Wireless FAQ:

 

How does wireless broadband from Imagine Broadband work?

Imagine Broadband has a number of strategically placed high-sites, allowing customers to connect to the Imagine Broadband network using a radio unit linked from their PC to a roof mounted antenna. This equipment links the user to the nearest Imagine Broadband base station. Each base station links back wirelessly to our central hub. Our hub in turn connects to fiber optic cable which links to our Data Centre. From there users connect to the World Wide Web.

 

How are customers connected?

Customers are connected to the Imagine Broadband network using an external antenna. Before the customer is installed, engineers perform a quality check to ensure a valid signal can be received. Connectivity is generally available within 5km of each high site. 

 

What is a line of sight (LOS)?

For our wireless service to work the customer antenna must have an unobstructed view - 'line of sight' (LOS) of our nearby base station. This is because our base stations operate at extremely low power output - unlike mobile phone signals they cannot penetrate walls We carry out initial LOS tests using sophisticated software called Geographical Information Systems. This software enables us to determine if your location is within coverage, which high sites are available, signal strengths and possible Line of Sight obstructions like buildings, terrain etc. Once your location has passed GIS you are then ready to be scheduled for an installation.

 

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If I want Imagine Broadband high-speed Internet what do I need?

The requirements are simple. You need a PC with an Ethernet card. You will also require line of sight to an Imagine Broadband base station. Our installers will provide any other equipment

required.

 

Your PC will require a minimum specification of:

. 233 Mhz processor

. 32MB RAM

. Ethernet Port

. Windows 98SE or higher, or MAC OS9.0 to MAC OS X

(For more information please ask a sales agent when ordering)

 

 

What equipment do you provide?

The customer premises equipment consists of an antenna, cabling and a radio unit. The antenna is installed on the roof and connected via cable to the radio unit. The radio unit in turn connects to your PCs Ethernet port.

 

 

What other services does Imagine Broadband provide?

Imagine Broadband provides the full suite of ISP services including email addresses, domain names, maintenance packages, hosting and firewalls.

 

 

How secure is the service?

Imagine Broadband's service is highly secure as it works on frequency hopping technology. However, always on connections are inherently more vulnerable to attack. We recommend that business users install a firewall to protect their network. The level of security required will be dictated by the value of the data on the network. Imagine Broadband can provide a tailored security solution to suit your needs.

 

 

Broadband = high speed - What difference does speed actually make?

Anybody who has used a slow Internet connection will appreciate why speed is so critical. Broadband allows users to send files with large data content such as graphics, screenshots or video clips at very high speed.

 

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Contention - What does it mean?

The contention ratio is a measure of the quality of service you can expect. In simple terms contention measures the maximum number of people who will use the Internet at a given time using the same access pipe. Our business service is contended at low levels. To take an example, if we provide you with a 1024 kbps connection, contended at 8:1, the speed will never drop below 128 kbps if all four users are using the connection at the same time.

 

 

What are the benefits of connecting through Imagine Broadband?

• Very high speed access to the Internet at varying speeds
• from 512 kbps
• Value for money Internet access, from less than £1.66 per day
• Always on access
• Ability to send and receive large files at phenomenally
• fast speeds
• Flat monthly fee, no call charges and no nasty bill surprises
• Real-time delivery of email
• No download limits
• Short lead time for installation

 

Imagine Broadband can provide both asynchronous and synchronous transfer of data - what does this mean?
This means that data is transferred either at varying speeds as in the case of an asynchronous transfer or at the same speed up-stream as down-stream as in the case of synchronous. The synchronous is in contrast to DSL where the up-stream speed is typically only one quarter that of the downstream speed. Apart from facilitating faster transfer of files, synchronous service also facilitates multimedia services including video conferencing.

I thought it was a wireless broadband internet connection?
It is because the connection from our base station to the antenna on your property is fully wireless. However to allow you to connect to the internet the Imagine Broadband engineers will drop a cat 5 cable from the antenna on your property down into a location close to your computer. If you want to go completely wireless you will need to purchase a wireless lan card and router which can then be connected to the Imagine connection.

