Is my Internet connection easy to monitor or access without authorization because it is wireless?
Absolutely not. ChiliTech goes to great lengths to ensure that your Internet connection is secure from unauthorized access. Our equipment supports several strategies which we employ to guard your wireless signal from intrusion.

Is weather a factor in the quality of my service?
No. Although the weather can affect radio waves over which your service is delivered, it does not have an impact on performance. It would have to snow or rain over 7 inches in one hour to degrade service by an unnoticable 2%. An antenna with 4 inches of snow or ice covering it still works without any degradation of service. The biggest factor which limits speeds and service are obstacles in the line of sight to the access point.

Does ChiliTech wireless use a satellite?
No. All of our wireless access units are land-based. Our access sites are typically on the tops of tall buildings and radio towers.

What equipment do I need to get connected?
We provide the radio and antenna for you to access our service. The basic hardware requirements are a computer with an ethernet network interface card or a broadband router that is connected to your computer (which we can provide for you at a competitive cost).

Can I purchase the radio and wireless antenna?
No. Radios and antennas may only be leased.

So will I be able to put a device in my computer to access the Internet from anywhere?
No. ChiliTech wireless is fixed, not mobile. In other words, we deliver a reliable high-speed Internet connection to your business or home without a wired infrastructure between you and our access points.

Wireless means no wires at all, right?
Not exactly. First of all, the equipment necessary to get you connected to our service needs power, so you have to plug it in. Second, the antenna that we install will almost always be outside of your building. We will therefore need to run a cable from the antenna to the inside of your location.

Who can get ChiliTech wireless?
Our wireless service is available to both business and residential customers. Our equipment has a theoretical limitation of 12 miles using the 2.4 GHz frequency. Repeater sites are often necessary to provide service to customers who live beyond that range or do not have a “clear line of sight” to our equipment. We are currently in the process of expanding our wireless network so that we can cover more of the greater Williamsport area. A ChiliTech technician will be scheduled to go to your location and gather the necessary information for deciding whether the customer will be able to obtain ChiliTech wireless.

How fast is wireless?
Currently the theoretical maximum throughput of a wireless radio is 1.8 Mbps. The average user generally experiences 512 Kbps for both uploads and downloads.