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Frequently Asked
Questions
Listed below are the
answers to the most frequently asked questions about our
service. If your do not
find your answer here, please
click here
and you will be directed to the support page.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For a PDF version of this
page, please
click here or on
the image above.
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1. How do I install a wireless card?
You
need to first install your device drivers. They are on the disk/CD
that came with your card. After installing your drivers, you will want
to shut down your computer, insert your wireless card, and restart.
Your computer should detect new hardware and offer to search for the
correct drivers. It will find them, and you will be able to use your
new hardware.
When
setting up your wireless card, you will be asked for two settings. The
SSID needs to be set to Sboca (this must be all
lower-case letters). The mode needs to be set to
Infrastructure.
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2. How
do I install a wireless USB adapter?
You
need to install your device drivers before plugging in your USB
device. Insert the disk or CD that came packaged with your USB adapter
and install the drivers from that disk. Then, after shutting down your
computer, plug in your USB device and restart. Your computer should
auto-detect the new hardware and offer to search for drivers. After it
finds them, you will be able to use your USB device.
When
setting up your USB adapter, you will be asked for two settings. The
SSID needs to be set to sboca, sboca1, sboca2, etc,
(this must be all lower-case letters) depending on the closest access
point. The mode needs to be set to Infrastructure.
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3.
Do I have to be logged into Sboca's service to get my email?
Yes,
when connecting through Sboca you must have logged in to access email.
Note:
End-Users are not provided an email address by Sboca Wireless.
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4.
What is the maximum size of a file or attachment that I can send via
email?
The
maximum size of email attachments is dictated by the mail server
through which you send your messages.
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5. How
does a wireless card work?
Your
wireless card works similarly to a wired network card. It sends and
receives data packets at high speeds. Instead of sending these packets
down a wire, your card uses radio signals to communicate with our
equipment, called wireless access points. Sboca's access points then
send your data through our Wireless Backbone out to the internet.
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6.
What type of equipment is compatible with Sboca's service?
All
802.11b (WiFi) compliant devices will work with the Sboca system.
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7. How
do I update my equipment's device drivers?
Periodically, equipment manufacturers will issue updates to existing
device drivers. These updates exist to enhance the performance of your
equipment. Typically, such updates will be posted to the
manufacturer's website. From there, you will be able to download the
proper drivers. Installation instructions will be provided either on
the website or with the downloaded files. Simply follow the
manufacturer's instructions.
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8.
How often should I update my equipment's device drivers?
It is a
good idea to update your drivers any time the manufacturer issues new
drivers. New drivers issued by the manufacturer often contain minor
bug fixes and upgrades to existing configuration software. However, if
your equipment is running smoothly, there is no immediate need to
upgrade.
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9. Can
I change my hardware?
As long
as the hardware you change to is compatible with Sboca's service, you
may change your hardware at any time.
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10. Who
do I call to support my equipment?
For
802.11(b) wireless card support, please refer to the manufacturer's
instructions for support.
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11.
What do I do if I have a slow connection?
Slow
connection speeds are often a result of heavy traffic elsewhere on the
internet. Often the speed of the server you are trying to access does
not use as much bandwidth as your connection is capable of handling.
To find out if the problem exists on our network, do the following:
·
At a command prompt, type: ping
208.13.6.105.
·
At a command prompt, ping the address you
are trying to access, i.e. ping www.yahoo.com.
Anything under 300ms return time is an acceptable response to the
first test. If your response time is much higher on the second test,
you know the problem exists outside our network.
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12.
What do I do if I lose my signal?
Check
your wireless card or USB adapter -- there should be a link light. If
this light is not lit, then you are not picking up a signal.
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13.
What do I do if my computer does not detect the wireless access
points?
Check
your surroundings for anything that might impede your signal. Some
things you may find that can interfere with wireless signals are
pillars or stanchions and potted plants. If, after moving your system
to different locations throughout the property, you still cannot
detect the Sboca wireless network, please contact your wireless
adapter manufacturer.
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14.
How can I increase my signal strength?
