Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Printer-Friendly
Version
Service - Getting Started
Hardware and Software Needed to Use the Kite Network
Setup and Configuration
Connecting to the Kite Network
Using the Kite Network
Wireless Networking
Troubleshooting
Glossary
How do I sign-up for service?
To purchase service directly from Kite Network, use your laptop or other
wireless device to connect to the network. Once
connected, open a web browser and visit any
Internet web site. You will be directed to a web page where you can
sign-up for service.
Is service available in my area?
Deployment schedules vary from one metropolitan area to another. A list
of cities associated with Kite Networks. can be
found on the Kite Networks site. If you are not located in one of these
cities, service from Kite Networks is not available in your city now.
Each city in the list of cities links to a site dedicated to that
city. You can find a deployment schedule and/or deployment map for that
city in the "About Us" section of the site. Deployment
schedules contain target dates for deployment in each section of a city.
The best way to check if service is available in your area now is to
use your laptop or wireless device and attempt to connect
to the network. (Note that you will need a wireless
network card properly installed and configured in your laptop to
connect to the network.) The network will identify itself using a
Service Set Identifier, aka "SSID". The identifier will be
"KiteNet". If you
are unable to associate/connect with the network,
chances are that service is not available in your area yet.
If you can connect, you should beware of rogue
access points.
When will service be available in my area?
Deployment schedules vary from one metropolitan area to another. A list
of cities associated with Kite Networks can be
found on the Kite Networks site. If you are not located in one of these
cities, there are no current plans to offer our services in your area.
Each city in the list of cities links to a site dedicated to that
city. You can find a deployment schedule and/or deployment map for that
city in the "About Us" section of the site. Deployment
schedules contain target dates for deployment in each section of a city.
Is service available inside my home or business?
Kite Network is an outdoor Wi-Fi system. Similar to cordless telephones
that operate under the same conditions, the Wartime signal can be
degraded by walls and other infrastructure. There are also differing
levels of performance in the computers themselves. In order to provide
better coverage inside your home, Wartime is currently testing wireless
modems for use in the network. This optional device will bring Wartime into areas where system performance is degraded inside buildings. The
device will connect direct to your computer or wireless LAN via
Ethernet, and will also regenerate the wireless into the emerging 802.11a
wireless Wi-Fi band.
What basic equipment do I need?
You will need the following items to connect to a Warmer wireless
network:
You will need a device such as a laptop or desktop computer equipped
with an 802.11b or 802.11g
compatible wireless network card. You will also need to install the
appropriate wireless network card device drivers.
Wireless network cards are also sometimes referred to as a
"Wireless NIC" or "WLAN (Wireless
Local Area Network) Card" Most laptops purchased after 2004 come
with one of these types of cards already installed as standard
equipment. If your computer does not have such a device, you can
purchase one from most stores that sell computers or computer
components. See the other questions in this FAQ list for information on
operating systems, device drivers, and supplicants.
How will my CPE be delivered?
Once order is successfully processed, your CPE will ship via Fed Ex Ground. Please be aware that Federal Express Ground Services can
NOT ship to a Post Office (PO) Box. As a result of this policy,
you must specify a physical address when placing an order for indoor service.
What is a wireless network card?
A wireless network card is a physical device typically attached to a
computer. Like a cell phone, a wireless network card is a radio device
capable of sending and receiving radio signals which are converted to
and from various different types of information such as text, voice, or
video. Without a wireless network card, a computer cannot communicate
with a wireless network such as the Kite Network's.
How does a wireless network card work?
A wireless network card works in the same fashion as a wired network
card. It sends and receives data at a high rate of speed. However,
instead of using a wire to communicate like a land-line telephone, it
transmits and receives data via radio waves like a cell phone. Wireless
network cards are capable of communicating a wide variety of information
such as text or e-mail, pictures, web pages, sound, and anything else
you can view or store on a computer. A wireless network card can be
configured to communicate to transmit data to and from the Internet
using the Kite Network wireless network.
What type of wireless network card should I use?
