Internet Basics
What is an ISP?

ISP is short for Internet service provider. In its simplest form, an ISP is a company that provides access to the Internet. Due to technical and cost issues, most companies cannot connect to the Internet on their own, so they must first establish an account with an ISP. Bspeedy Wireless is an ISP. We provide the equipment necessary to enable individuals and businesses to establish wireless access connections to the Internet and World Wide Web.

What kind of service should I expect when I have questions or problems?

Everybody who works with the Internet, web sites, and the World Wide Web runs into problems at some point. Bspeedy Wireless monitors our network around the clock and has highly trained personnel to help you solve your problems, whenever they might occur. Bspeedy´s Technical Support department is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. We promise that we will do our best to resolve your problems. Most customer problems require approximately 10 minutes to resolve. The exact resolution time depends on the nature of the problem. Regardless of the amount of time it may take, we are glad to spend whatever time necessary to resolve our customers' problems. In some instances, we may need to escalate a problem to our second level of support for more in-depth troubleshooting. For less pressing questions, you can always e-mail us at support@bspeedy.com.

Are all ISPs the same?

No. There are more than 5,500 ISPs in the US and Canada and they vary in size, capabilities, and types of services offered. Many smaller, local ISPs service only home users. Bspeedy Wireless specializes in both consumer and business use. In particular, Bspeedy Wireless offers a number of services for small office/home office needs as well as small, medium and large businesses. We strive to make Internet solutions simple.

Why does experience matter when choosing an ISP?

While there are plenty of ISPs from which to choose, you are probably better off with one that has experience working with business customers. For example, Bspeedy Wireless provides a more comprehensive network, better-trained sales and support personnel, and a broader range of products to help you as your needs change.

Why should I care about high-speed access?

Speed of access refers to how quickly you can send and receive information over the Internet. Bspeedy Wireless's high-speed, intelligently managed bandwidth helps ensure that you or your employees and customers can easily send and receive e-mail, access the Web, and transfer files.

What is bandwidth?

Simply stated, bandwidth is a measure of the capacity of a given connection. You can visualize bandwidth as the size of an electronic pipe between two locations. The bigger the pipe, the more content can be move through that pipe during a given amount of time. Bandwidth affects the amount of time it takes for a Web page to fully load, a file to transfer, or an e-mail to be delivered.

Why is Bspeedy Wireless the right choice for consumers or businesses?

If you're considering the Internet as part of your information strategy, or even if you're already connected, you should know that not all ISPs are alike. We may use some of the same terminology, some of the same hardware and software, even the same protocols, but there is a major difference among local ISPs. That difference is usually their network and the quality of their customer service . Only Bspeedy Wireless offers you a network built to deliver the performance you expect and the Customer Service expertise to design and manage the best solutions for you. We are also the only wireless company that has a staff on hand six days a week to answer any questions. The final reason is our parent company has been in business for over 10 years. In the technology business this is something that should be important to all.

What kind of network should my ISP have?

Your ISP should have a network that is specifically designed for the demands of Internet telephony. The Internet is dramatically different than traditional telephone networks and has a complexity and design that is unique. Some ISPs even design their networks to purposely reduce the quality of their users' connections in an effort to reduce expenses. Remember the old adage, "You get what you pay for" when shopping for Internet connectivity. Bspeedy Wireless's network is designed specifically for Internet traffic, so your information and data travel quickly and efficiently without the delays caused by other traffic.

How does the Internet work?

The Internet is a dynamically connected network of computers called Servers located around the world. Individuals, businesses, governmental agencies, universities and others own the Servers. Each of the Servers has a unique "address" and they are connected by a "backbone" of fiber-optic and copper cable installed and maintained by various global communications companies such as AT&T, Sprint, and MCI.

The Internet operates according to its own unique communications standard called the Internet Protocol ("IP"). With IP, all information is broken up into separate packets of information that travel on the Internet much like letters through the postal system. An Internet "letter" goes through a hierarchy of "mail handling centers", each of which routes the "letter" to the next center until it reaches its destination. Most ISP networks use routers to act as the "mail handling centers." Router technology dates to the beginning of the Internet and is designed to open each packet of information, check the address, and send it to the next router. This process is repeated from router to router until the information is delivered to the final destination Server where the recipient is able to read the "letter".