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Is the Imagine Broadband product the same as ADSL?
There are similarities in relation to our asynchronous product. However there are three main differences between our product and ADSL in particular relating to our synchronous product:-

• Delivered wirelessly - via a rooftop antenna, as opposed to over telephone lines
• Fully synchronous service - same speeds up-stream as down-stream
• Lower contention ratios - compared to ADSL, often as high as 25:1 and 50:1

How affordable is it?

Never before has fast Internet access been such great value for money. Your business can have the benefits of always on Internet access for as little as £1.66 per day for a 1 Mbit/s connection or £2.66 per day for a 2 Mbit/s connection. Unlike ISDN or dial up Internet access what you pay is fixed, so you get no nasty surprises at the end of the month.

 

 

Can I retain my email addresses and domain name?

You can keep your existing email address and domain name and we can provide additional addresses if required. For further information on this service contact one of our personnel on 0845 045 0095 or email sales@imagine.ie

 

 

What does "always on" actually mean?

Always on means exactly what it says - there is no need to dial up, there are no busy tones and no disconnections - it is always on.

 

 

What operating systems are supported?

All operating systems are supported. The only requirement is that the system supports an Ethernet card.

 

 

How is mail handled? Will SMTP and POP3 delivery be available?

Yes, normal ISP email services are available.

 

 

Will I be able to use the service with a home network?

Yes, but you will need to purchase a router as the radio device cannot be plugged into a hub or switch.

 

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Will I need additional security?

As broadband is an always on connection, Imagine Broadband recommends that you take steps to secure your network connection. Imagine Broadband can provide you with a firewall for this purpose. Please ask for further details or see our datasheet on firewalls

 

 

Does the antenna need planning permission?

As the antenna placed on the roof of the premises is approximately 25cm x 25cm planning permission is not normally required. Special requirements may apply for listed buildings.

 

 

Why should I move from DSL?

Imagine Broadband's product offering is superior to DSL.

Specifically it is:

• Faster
• More cost effective
• Synchronous
• Easier and faster to install
• Includes a complimentary maintenance contract
• Has lower contention (8:1)
• Has no download limits

 

 

DSL FAQ:

 

DSL- Your Questions Answered

Getting Started

Q. What specification does my PC or Apple Mac need to conform to the ADSL service?

A. You will need 40Mbytes or more on your hard disk (100Mbytes for Mac OS X) and you will need a CD-ROM drive, to install the software drivers for the ADSL modem. Your computer must have a USB socket or a mains powered USB hub.PC: For a PC you will need a Pentium II 233 or above, with at least 64MB (Memory). If you need to confirm that your computer meets these specifications, check with your supplier. You must also be running Windows 98 or above. Windows NT and Windows 95 are not supported.

Mac: You will need Mac OS 8.6 or above. For Mac 8.6, you will need a PowerPC G3 300MHz (CPU) with 64MB (Memory). For Mac 9.x (9.0 and above), you will need a PowerPC G4 300MHz (CPU) with 64MB (Memory). To identify your operating system, select Apple/About this computer.

Q. Does it matter if I install my ADSL modem, and plug microfilters in, before my ADSL service is activated?

A. No, you can plug in microfilters, and even install your ADSL modem onto your computer, before the ADSL service is activated and you will not notice any change to your standard telephony. You will not be able to use ADSL until your line has been activated.

Q. Does it matter if my ADSL service is activated before I have plugged microfilters into my telephone sockets?

A. Yes, the microfilters split the standard analogue (voice) and ADSL signals, which share the same line. Without microfilters plugged in you may experience noise on the line when you make or receive a telephone call. If you try to access ADSL without microfilters plugged in, you may experience connection problems, including low speeds and disconnections.