If your computer does not have an integrated wireless network card
(or if your integrated wireless network card does not work) you can
purchase one. Any store that sells computers or computer accessories
will typically sell wireless network card.
Kite Network does not recommend any one specific wireless network card or
endorse any specific manufacturer. There are some general guidelines we
can provide. In general, look for a card that has been manufactured in
the last year. Wireless networking technology is rapidly evolving and
newer cards will generally be better than older cards. Also, look for a
card labeled as "Super G". These cards typically have better
radios than their "B" and "G" counterparts.
How do I install a wireless network card?
There are a number of different types of wireless network cards.
Some are integrated into the computer, some attach via USB (Universal
Serial Bus) connections, others attach via a PCMCIA (Personal Computer
Memory Card International Association) slot. Which type of network card
you have will determine how to install it. If you bought it from a
store, follow the manufacturer's directions for installing the wireless
network card in your computer.
Once the wireless network card is physically installed, you will also
need to install device drivers so that your
computer can properly communicate using the wireless network card.
What is a wireless network card device driver?
A device driver is a computer program (software) that allows your
operating system (Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Unix, etc) to use a
physical device. A wireless network card device driver allows your
operating system to properly send and receive radio signals with the
wireless network card, to properly send and receive from the correct
wireless network (such as Kite Network), to communicate with the wireless
network on the correct channel, and so on. Without a device driver, a
wireless network card is as useful to a computer as a bowl of clam
chowder.
When purchasing a wireless network card, it is important to ascertain
that the device drivers will function properly for your operating
system.
How do I install wireless network card drivers?
A wireless network card is bundled with the appropriate software. If
your wireless network card is integrated, the software should have been
included when you purchased your computer. Follow the manufacturer's
directions for the installation of the device drivers. This typically
involves installing software from a CD-ROM or other similar computer
storage device.
How often should I update my wireless network card drivers?
Manufacturers of wireless network cards often release updated device
drivers. These updated drivers generally fix problems found in previous
driver versions or increase performance or expand support features. It
is generally best to update device drivers as they become available.
Device driver updates are generally found on the manufacturer's web
site. For more help, contact the manufacturer of your wireless network
card.
Which web browsers are supported
You will need a web browser to successfully login to the Kite network. The following web browsers are known to work correctly with the
WAS login servers:
- Mozilla Firefox, version 1.0.3 and later
- Safari, version 1.0 and later
- Internet Explorer, version 5.5 and later
- Netscape, version 7.1 and later
- Konquerer, version 3.4 and later (with OpenSSL)
- Opera, version 5 and later
For a browser to correctly work, it must support the current
implementation/support of cookies, javascript, HTTP/1.1, SSL/TLS
(HTTPS), tables, and forms.
Which operating systems can be used?
Kite Network suggests one of the following operating systems:
- Windows XP, any version
- Macintosh OS-X version 10.3 or later
- Linux
Other operating systems may be used if they can provide a necessary device
driver for the wireless network card and if the manufacturer or the
wireless network card can provide an adequate supplicant
application.
Does my wireless device need to be configured?
Yes. Your computer or other wireless device along with its wireless
network card will need to be properly configured before use. Along with
your physical wireless network card and wireless network card device
drivers, you will also need to configure a wireless supplicant.
What is a (wireless) "supplicant"?
Sometimes simply called a "wireless network card configuration
program", a supplicant is a computer program that asks (thus the
name "supplicant") a wireless network to allow your network
device to join the network. Each wireless network has different
settings. Settings include things such as a name (SSID), encryption,
speed, channel, and so forth. A supplicant application will store the
settings for each wireless network with which you communicate. That way,
when you want to connect to a specific wireless network, you typically
select the settings you've created from a list.
Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000 (with service Pack 4) come with
a built-in supplicant called the "Wireless Zero Configuration"
service. You configure wireless networks from the Network Connections
portion of the Control Panel.
For earlier versions of Windows, you will need to obtain a supplicant
application from the manufacturer of your wireless network card.