This is, as you might guess, a complicated process. The result is often lost packets, greater delay, and less flexibility in service. That's true of most ISP networks, but not Bspeedy Wireless. We designed our network specifically to enhance performance and minimize packet loss.

Bspeedy Wireless is an ISP or Internet Service Provider. We provide the equipment (i.e., routers, servers and Internet connectivity) and wireless equipment necessary to enable individuals and businesses to establish dedicated access connections to the Internet and World Wide Web.

What about security on the Internet?

Above all, you want your Web site and other information to be secure. When you choose Bspeedy Wireless as your ISP, you get a leader in managed security service. We protect your information as if it was our own and spare you the headaches and costs often associated with security issues.

What happens when I need to expand my service?

This is where an established ISP like Bspeedy Wireless will benefit you best. We offer a wide range of services to meet your current as well as your future needs. We have the experience and expertise to help you as you grow or your needs change.

What is a POP?

POP is an acronym for point-of-presence or a location where you receive internet access. Your ISP should offer a POP convenient to wherever you are located . Another critical component is the number of actual access lines the ISP has at a given POP. With multiple users accessing the ISP's network at any given time, it is important that the ISP design its network to allow all users who desire access to have access to the Internet at the busiest time of the day. If you consistently experience busy signals from your ISP, you should contact them to determine when they will be adding additional access lines to their POP.

What's different about Bspeedy Wireless's POPs?

The foundation of every ISP's network is its points-of-presence ("POP"): the facility where you connect with your ISP's network. Its performance is fundamental to the quality of your Internet service and any shortcomings in design or construction can be harmful, even fatal, to your Internet service.

Each of Bspeedy's POPs is a tightly integrated Internet access point that is maintained by professional field service personnel. Cisco Routers act as entryways to the POP to integrate the full spectrum of access methods: dedicated as well as servers for Web hosting, security, and other value-added services. At the heart of our POPs are switches for fast-packet switching and virtual circuits to move your information intelligently along the network.

How do I find information on something on the Internet?

One of the great things about the Web is that there are millions of sites chock full of interesting information. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to flip through all of them. To simplify the task of finding what you want there are dozens of search "engines" - think of them as large, searchable card catalogs.

What is downloading?

Downloading is terminology for transferring a copy of a file from someone else's computer to yours. Downloading usually involves using a transfer protocol, which is the "language" the two computers use when transferring the file. An example of this transfer protocol is the "http" you see in Web site URLs that stands for "Hyper Text Transfer Protocol". Web documents written in HTML (HyperText Markup Language) are transferred between computers using HTTP. Another popular protocol, FTP (File Transfer Protocol), is generally used to transfer binary files, like Word documents or a programs. Most e-mail programs allow you to attach files to your e-mail and send and receive files without having to perform any special protocol setup.

Why should I care about redundancy in the network?

The following example should help explain the concept of network redundancy. Imagine that you drive to and from work each day on a major highway. If the road closes for some reason, you need an alternate route that will get you to and from work just as quickly. The same concept applies in Internet connections. With Bspeedy Wireless's advanced network, your Internet traffic can take a variety of high-speed routes, so you should not have to worry about aggravating or costly delays.

What if I have other questions?

We hope the information on this web page has helped in your understanding of the Internet and how Bspeedy Wireless can best serve your needs. Of course, the easiest way to get all the details is to call us or send us an e-mail. We'll talk to you about your specific needs and questions and show you just how many ways Bspeedy Wireless can make you and/or your company shine on the Internet. You'll find all our products and services are designed to enhance your Internet performance and experience. So whether you're a newcomer to the Internet or a seasoned professional, Bspeedy Wireless has solutions to help you maximize your company's performance. Call us and discover how you can benefit from a partnership with Bspeedy Wireless: (618) 662-4095.