Internet FAQ

What do I need to do to the computer?
You will have to configure your TCP/IP properties so that the computer is using the proper IP address, Gateway address, DNS address and subnet mask. We will provide you with these numbers.

How can I use my current (or old) E-mail account?
The answers varies with the type of account. If you are using web based e-mail like Hotmail.com or Yahoo, then there is no change. You simply use your web browser and access your account as you have been. If you have an e-mail account with a dial-up or other type of ISP, it is not so simple. First, be assured that you can always send e-mail through Caribel's Internet. Sending will not be a problem. Our POP3 mail server address is mail.caribel.com You will need an account on the server before you can use it to send. We set up e-mail accounts 8-5 M-F. Weekend e-mail account administration is not available.
Once you have provided us with a username and password we will set up your account and you at an additional cost of $20.00 per month and you can receive e-mail at (your user name)@caribel.com. You will also be able to send mail using that server. The problem occurs when you go to get your mail from you old account. You will have to ask you old ISP to keep your mail account active for some time so that you can get your mail. It is possible that as soon as you stop taking their service, they may restrict your access to their mail server. They may immediately reject or discard e-mail. Make sure there are provisions for getting your mail before you terminate your service. Some ISPs will even automatically forward e-mail to your new address for a time. There is nothing we can do with respect to your old account and e-mail addresses.
The only 100% rock solid way to make sure you never lose your e-mail address is to install a mail server and obtain a domain. That requires time and expense and is somewhat a technical challenge. If that is an option you would like to pursue, we can direct you to consultants that can make it happen.

What don't you offer?
Check out this page for details of what we do not offer and what your obligation is. Also read our Service Agreement .

How long will it take to get service?
We might not install the system as quick as you may wish. Due to high demand, it can take around 1-2 weeks from signing up to be installed. Once we determine you are in our coverage area, a technician will contact you to make an appointment. Installs performed during the week are usually done within 2 hours. Weekend installs may be done in two phases: cable-run and reflector installation (if necessary) are done on the first day, with radio and computer configuration done later.

Why don't you offer a Service Level Agreement or other assurance of service?
We offer live technical support Monday thru Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm. All of our employees are on this system at home and we monitor it constantly. If the system is down, we are down too. So, we have a vested interest in keeping things ticking smoothly. System wide troubles are detected and resolved in what we believe to be a timely manner. However, some things are out of our control. If a backhoe digs up one of our fiber cables, the system will be down. And it will not be up until the fiber cable is spliced. We cannot control those types of failures. We do have automatic rerouting of traffic throughout our system, but we cannot guarantee 100% uptime. We only guarantee that we will give you the best service possible.

Do you have a newsgroup server?
No we do not, nor are news (NNTP) servers allowed on the network. There are plenty of free news services available, including Google's Newsgroups .

What download speed will I get?

First, you must understand the difference in ways of showing speed. Big B vs. little b; Big K vs. little k:
Big B = bytes
Little b = bits
There are 8 bits per byte.
Big K = 1024 bytes
Little k = 1000 bytes
Not too much difference but it is there.

Our basic plan sustained data rate is 256Kilo bits per second. This is the same as downloading at 32KiloBytes per second (8 x 32KBps = 256 Kilo bits per second).
So, $350/month gives you a 32KBps (256Kbps) connection with a burst speed up to 5 Mega bits per second. If you begin to download a file, it will initially download up to the 5 Mega bits per second burst speed.

After about 3Mb of file size, your download speed will be shifted down to the speed which you pay for. For example, if you are subscribed to our basic service, you could start to download at about 600 K B ps to 750K B ps.

After downloading 3Mb of a file you will see the download speed shift down to about 32KBps, or 256Kbps - the speed to which you are subscribed. After you stop the download, the system will reset and you will be allowed the higher burst speed again after a few minutes. However, if you continue to download or stream large quantities of data, the system will continue to shift you down to the speed you pay for.

What will interfere with the signal?
Anything in the path between you and the base station can block the signal. Especially trees and buildings. If you have a clear, optical, line of sight it will almost certainly work.

What is needed at the computer?
Your computer must have an Ethernet card or connection. (Sometimes called a NIC card.) Many computers come with this connection built into the system now-a-days.
We also recommend that you have a personal firewall installed on your machine. Several are available online and some are free for personal use. We do not recommend a specific one but we strongly advise you to get one. The same goes for anti-virus software. We also strongly recommend that all Windows updates are installed on a regular basis.
Caribel's Internet does not provide a formal firewall solution, so protecting your own personal computers is your responsibility.
See our checklist for other requirements.

Will this work with game boxes, Linux PC's, or Macintoshes, as well as Windows PCs?
Yes, the system is simply a wireless Ethernet system. You do not need any special software to interface with the subscriber module. If your computer can work with a LAN it will work with our system.

Can multiple computers use a single connection?
Yes, you can install any type of internet sharing systems. We have found certain WiFi home wireless systems do not work well with wireless Ethernet but prefer DSL or cable modems. We do restrict this type of activity to be contained within a single residential home or office. If we discover that internet sharing is being used to allow other homes or businesses to have service, your service will be discontinued as outlined in the contract.

Can I install this system myself?
You can do the cable run yourself, if you like, since we will not fish cable through walls or attics. A simple CAT 5 Ethernet cable needs to be run between the subscriber module and the computer. Our techs generally install and align subscriber modules, reflectors, and any other required mounting hardware to ensure an accurate and stable connection.