Macintosh OS-X versions 10.3 and later come with a built-in
supplicant application as well. You configure wireless network settings
from the Network panel of the system configuration menu. For earlier
versions of the Macintosh OS, you will need to obtain a supplicant
application from the manufacturer of your wireless network card.
For Linux, you will need to install the appropriate supplicant
application. At the time of this writing there were two available
open-source supplicants: X-Supplicant
and WPA-supplicant.
You could also check with the manufacturer of your wireless network card
for the availability of a Linux-compatible supplicant application.
How do I configure my computer to access the Kite network?
First, make sure you meet the basic
equipment requirements. Open your supplicant
application and create an entry for the Kite network. Each supplicant
will display the setup options in a slightly different fashion, but will
generally ask for the same entries or input fields. You will need to
configure the following options:
- SSID: Your supplicant application should be
able to auto-detect any wireless networks in range of your wireless
network card. The Kite network SSID is displayed as KiteNet.
- Data Encryption: none
- Authentication: open
The only option you will likely need to configure is the SSID.
How do I connect to the KiteNet network?
- Obtain the necessary equipment
- Apply the correct configuration settings
- Enable your wireless network card.
Windows - Select "network connections"
from the control panel. Right-click the entry for your wireless
network card and select "enable". If only the
"disable" option is available, your wireless network card
is already enabled.
Macintosh - Instructions coming soon
Linux - This can vary widely based on which
distribution and version of Linux you are using. See the
documentation for your flavor of Linux.
- Associate with the KiteNet network.
Start your supplicant application. Some
operating systems may do this for you automatically when they detect
a wireless network in range.
Windows - Open the "network connections"
from the control panel. Right-click the entry for your wireless
network card and select "View available wireless
networks". Highlight the entry for the Kite Network from the
list and select "connect".
Macintosh - Instructions coming soon
Linux - Follow the directions that came with your supplicant
application.
- Login to the Kite Network
Open a web browser and attempt to visit any
Internet web site. You will be redirected to the Kite Network login page.
Follow the directions to either login or create a new account.
How do I logout?
When you connect to the Kite network and
successfully login, a pop-up window (if you aren't blocking pop-ups)
will provide you with a logout button. Otherwise, you will be
automatically logged out after a certain time period of inactivity.
Do I need to logout? What happens if I forget to logout?
It is always a good idea to logout for the same reasons it is always
a good idea to remove your ATM card from the ATM machine when you're
done with your transaction. When you connect to
the Kite Network and successfully login, a pop-up window (if you aren't
blocking pop-ups) will provide you with a logout button. If you forget
to logout, you will be automatically logged out after a certain time
period of inactivity.
How do I know if I am connected to the Kite Network/Internet?
If you are connected to the Kite Network (and thus the Internet), you
should be able to browse to any Internet site such as Google.
If you attempt to connect to Google but are instead redirected to a Kite
login page, then you are associated with the Kite network, but have not yet logged in. You will not be able to access
the network until you login. If nothing appears in your browser window
when you attempt to visit the Google site or an error occurs, it might
mean that you have not yet associated with the
Kite network. See the section on how to connect to
the Kite network.
What is the minimum signal strength to get connected?
Typically a signal strength of at least 40% or more is needed for
your initial login. Once logged in, lower signal strength is often
sufficient to retain a connection and effectively use the Internet.
Different wireless network cards may report different signal
strengths from the same physical location. Computer-based signal meters
only generally serve as a rough guide for troubleshooting.
How do I prevent my computer from flip-flopping between SSIDs?
Sometimes your laptop or wireless device will be able to
"see" more than one SSID. If your supplicant
is not configured correctly, your wireless device may constantly
flip-flop back and forth between two different SSIDs.
By default, most wireless devices will attempt to connect to the SSID
offering the best signal.
Can I get a stable connection using the Kite network?
Certainly. Kite networks include access
points in locations that maximize our coverage and minimize
disruptions in our customers' service. While fluctuations and interference
in signal strength are normal, we strive to make your Internet
experience as worry-free as possible.
How fast is the Kite Network?