Q. I cannot get the CD to work, what should I do?

A. Contact the ADSL Helpdesk on 0845 045 0096 about your connection.

About your equipment

Q. I want to connect more than one computer to my ADSL line, and share the Internet connection. How can I do this?

A. It is possible to connect multiple computers to an ADSL line, and to share the bandwidth, but you will need to ensure that your set-up is configured correctly. Essentially, to do this, you need to network your computers and there are two methods for doing this. The first method is to purchase a home or office broadband router. Your computers then connect to the router via network cards (ethernet cards), and the router shares the connection to all the computers. The second method is to configure your computers to share the connection. You will need to do this if you are using an ADSL modem as modems do not have the connection sharing capability that routers do. This includes the ADSL USB modem. In this instance, the computer you connect your ADSL modem to becomes the ‘server’ and shares the Internet connection to the other computers on your home network. These computers will usually connect to your ‘server’ via network cards (ethernet).

Q. What are microfilters, why do I need them and where can I get them?

A. Microfilters are small adaptors you need to plug into each of your ADSL-enabled

phone sockets. They ensure clean separation of data signals from voice signals – without them your voice calls could suffer interference when data is being transmitted, and your ADSL connection may not work, or may not perform properly.

Q. Can I access ADSL using any modem?

A. ADSL requires the use of an ADSL modem or router. This is not the same as other equipment, such as analogue modems and ISDN Terminal Adapters/PC cards.

Q. Why are my telephone calls noisy?

A. Check that you have a microfilter plugged into each socket on the ADSL enabled line. All equipment must be filtered – telephones, fax machines, your ADSL modem, digital TV boxes etc.

Questions about security

Q. Why do I need to buy a separate security product? (firewall/anti-virus software)

A. ADSL does not provide ‘built-in’ security products and you are strongly advised to purchase these separately. Imagine Broadband accepts no liability for any damage, loss, or inconvenience suffered as a result of computer virus or unauthorised access. Please install your security products before accessing the internet.

Q. Why don’t I need to input a password to access ADSL?

A. ADSL is an access-only product. Users are authenticated by the line they are accessing from, i.e. only lines with ADSL activated on them can gain access to the service. Connecting to the Internet – PC users

Q. How do I reconnect to ADSL after shutdown?

A. To reconnect to ADSL, double-click on your browser icon. This will open the Dialler box. Check that your username details are correct and click ‘Connect’. Alternatively, double click on the ADSL status icon in the system tray (bottom right of your screen) or the ADSL modem icon on your desktop and click ‘Connect’ when prompted. Mac OS X users: To reconnect to ADSL, double-click on your browser icon. This will open the Internet connect box. Check that your username details are correct and click ‘Connect’. Alternatively, select Macintosh HD>Applications>Internet connect. Check your details then click ‘Connect’.

Mac OS 8.6/9.x users: To reconnect to ADSL, double-click on your browser icon. This will open the Remote Access box. Check that your username details are correct and click ‘Connect’ or ‘Dial’. Alternatively, select the Remote Access icon and click ‘Connect.’

Q. Why does my connection drop out after a period of time?

A. Check that you do not have the ‘Disconnect if idle’ function enabled in your Internet browser. Make sure the ‘Disconnect if idle’ box is not ticked. Click OK. For Mac OS X users: Select ‘System Preferences’ in the Control Strip. Choose the ‘Select PPP’ tab and click on ‘PPP options’. Uncheck the box next to ‘Disconnect after 15 minutes of being idle’.

Mac OS 8.6/9.x users: Select Apple > Control Panels > Remote Access and click on ‘Options’. Select the ‘Connection’ tab and open the ‘Connection’ option. Uncheck the box next to ‘Disconnect if idle for 10 minutes’.

If this does not resolve the issue it may be that a line test is required to check the status of the line. Contact us on 0845 045 0096

Q. Why can’t I access the Internet?

A. Confirm that your ADSL service has been activated on the line and that you have a microfilter connected to every socket on this line. If you are still experiencing problems then please call 0845 045 0096 for assistance.

Please click on a link for further FAQ's:

• Safer Internet Surfing FAQs
  
  

 

Safer Internet Surfing

There are a number of different software you can download which can make your families's surfing experience more secure. By installing a filtering software you can block access to Internet sites which have harmful or illegal material. The effectiveness depends on the sophistication of the software package and how up-to-date their blocking lists are. The link below will bring you to a site set up by the government which recommends a number of solutions you can use.

Click here for more information.