Does OregonFAST.net have "timers" or " kickers" that disconnect users from the system?
No. OregonFAST.net does not have any timers or kickers to disconnect you from the system.
Typicaly ISP's will use timers and kickers to disconnect users from the system for long legnths of time or for long periods of idle usage. OregonFAST.net stopped using timers and kickers at the beginning of 2003.
Does OregonFAST.net have busy signals?
No.
OregonFAST.net never has busy signals, OregonFAST.net purchases more modems than is in use during our most peak times.
Does oregonFAST.net kick me off line when it gets busy to let someone else online?
No. Modem connections do not work that way. OregonFAST.net buys more telephone lines/modems than is used during the highest usage times. OregonFAST.net has no timers or kickers and currently have people who have stayed online for as long as a week. At the time of this writing, there are currently 37 people online for more than 24 hours and 2 for more than 1 week.
Why do I get disconnected if OregonFAST.net does not have any "timers" or "kickers" ?
Most likely your computer's internet settings are configured for it's default settings which have "idle time out" settings enabled. These settings are automatically selected by Windows to keep you from tying up your telephone line.
To change these settings you can either look through your "advanced Internet Settings", or call OregonFAST.net to help you find these settings. 1-877-902-TECH ( 8324 )
Why do I have a problem getting online sometimes, is there something wrong with OregonFAST.net's modems?
At all times of the day or night there is hundreds of people connecting without any problems. If there was a problem with an OregonFAST.net modem it would only be once in a blue moon that you would not be able to connect, because chances are, you will never hit the same modem twice in a row, or each time you dial up.
If you are having a hard time connecting, then there is a setting on your computer that needs to be changed. It could also be that you have a new computer with a new v.92 modem that needs to have the v,92 disabled and v.90 enabled.Thiis is just another setting on your computer that can be done over the phone. It could also be that your telephone lines in your neighborhood are of low quality and cannot connect at 56k, but will connect at a lower rate.
Best thing to do iif you are having problems connecting, is to call 1-877-902-TECH (8324) during normal business hours to have one of our techs there to help you.
Why do I not connect at 56k?
56k modems are actually 53k maximum connection rate. 56k is a marketing term used by the modem manufacturers when modems advanced from 28.8 to 56k. It is assumed that the manufacturers wanted to point out that the new 56k was TWICE as fast as 28k modems.
Also what determines what you connect at is the quality of the telephone line in your neighborhood. Lower quality telephone lines cause your modem to connect at lower speeds.
Answers to Email Questions
My Internet works fine but disconnects when checking email with Outlook Express?
You probably have the option to hang up after sending and receiving selected. Click on Tools at the top and select Options. Click on the Connection tab at the top. Make sure that the option to "hang up after sending and receiving" is not checked. Click Okay.
What can I do to reduce SPAM in my mail
Don't click on the links in the SPAM message - just delete the message. Most of the links contained in these messages are designed to transmit a serial number back to the spammer so that they'll know that your e-mail mailbox is "live" and being accessed. The spammer then sells your e-mail address to other spammers as a "premium active" address! You'll start getting even more SPAM!
Don't click the "unsubscribe" link at the end of the message, if it contains one. While some have reported positive results by doing so, in general, it only gets you off of ONE copy of whatever mailing list at ONE spammer (if they honor your removal request at all), and at worst, an unscrupulous spammer will now know that your e-mail mailbox is "live" and being accessed, and may then sell your e-mail address to other spammers as a "premium active" address, and you'll start getting even more SPAM!
Don't REPLY to messages from SPAMmers angrily demanding to be removed from their list -- it only confirms to them that your address is active, and you may start getting even more SPAM! Besides, SPAM rarely comes from the same place twice -- the SPAMmers routinely change their "site" so that if you follow their "unsubscribe" instructions, they can claim to having removed you from that list, but they'll just pop up with a different address and list, with you still on it. And, they'll sell your "premium active" e-mail address to other SPAMmers!
Avoid providing your e-mail address to "free" services on the Internet. Many of these "free" sites make a portion of their income collecting and selling e-mail addresses to SPAMmers! If you MUST have access to such a site, consider obtaining a separate, free e-mail account at a site such as Yahoo! or Hotmail just for such use. Then you can just log into that account once in a while and mass delete all of the messages in it, as all the resulting SPAM will go there instead of to your UNI mailbox.
Avoid publishing your e-mail address on your web page. There are numerous "robot" programs available on the Internet that automatically travel through all web sites on the Internet (much like a search engine) and "harvest" e-mail addresses they find on web pages!
Avoid providing or stating your e-mail address in chat rooms. Consider using a separate Yahoo! or Hotmail account for such purposes if you must.
Don't provide your e-mail address on product warranty cards, etc. Do you really want the toaster oven company to start sending you messages about their latest electric can openers?
What does OregonFAST.net do to help me not get Spam?
OregonFAST.net uses MX Logic Spam Filtering Service to help you avoid Spam. MX Logic catches 95+% of the Spam that is sent to email addresses @ OregonFAST.net.
But, the best protection againsta Spam, is for you to use caution when giving out your email address.
Answers to General Questions
Can I take my computer on vacation with me and use my internet account on the road?
Yes. OregonFAST.net has roaming dial up service included in every account. OregonFAST.net has over 20,000 telephone numbers across the USA and Canada that you can use to dial up to while traveling on business or vacation.
How do I recieve my bill from OregonFAST.net?
