Etheric Networks Partners with ALERTWildfire to Support Bay Area Fire Emergency Readiness

Jun 16, 2020

Etheric Networks supports early wildfire detection efforts through the installation of cameras on its new tower in San Ramon

Etheric Networks, the leading provider of wireless internet service in the Bay Area, today announced it has partnered with ALERTWildfire to provide free access to its newest tower in San Ramon. Live images are available to emergency dispatchers and to the public at alertwildfire.org.

Etheric Networks Partners with Alert Wildfire

Etheric’s San Ramon tower with Alert Wildfire Camera installed.

Ahead of the looming fire season, Etheric Networks, realizes the importance of helping local and bi-state efforts to detect wildfires soon after they start. As of January 2020, ALERTWildfire has installed 13 state-of-the-art Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras in the North Bay, with a goal of installing 200 new cameras statewide in 2020.

• University consortium taps state and local businesses – A consortium of universities, including the University of Nevada, Reno, University of California, San Diego and University of Oregon are working together through ALERTWildfire to install fire cameras and provide associated tools to help firefighters and first responders.

 

 • Using technology to detecting a wildfire before it spreads – The cameras are able to detect wildfires soon after they start and when installed in a location with a 360° view, the near-infrared sensors can spot the signature of heat on up to 5,000 square miles, and up to 20,000 square miles at night. A supercomputer attached to the network of cameras models the fire’s spread in 30 seconds, predicting where it will burn over the next several hours.

• Taking advantage of existing infrastructure – One of two newest additions to its growing network, Etheric’s tower in San Ramon will be part of the initiative to install dozens of fire cameras around the state. Etheric’s 30+ towers provide wireless internet to the Bay Area and are working with emergency teams to identify additional locations for these “digital forest rangers.”

John Cornell, Emergency Preparedness Director, City of Lafayette Police Department, said: “The damage that fire can do and the speed it can spread make early detection efforts critical. Our goal is to build partnerships that will support first responders and alert neighborhoods. Sponsorships and partners that provide camera locations, like Etheric Networks, help our grant money go so much further, and we are grateful for their assistance.”

Alexander Hagen, CEO, Etheric Networks, said: “We are proud to be able to help this consortium with its efforts to ensure that wildfires are quickly and efficiently identified, mitigated and tracked. As we move into fire season, it is more important than ever that those of us that have the infrastructure to support such an effort do so, without cost and through concerted collaboration. We are thrilled to be able to help this effort today and, in the future, and encourage other tower owners in the Bay Area to join us.”

The ALERTWildfire team can assist in building fire camera infrastructure from the ground up, and/or use existing infrastructure to rapidly deploy a system in just a few months. For more information, please contact John Cornell at jcornell@ci.lafayette.ca.us.

Etheric Networks Completes Purchase of Mt. Madonna Tower

Apr 29, 2020

Field Technician, Shannon Jolin, on the Mt. Madonna tower. 

Expanded service areas deliver high-speed wireless internet to meet rising demand for reliable home connections and dedicated community networks

SAN MATEO, CA, UNITED STATES, April 22, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — Etheric Networks, the leading provider of wireless internet service in the Bay Area, today announced the purchase of the Mt. Madonna communications tower in Gilroy and the addition of new towers in Gilroy and San Ramon. This expansion brings significant new internet options to thousands more Bay Area businesses and residences and strengthens Etheric’s ability to support robust private community networks.

Shelter-in-place restrictions have forced businesses, schools and social groups to work, learn and build community in new ways, most of them online. Many of these changes could be permanent, making access to reliable internet an even more critical part of our infrastructure. Today’s news furthers Etheric’s goal of reaching 90 percent of Bay Area households and businesses with 99.999% reliability to meet this need.

MT. MADONNA ACQUISITION YEARS IN THE MAKING – In 2004, in response to repeated requests from South County residents for fixed wireless service to their remote area, Etheric partnered with the residents to lease the 1400’ tall KSBW tower on Mt. Madonna in Gilroy, and the company’s first wireless services began in 2005. When the tower faced demolition in 2007, Etheric once again turned to its customers to crowd-source its purchase, finalized in 2009. Etheric has now paid back all of its investors, and Mt Madonna continues to be the flagship of Etheric’s fleet of 35+ towers that provide high-speed wireless internet to most of the Bay Area, including hard-to-reach mountain and rural communities.

