver/modem is provided by chebeague.net and remains the property of chebeague.net, along with any antennas
installed to enable service. The receiver/modem is proprietary to our system and cannot be used with
other wireless systems. chebeague.net is responsible for replacing or repairing
any faulty units and technological upgrades can be
accomplished system wide.
You do not need to pay any additional monthly rental fees for this equipment. chebeague.net will remove the
receiver/modem and antennas if service is terminated.
No additional equipment is required, other than a network card for your computer. The
receiver/modem connects to your router or computer using a standard network cable.
Not if you have used the Internet previously. You are always online with our dedicated wireless connection. Simply open your browser and you are online with no delay, no waiting to dial-up and no missed calls...because our service does not use your phone line.
Browse quickly, check e-mail without pain, pay your bills online, locate a great restaurant, and all while talking on the phone. Your life will change forever! Most Internet sites are developed today with the faster connections in mind so dial-up will continue to get slower as sites become more advanced and content rich. With high speed wireless Internet you can play real time videos, make Internet phone calls without breaking up, play your favorite MP3 in real time, watch live video streams, quickly send and receive files, and best of all, general browsing is more enjoyable.
For indoor installations, we install a fixed antenna
which is about 4" x 6" x 3". This is attached by a short
wire to a similarly-sized receiver/modem which, in turn, is connected by a cat-5
network cable to your router (if used in the installation) and finally to your
computer.
For outdoor installations, the
receiver/modem is the same size but connects to the external antenna via cable. All components are small and lightweight. The
receiver/modem and antenna will be provided by chebeague.net.
Only if you want to make and receive telephone calls! A phone line is not needed for our service. The Internet signal is passed to
and from the receiver/modem installed in or on your home or business.
Your chebeague.net connection is always on, with no time limits or bandwidth limitations. However, you are sharing the bandwidth with your neighbors and if you start to regularly use more than your share, you will be asked to cut back on your usage. If you fail to do so, we may be forced to restrict your usage. Use is limited to the residence or business address on file with chebeague.net. You cannot share your connection with any other residences or businesses. See our Terms of Agreement and Acceptable Use Policy for more details.
Not even close! chebeague.net is symmetrical, which means we give you the same speed up and down, unlike satellite solutions that download at a very fast speed but upload using slower speeds. Sometimes performance is so poor it is
comparable to dial-up. And one more major difference...satellite is more expensive, both for setup and monthly service.
And then there's the weather factor...one of our
investors said that he could tell when bad weather was moving into the area
because the lights on his wireless modem would go out. Even an overcast
could negatively affect performance.
No. Although the weather can affect radio waves over which your service is
delivered, it does not have an impact on performance. It would have to snow or
rain over 7 inches in one hour to degrade service by an
unnoticeable 2%. An antenna with 4 inches of snow or ice
covering it still works without any degradation of
service.
However, high winds can affect antenna aiming and necessitate
adjustments when things calm down.
Can I download movies and music on chebeague.net?
Yes, you can. But everybody is sharing the
same bandwidth and when one customer is using a lot of bandwidth, the Internet
slows down for everyone else. So occasional heavy use is fine but if
anybody continuously "hogs" the bandwidth, we'll have to ask them to lighten up.
Low traffic personal servers are OK. Servers intended for business or large scale website traffic are not allowed.
In a word, "NO." The economic viability of
chebeague.net depends on a dependable revenue stream. As more bandwidth is
used, we plan to add capacity and with added capacity comes added cost.
That plus it really isn't fair that some people pay less for their service than
others.
In a word, again, "NO." It's not only a matter
of fairness to your neighbors and to chebeague.net, it's also criminal activity
as using a neighbor's Internet signal constitutes theft of service from
chebeague.net.
Notify chebeague.net support IMMEDIATELY by calling
846-4850! We will resolve the issue as quickly as possible. If no one is immediately available, please leave a message and our support team will be paged. If your issue is not urgent, please send an e-mail to support@chebeague.net.
That depends upon where you are on the Island, the availability of the signal there and how complex your installation requirements are. Once the initial backlog of installations are complete, we anticipate hooking you up within 48 hours, assuming that the signal is readily available at your home and that there are no complications.
No, chebeague.net is a dedicated connection that does
not use a satellite or phone lines. It is available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week 365 days a year (366 during
leap years).
Our wireless access unit is land-based.
