Technical Support FAQ

What e-mail programs are supported?

Most e-mail programs will work, as long as they support the standard protocols used by our servers. Your installation technician will be able to assist you. See the table of system requirements HERE for a list of common, fully supported, e-mail programs.

How do I configure my e-mail or add more e-mail accounts?

Please visit the Installation & User Guides page and view the E-Mail Setup Guide that corresponds to the e-mail software you are using. For assistance or to add additional email accounts you may also contact our technical support team at 1-888-240-2224.

What is WiMAX?

WiMAX is a 4G wireless technology that enables high-speed transmission of data over long distances from your CPE device to our transmission towers. It is flexible, fast and secure.

What is the difference between WiFi and WiMAX?

WiFi is the wireless technology used to connect computers to a wireless access point. (i.e.: a wireless router) It is usually deployed on local networks, such as homes and coffee shops, and is used to serve a small area, measurable in metres.

WiMAX is the technology that allows long distance connections, measurable in kilometres, to the Internet via a local transmission unit and a network of transmission towers. This is the service provided by CCI Wireless.

What additional hardware do I need other than the CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) in order to access the service?

You will not require any additional hardware. However, for the protection of your CPE and computer we recommend that you have a surge protection power bar. These are inexpensive and can usually be purchased in any store where electronics & power cords are available.

What is the difference between an Indoor CPE and an Outdoor CPE and which one will I need?

An indoor CPE will be located inside your home, usually near your computer. It is about the size of a VHS video tape.

An outdoor CPE will be installed outside, attached to the side of your home or your roof. An outdoor CPE has a stronger signal and is typically used to extend service to locations that are further away from the tower. The outdoor CPE is only slightly larger than the indoor units.

We will determine which type of CPE is appropriate for your particular location and proximity to our transmission towers.

How secure is the service?

We at CCI Wireless have taken every possible precaution to ensure your data is protected. The Customer Premise Equipment has a built in Firewall and advance Data encryption. We incorporate state-of-the-art encryption technology to secure your wireless connection and every part of our network is monitored 24 hours a day by our Network Operations Centre.

Traffic Encryption
All traffic over-the-air (OTA) is encrypted. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) CCM is the cipher used for encrypting subscriber traffic Over the WiMAX MAC interface. The WiMAX approach to AES encryption uses Counter Mode with Cipher Block Chaining Message (CCM) Authentication Code. With AES CCM, the sending party generates a unique per-packet value and communicates this value to the receiver - a technique that can mitigate man-in-the-middle attacks because attacks will have difficulty substituting traffic. As further protection, a Traffic Encryption State machine uses a periodic key refresh mechanism to enable sustained transition of keys.

To optimize the re-authentication mechanisms for supporting fast handovers in Mobile WiMAX, a 3-way handshake scheme is supported. This method is useful to prevent any man-in-the-middle attacks. Note that this is the same encryption system used by cable companies to provide secure Internet service on a shared medium (Coax Cable). The protocol was adapted from the data-over-cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) BPI+ security protocol used on cable modems.

Should I be adding security to my network or PC?

We suggest you take the necessary precautions on your home WiFi network to protect against intruders. We also suggest that you look into installing anti-virus protection on your PC, since viruses and other 'malware' do exist on the Internet and we do not restrict or filter any content you may choose to access.

However, the CPE device features a built-in router and firewall, preventing would-be attackers from reaching your computers through the Internet, as long as you have not created a hole for them by downloading and running programs or files from untrusted sources.

How do I get multiple PCs to share my Internet connection / Do I need a router?

In order to share your Internet connection you must have a router or switch connected to your CPE.

If you are using a switch, simply connect any port on the switch to the CPE device, and connect each computer to any other port on that switch. The CPE device will handle the process of configuring all connected computers to connect to the Internet automatically.

If you are using a router, connect the CPE to the 'WAN', 'Internet', or 'Uplink' port on your router. Your router must be able to provide address translation and DHCP, both of which are standard features that can be found on both wired and wireless models. During initial setup of your router, while following the instructions given in its manual, follow the steps under the section that most closely resembles 'my ISP uses DHCP to connect me to the Internet' when asked whether you use DHCP or static IP configuration to connect to the Internet.

How do I connect my existing WiFi PC to the service?

You must have a WiFi base-station (i.e.: wireless router), connected to your CPE in order to use the service. Compatible base-stations may be found at any local computer retailer, and setup instructions come in the box. Usually, the 'WAN', 'Internet', or 'Uplink' port will be connected to your CPE, and your computer will connect via WiFi to the base-station.

What is an IP Address?

This is an address, not unlike that given to your house, that identifies where your computer can be found by other computers connected to the Internet. It can be assigned dynamically by another computer or it can be configured manually when it never needs to change. Both methods of assignment offer equal performance and features.

CCI Wireless uses dynamic IP address assignment (DHCP) to provide each customer with an address. Every time your CPE restarts, it must ask one of our towers for an address before it can connect to the Internet; this process is usually pretty fast.

CCI Wireless does not normally assign static IPs to customers. This reduces the amount of work that you need to do to get your computers connected to the Internet and it does not impair your ability to browse websites, download files, or send e-mail.

If you know that you need a static IP address, please contact our Technical Support Team to inquire about a dedicated public IP addresses for commercial use.

How do I configure my Web browser to access the Internet?

You should not need to do any configuration to have your Web browser access the Internet. Our installation technician will ensure your Web browser is working as part of the installation process.