General
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• What is Northland Express?

Northland Express is a high-speed Internet service delivered to your computer through cable lines instead of phone lines. With Northland Express, images load almost instantly, e-mail messages are retrieved in the blink of an eye, and file downloads take seconds instead of minutes. Northland Express does not require the use of a phone line and it’s always on.

• How fast is it?

Northland Express is available with speeds ranging from 384Kbps to 3.0Mbps.

• Can I watch TV and surf the Internet at the same time?

Yes. Northland uses separate “channels” for video and data services so you will have no problem using both at the same time.

• Do I need cable television service to get Northland Express?

No.

• What are the recommended minimum system requirements?

PC recommended requirements: 1) Minimum 486/66(Pentium processor) or Macintosh-compatible CPU, 2) Operating systems such as: Windows® 95/98/2000/NT/Me/XP, Macintosh® OS 8 or higher, or Unix® and 3) 10/100 Base-T Ethernet or USB connection

• Can I use my own cable modem?

Yes. Most DOCSIS certified modems will work with Northland Express. We reserve the right to disallow the use of any cable modem that does not meet our minimum operating standards so please contact your local Northland office to verify your modem meets these standards.

• Will I get email and web hosting?

Yes! Each customer will receive up to 5 email accounts and 10 MB of personal web space included in the monthly rate.

• When will Northland Express be available in my area?

We are working hard to bring this service to as many customers as we can. If service is not yet available in your area, please contact your local office with your request so that we can contact you when service is available.

• Do you offer packages for businesses?

Yes. A Business service is available with speeds of up to 3.0Mbps including 20 email accounts and 20MB of web space.

Installation
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• How do I sign up?

First, please verify that service is available in your area by completing the Find Local Offices & Services form in the upper right corner of this page. Then, please call your local Northland office to verify services and/or schedule an installation. Alternatively, you can click the sign-up link located in the upper left corner of this page and submit a sign-up form.

• How long does the installation take?

A typical installation takes 1½ hours. This allows the technician to check the quality of the cable lines inside and outside of your home, add an outlet if necessary, and assure that your cable modem is working properly.

• What can I do before the installer comes, to speed up my installation?

Once you have verified that your system meets the minimum requirements listed above, you can check to see if you have a Network Interface Card (NIC) installed or a USB port available. The cable modem will connect to your computer through either one (Feel free to contact a Customer Service Representative who can walk you through the steps to check).
If you do not have a Network Interface Card (NIC) installed or a USB port available, you can purchase and have one installed for you at most home electronics stores. The Northland Express installer will also need access to the NIC card or USB port so please make sure to have the immediate area around your computer clear of obstructions.

Computer Security
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• What is a firewall?

A system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both. Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets. All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.

• Why do I need a firewall?

In short, if you have one or more PC's connected to the Internet, you are potentially vulnerable. Without a firewall, the chances are that if you can see the internet, then the internet can also see you. A firewall's job is to hide your computers and your network from the internet, and to restrict access to your network from those who would attempt to gain unlawful access: so called 'hackers'. It can also provide other services, such as Intrusion Detection Systems that provide information about hacker activity against your systems.

• What is the difference between a software and a hardware firewall?

Software firewalls allow for very flexible protection and are generally easy to configure, however, since they run at all times, they require resources (CPU, memory, and disk space) which can slow down your computer while you are working. They can also be very OS-specific, meaning that you must install the correct version for your operating system, or you may experience problems. Hardware Firewalls are usually a seperate piece of hardware that connects between your computer and your modem. They tend to provide more complete protection than software firewalls, run independent of your OS and applications (which means you will not experiance slow-downs due to the firewall), as well as having the ability to protect more than one system at once. This is important if you have multiple computers networked together. The disadvantages of hardware firewalls are that they can be expensive and can be difficult to configure, however, most consumer-available routers have built-in hardware firewalls and usually come pre-configured.

• Where can I get a firewall?

You can browse here for computer software that includes a firewall available through Amazon.com.

• What is a virus-protection program?

A virus-protection program is a piece of software that scans your files for known viruses, that can be installed on either your home or work computer. Viruses can be spread by many different means, from email, to simple web-surfing and these programs use an up-to-date file that lists all of the known viruses, and checks this list against the computer that it is installed on. Depending on the manufacturer, these programs are almost always "live" (meaning if your computer is turned on, the program is protecting your files) and may even provide a way for users to setup automatic updates to stay on top of new viruses as they become potential threats.

• Why do I need a virus-protection program?

Because there are so many different ways that viruses can be spread to your computer, virus-protection programs are essential for users that are connected in any fashion to the internet. The intended purpose of these viruses can vary, from fairly harmless viruses that simply display a message, to varieties that can delete important system or personal files. Due to the prevalence of these dangerous viruses in today's digital world, a virus-protection program is highly recommended.

• Will I have to buy new programs frequently to stay protected?

As mentioned above, viruses do come very frequently and therefore the only way to keep up-to-date, is to ensure that your virus-protection program is updated at all times. Depending on the manufacturer, the software itself can usually be configured to automatically download and install virus updates, which means that there is very little effort needed on the user's part.

• Where can I get a virus-protection program?

You can browse here for computer software that includes anti-virus protection available through Amazon.com.

• Are there any "all-in-one" programs that will provide increased security?

Yes. You can browse here for all-in-one programs available through Amazon.com.

• Does Northland guarantee my security if I use one of the methods listed?

No. Unfortunately even the implementation of any one, or all, of the methods found on this page may not completely protect your personal computer security. Due to this fact, Northland cannot be held responsible if something does happen. However, we highly recommend looking into one of the options listed above, in order to take the necessary precautionary steps before you actually experience a security breach.