To take full advantage of 1Gbps speeds from Comporium, the following requirements are suggested

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Business

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SPEED EXPECTATIONS, USAGE AND DATA POLICIES

How do I get the most out of my 1 Gbps service? Do I need to buy new devices?

A weak link in the chain to receiving the fastest Internet speed could be any device between the modem and your computer. These devices include your firewall, router, switch and most commonly the laptop, tablet or smartphone used by your employees. You will need to check the documentation for your specific devices to find out their maximum speeds. Newer equipment and computers outfitted with a 1000BaseT network interface card may support up to 1 Gbps speeds. However, most smartphones and tablets are limited to speeds well below 1 Gbps. A speed test with a result of >800 Mbps is considered acceptable for a 1 Gbps connection.

The next consideration is whether or not your device is plugged directly into the router via an Ethernet cable versus using WiFi service. A direct connection via Ethernet cable is the best way to experience your device's full speed. If you connect via WiFi, your speed will decrease since wireless connections are inherently slower. Wireless connections can also be adversely affected by extreme distance to the router as well as the number of walls or other obstacles between your device and the router.

Another consideration is the wiring that distributes communication services throughout your office, commonly known as "inside wiring." Cat 5e or Cat 6 cabling is the industry-standard cabling used for 1 Gbps speeds. Cat 5 and below may only be able to achieve 100 Mbps speeds.

A final consideration is the Internet itself. Most common Internet destinations do not serve content to users at 1 Gbps speeds. Even though you have 1 Gbps service and you have wired your computer directly into your new router to be able to download at 1 Gbps, you still cannot download any faster than the server to which you are connected can serve.

How can I test my speed?

Comporium only recommends the use of our speed test server when testing Zipstream speeds. Our system is located on our core network in proximity to our Zipstream service to provide the most accurate reading possible. Many other free speed test services are available on the Internet but often are located in another city or in other countries. This can pose a challenge in determining an accurate reading of Zipstream speeds because the network packets have to travel a great distance over additional network hops to get to the speed test server. The extra time and distance required for this scenario can create a false impression of slower speeds. Comporium technicians will only certify Zipstream speeds using our own speed tests servers.

What is the maximum speed I can expect when using various devices (e.g., laptop, smartphone, tablets)?

Each device has its own maximum speed capacity. Check your device's manual for the answer. For wireless devices, please check your device documentation for the "max sync rate." This is the maximum speed your device is capable of running, excluding any other factor that may impact speed capabilities.

Do I need additional equipment?

When we install your new Internet service we will activate an Ethernet port that will connect to our router.

Will I need a modem?

You do not need a modem. Since we are using fiber-to-the-premises technology, the only equipment you need is a router.

Will I be able to use WiFi with Zipstream?

Yes. The equipment we will provide is designed to give you Internet access either through the wired connection or WiFi.

Will my WiFi connection be as fast as a wired connection?

WiFi connections are slower than wired connections. The routers we install with our 1 Gbps Internet are the best available (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac) and will optimize your WiFi connections and minimize any speed degradation.

Are there any data caps with my Zipstream service?

No. There are no data caps with Zipstream or any internet plans with Comporium.

COMPUTER, NETWORK AND WIRELESS SPECS RECOMMENDED FOR ZIPSTREAM

To take full advantage of 1Gbps speeds from Comporium, the following minimum hardware requirements are suggested for customer owned equipment:

Computer Requirements:

A computer or laptop can severely limit the achievable speeds for Zipstream. To maximize your Zipstream experience, Comporium recommends a computer (2014 or later) with internal hardware resources including:

• Minimum of Intel core i5 or compatible processor
  • Minimum of 4GB of RAM for Mac systems
  • Minimum of 8GB of RAM for Windows systems
• 1Gbps (1000Mbps) Network adapter required
• Solid State Drive preferred
• Windows 7 or later
• Mac OSX or later

Network / Router Requirements:

Comporium strongly recommends using the router that we provide. This router includes the latest WiFi technology (802.11ac), is backward compatible with earlier WiFi technologies (802.11b/g/n) and is optimal for supporting speeds up to 1Gbps. If a customer elects to utilize their own router, please consider the following:

• Network equipment should have 1Gbps ports. While the physical port may be 1Gbps, the router may not be able to support 1Gbps throughput.
  • A router/firewall in which all ports (WAN/LAN) provide 1Gbps throughout the device.
    • Customers with a router may need to make provisions for QoS (Quality of Service) and rate limiting to ensure optimal performance for all connected devices.
    • The number of on premise devices utilizing the 1Gbps Internet connection can limit bandwidth for individual users.
    • The internal router firewall must be capable of processing data at speeds of 1Gbps.
    • A wireless router will not provide 1Gbps speeds wirelessly (see below).
  • Only CAT5e and Cat6 Ethernet cables support Zipstream speeds.

Wireless Considerations:

Delivering speeds of 100Mbps and greater requires customer owned equipment that supports 1Gbps physical interfaces. Wireless devices including smartphones and tablets cannot attain 1Gbps speeds today. The current 802.11ac standard provides improved wireless performance (over previous WiFi standards), but cannot provide 1Gbps throughput today. Wireless performance can be impacted by a number of issues:

• Physical distance between the wireless device and router/gateway
• Characteristics of physical building structure – walls, metal, etc
• Wireless interference from other wireless devices operating on the same channel (e.g., other WiFi devices, cordless phones, microwave ovens, etc.)
• Settings on the wireless router/gateway and the devices connected to it. Early WiFi technologies only supported 11Mbps (802.11b) and 54Mbps (802.11g). Many routers/gateways will limit performance to the lowest common denominator. A printer with WiFi capabilities communicating using 802.11b may limit the entire network to 11Mbps.