Under perfect conditions, the Kite network can operate at speeds up
to roughly 18 times faster than a 56k dial-up connection. The entire
network has been engineered with speed and throughput as a high
priority. Your top speed will vary based on the level of access you have
purchased, the number of other users with whom you are sharing the
network, interference issues, and a number of other variables. For a
better understanding of wireless network speed, read the Kite guide
to connection speed.
Can I upgrade my account to a higher speed?
There are a number of different levels of service that can be
purchased. When connecting to the network, the
login page will display a link to sign up for new service. The
description of each service lists the maximum speed for each type of
service. If you have purchased service through your Internet Service
Provider (ISP), contact your ISP for improved speed options.
Can I get a static IP for my account?
Unfortunately, static IPs are not available at this time. Kite may
offer business-class accounts in the future that will offer static IP
addresses.
Can I have more than one person logon with my user ID?
No. The second person/computer that logs in will cause the first
person to be automatically logged out.
Can I use my account at all locations?
All paid-subscription users can use their account throughout the
city. After all, that is the purpose behind city-wide wireless
networking! Users with month-to-month plans may use their account in any
city that provides a Kite network (city
list). However, you will need to add a new configuration
to your supplicant application for each city
you visit as each Kite city network has a different SSID
Does my account have any session limits?
Speed - This depends on the level of service you
have purchased. See the section on speed for more
help.
Data - There is no session limit on how much data you
may upload or download.
Inactivity - For security reasons, you will
automatically be logged out if you are inactive (do not upload or
download anything) for a certain period of time.
Can I use a new wireless network card or new computer with my
existing account?
It depends.
If you used the new account option from the login page to sign up for
service and you selected the "MAC authentication" option when
signing up for an account, the MAC address of your
new equipment will not match the address of your old equipment and you
will be prevented from logging in. To correct this, log into the self-service
portal and use the account options to correct your MAC address to
match the one on your new equipment. The MAC address of your network
card can typically be viewed by viewing the properties of the card
through your operating system.
If you did not use the self-service sign up or did not select the MAC
authentication option when doing so, you can use your new equipment with
your existing account.
Note that multiple logins (logging in
with more than one computer at a time) are prevented.
How many email addresses do I get with my account?
E-Mail addresses are provided by your Internet Service Provider, not
by Kite Network/NeoReach Wireless. If you do not have an Internet Service
Provider and are a Kite network nomadic user, you can sign up for an
e-mail account from any number of free, web-based e-mail providers such
as Google Mail, Yahoo
Mail, or Hotmail.
Does the Kite network support VPNs?
Yes. If your company or another organization provides a Virtual
Private Network (VPN) server, you can connect to it using the Kite network.
Kite networks do not block VPN traffic.
Is wireless networking secure?
Numerous books and articles
have been written on wireless networking and security. Indeed, entire
web sites are dedicated to this single topic. In a nutshell, your
wireless connection is as prone to hackers as a hard-wired connection
such as cable, DSL, or dial-up. As with any other type of computer
networking, there are steps you can take to improve security. Security
Tips for Using Wireless Networks.
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 - note the small "b"). However, in almost all
operating systems (all Microsoft Windows included), bandwidth and
storage are reported as KB (kilobytes - note the capital "B").
The difference being that there are 8 bits in one byte (like there are
12 in a dozen). For example. A 56Kb/second (bits) dialup modem will have
a maximum download speed of about 4KB/second (bytes) per second. Why?
Because FCC limits the speed at which dialup can connect to 53Kb/second
(bits), which gives a maximum transfer rate of 6.6KB/second (bytes).
Plus when you take in to account noise on your phone line, you're lucky
to get about 5KB/second (bytes) per second speeds.
What happens if I forget my password?
Visit the self-service
portal (you do not need to be logged in) and follow the "Forgot
password" link. You will be prompted for your user name and e-mail
addresses (recurring customers) or partial credit card information and
e-mail address for pre-paid card customers. If the password recovery
feature does not work for you, will need to contact
Customer Care.
What do I do if I have an active account and cannot log on?
Check to see if you have the correct username and password.