The Internet signal is delivered to Chebeague via a
hard-wired T1 Verizon line running under Casco Bay.
Our wireless service is available to both business and residential customers
located in the Town of Chebeague Island. A
chebeague.net technician
will be scheduled to go to your location and gather the necessary information
for deciding whether the customer will be able to obtain
chebeague.net wireless.
Our network uses Frequency Hopping technology which takes a predetermined path using various frequencies in the 900
MHz range. This signal hopping prevents others from intercepting the signal. Frequency hopping is an FCC approved communication technology. In addition, your
receiver/modem and the chebeague.net base station receiver/modem are configured to talk with one another only. Outsiders are not welcome! Additional system security is provided through the use of firewalls and application encryption.
Each chebeague.net customer has a responsibility to secure computers connected to chebeague.net, using personal firewalls/routers and anti-virus software. We also recommend using some form of "spyware" detection software. New technologies are developed every day so ensure you have adequate personal protection to prevent spy ware, virus, and hacker attacks.
chebeague.net guarantees the security of our wireless network. However, we do not guarantee the security of your
personal computer. It is highly recommended to use firewall (ZoneAlarm), spyware detection, and anti-virus software on your computer to prevent spyware, virus, and hacker attacks. In place of firewall software, you can purchase a basic router at any computer store for a reasonable price that will keep your computer hidden from eavesdroppers.
Absolutely not. chebeague.net goes to great lengths to ensure that your Internet
connection is secure from unauthorized access. Our equipment supports several
strategies which we employ to guard your wireless signal from intrusion.
A static IP is a dedicated IP assigned to you so you can Remotely Access your computer via a VPN connection. Your Static IP is assigned in our router and traffic hitting this IP is sent to your computer. You are not allowed to host web pages with the static IP. You can use Net Meeting or PCAnywhere access your computer.
Yes, for services such as Yahoo and Hotmail. Our connection does not change the way you connect to other e-mail applications or services via the web or POP3.
If your e-mail address is provided by your current
dial-up Internet Service Provider (ISP) and you CANCEL that service when you
sign up with chebeague.net, you will
likely NOT be able to continue using your old dial-up e-mail address.
If you choose to use a chebeague.net address, you will need to create a new Eudora, Outlook Express or Outlook account using our e-mail server details:
POP3 (Incoming): mail.chebeague.net
SMTP (Outgoing): mail.chebeague.net
You will also need to enter your user name and password as given to you by chebeague.net.
Yes, we provide webmail service that lets you access your e-mail when
you're away from home
Simply point your browser to
webmail.chebeague.net and you will be able to enter your
e-mail address and
password. You will be presented with a
full featured and easy to use e-mail program.
It is a very good practice to change your password occasionally.
For your protection, only administration can change passwords, and for your
further protection, passwords are encrypted so once entered, they cannot be
easily read by anyone, including administration.
So, send us an e-mail and we'll change your password for you, or issue you
a new one if you've forgotten your password. We promise we'll destroy the
e-mail and forget your password!
The best passwords are AT LEAST 8 characters long, and include at least one
number. Upper and lower case letters make it even stronger. A good example:
AnewPW4me
All 900 MHz radio-based devices are
subject to interference from other 900 MHz radio-based
devices, such as cordless telephones, cordless baby
monitors, cordless headphones, and cordless speakers. If
you experience static, clicking, or humming with another
radio-based device after the wireless Internet equipment
is installed, try moving the other wireless device away
from the Internet antenna.
Check your cordless phone frequency. If it is 2.4 or 5.8
GHz, it will not affect your Internet connection. If
it is 900Mhz, then there is a good probability that your cordless phone is affecting your
receiver/modem transmission. Change your cordless phone channel by pressing
the channel button to resolve the issue or move the telephone to a location
further away from the Internet antenna.
If your phone is 2.4 GHz, it may be interfering with your wireless router
(if you're using one).
No. chebeague.net wireless is fixed, not mobile. In other words, we deliver a
reliable high-speed Internet connection to your business or home without a
wired infrastructure between you and our access points.
Not exactly. First of all, the equipment necessary to get you connected to our
service needs power, so you have to plug it in. Second,
if the antenna that we
install is outside of your building, we will need
to run a cable from the antenna to the
receiver/modem inside of your location. If we can
get a good signal using an indoor antenna, there will be
short wire from the antenna to the receiver/modem.
