Support/FAQ
CONNECTION
Is the network secure?
Can I connect to my corporate VPN in addition to the Internet?
How fast are the Internet connections at Exwire's CommunityConnect
Hotspot locations?
How will I know when my service plan time is about to expire?
How do I add additional time to my CommunityConnect
Pass?
EQUIPMENT
What equipment do I need to access the
network?
I use a Mac instead of a Windows-based machine. Can I still
use the service?
Where can I buy a Wi-Fi card?
How do I connect to the network?
My web browser did not display any pages...what's wrong?
CONNECTION
Wi-Fi computer networking technology allows computers and PDAs to send
and receive Internet data via a wireless network. Exwire has installed
an 802.11b network at this location using an "access points."
So now, if your computer is Wi-Fi enabled, you can connect to the Internet
wirelessly while you're at an Exwire CommunityConnect Hotspot.
Is the network secure?
The Exwire Wi-Fi network is as secure as any open public access network
like public telephones and dial-up Internet accounts. It's always a
good idea to make sure you are on an SSL-encrypted web page prior to
sending or receiving confidential data.
When you initially access our network, you are presented with an Acceptable
Use policy. Please make sure you understand the terms and conditions
of usage prior to accessing our network.
Can I connect to my corporate VPN in addition to the Internet?
Yes. The Exwire network is designed to pass PPTP and IPSEC packets.
In some cases you may need to contact your corporate VPN administrator.
How fast are the Internet connections at Exwire's CommunityConnect
Hotspot locations?
Exwire CommunityConnect Hotspot locations
provide Internet connections between 256 Kbps and T1 speeds.
How will I know when my service plan time is about to expire?
After you have logged on to an Exwire CommunityConnect Hotspot
a pop-up box displaying your remaining time appears. The pop-up box
updates your remaining time every 7 minutes.
How do I add additional time to my CommunityConnect Pass?
The pop-up box that appears when you login to an Exwire CommunityConnect
Hotspot provides a "Buy More Time..." link. Clicking on
the link forwards you to a page where you can purchase more time.
EQUIPMENT
What equipment do I need to access the network?
You need a laptop or notebook computer, or a personal digital assistant
(PDA) equipped with a standard Internet browser and a Wi-Fi compliant
(802,11b) wireless Ethernet card. In most cases, the card will be inserted
in the PCMCIA slot on the side of the computer and will come with the
appropriate software.
Note: Some newer laptops have built-in Wi-Fi capability, in which case the operating system alerts the user to the presence of an available Wi-Fi network when its browser is on.
I use a Mac instead of a Windows-based machine. Can I still
use the service?
Yes! All you need is an Airport card or other 802.11b compatible wireless
card and the appropriate software installed.
Where can I buy a Wi-Fi card?
Wi-Fi 802.11b wireless network cards are available from most major electronics
retailers in-store or online. Be sure to load the software for your
wireless card before you install the wireless card. The location where
you picked up this information may have cards for sale too.
How do I connect to the network?
At an Exwire Wi-Fi Hotspot, make sure your Wi-Fi software and card are
properly installed and turn
on your computer. Then open your web browser. Follow the instructions
on the Exwire CommunityConnect Hotspot Portal to get signed up and use
your credit card to buy a subscription.
My web browser did not display any pages...what's wrong?
Here are some things to check if you're having difficulty.
1. Make sure you are within range (most cards show green bars or a percentage of signal indicating you are within operating distance of our access point) of an Exwire Wi-Fi Hot Spot.
2. Set your SSID to "exwire". Refer to your Wi-Fi card instructions
for details and make sure your software is running when you attempt
to set your SSID. In many cases, setting the SSID to ANY or any will
also
work and will permit connection to any available Wi-Fi network. (Some
customers find this a very practical SSID setting, since they don't
have to set a different SSID for each wireless network they use.)
Note: Wi-Fi software terms for "SSID" may vary. ESSID, Network Name, Wireless Network Name and Network Identifier are all terms for SSID.
3. Make sure that WEP Encryption is DISABLED (or OFF).
4. Check that the connection is configured for INFRASTRUCTURE mode. (AD-HOC mode will not work.)
5. If you know how, ensure your wireless card's network connection is set to Dynamic IP Addressing and that there are no entries in the DNS or Gateway fields.
6. If you made any changes in steps 2 through 5 above, RESTART (or REBOOT) your computer and web browser.
7. If you still have trouble, contact our Help Desk at (530) 587 4312 ext. 2 from 9:00am to 8:00pm Pacific time, Monday through Saturday.