Usernames and passwords are CaSe SeNSitIve. This means that "JohnDoe"
and "johndoe" are two different values. Be sure to enter your
entire username. If you were given a username of "john@doe.com",
enter the entire username, including "@doe.com".
What do I do if I have a slow connection?
First, keep in mind that a reported speed may not
be what it appears to be. There are many possible reasons for a slow
connection. Some of the most common include:
- Internet Traffic
- Number of other users on the network
- Radio Interference
- Weak Signal
When visiting a web site or using another Internet resource, your
communications often travel through many different networks as it
traverses the Internet. The Internet is made up of loosely connected
groups of individual networks. Communication between these networks is
not always fast, especially during times where many users are using the
network at the same time.
On a wireless network such as the Kite network, there are often
several users sharing the same access point.
The more users, the less time the equipment can dedicate to each
individual user. As such, you'll notice better speeds at certain times
of the day, with slower speeds during periods of peak usage.
There are many sources of radio interference
which weakens your wireless network card's ability to communicate
effectively with the Kite network. Eliminating the interference can often
boost speeds considerably.
Aside from interference, being too far away from an access
point or having an older, weaker antenna or wireless network card
often results in a weak signal. The weaker the signal, the slower the
connection. Try changing your physical location or consider upgrading
your wireless network card and/or antenna.
How can I increase my signal strength?
Move closer to a Kite network access point.
Being too distant from an access point will quickly reduce your signal
strength.
Check your surroundings for sources of possible interference.
Eliminating sources of interference will generally result in increased
signal strength.
Not all wireless network cards are created equal. Consider switching
to a wireless network card or antenna with a greater signal gain,
especially if your wireless network card is more than three years old.
Does a low signal strength mean that I am connecting at a slower
connection rate?
No. Low signal strength does not always mean slower connect speed.
If you are able to connect at a reasonable speed, the signal strength is
irrelevant.
What do I do if I lose my connection?
Generally, you will lose your signal if you move too far from an access
point or if you encounter some sort of interference. The first thing
to try is to move back to the physical location of your initial login.
If this does not work, check your wireless network card for a link light
(it should be on), or if your wireless network card is internal or does
not have a light, see if your supplicant
application displays a signal strength for the Kite network. No link
light or no signal may mean that you need to reconnect
or that you are experiencing some sort of interference.
Why can't I send e-mail?
If you are trying to non-web-based e-mail through another Internet
Service Provider (ISP), the ISP may not allow you to send using their
mail server unless you are connected to that ISP's network. Most
Internet Service Providers will "see" the Kite network as an
"external" network, and will not allow outgoing mail requests
while you're connected to the Kite network. This is one way an ISP helps
stop the tidal wave of junk e-mail. Contact your ISP to see if they
offer a web-based e-mail application.
How can I contact Kite Networks?
Kite customers and pre-paid card customers should call the Kite Care line
at 1-866-929-9434.
What are the benefits of Wi-Fi?
Simply put, Wi-Fi allows you to extend your
communications to places wires can not or do not reach. You can work
from the office, home, the park, the subway, coffee shops, the bus, and
anywhere covered by the Wi-Fi network. City workers, such as emergency
responders, have access to critical information at all times and all
places, allowing them to perform their tasks more efficiently and in a
safer fashion. For example, firemen can access building floor plans
while en route to a fire. Emergency medical technicians can send patient
data in real time to the hospital prior to the patient's arrival.
Average users gain new heights of convenience and mobility. Send flowers
to a loved one while waiting for a haircut. Instant message a friend
from the supermarket to inquire about a secret ingredient to a new
recipe. Anything you do online, now do online, on the road.
How does Wi-Fi work?
A Wi-Fi network typically consists of access
points connected to the wired portion of the Internet and clients
using computers (or computer devices such as VOIP phones) with wireless
network cards. Instead of connecting the computer to the access point
with a physical cable, they are connected with radio waves. When a user
composes an e-mail and sends it, the wireless network card in the user's
computer changes the e-mail data into radio waves and transmits those
radio waves to an access point. The access point reverses the process
by, changing the radio waves back into e-mail data and sending the
e-mail on its way across the wired portion of the Internet.
