Ellis County Texas Internet Service Provider ECTISP.net

How does the Internet service work?

We use fixed wireless technology to provide service to your house via line of site from one of our towers. We install a radio transceiver on your roof or pole in the yard that points to a tower. A cable is then run from our outside equipment to the inside of your house and is then connected to a device to power the radio and provide an interface to your computer.

Can I connect multiple devices to the Internet?

Yes, you are able to connect multiple devices with a wireless router. The wireless router is connected inline before your computer and transmits wireless signals inside the house. This allows you to connect wireless devices as well as four wired devices. Plans of 10Mbits and higher are recommended for multiple devices.

Does weather affect the service like satellite TV?

Fixed wireless broadband service differs from satellite service in that it is not affected by most average weather conditions. However, services may be impacted by weather in the case of physical damage and/or obstruction of line of sight (LOS). This is most common with severe weather events involving high winds, lightning strikes, and large hail where the radio or tripod becomes damaged or detached from the residence or the tower takes physical damage.

ECTISP does repair storm-related damages to our equipment via service call at no cost to our customers. We also have a 24/7 on-call rotation to repair storm-related tower damage once conditions are safe. Torrential rains and ice can temporarily obstruct LOS in extreme cases, but this most often resolves itself once the event passes.

Does ECTISP support VPNs?

Yes, our internet does support VPN tunnels for those who need to connect for work at home or SOHO deployments.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)- A virtual tunnel that extends a private network across a public network to allow remote users to connect and access secure content as if they were physically connected to the private network. These are most often used for work-from-home scenarios.

VPNs are input on the end-user device(s). There are several different types of free and paid VPN services available. The easiest way to find and compare them is through a simple Google search.

ECTISP Internet customers can use VPNs with our service. However, speeds and performance will vary when used through a VPN. For this reason, VPNs should be disabled prior to completing any troubleshooting steps.

Please keep in mind that if the tunneled network experiences service issues, your connection will be impacted as well. As such, we do not support any issues through or arising from the use of a VPN. Any issues found with the VPN will require the customer to contact an IT professional for assistance.

Is there a bandwidth cap on the service?

No, unlike satellite companies, we do not cap the bandwidth use. You do not have to worry about getting your service shut off for exceeding bandwidth limits.

How do I get an Internet connection through the dish?

ECTISP uses fixed wireless broadband technology to provide service to your home or business via line of site. We install a radio transceiver and dish on your roof, pointed to an access point on a nearby tower. The radio is powered by running Cat5e cable from the roof to a POE device inside of the home/business. From the POE, users can connect an end-user device to the LAN port, such as a wireless router, to provide internet throughout the home.

ECTISP is considered a Full Service Internet Service Provider, our wireless services use a combination of cable/fiber and radio transmitters to receive and relay internet services from transport providers to the towers within their wireless network. This signal may travel through one or more hops before it reaches your home or business.

What is considered a valid speed test?

A valid speed test is one that has either been run from a laptop/PC directly cabled into the router or one that has run with the router completely bypassed (POE to laptop/PC).

Wireless speed tests (cellphone, tablet, or anything connected via WIFI) are not considered valid as speeds within the home or office are subject to the wireless signals and local interference within that location. Wireless routers, access points, extenders, and other RF devices within the home can impact the accuracy of test results. ECTISP does not guarantee wireless speeds.

Speed tests from gaming systems are also not considered valid as these devices run many internal applications that can skew results. In addition, some gaming devices are considered “legacy releases” and are no longer supported by the manufacturer with updates and patches to the operating system.

Programs running in the background, such as automatic updates or drive synchronization, can cause degraded speed results. Speed tests that are run while your internet connection is in use elsewhere, such as on another device or an application within the device you are using, will only show you the remaining bandwidth available. For example, if you have a 10mbps plan and you are using 9mbps across your internal network, speed test results for a test run during that usage period will show to be around 1mbps.

Does ECTISP provide email accounts?

Yes! ECTISP provides private email accounts with all our service plans.

Can I upgrade or downgrade my service plan? Are there any restrictions for doing so?

ECTISP Internet customers may upgrade or downgrade their plan at any time. There are no restrictions or limits on changing your plan.

As services are prepaid for the month on your billing date, changing your plan will prorate. The new plan will be prorated for the days remaining in your billing cycle, with charges exceeding the credited amount being drafted from your account following the change.

If you would like to discuss plan options or process an upgrade/downgrade, please contact us by phone at 972-923-9090, by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Your Passwords and Security and why it matters?

These days password security and even security questions like what some banks us for account recovery shouldn't be taken for granted. Your passwords should never be reused across multiple platforms, shared with other users, or even stored in plain view. We also don't encourage the use of password manager's as even these have been susceptible in recent years to security breaches. Even that innocent looking social media post asking what your favorite color, car, movie, mascot, etc.. could all be attempts to socially engineer you to give out seemingly innocent information thats commonly used for security questions without your knowing. We included a password security chart and security tools below to help.