NEW TOWERS EXPAND SERVICE IN KEY REGIONS – The two newest additions to the Etheric fleet were lit in the first quarter of 2020. Providing service to residences and business to the San Ramon and Gilroy/San Martin areas, these towers continue Etheric’s goal of reaching communities that are underserved by traditional internet providers. Additionally, the new Gilroy tower is Etheric’s first to be entirely energy independent, with solar power to ensure that internet service is not interrupted by power outages.

MEETING NEW DEMANDS FOR PRIVATE COMMUNITY NETWORKS – Already an emerging trend, interest in creating communication hubs to provide needed bandwidth to those working and learning from home has increased significantly in recent weeks. Etheric’s dedicated fiber backbone and one-hop peering connections to all major Bay Area data centers, combined with its robust wireless broadband capabilities allows the company to rapidly deploy community-wide solutions that can offer significant savings for members.

Alexander Hagen, CEO, Etheric Networks, said: “These are extraordinary times, as households and organizations struggle to obtain reliable broadband access for working and learning from home. We are seeing an incredible demand, and our investment in new infrastructure could not have come at a better time. Etheric was founded by bringing our customers together, and we are dedicated to continuing this legacy as we explore new ways to provide powerful services to our community while touching the land lightly.”

To learn more about Etheric Networks visit ethericnetworks.com or call 650-525-2535.

About Etheric Networks
Etheric Networks is a leading internet service provider dedicated to delivering fast, reliable, and affordable, connectivity for business, SOHO and residential clients. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Etheric spans the greater Bay Area, using a wholly owned fiber optic backbone and licensed broadband fixed wireless towers.

5 Ways to Improve Your Home Network

Mar 24, 2020

If you’re experiencing slower than usual speeds on the Internet, here’s 5 ways to improve your connection. 

Location Location Location 

Moving your computer is the easiest thing to do, and may be all you need. Position it as close to the router as you can, and see if that improves your connection. If you want to compare speeds in different locations, go to Speedtest.Net.

Moving your router can also help with wireless signal strength. Place the router as high up as possible in a central location if you are providing Internet access for more than one device. You may need to buy a longer ethernet cable. Cat5e ethernet cable is inexpensive and can be purchased in lengths from 3’ to 100’ at most electronics stores or online.  

This free tool from NetSpot will, “… reveal areas of channel interference and dead zones, and will help you tremendously to build a solid network.” 

Wired is always better(In the home)

If you’re connected to your home router via wireless (WiFi), switching to a wired connection can improve things a lot. A wired connection is always better inside the home. If moving closer to your router does not help, try a wired connection using a Cat5e ethernet cable. 

Upgrade your Router

If you’ve had the same router for many years, it could be slowing things down. This is particularly true with older routers with a lot of devices on the network. Sometimes router performance can be improved with a firmware upgrade. Check your router model online and follow the instructions for upgrading the firmware. A newer router with 5Ghz WiFi could also improve both network traffic management and overall speed. Etheric Networks recommends these routers: 

NETGEAR RangeMax – N600 Wi-Fi Router – $50

Cisco-Linksys E1000 Wireless-N Router – $60

TP-Link AC1750 Smart WiFi Router – $80

NETGEAR Nighthawk Smart WiFi Router – $190  

Run maintenance on your computer

Both Apple and Microsoft Windows operating systems require regular maintenance to keep your computer running efficiently. If you haven’t done maintenance for a long time, your system is most likely not running as fast as it could. This will affect your Internet experience. 

For Apple Mac OS we recommend using the freeware application, Onyx. It’s easy to use and has been a standard for Mac maintenance for more than a decade. For Windows OS, there are a variety of programs out there, but CCleaner is recommended. It does have paid versions, but this link should take you to the free version, which is all you need. 

