by KeyTech | May 31, 2017 | Communications, I.T., IT News
Fast Wi-Fi just makes life better – it’s a known fact.
You can have the fastest NBN in the world, but you need to be able to access it in every corner of your office.
To this end, you need a good Wi-Fi router. Today Wifi Technology is constantly on the improve. There is a technology called 802.11ac that enables compatible devices to connect on faster Wifi Speeds.
The big difference between 802.11ac and the older 802.11n Wi-Fi standard is in outright speed; where N routers seem to top out at a maximum of around 900Mbps theoretical throughput, we’re seeing new AC routers like the ASUS RT-AC3200 hit 2600Mbps – almost three times as fast.
802.11ac is a relatively new Wi-Fi standard, only having been ratified and approved in January of this year. 802.11ac was finalised in 2013 and you will find it in every major smartphone, laptop and desktop computer and smart television. It succeeds the equally-badly named ‘802.11n’ which has been around since 2007 and brings some major benefits.
What are the notable differences?
Speed, Range and Availability.
There are obvious performance benefits, particularly for single antenna devices like smartphones. Secondly it is more battery efficient because WiFi needs to be active for less time when data transfers can complete more quickly. Thirdly with proliferation comes scales of economy which bring down the price.
Furthermore 802.11n only supports up to four antennas at roughly 100Mbps (12.5MBps) each so when you do the maths for devices using 802.11n antennas the gap begins to widen.
Do Your Devices Support 802.11ac?
There’s not too much point in paying the extra for 802.11ac if you don’t have any devices that can take advantage of it. Of course, a Wi-Fi router is a long-term investment, so you should be planning for the future; an 802.11ac-capable router will also almost certainly provide better 802.11n Wi-Fi than the non-ac competition, purely through it being newer and more powerful.
802.11ac isn’t just about the router
Pricing
When it comes to pricing most devices you buy have already integrated 802.11ac so you won’t be consciously paying more for it.
Where there is still a jump in price, however, is routers. Wireless AC routers still tend to have a 20-50% premium (depending on model), but as ageing routers risk becoming the speed and range bottleneck for every Internet connected item in your home these much neglected devices are worth a little more investment.
Compatibility
Chipsets featuring 802.11ac are fully backwards compatible with previous WiFi standards.
This means it works perfectly with 802.11a (introduced in 1999), 802.11b (2000), 802.11g (2003) and 802.11n (2007). The bad news is you will be limited to the performance of the older standard and will only get the full benefits of ‘Wireless AC’ or ‘AC WiFi’, as it is also known, if you are connecting from 802.11ac to 802.11ac. That means an 802.11ac router and an 802.11ac device.
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by KeyTech | May 31, 2017 | Communications, modems, NBN compatible phone systems
NBN connections will not work on old ADSL modems. Telstra provides the Gateway Pro modem for new NBN business connections on DOT.
Telstra Gateway Pro
The Telstra Gateway Pro features:
- Enjoy faster Wi-Fi with the latest Wi-Fi AC technology
- Experience seamless dual band connectivity of multiple devices on your network
- Make calls on your new business phone with Telstra’s Digital Voice service
- Securely access your business files from home with our remote access feature
Telstra Gateway Pro User Guide (PDF, 2.46MB)
Getting to know your Telstra Gateway Pro™
Telstra has worked with partner Netgear to bring you the Telstra Gateway Pro™ (Netgear™ model number v7610). The Telstra Gateway Pro™ is an advanced Gateway, providing high speed Wi-Fi and connectivity for a variety of business devices. It can connect to the Internet using:
• ADSL
• VDSL (including NBN Fibre to the Basement and NBN Fibre to the Node connections)
• NBN Fibre to the Premises
The Gateway is compatible with optional USB mobile broadband device for peace of mind in case of an unlikely service interruption.
The Telstra Gateway Pro™ features world leading Wi-Fi and the best connectivity available so you get the most out of your Telstra fixed Broadband service.
What’s in the box?
The Quick Start Guide outlines all the components that are included with the Telstra Gateway Pro™ and can be found on Telstra.com using the following link:
http://business.telstra.com.au/t5/DOT -Bundle-Help/ct-p/bundles_and_dot.
Make phone calls with Telstra’s Digital Voice Service
Digital Office Technology (DOT) customers can use one of Telstra’s IP Phones, compatible with this Gateway, to deliver digital calls over the Fixed Broadband service. Telstra’s Digital Voice service supports up to 10 services/lines at one site and provides a number of useful calling features to enable smart call management including:
• Fixed MessageBank
• Simultaneous and Sequential Ring
• Call Forwarding when not reachable
• Virtual Receptionist (Auto-attendant)
Telstra Gateway Pro™ Back Panel
What exactly is the nbn™ network?
The nbn™ network is a government infrastructure project that will provide broadband internet and fixed phone line access to all Australians through a combination of optic fibre, and fixed wireless and satellite technology in the harder-to-reach areas.
