SPITwSPOTS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE the creation of Super User accounts. Experience the best SwS has to offer! So fast we can’t keep it on the ground! 768 kbps with bursts up to 1 mbps! Existing users, contact us for a free one day trial and special upgrade pricing.The SPITwSPOTS Team
It took a little longer than I had anticipated, but the site update is now complete. Please feel free to peruse the site and e-Mail me any corrections that still need to be made. There are a few “links to nowhere” that I will be filling in soon, and they should be noted with a (Coming Soon!). Enjoy!Brian “PunK” Ormond
webmaster@spitwspots.com
Over the course of the next couple of days I will be updating our site. If things don’t quite make sense, I’m probably getting to it. The navigation links have changed slightly, and some of them may take you to pages that may or may not have been updated. All the working links, at least the ones that are needed for service to work, still work. I plan on having the whole thing done in about three days. Thanks for your patience.Brian “PunK” Ormond
webmaster@spitwspots.com
Time flies by here at SPITwSPOTS as we keep busy doing what we do. Busy is becoming synonymous with normal around here, and it’s time to bring you, our valued supporters, up to date on “Happenings around the Shop”.These will be published occasionally here on our Home page and an email copy will be sent to active users for convenience.
It has come to our attention that some of our customers have been having problems in regards to connectivity and acceptable bandwidth. Please note that this ONLY applies to residential customers with client bridge equipment. If you are unsure if this applies to you please call 299-4052.
We have, admittedly, had more than our fair share of network hiccups this month. Upon the advice of our software developers we recently upgraded the network software to the newest version available. However, this has been causing our routers to reboot more frequently. The client bridge at your house connects to one of these routers. If that router reboots, your bridge will switch to a secondary connection. Sometimes this connection is not sufficient for quality service. The bridge will stay connected to this secondary connection until it is rebooted. By turning off your client bridge and turning it back on, you reboot your equipment and it finds the best possible connection again. Our software developers are aware of our problem and are looking into it very closely right now.
In the mean time, if you are experiencing these problems, PLEASE LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY, so that we can develop a long-term solution. Also, we can provide a more convenient “switch” for you to use to turn your equipment on and off. That way you can simply turn the internet on when you need it and off when you don’t. These devices typically boot and connect in less than 5 seconds and every time you turn it on it will automatically find the best possible connection available. Since it is turned off when not in use, it will NEVER get stuck on a secondary connection.
We sincerely apologize for the inconveniences and truly appreciate your support and patience as we bring this brand new technology to Homer.
PLEASE NOTE: THE ABOVE ONLY APPLIES TO RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS WITH CLIENT BRIDGE EQUIPMENT. PRO USERS ARE NOT AFFECTED. If you are not sure of your equipment type, please call 299-4052.
While client bridges have allowed us to grow, and offer inexpensive setups, we have identified 3 primary problems which we feel make them inappropriate for MANAGED connections. The problems are: the tendency to connect to inappropriate nodes, occasional authentication problems, and the inability of SPITwSPOTS to actively manage the equipment by remotely sensing and adjusting settings. As a result, when there is a problem, our customer will call us and report a problem, then we direct them as to how to solve the problem. We do not feel this is conducive to our goal of creating the “Insanely Great” network. To resolve this we would like to upgrade our residential client equipment to mesh routers. We feel that client bridges are best suited for the do-it-yourselfer, and would be great for people wanting to take advantage of our FREE 128 k guest access. For those who are seeking an always on, DSL style, alternative we are going to start using our professional setups. These setups place a fully functional mesh router on the customer’s premise. Details as to the specific benefits of this setup can be found below. A mesh box is intended to get its internet from multiple sources simultaneously. This means that the conditions that cause some people problems with their bridges “locking” on to inappropriate routers would actually receive an even MORE STABLE connection for the same reason. Also, SPITwSPOTS can actively manage mesh routers. This equipment is designed to always be on, can shift internet sources on the fly, and can even notify us in the event that there is a problem. So instead of the customer having to report any problem, we will already have been notified and hopefully repaired the problem before the customer even notices. We would like to upgrade our current SPITwSPOTS managed residential customers to this superior equipment. However, at present this is cost prohibitive since a mesh router is three times the price of a bridge. We are looking for ways that we might be able to fund this upgrade and provide this enhanced trouble free service for free to our current customers. We are currently seeking (a) grant writer(s) interested in assisting with this project. However we do not yet have an ETA for when, or if, this might become possible. In the mean time we are offering professional setups at a reduced rate of $400, and an even more reduced rate of $200 for existing residential customers who wish to upgrade now. We would like take a moment to mention that we are NOT trying to coerce anyone into upgrading and will in fact do it for free when we are financially able. If you choose to keep your existing bridge SPITwSPOTS will still continue to provide support and seek long term solutions to the handful of problems inherent in these devices. At the same time, we want ALL of our residential customers to know they have reasonable access to the BEST technology and equipment available.
Here’s are the pros and cons of Residential vs. Professional setups.
A standard residential set up costs $200. It is economical and efficient.
Its drawbacks are that it needs to be rebooted when it locks up, it experiences occasional authentication issues and is only suitable for one computer or DSL router. We can monitor this device for signal levels but we can not actively manage it. Also, there is no wireless distribution or walk around area in your home or office with out more equipment.
Our professional set up costs $400. Current residential customers may purchase this upgrade for $200.
