All posts by john babineaux

Are Online Speed Tests Reliable?

News

Many people use online speed tests to check the speed of their internet connection, but are the results really accurate?  Several factors can affect and confuse your speed test results, some within your control, some not.  Here are some issues you should be aware of when interpreting your speed tests.

  1. “Up to” speeds

ISPs advertise certain speeds, but almost no ISP guarantees them.  Look carefully and you’re likely to find “up to” in front of the number.  A plan claiming “up to 20 Mbps” means that 20 Mbps is the maximum you can get at any time, not that you will always have exactly 20 Mbps every minute.

  1. Throughput is not Connection Speed

This is a little confusing.  Your connection speed is the rate at which your router communicates with the network.  Throughput, on the other hand, is the actual speed that you see as you use your various applications.  Throughput will always be slightly lower than connection speed.

  1. Overhead

The packets of data transmitted between your router and the network aren’t purely the information from websites.  Each packet has to include extra information about where it came from, where it’s headed, what programs and protocols it works with, etc.  On top of that, some of your connection must be dedicated to allowing your router to communicate with the rest of the network, which means your throughput cannot be fully 100% of your advertised speed, by limits of the technology.

  1. Devices, programs, and WiFi

Always make sure there are no extra programs running in the background of your computer when you run a speed test.  Along with that, make sure there are no other devices connected to your router, no phones, tablets, or other computers.  And for good measure, plug your computer directly into your router with an Ethernet cable.  These measures ensure that your speed test has access to every last bit of throughput, so you get the most accurate result.

  1. Servers can be overloaded

Another reason that your speed test results might be skewed is the speed test server itself.  If it gets overloaded with multiple connections, then the server can’t respond fast enough to give correct results.  This has nothing to do with your connection, and is out of your control.

Speed tests are an indication of your internet connection’s performance, but they aren’t prefect.  If you get a result that looks really off, wait a few minutes and try again.  One bad result isn’t cause for panic, but if it becomes a pattern, contact your ISP for help.

Reach4 Communications offers affordable high speed internet service in your area.  Contact us for more information.

Identifying Phishing Scams

News, Uncategorized

Phishng scams are a nasty kind of spam email, designed to get access to sensitive information or spread viruses and malware.  Falling prey to one of these scams can result in identity theft, corporate security breaches, or infected computers.

Phishing emails have many of the same identifying markers as other spam emails.  Check the sender’s name and email address to make sure you recognize them.  If the email address looks strange, is misspelled, or doesn’t sound familiar, it may be a scam.  Some phishing emails say there is a problem with one of your accounts; in these cases, you can search the email address through Google or another search engine to find out if the address is legitimate.

Look at the subject of the email as well.  Anything that looks too good to be true or looks like an unsolicited offer should be a red flag.  Often, there will be mention of money or medicines at low prices; these are giveaways that the email is malicious.

If you end up opening a suspicious email, beware of any links it may contain.  Frequently, links in phishing emails lead to spoofed sites – websites that look like your bank or email account, but aren’t – or they download malicious code that can then be spread to other computers.  False links could trick you into giving up personal information or clearance permissions, leading to hacks to breaches.

Remember your common sense precautions.  Don’t open an email you’re not sure about.  Never give out passwords, banking details, or personal or other sensitive information in response to an email.  If you are worried about an account somewhere, go to that site and try to login.

Paying attention can keep phishing emails to a mild nuisance and allow you to enjoy your online experience.  For quality, affordable high speed internet service in your area, contact us today.

Difference Between Internet and WiFi

News

There’s an Important Difference Between Internet and WiFi

Many people use Internet and WiFi interchangeably, but that can get confusing when your connection isn’t working. Knowing the difference between your Internet connection and your WiFi network will help you figure out where the problem is.

When we talk about the Internet, we’re actually talking about the Internet Protocol, which is the language computers use to talk to each other. If we didn’t have that protocol, two computers wouldn’t be able to communicate, even if they were connected by a cable. That communication is the basis of all our Internet activity, because everything we do online is actually moving information from one computer to another.

When you visit a website, you’re actually accessing the server that website resides on. A server is a computer whose sole purpose is to hold information and serve it out when requested. Your computer sends the request, and the server pushes the website information back to it, so you see the website you’re looking for. The server is not the Internet, though. The Internet is all the connections and communications in between computers, the “web” or “net” that connects them all.

Your ISP, such as REACH4 Communications provides a physical connection to that net, in the form of a cable or wireless connection, using a modem. The modem translates Internet traffic for your computer so it’s easily understood. You can plug devices into the modem directly, or you can plug in a router to provide wireless connection – WiFi.

WiFi is a radio signal that continually broadcasts out to your devices. As long as your device can pick up that radio signal, and the Internet is on the other side of it, your device can connect to the Internet. However, that radio signal will still be there even if there is no Internet connection on the other end. So your device may show plenty of bars, meaning it has a great connection to your WiFi, but still not find the Internet, because the Internet signal is not being fed to that router.