SECURITY TOOLS

Have I Been Pwned : Password Security Checker
- Offers a searchable database of previous breached sites and passwords from across the globe.

Have I Been Pwned: Email and Phone Security Checker
- Offers a searchable database of previous breached sites and passwords from across the globe.

Security.org : Password Strength Tester 
- Resource Site for Testing Password Strength and also provides a wealth of helpful security tips and advice.

What connection speed do I need to be able to stream Internet TV?

 

From the cutting of the cord to watching your favorite Netflix show, streaming has become an everyday part of life with over 60% of people subscribing to a streaming service. High-speed reliable internet is now a requirement for anyone that wants to stream. We have included a chart below with all the streaming requirements for the most common streaming services. The services in this chart are on a per device basis and should be calculated as such.

Service	Standard definition (SD)	High definition (HD)	4K/Ultra HD (UHD)
Netflix	3 Mbps	5 Mbps	15 Mbps
Hulu	3 Mbps	8 Mbps HD and Live streams	16 Mbps
Prime Video	1 Mbps	5 Mbps	15 Mbps
YouTube	1.1 Mbps	5 Mbps	20 Mbps
Disney+	No Available Site Information	5 Mbps	25 Mbps
Discovery+	No Available Site Information	5 Mbps	Limited 4k Content Available No Avalilable Site Information

90% of devices in the household from Old SmartTVs to New Smart Phones do either Standard Definition(SD) or High Definition(HD) while most new SmartTVs sold in the last 2 years are capable of 4K/Ultra HD streams. With this info and the chart above, once you start watching Netflix^(UHD) on a SmartTV and then starts watching YouTube^(HD) on your phone, you would be using about 20Mbps for just those 2 devices. This is why it is important to choose the best service plans for your needs. If your unsure as to what your streaming demands are please reach out to our office at 972-923-9090 to discuss available options.

What is the PoE device and what is its purpose?

POE stands for Power Over Ethernet. This device supplies electricity to the External Antenna. This is the Radio, located on the dish of the subscriber’s location, that receives the radio signal. This device will pass power from an electrical outlet to the device connected through an Ethernet cable.

** IMPORTANT: Unplugging a battery back-up from the wall does not guarantee a power-cycle of the device if installled. You MUST unplug the PoEs AC power cord only from any battery back-ups or power strip and leave it unplugged for a minimum of 30 seconds. Battery backups are meant to provide a uninterrupted source of power to your devices in the event of a loss of electricity, whether they are powered on or not.

How do I power cycle my equipment?

When someone asks you to power-cycle your equipment, they are referring to the act of disconnecting your devices from the power source, waiting 30 seconds, and then reconnecting your devices to the power source. Through this process, the agent is attempting to force a re-establishment of your internet connection.

To power-cycle your equipment:

1. Locate the equipment that you are being asked to power cycle.
   • POE: ECTISP provides you with a POE box to power the equipment on the outside of your home. This box is about the size of a two decks of cards stacked on top of each other and may be black or white in color. It has an AC power adapter and two ethernet ports, labeled POE (cabled from wall plate) and LAN (cabled to end-user device).
   • Managed Router: This is the router provide at time of installation If you chose to use our managed router through ECTISP..
   • Personal Router/Device: A personal router/device can be of various shapes, sizes and colors, depending on the type and brand of the device. Typically, your personal router is located by following the LAN cable coming out of the LAN port on the POE box. Other personal devices, Wi-Fi extenders, etc., will be plugged into the ethernet ports of your personal router or switch.
2. Unplug the power cord of the device from the power source for 30 seconds. If device is in a power-strip or battery backup, move it to a wall outlet for troubleshooting purposes.
3. After 30 seconds, plug the device back into the power source.
4. Verify you can see a power light illuminated, indicating the device is receiving power.

How do I connect new router to my service?

1. On the router to be replaced, find the port labeled WAN or Internet. The WAN/Internet port should be cabled to the LAN port of the POE.
2. Disconnect the LAN cable from the WAN/Internet port of the router being replaced.
3. Locate the WAN/Internet port of the new router. Reconnect the LAN cable to this port.
4. Configure the new router as indicated by the accompanying start-up guide.
5. Test the connection to verify you are able to access the internet.

** Note: If you are attempting to install a new device and having trouble getting it connected to the internet. Please contact us at 972-923-9090 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How do I bypass my router?

1. Locate the Poe and the router.
   1. The POE can be found by tracing the cabling from the wall plate into the POE
   2. The router can be found by tracing the cabling from the LAN port of the POE into the router.
2. Locate the ethernet cable connected to the LAN port of the POE. This is the LAN cable that is attached to your router. Disconnect this cable from the router at the opposite end of the POE only.
3. Using the LAN cable from step 2, plug that cable directly into an available internet port on a laptop or PC.
4. The router has now been bypassed.
   