Fibre improves the speed and quality of voice and data delivery, which will better serve Australian businesses in an increasingly connected global marketplace. The infrastructure is being rolled out by the government-owned nbn™.
If you have questions, please speak to our business development manager or your account manager.
by KeyTech | May 22, 2017 | Communications
Telstra has simplified what to expect when it comes to the nbn™ network and your internet speeds in this article posted online:
2017-05-22
Explaining what impacts the performance of your nbn broadband can get technical.
To simplify things, Telstra likened it to driving a car:
nbn co’s technology type to your premises
Think about this as the maximum speed your model of car can achieve.
Your speed tier
Think about this as the speed limit of the road you are driving on.
Your service provider’s network capacity
Think about network capacity as the number of lanes your service provider builds to carry traffic in peak hour.
Your in-premises set up and internet usage
Think about this as how well you maintain your car and the local driving conditions.
nbn co’s technology type to your premises
nbn co is rolling out the nbn network to Australian homes and businesses. Your maximum line speed is determined by the type of technology that nbn co makes available at your premises. This is the same, regardless of which service provider you choose. On this page, you’ll find more information on the different technology types on the nbn network and the range of estimated maximum line speeds. Your actual speed will often be less than the maximum line speeds and vary due to a range of factors that we outline later, particularly during busy periods.
Your speed tier
At Telstra, we generally offer three speed tiers, with our standard plans being on the Fast speed tier. What speed tier may be suitable for you depends on what you use the internet for and the maximum line speed of your nbn technology.
| Speed tiers | Fast | Very Fast Speed Boost | Super Fast Speed Boost |
|---|
| Suitable for | Everyday use | Premises with multiple people online at once | Superfast internet even with multiple people online at once |
|---|
| What do you do on the internet? | - Browse the web
- Stream video
- Email and social networking
| - Stream HD Video
- Upload/Download large files
- Responsive online gaming
| - Stream 4K Video
- Upload/Download very large files
- Responsive online gaming
|
|---|
Even if you choose a higher speed tier or purchase a speed boost, your nbn service can never go faster than the maximum line speed available at your premises. This means for Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Building (FTTB), the maximum line speed achievable on the nbn technology at your premises may be slower than the speeds offered by our Very Fast or the Super Fast Speed Boosts. If this is the case, a speed boost will not improve your speed performance. Your service provider cannot confirm your maximum line speed until your service is installed and activated on nbn. Once your service is activated on the nbn, Telstra will check your maximum line speed, and if your line is not capable of supporting the speed chosen, we will automatically move your service to a lower speed tier and credit back the associated speed boost charges.
Your service provider’s network capacity
During peak periods, like 7-10pm in the evening, broadband speeds can slow down as more premises use the internet at the same time. The more network capacity your service provider purchases from nbn co for your area the less speeds will decline during these times. At Telstra, we are working to provide the best possible speed performance on the nbn network. To do this we closely monitor network performance to understand the speed experience our customers have, even in peak periods.
Your in-premise set-up and usage
There are number of factors related to your in-home set-up and internet usage that can impact your broadband performance on the nbn network. These factors are the responsibility of the customer. We have outlined the key factors below:
Modem: The quality and age of your modem will impact the performance of your connection. We recommend using one our latest Telstra branded modems to maximise your broadband performance. Please contact us if you require a new Telstra branded modem.
Wi-Fi: Your Wi-Fi performance can be impacted by where you place your modem, as well as any radio or electrical interference with other devices in or near your home. Improve your Wi-Fi performance by placing your modem centrally in your premises, or near the stairwell in a two-storey house.
In-premises wiring: If the copper lines within your premises are damaged, corroded, badly connected or poorly configured, it can significantly reduce your nbn speed. Telstra’s trained technicians can visit your premises and help fix issues related to in-premises set up (fees apply). Please contact us if you would like to discuss this service.
Devices: If your connection is slow on one device only, the problem could be malware, viruses or it might be too old to support higher speeds. If you’re downloading on multiple devices at once, your available bandwidth is shared between these devices. The more devices connected, the more bandwidth you share between them, and the slower your experience will be.
Content: Downloads taking too long? This can happen if the source of the content you’re trying to access is affected by congestion. An example is when a lot of users try and access the same website simultaneously. Also, remember that downloads from international websites are usually slower than Australian websites.
Description of each technology type provided by nbn co and factors influencing maximum line speed
Fibre to the Premises (FTTP)
Hybrid Fibre Coaxial
Fibre to the node (FTTN)
Fibre to Building
Fixed Wireless
Find out what nbn technology type will be used for your premises here.