The access point and wireless network cards speak the same
"language" and know what radio "channel" on which to
communicate by adhering to adopted Wi-Fi standards such as 802.11b
and 802.11g.
FAQ Glossary
802.11b 802.11b is a name/designation for an
engineering standard that forms a framework for wireless networking.
This was the first widely adopted standard supported by computer
equipment manufacturers and continues to be a popular option. Capable of
speeds up to 11 megabits per second (mbps), at full speed it is 196
times faster than a 56kbps (kilobits per second) modem. More information
can be found on the IEEE
802.11 standards web site.
- 802.11g
- 802.11g is a name/designation for an engineering standard that forms
a framework for wireless networking. This was the second widely
adopted standard supported by computer equipment manufacturers and
continues to be a popular option. Capable of speeds up to 54 megabits
per second (mbps), at full speed it is 5 times faster than 802.11g
wireless networking, and roughly 18F times faster than a 56kbps
(kilobits per second) modem. More information can be found on the IEEE
802.11 standards web site.
- Access Point
- Like a wireless network card, an access point is a radio device that
is capable of sending and receiving radio
signals. Access points form the "infrastructure" of a
wireless computer network. When using the Kite network, you will use
the wireless network card in your computer to communicate with an
access point, which will then pass your communications on to the wired
portion of the network and ultimately on to the Internet and back.
- Associated/Association
- When you "associate" with a wireless network, you
establish a connection between the radio device in an access
point and the radio device in your wireless network card. When
associated, your wireless network card can communicate with the access
point. This may or may not allow you to access the wireless network to
which the access point belongs. Many wireless networks, including the Kite
networks, require a login to access the rest of the network.
- Evil Twin Attack
- When a "hacker" sets up an access
point, configures the access point to look like a Kite network
access point and attempts to fool people into connecting to the
hacker's access point instead of a Kite access point, this is called an
"evil twin" attack. Hackers may do this in an attempt to
gather valid usernames and passwords as well as other potentially
sensitive information. Because wireless network cards will generally
communicate with the closest access point or the access point with the
best signal, your wireless network card may choose to communicate with
one of these "evil twin" access points setup by a hacker
trying to steal your data.
To avoid such an attack:
- Check your login page. Beware anything that looks unusual.
- The address of the login page should always start with
"https://phc.prontonetworks.com"
- You should not be prompted to accept a certificate. We use
Verisign certificates registered. These
certificates are automatically recognized as a being from a
trusted root certificate authority by most web browsers.
- Contact us if you have any doubts or
questions.
- Gain (dBi Gain)
- As pertaining to radio devices, gain generally refers to signal
strength, measured in decibels (dB). The higher the gain, the
"stronger" the radio device.
- MAC Address
- MAC stands for Media Access Control. Each network card, including
wireless network cards, is programmed with a unique address called a
MAC address. This ideally allows each device connected to a network to
be uniquely identified. Kite networks do not use MAC authentication
unless the user has specifically requested it and has provided us with
their valid MAC address.
- NIC / Wireless NIC
- NIC stands for "network interface card". A wireless NIC is
a radio device that transmits and receives data from a wireless
network.
- (Radio) Interference
- There are many sources of interference that can result in poor or
even no service. Common culprits include:
- Physical obstructions, such as walls, pillars, stanchions, etc.
- 2.4gHz cordless home phones
- Microwave ovens
- High tension wires or other strong sources of electricity such
as large refrigeration units
- Other radio devices operating in the 2.4gHz range
Wireless network connection speeds can be increased by eliminating
sources of interference. Moving closer to an access
point can also reduce the effect of interference while moving
further from an access point can increase the effect of interference.
- SSID
- SSID stands for "Service Set identifier". This is
typically the identity or name of a wireless network. It serves as the
primary method of differentiating one wireless network from another.
- WiFi
- WiFi stands for wireless fidelity. In general, it is an umbrella
term applied to wireless computer networking via the
IEEE (Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers) 802 engineering standards. (See 802.11b).
|