What router do I need for my service?

Know the top speed for your plan.

You want to ensure that the ports on your router can pull your plan speeds in their entirety. This is most commonly an issue for plans speeds over 100mbps as not all routers are equipped with gigabit ports (1000mbps).

Decide if you would like to continue using our managed router or purchase your own.
ECTISP allows the choice of either using one of our managed routers included with the service at no cost or purchasing a wireless router (must use Ethernet cabling and not one that is meant for cable networking) from the retailer of your choosing. All managed routers through ECTISP come with full support/management and replacement for the life of the service. Customers do not have access to log into these routers for any reason and may constitute a fee if damaged or reset. Personal routers will vary in price, inclusions, and support options. Customers using personal routers are responsible for the maintenance of that device and must go through the manufacture or retailer for support/replacement issues as ECTISP does not have access to log into them.

Outline your budget.
It is easy to spend much more money than is necessary on a router. Higher priced routers can feature a lot of “bells and whistles” that are not necessarily better and may not be suitable for your needs.

Determine the coverage area requirements.
Take into consideration the square footage of the location, the layout and materials of the home, the number of devices requiring hardwiring, the number of devices requiring WIFI, etc. to get a basic picture of what kind of coverage area you need to provide signal to.

Do your research.
A basic internet search can provide you with great information to help determine what router types are available and the capabilities of each. Consulting with electronic retailers and online forums can provide you with more insight into what are the most popular brands and models, as well as known issues for those devices.

How long does it take the installer to setup the service?

Generally, setup can be done in about 2 hours, but it can take longer depending on the structure of the residence.

Can you mount to metal or tile roof tops?

Additional equipment may be necessary for specialized roofing materials such as tile or metal roofs for stability and to avoid damage to those surfaces. Currently at this time ECTISP doesn't support mounting of equipment on tile roofing and will make recommendations to those who are still interested in obtaining service.

What installation and equipment fees will I incur during the installation?

We require the installation fee, first month of service at time of install. The installation fee covers the standard equipment and labor costs for completing the installation.

For locations where trees or terrain obstruct line of sight, we can sometimes overcome these obstacles by installing a tripod, which allows us to raise the equipment up to 15ft above the roofline. For obstructions higher then 15ft we will require a fixed super structure like a tower to be able to remedy any service obstructions.

For locations on the edge of the coverage area or in densely wooded areas, the use of a more powerful dish, may be required in order to provide exceptional service.

Additional equipment may be necessary for special installation circumstances, such as metal roofs or mounting to chimneys, to increase stability and avoid damage. The technician will discuss all mounting options with you to make sure we find the one that is right for your needs.

Our customers have the option to either use our managed router from ECTISP or to use their own personal router.

** Note: A wireless router is required to provide WIFI connectivity throughout the location.

All equipment and fees will be discussed with you prior to installing services. You are in no way obligated to agree to the additional equipment, and the installation can be cancelled at no cost to you. For additional information, please contact us at 972-923-9090

During initial setup, what is installed within my home?

Fixed wireless customers will have a shielded Cat5e cable coming from a wall plate into a small black or white POE (power over ethernet) box in order to power the equipment outside of the home. The POE comes with an AC power cable and features two ports, labeled POE and LAN. The cable from the wall plate will plug into the POE port. Another Cat5e cable is then connected from the LAN port of the POE to a personal or managed router. Devices within the home can access the internet either by being cabled to the router or by connecting to the WIFI network.

What is port forwarding and do I need it?

Port forwarding is a network address translation (NAT) application that redirects communication requests from one address and port number combination to another while the packets are traversing the router. Port forwarding is commonly used for online gaming (game specific) and security systems. You can find a list of required ports to be opened by contacting the manufacturer or support forums for the specific device or game.

• ECTISP will forward ports for our managed routers and also at the Subscriber Module level(Mikrotik CPEs). We do not forward ports for personal routers as we do not have remote access and will have to be done by the user.
• Furthermore the same port number cannot be opened to two different internal IP addresses at the same time.

What is Wi-Fi and how does it work?

WIFI signals are radio waves which establish communication and transfer data between devices. These devices may include computers, mobile phones, tablets or other network routers. This allows wireless devices to access the Internet without requiring cables to the router.

The radio waves which make up WIFI signals use either the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. These are higher than the frequencies used for televisions or cell phones and allow more data to be carried than lower frequencies.

WIFI signals use IEEE 802.11 networking standards when transmitting data. There are several different varieties of the protocol that are used, and they will vary in frequency, modulation, type of wireless signal, type of receiver and transmitter, and type of antenna.