OregonFAST.net emails everyone their account statement to their OregonFAST.net email address. To view your account balance and payment information, go to: http://www.oregonfast.net/frames/billpayframe.php
Should I leave my computer on and internet connection connected while i'm not at home or usung the computer?
Unless you are running a business server, it's not advisable to leave your computer running when your not using it. It's a waste of electricity and can cause your computer to be repaired or replaced sooner, especially your powersupply.
But, it's up to you to drtermine if you want to spend extra money on your electricity bill or to pay for your computer to be repaired more often.
Answers to Internet Questions
Do you have any suggestions for stopping "pop-ups" some occur even when we aren't logged on?
Pop-up and pop-under ads open a new window when people visit many popular Web sites, often littering the computer desktop with multiple browser screens. The advertisements are part of a growing strain of Web marketing that takes liberties with requested Web pages, browsers and e-mail in-boxes. To get rid of these adds try a good pop-up stopper. Keep in mind that pop-up stoppers will stop links that open in a new window. To get around this you must hold down the Ctrl key as you click on the link. Panicware's FREE pop-up and pop-under ad blocking product* is one of the many good pop-up stoppers available. Tip: Remember to hold down your Ctrl key as you click on a link after installing a pop-up stopper.
I'm trying to do online banking, and I need a specific level of encryption in my browser. How do I tell what I have?
In Internet Explorer, go to HELP and ABOUT INTERNET EXPLORER. It will say "Cipher Strength: 128-bit" (for example). To download the latest version of Internet Explorer. In Netscape Navigator or Communicator, go to the Help menu and select About Navigator (or Communicator). Look for the section that reads "Contains encryption software from RSA Data Security, Inc". If the next paragraph says, "This version supports U.S. security" that means you have 128-bit security. If it says you have International security, that means you have 40-bit security.
Who invented the World Wide Web?
The World Wide Web was invented by Tim Berners-Lee, while working at CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research). He went on to found the World Wide Web Consortium, which seeks to standardize and improve World Wide Web-related things such as the HTML markup language in which web pages are written. Specifically, Tim Berners-Lee wrote the first web browser and the first web server. Tim Berners-Lee invented both the HTML markup language and the HTTP protocol used to request and transmit web pages between web servers and web browsers, in addition to coining the phrase "World Wide Web."
Why do I get so many pop up ads on my computer?
In the past some free websites have had pop up ads to generate revenue.
But today there are programs that find their way onto your computer and generate pop ups randomly from your computer to your browser. Giving you the perception that the pop ups are coming from the various web sites you are visiting.
Some of these hidden programs are part of certain ' cutsie helper' programs and add on 'search bars' that make themselves part of internet explorer.
To detect and remove these adware files and modules from your computer, you may want to download Spybot Search and Destroy :
http://www.tucows.com/preview/310138.html
To read more about one such program that will add advertizing pop ups to your computer read this link:
http://www.pcpitstop.com/gator/
Why do some web pages load so slowly?
Some pages are slow because of their content. A page made up of text will be faster to load than a site made up of large photographs.
Most professionally designed web sites are designed to load fast even on 56k modems. Good webmasters accomplish this by limiting the use of large images, choosing the right image formats for the right jobs and avoiding the use of video and audio unless the user explicitly asks for it.
Answers to Viruses Questions
Can I catch a virus from a web page?
Unfortunately, yes, in several ways. While the web is designed to be safe, security flaws are sometimes uncovered in web browser software, and unscrupulous people have been known to exploit them. Fortunately, there are three major steps you can take to protect yourself effectively:
1- Do NOT click "yes" or "OK" when asked if you wish to install extra software or "Active-X controls" when you visit a web page, unless you have come to a company's web site specifically to download software, or you are installing something well-known and reasonably trustworthy such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, Macromedia Flash Player or RealPlayer. If you know what you are doing and have up-to-date antivirus software, you can install optional programs, but NEVER agree to the requests of dialog boxes that pop up asking you to install extra software when visiting a completely unrelated web site. Install the frequently required plug-ins mentioned above; they cover most situations in which optional software is needed. Naively agreeing to install useless and dangerous Active-X controls is the most common way for a virus or other unwanted software to infect your computer from a web page. For more information, including how to clean up the mess if your computer has become infected, see the entry on Active-X controls.
2-Internet Explorer users with Microsoft Windows: run Windows Update frequently or automatically. See the Microsoft Windows Update page. When Microsoft is made aware of security holes in Internet Explorer that could allow a program to install itself without the user agreeing to it, they provide security fixes in this way. If you do not get these updates, your computer WILL be vulnerable, even if you refuse to install Active-X controls. Alternatively, switch to a different web browser such as Mozilla or Opera. Of course, you must keep up with new versions of those programs as well. However, most virus authors seem to target the most popular browser.
3-Install quality antivirus software, and ALLOW IT TO FETCH AUTOMATIC UPDATES. If your antivirus software icon is blinking at you, it is probably asking your permission to go fetch crucial updates you must have to keep its protection up to date; click the icon and answer those prompts. Symantec offers Norton Antivirus, and McAfee Security also provides a quality antivirus program. Good Windows antivirus software is not free. If you must run Windows, it is something you will have to pay for.
Does OregonFAST.net protect my computer from Virus infection?
Although OregonFAST.net has somevirus protection built into our system to help you stay protected from virus infection, it is your responsibility to use an updated Anti-Virus program and to make sure your windows operating system is updated. OregonFAST.net makes no guarantees that you will not be infected by a virus and it is your responsibiltu to protect yourself.
To update your windows operating system, go here:
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