The professional setup gives you more stable bandwidth, meaning you get your full burst rate more often. Our routers rarely need to be manually rebooted. We have found it to be less than once every 3 months on average. We can monitor and manage routers remotely, meaning we can do most troubleshooting and tech support from our offices. A router allows you to connect multiple devices and each device utilizes its own account. And as icing on the cake, they offer a wireless signal around your home and can be fitted with an optional indoor antenna to Wi-Fi your home or office.
email sales@spitwspots.com for upgrade scheduling.
email administrator@spitwspots.com for more technical information.
We have also been asked some questions recently concerning the Git Yer e-Mail link on our site.
For starters, we can provide you with an address, your_name@spitwspots.com, for $100/yr. We recommend, however, that for personal use you use a free web-based email account such as Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo mail. These are all free and much more feature rich than our current email service. Gmail provides superior spam blocking and search features with very minimal text advertising and free POP access for your current email client.
For businesses, we recommend you contact us here at SPITwSPOTS and we will assist you in setting up a domain name and an email account at that domain name, i.e. your_name@your_business.com. This will be your very own personal unique email account. You will never have to worry about losing an email address when switching service providers again.
The Git Yer e-Mail link is for people who already have an address @ spitwspots.com. To use it, enter your whole email address, your_name@spitwspots.com, and then your password. Be aware that password is case sensitive. This will let you in to our version of a web based mail program. We can also provide you with a tool to automatically configure your email client. Contact the webmaster@spitwspots.com for assistance.
Hope this clears up any confusion users may have had.
Thank you for your time, support, and patience,
The SPITwSPOTS Team
Well it’s been awhile since I last said something so I find now to be good time to ramble on. A Happy New Year to everyone! I hope that all of your holidays were filled with joy.So here at SPITwSPOTS we have been busy. I’ve finished the site redesign I’ve been working on (If anyone happened to notice.) and have a few more touches to go along the ay, but overall we are pleased. If there is something you like or do not like about it, please let me know. We are looking forward to the summer season and are creating products to meet the needs of what we have been asked of us. Internet on boats in the harbor, looking forward to getting internet across the bay, and possibly opening a store front of sorts to sell wireless gear. Who knows? Onward always.
We are also pleased to announce that we purchased the domain spitwspots.net and have pointed the domain at our own static IP for the network here and should soon be streaming KWJG live shows across both the network AND the internet! This is going to be cool! Finally getting a clean sound to Kasilof’s finest public radio, and the live shows, and giving it to the world. Today the network, tomorrow the world! LOL! So do not hesitate, click here to check it out!
Finally, Lord only knows what else I’ve forgotten in the rev up to the revelry. Hope to see some of you at the Beluga Lake Gig. Have a safe and happy new year, to you, the best wishes for 2006.
Thanks for all your support,
Brian “PunK” Ormond
webmaster@spitwspots.com
Hello and welcome to the SPITwSPOTs blog hitchin’ post. Here you will hopefully find some insightful thoughts and feelings of the SPITwSPOTs Team. Let this be a begining and let the blog times roll….
Brian “PunK” Ormond
Today we launched a new product! HOTwSPOTS by SPITwSPOTS! This is a wireless internet/advertising package combo thing that we cooked up here at the lab, and are pretty excited about it. Using a mesh node, we will broadcast our signal out, and also route it into the business and offer it from an access point for free use INSIDE the establishment. Outside, where there is a signal also, will display a custom splash page for signing up to the network including the hosting business’ advertisement, brought to you by HOTwSPOTS by SPITwSPOTS, of course. Also in the package is a year free web advertising on our site. Included is a web page that we will host and link to through our rotating banner ads. A HOTwSPOTS directory is in the works, as well as an advertising campaign to launch it and bring about awareness. And to top it all off, we are also throwing in customizable promotional coupons offering free SPITwSPOTS service with the participating business information/graphics on them.We are proud to offer this new product, and the rumor is that we will be receiving more bandwidth, making our super user accounts available, in about three weeks. We are eagerly looking for more customers, so spread the good word, and send them our way. Contact us through e-Mail, or even give a call to 299-4052, our “official” SPITwSPOTS call center.
Well, that’s the current skinny…
Brian “PunK” Ormond and the SPITwSPOTS Team.
The SPITwSPOTS Network has been through many changes in the last six months. Please observe the “Coming Soon!” is no longer applicable. We are here, and plan on hanging out for a while. We offer Wireless Internet Service to Homer, Alaska as well as web design, computer services, network services, a business e-mail directory, KMJG/KWJG Kasilof radio stream, and more to come like a homer based forum with topics YOU pick.We have been busy actively setting up both our infrastructure and clients and are now accepting requests for service. We are also working on a SwS Partner Plan, as well as a SwS First Class Plan for Mesh Node Sponsorship. And we are still waiting on ACS (go figure) for more bandwidth for our Super User accounts to be available.
We have also recently changed the sign up rate, the monthly recurring rate, and the yearly rate. The sign up rate reflects the higher quality components that we found to be the most stable. We thank all our current subscribers for their patience as we work the bugs out. To entice longer subscriptions we decided to offer 10% off on Monthly Recurring, and found our yearly rates were not going to be sufficient to build the network. To those who started out with us, once again, a huge Thank You!
Brian Ormond and the SPITwSPOTS Team.