Customer support: 216-502-4686
Online help: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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What kind of hardware do I have to buy?
None. All radio equipment remains the property of Practical Support and is rented to the customer. A single connection is brought into the customer’s site that can be used to connect to single device. This device can be a single computer, a local firewall/router or LAN switch that can be used to distribute service to multiple computers at the customer’s site. Practical Support can provide equipment such as routers and LAN switches along with installation services. Please contact our sales staff for a quote.
We first verify via signal propagation and geographic topographic maps that the customer is in an area in which we provide service. We then schedule an appointment to do a site survey to verify that we can provide service and install the service at the same time assuming service is available.
How is wireless better than DSL?
In truth this is like asking which is better apples or oranges. Standard wired DSL has distance limitations (maximum of 18,000 cable feet from the telephone company office) that can be overcome with wireless (up to 14 miles from one of our towers). Wireless Internet can be affected by environmental conditions such as a tall building between the customer site and the Practical Support radio tower, which will impede service. Both services have different speed options and limitations based on service packages. Wireless reliability is as good or better than standard DSL. Depending on your location and service requirements Practical Support's Wireless Internet is a very competitive option to standard DSL.
All traffic over the Practical Support wireless links is as secure as all other common Internet service providers. If you have traffic that is of a secure nature please use encryption programs on both ends of your connection. Banks for example will not allow you to connect to their account systems via the WEB with out using the encrypted communication option of your browser, https instead of the standard http. There are also encrypted versions of other Internet communication programs which can be used if necessary. Remember that both the receiving and sending computers will need to use the same encryption methods.
YES. Voice over IP phones are best supported by SOHO packages and up due to the bandwidth the phone requires. This article on VoIP will supply more information.
Are there data transfer or bandwidth limits?
NO. Each customer is entitled to use their connection for the transfer of data to and from the Internet. The amount of transfer data included in the monthly service cost depends on the service plan. Data transfers over the customers service plan are rounded to the GB and billed per the customers service plan. See the Acceptable Use Policy for additional details.
If you are already a customer you can monitor your bandwidth usage at this site http://bwstat.practicalsupport.net. You will need a User ID and password to access the site. Please contact the office at 216-502-4686 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to obtain you access information.
The chart below will provide you with an idea of how long it takes to download typical movies.
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Number of hours to download a |
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Service Package |
Download Rate |
3GB Movie |
30GB Movie |
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Basic |
256kbps |
26.04 |
260.42 |
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Family |
384kbps |
17.36 |
173.61 |
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SOHO |
768kbps |
8.68 |
86.81 |
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Small Business |
1Mbps |
6.67 |
66.67 |
Yes, we support IPv6. Please contact us via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to obtain your IPv6 address information.
General information about IPv6 can be found at many locations on the Internet such as at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPv6.
The use of IPv6 is considered by Practical Support to be in a “Test Mode”. The support for IPv6 by various home router vendors, PC manufacturers and software vendors is not consistent. At this time each of them appear to be following different interpretations of the standards.
Practical Support will therefore provide address information, but will only provide limited technical support via email ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) and no guarantees that your use of IPv6 will work.
Also, note that IPv6 addresses provided are not considered to be owned, but are temporary assignments and could be revised at any time.
What is your Acceptable Use Policy?
Please read our Acceptable Use Policy.