Lake Land Networks - Cochrane Ontario

While many people are comfortable using wireless connections for their telephones, cell phones, and internet there seems to be a consistent flow of questions and concerns coming forward that indicate many people do not fully understand what wireless internet is, and how it works especially as it relates to security.  Wireless networks in general come in many shapes and sizes, some work really well and some don’t. It is no secret that many large and small internet providers have adopted the technology to provide both last mile consumer internet service, and first mile high bandwidth commercial service.

This Q & A will hopefully address many of the misunderstandings that surround wireless networks, while helping the reader understand why the technology is becoming so widely used. 

Q. How does wireless internet work?

A. The full answer to this question is very long and detailed. It is safe to say that wireless internet is basically a technology used to provide network connectivity to a computer, home, or automobile without the use of a wired connection. Essentially it makes it possible to extend a wired connection over radio waves. 

Q. I have heard wireless internet isn’t as reliable as DSL or Cable.

A. All data networks have many limitations, these limitations are often pushed. No matter how you get your internet if limitations are being pushed service will suffer. Your job as a consumer is to understand that the quality of your internet service directly relates to the quality of your internet provider. Your provider can have all the speed in the world, but if they cant deliver it to your home it is useless. Your provider can have the fastest connection to your home in the world and not have the speed at the Network Operation Center (NOC) to deliver quality service. A wireless network is capable of delivering far greater speeds than DSL or Cable, with the exact same or better quality of service. Unfortunately with many small wireless providers a certain limitation known as fade margin is ignored and the result is a wireless connection that is fast one second and gone the next.

Lake Land Networks is the only local ISP to guarantee satisfaction, and we put our money where our mouth is. We have spent over two years expanding our network to ensure a perfect quality connection, and pay close attention to ensure we don’t subscribe beyond what’s available on our uplink.

A. The biggest advantage to using Lake Land Networks over other local providers is not just the speed. With us you can roam around town with any WiFi enabled device as long as you have a good signal, and we got the strongest signals almost everywhere you look. 

Q. I have heard that if I have a wireless connection other people can use it without my knowing. Is this true?

A. It would be ridicules for anyone to use technology to deliver internet service that can be used free of charge, anyone to do so would be out of business quickly. However most people who own laptop’s know that in some cases wireless networks are wide open and accessible by anyone close enough to grab the signal. What happens is many people who setup their own wireless networks fail to activate the most basic of security available in the wireless access point which prevents other people from using it. If you have your own wireless network it is highly recommended you secure it with a “WPA Pass phrase” this prevents unauthorized access, and takes about two minutes to configure. 

Q. If I get my internet through Lake Land Networks will other people be able to use my internet without my knowing.

A. Absolutely not! Lake Land Networks uses a wireless network to provide secure internet to your home, or business this wireless signal is captured using a wireless bridge which is connected to your computer via a wire. This said just like any internet connection if you connect your Lake Land Networks internet service to your own wireless access point and fail to secure it properly people within 100 feet will be able to use it. For this reason Lake Land Networks will setup a secure wireless connection at your home, or business at the time of setup in most cases free of labor charges. 

Q. I have heard that while I use a wireless connection anybody can see what im doing, even my credit card information and bank account.

A.The short answer is no matter how you get your internet you need to be careful of what you send to who!  Unfortunately this short question requires a long answer. Internet information travels across the world via thousands of connected computers in the form of digital packets of data. These data packets are decoded by the target system and your request is fulfilled.

These data packets can be both encrypted or unencrypted. In the case of an unencrypted packet it is possible for a computer other than the target computer to intercept and decode this data, but with encrypted packets only the target machine can decode the data. When you visit an online store, or access your bank account you are almost always using an encrypted web site and therefore your information is secure and can only be decoded by the target computer. 

No matter how you get your internet into your home the secure transmission of important data must be accomplished, and this is why you must always ensure you are using an encrypted web page while inputting important information. The main difference between a wired internet connection such as DSL or Cable, and a wireless connection as it relates to eves-dropping and data encryption is that with a wireless connection your data packets must travel a short distance through the open air before it gets to the wired internet, and it is possible for a very skilled person to intercept this data and decode it if the data is being sent to an unencrypted web site. The same goes for a wired connection, except that the offending person must have the additional skill of tapping wired networks which for them is not difficult. Fortunately there is a very simple way to provide security even to unencrypted data packets, and it’s as simple as encrypting the data packets traveling between the clients home and the internet, this ensures even in the event of an eves-dropper your data cannot be decoded before it reaches the internet.