If your device is connecting to your WiFi, but not the Internet, the problem is more likely to be in your Internet connection. If you’re not getting any WiFi signal, your Internet connection might be fine, but your router may have a problem.

If you’re looking for reliable, affordable Internet service for your home or business contact REACH4 Communications today!

Faster Internet Available now in Lyons Point

News

Faster internet is now available in Lyons Point and north of Kaplan with NO data caps!

REACH4 Communications just upgraded our equipment in Lyons Point and can now offer faster speeds for online video and gaming. Call 337-783-3436 and choose option 4 to schedule new service or increase your bandwidth. Download as much as you want online. It is unlimited!

If you are considering choosing a dependable, local service to suit all of your online needs, REACH4 Communications is your company! We offer competitive rates for business and residential Internet customers with NO Data Caps! REACH4 Communications is also a leading provider for IT services. Our technology is top-notch and we are managed by professional staff who are sure to meet your needs.

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Lyons Point Service Area

Satellite Internet vs. Fixed Wireless Internet

News

 Even though satellite internet and fixed wireless internet both deliver internet service via a wireless signal, they are in fact very different when it comes to performance. Satellite internet requires the equipment at your location to “talk” to a satellite in orbit. The wireless signal travels about 22,236 miles! At such a long distance, cloudy weather or heavy rainstorms can cause intermittent outages. Whereas, fixed wireless internet is a short wireless hop from the customer to the nearest tower which is anywhere from 2 – 8 miles and is not subject interference from bad weather.

There are two main performance issues regarding satellite and fixed wireless internet service. They are latency and data caps.

Latency is how long it takes to send a signal over the link measured in milliseconds. Even at the speed of light, which wireless signals travel at, there is an inherent delay (latency) with satellite internet that fixed wireless internet doesn’t have. Because of this high latency, this makes satellite internet almost unusable for online gaming or remotely working from home. Whereas, fixed wireless only has to travel a few miles to the nearest tower to access the internet.

Data caps are the other main issues with satellite internet service. Data caps are when the satellite internet service provider either slows your connection or charges you for using too much data. Data caps are a very real concern if you are watching Netflix or other streaming video. According to Netflix an HD stream can use up to 2.8GB of data per hour. If you have a 10GB monthly data cap, that limit can be reached within 3.5 hours. Your only options at this point is to pay for more data or wait until the new billing period comes around.

REACH4 Communications has over 27 tower sites in Acadia Parish and surrounding areas to provide fixed wireless internet service to rural residents and businesses. REACH4 Communications’ internet service has a very low latency thus providing great online gaming experiences and the ability to work securely from home. REACH4 Communications does not have data caps. REACH4’s service is unlimited downloads. In fact, REACH4’s heaviest user downloaded a total of 1,050 GB of data in one month’s time. That’s over 1 TB (terabyte)! Imagine what the bill would have been if he had satellite.

Are Updates to Your Web Browser Really Important?

News

Accessing the Internet from your home computer, tablet and mobile phone is now a daily, if not hourly, occurrence for most Americans. Unfortunately, while you’re exploring the most interesting world wonders, or watching the latest hilarious cat videos via the Internet, hackers are trying to break into your computer. One single error in your browser, can give these thieves the opening they need to snoop into your personal information, gather data and history about you, or even steal your identity.

That’s why browsers, such as Firefox and Chrome, release regular updates that correct any security flaws and add new features. To check your device and make sure that your most-used browser is up-to-date, click here.

Updating your Web Browser will give you the peace of mind to know that whoever and whatever is out there trying to breech business and personal information will not be able to hack into your life. It also usually comes with fun, new features that you didn’t realize you were missing, until you login and find that all of the sudden your browser knows you a little better than it did yesterday and in all the best ways!

REACH4 Communications is proud to provide the highest quality Internet service to homes and businesses in Crowley, Louisiana and surrounding areas. To learn more about our services and how we can assist with your Internet, phone or IT service needs, contact REACH4 Communications today!

Internet Trends Making An Impact

News

Nowadays you can find anything on the internet. Streaming videos has become extremely popular thanks to Netflix.  In fact, Netflix and YouTube make up about 50% of the internet traffic which is steadily growing.

In recent years the change from cable to on-demand services has grown drastically.  More and more customers are choosing to cut out their cable in lieu of on demand services. We live in a world of “we want it now” and sources like Netflix and YouTube can provide that instant gratification we crave. Most of the time we forget that streaming videos to our tv or mobile device is actually being streamed from the internet.

REACH4 Communications is your premiere choice for local business and residential Internet service in Crowley, Louisiana. Designed for today’s business and residential needs and supported by local, friendly professionals, our services are best suited for all of your business and residential purposes! Also versed in IT solutions, we are your best source for your network needs. Contact us today for inquiries about our services!