Check
your surroundings for anything that might impede your signal. Some
things you may find that can interfere with wireless signals are
pillars or stanchions and potted plants. Also, several wireless cards
on the market are built to boost your signal. If your signal is not
strong enough for your liking with your current card, you might
consider looking for an adapter with a greater signal gain as an
alternative.
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15.
What is the minimum signal strength to get connected?
Typically, we try to provide you with a signal strength of at least
40% or more to make sure that your internet experience is the best
possible. We have seen browsing at strengths as low as 30%, however.
Keep in
mind that different cards or drivers may report different strengths at
the same location. Use your signal meter only as a rough guide for
troubleshooting.
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16.
Does a low signal strength mean that I am connecting at a slower
connection rate?
If you
are experiencing slow connection speeds, low signal strength could be
the cause. However, low signal strength does not always mean slow
speeds. If you are able to connect at a reasonable rate, the signal
strength is irrelevant.
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17.
What is the normal connection rate for my wireless account?
Connection speed is dependent upon the type of circuit that is
providing Internet access to the radio at your location. Your actual
speed may be affected by the number of Sboca customers accessing the
Internet at your specific location, as well as traffic across the
internet as a whole.
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18. How
do I know if I am connected to the Internet?
Your
wireless card or USB adapter will have a link light. If this light is
lit, you are connected to Sboca's radio. If you are able to browse to
various websites, then you are connected to the Internet! You will
only be able to browse after logging in.
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19. I'm only getting 50 KB per second speed, why is this slower than
my 56k dialup?
Actually, you are getting almost 8 times the speed of your dialup!
This is a common misconception with how dialup bandwidth speeds are
reported. On the Internet, or any network, bandwidth is reported as Kb
(kilobits). However, in almost all operating systems (all Microsoft
Windows included), bandwidth and storage are reported as KB
(kilobytes). The difference being that there are 8 bits in one byte.
For example. A 56kbps dialup modem will have a maximum download speed
of about 4 KB per second. Why? Because FCC limits the speed at which
dialup can connect to 53Kbps, which gives a maximum trasfer rate of
6.6 KBps. Plus when you take in to account noise on your phone line,
you're lucky to get about 5 KB per second speeds.
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20.
Can I get a stable connection using wireless technology?
Certainly! Sboca has places transmitters in locations that will
maximize our coverage and minimize disruptions in our customers'
service. While fluctuations in signal strength are normal, we strive
to make your internet experience as worry-free as possible.
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21. Can I
upgrade my account to a higher speed?
No. The
speed of your connection is dependent upon the type of circuit
providing Internet access to the radio at your location. Sboca
Wireless does not regularly throttle or reduce connection speeds.
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22. Can
I get a static IP for my account?
Unfortunately, static IPs are not available at most locations.
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23. Is my wireless connection secure and safe from hackers?
Your
connection is no more prone to hackers than a hard-wired connection
such as cable or DSL. Generally it is a good idea to turn off File and
Print Sharing when it is not actively being used.
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24. Can I have more than one person log on with my user ID?
Sboca
currently does not support concurrent logins from different computers.
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25.
How many email addresses do I get with my account?
Sboca
Wireless does not provide email addresses to roaming subscribers. Free
email addresses are available on the Internet at sites such as Yahoo!
and Hotmail.
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26. What happens if
I forget to log out?
Sboca
logs out customers who forget to do so before shutting down. Currently
at most of our locations, the radio will automatically log you out if
it cannot see your adapter for three minutes or longer. Thus, if you
forget to log out or accidentally close your status/logout window, you
can log yourself out by removing your wireless adapter from your
computer.
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27. Does my
account have any session limits?
No.
Sboca does not use session limits.
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28. Can I use FTP with my
account?
Certainly! You may access the internet in any way you like after
logging in to Sboca.
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29. How
do I use FTP to transfer a file?
You
need to obtain a program that allows you to use FTP. The program
should come with documentation on how to use it effectively.
Unfortunately, Sboca does not support the use of such software.
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30. Do I
have to logout to deactivate my account?
You are
encouraged to log out when you are finished. Doing so will keep you
from being billed for extra time. However, Sboca will automatically
log you off after the radio is unable to detect your adapter for three
minutes.
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page, please
click here.
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