Estimated maximum line speeds and potential range of actual user speeds for each nbn technology type
| Technology type provided by nbn co | Speed tiers available from nbn co | Maximum line speed ranges | Potential range of actual user speeds |
|---|
| Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) | nbnTM 25 (Fast) | 25Mbps (download) and 5Mbps (upload) | No matter what nbn technology you have, actual user speeds will often be less than the maximum line speed (particularly in busy periods) and will vary depending on the factors explained above.For FTTN and FTTB, the maximum nbn line speed at your premises is estimated to be between 25Mbps to 100Mbps (download) and between 5Mbps to 40Mbps (upload) and therefore may be slower than the speeds otherwise offered by our Very Fast or the Super Fast Speed Boosts. If this is the case, there are limits to how much a speed boost will improve your speed performance. Your service provider cannot confirm maximum line speed until your service is installed and activated on nbn. Once your service is activated on the nbn, Telstra will check your maximum line speed, and if your line is not capable of supporting the minimum performance defined for the speed tier chosen, we will automatically move your service to a lower speed tier and credit back the associated speed boost charges |
|---|
| nbnTM 50 (Very Fast) | 50Mbps (download) and 20Mbps (upload) |
| nbnTM 100 (Super Fast) | 100Mbps (download) and 40Mbps (upload) |
| Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Building (FTTB) | nbnTM 25 (Fast) | 25Mbps (download) and 5Mbps (upload) |
|---|
| nbnTM 50 (Very Fast) | 25 – 50Mbps (download) and 5 – 20Mbps (upload) |
| nbnTM 100 (Super Fast) | 50 – 100Mbps (download) and 20 – 40Mbps (upload) |
| Fixed Wireless (FW) | nbnTM 25 (Fast) | 25Mbps (download) and 5Mbps (upload) |
|---|
| nbnTM 50 (Very Fast) | 25 – 50Mbps (download) and 5 – 20Mbps (upload) |
Improving your broadband performance on the nbn network
Telstra is committed to providing you with a great experience on the nbn network. If your performance on the nbn is not meeting your expectations, you can use our troubleshoot tool here. It can help you identify what the issue is and then provide step-by-step instructions on how to fix it. If your problems persist please contact us, and we will investigate what can be done to improve your performance. If needed we will engage nbn co to resolve any issues in the nbn network.
Contact us for any NBN related questions on 1300 662 209
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by KeyTech | May 18, 2017 | IT News, Mobile Devices
Android O release date
The next Android update comes later 2017. Android O is the next coming version of Google’s mega-popular mobile operating system set to release this year.
This is relevant to a Google Pixel, Google Pixel XL, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X or Pixel C.
This big Android update for 2017 will continue its beta following the Google IO 2017 presentation and will likely debut in full first on the Google Pixel 2.
Don’t have a Google-branded phone? The company announced Project Treble, an initiative that will ensure that Android O comes to many more devices than previous operating system updates.
Some Features We like:
Faster boot times
Speedy boot times are usually associated with a step-up in hardware – Google unveiled that Android O will bring those benefits to all phones that run the software.
It’s not just the operating system that becomes faster to load up, but the apps on your phone too.
Restricted background activities
This is a power-saving feature that de-prioritizes app functions running in the background, which in turn means that your battery is going to possibly last much longer than it currently does on Android Nougat.
Paired with likely improvements to the Doze function that intelligently saves battery during down-time, it’s feasible that Android O could help squeeze an extra few hours out of your phone battery life from fully charged to depleted.
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by KeyTech | May 14, 2017 | I.T., IT News
How to stop WCry ransomware infecting your computers
THIS is what you should do when after you turn on your computer this morning to avoid the massive cyber attack.
15 May 2017
Aussies may have missed the worst of the worldwide cyber attack but small businesses are still at risk of being infected by the WCry ransomware. Here is what you should be doing:
- Update your Microsoft Software before opening emails.
- Be vigilant before clicking on links, check urls!
- Update your anti-virus and security software
If you don’t open or click on to the infected sites then you won’t be impacted.
This type of ransom ware spreads via phishing, which spreads the virus through an email that appears to be from an individual or business that you know.
The virus also has a worm-like features that looks for other vulnerable systems once it’s embedded in your computer, which means it can spread to other computers in a network.
Australia looks to have missed the worst of the attack as it didn’t seem to have infected government agencies or critical infrastructure, people shouldn’t be complacent. The most vulnerable will be outdated pcs and software.
The ransom
Wcry is demanding a ransom of $300 to $600 in Bitcoin to be paid by May 15, or, in the event that deadline is missed, a higher fee by May 19. The messages left on the screen say files will remain encrypted. It’s not yet clear if there are flaws in the encryption scheme that might allow the victims to restore the files without paying the ransom.
People who have yet to install the Microsoft fix—MS17-010—should do so right away. People should also be extremely suspicious of all e-mails they receive, particularly those that ask the recipient to open attached documents or click on Web links.
Do not pay these criminals.
For IT Support or help with your business cyber security,
call Key Technologies on 1300 755 615
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