Like all wireless technology, WIFI signals are subject to local influences and interference. Things that can obstruct WIFI signals include dense building materials (stone, rocks, metal, etc.), reflective building materials (mirrors, chrome, metal, etc.), intense heat and lack of ventilation, microwaves, cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless speakers, bluetooth, garage door openers, and even your neighbor’s router. It’s important to factor this in when determining the best router placement for your needs. For example, placing the router in a closet or enclosed space can immediately cause the WIFI signal to weaken before it ever reaches a device.

Signal strength is represented in -dBm format. This is the power ratio in decibels (dB) of the measured power referenced to one milliwatt, with lower numbers being of a higher signal (Ex. -61 is a better signal than -80). The device receiving the wireless signal has a range of power levels it can “hear”, known as the receive sensitivity. As a wireless receiver moves away from the router, the signal it “hears” will diminish. With more distance between the device transmitting the WIFI signal and the device receiving the WIFI signal, the weaker the signal will be until it eventually “disconnects” from the wireless network.

The strength of the WIFI signals throughout the internal network’s coverage area directly impacts your ability to use your devices efficiently. Desired signal strength, for optimal performance, varies based on several factors, such as environmental background noise, the number of people or devices on the network, what the desired data rates are, what applications are being used, etc. The stronger the signal strength, the more reliable and faster the connection will be.

The best way to check the coverage of WIFI signals within the home and to understand where the signal strength is the strongest or weakest is to use a wifi analyzer. Wifi analyzers are a great way to determine where extenders and/or mesh units should be placed to maximize wireless coverage. A good place to find a wifi analyzer would be in either the IPhone App Store or Google Play Store and searching for wifi analyzers.

What is the difference between the 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz wireless frequencies?

The main differences between the 2.4 GHz and 5GHz wireless frequencies are range (coverage) and bandwidth (speed). 5Ghz tends to provide faster data rates at a shorter distance, while 2.4GHz provides greater coverage distance at slower data rates.

Certain devices work better on a particular frequency, but this will vary from device to device. 5GHz signals do not penetrate walls as well as the 2.4GHz, but typically have less channel overlap and local interference. For dual band routers, setting the frequency to AUTO is likely to place devices on the least congested frequency within the dwelling. If a certain device appears to be struggling on auto select, the least congested frequency can be determined by running a wireless analyzer.

What package do I need for large file transfers?

Simple truth is you can transfer large files at any speed; it's more of a question of how long that data transfer will take. Below we have given you a table of how long a typical data transfer will take based on connection speed.

What is considered acceptable ping (or latency) for online gaming?

If you’ve ever noticed that another player always seems to be getting the jump on you, that might be because they have less latency an a better ping time or maybe simply there's an issue at the hosting server. Here’s a rough guideline of what we consider latency:

• Excellent: 0-59 ms
• Bearable: 60-129 ms
• Poor: 130-199 ms
• Unacceptable: 200+ ms 

There are several factors that can contribute to high latency/packet loss and/or intermittent drops while gaming. High latency/packet loss issues are more common when using online gaming platforms (such as Blizzard, Steam, XBox, PlayStation,etc.. ) or even when playing games that allow player-hosted servers. Most often, these are issues with the gaming server itself or with the third-party connection of the player hosting the server. The quickest, easiest way to find out if the issue is with the game server or with your personal connection is to search the support forums of your respective console, platform or game for known issues and available diagnostic tools. For example, if you are experiencing service issues with a Blizzard game, such as World of Warcraft, you can visit https://us.battle.net/support/en/article/7870 for step-by-step instructions for performing a traceroute to their server.

Other things to check for if your ping (or latency) times are higher than average:

Check if your device is connected by Wi-FI via bands (2.4/5Ghz) or Ethernet
- Wireless network congestion from other competing wireless signals can degrade performance immensely. This is especially so if you live in a moderate to large neighborhood with many wireless routers. In this case, we would highly encourage that you hard wire any device directly to the router for best overall performance.

Check your internal network usage
- For instance, if you have streaming devices (TV's, Rokus, Firesticks, Etc..) in the background streaming from the web or you're live streaming (Twitch, TikTok, Facebook, Etc..) these devices and apps use lots of bandwidth and can be robbing your gaming pc (or console) out of the bandwidth it needs.

Latestly consider there may be a issue with the server or third-party hosted gaming session
- Issues with servers being too far away from your network, or third-party connections with poor connections will all degrade your performance. For Example, a server located in Dallas,TX will be considerably faster then one located in Seattle, WA or even in China, Europe or Russia. Individually hosted servers are no exception as they to can have issues with poor connection speeds, distance or even hardware related problems.

All these things can greatly effect how the player perceives latency when gaming online.

Upon completion of self-diagnostics, any issues not found to be on the server or console end should be reported to ECTISP with step taken for further investigation.