Upgrade your Internet connection

If none of the suggestions above help, you may need more bandwidth. The first thing to do is run a speed test when you experience network slowdown. This is where things can get tricky. 

How much speed do you really need? In truth, not nearly as much as big box ISPs like to say. One person can stream music and movies with a 6 Mbps symmetrical connection. Symmetrical means the same speed for both uploads and downloads. You may have blazing download speed, and terrible upload speed. This can affect your online experience. Here’s a quick guide.

3+ Mbps

Regular browsing

Music streaming

SD Video streaming

Ideal for 1 person

6+ Mbps

HD video streaming

Live-streaming

Gaming

Ideal for 1-2 people

10+ Mbps

Ultra HD streaming

Multiple HD streams

Large data transfers

Ideal for 2-4 people

If you’re not getting these minimums, contact your ISP and look into upgrading service. If you’re looking for a better connection overall and live in the San Francisco Bay Area, Etheric Networks may be able to help. Our fixed wireless network offers symmetrical speeds with guaranteed service levels. 

Image by annca from Pixabay

Our Covid-19 response | Staying connected during difficult times

Mar 17, 2020

Image by thedarknut from Pixabay

Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to be top of mind and we’ve been actively monitoring updates from the CDC, state, and county to help us manage through this rapidly evolving situation. 

How this affects you

Existing customers who want to upgrade service should contact us directly via upgrades@EthericNetworks.com and we will do our best to deliver the service you need as soon as possible. Please understand that your connection is unique. Not all connections can be upgraded immediately or remotely. We understand that you need a reliable connection with increased speed. We will do everything we can to deliver that as quickly as possible. 

Data caps and limits

We don’t enforce data caps. We provide unlimited data* to all Etheric clients.

*Traffic engineering is done per access point to allow for allocation of available capacity during times of congestion. Without traffic engineered data limits everyone gets poor service during congestion. Put simply, there is a speed limit… but not a total mileage limit.

Data caps = total mileage limit 

Data limits = speed limit 

Changes to service calls and new installs

To protect you and our field techs, we have made some changes in how they will interact with you. Etheric field techs will wear N-95 masks and cannot physically interact with anyone on site. Unfortunately, this includes handshakes and high-fives. Techs will maintain a 6-foot distance between themselves and anyone they have to talk with on site. We prefer that conversations happen via phone as much as possible. 

Based on the most recent guidance from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, and in an abundance of caution, all Etheric Networks employees who can work from home, will do so as long as necessary. 

Please stay safe,

Etheric Networks

Tips For Buying An Internet-Ready Home

Oct 31, 2017

Have you ever purchased a home to find that you cannot get Internet service? This painful realization for would-be buyers relocating to the suburbs or rural areas can come a little too late! Below we share some tips for buying an Internet-ready home to help you avoid the same mistake.

CONCERNS ABOUT INTERNET SERVICE IN RURAL AREAS

My home is in a Mountainous Area – What service options are available to me?

Not every Internet Service Provider is available in all areas. Many of us have grown up spoiled by countless options in the city, but when you move to the suburbs or rural areas, the well dries up and reality shows its ugly face. Ouch!

So what if my current provider does not offer service in my new neighborhood?

In every state, you can find a list of service providers for your area at websites like Broadband Now, which displays pricing and vendors by zip code. But, buyer beware: just because it lists local Internet providers, that doesn’t always mean that they can provide service to your desired home.

TYPES OF INTERNET SERVICES:

DSL Internet – Service provided through your phone line; prevalent in major cities and also available in some rural communities.

Consumer Tip:  Call your local provider to see if service is available at your new location. No matter what you hear, verify service availability by having them come out to confirm this.

Cable Internet– In telecommunications, cable Internet access, shortened to cable Internet, is a form of broadband Internet access which uses the same infrastructure as a cable television. Also principally located in metropolitan areas, cable Internet may or may not be an option.

Consumer Tip: Call your local cable provider to see if service is available in your new area to transfer your service. No matter what you hear, verify serviceability by having them come out to confirm this.

FIXED WIRELESS AND SATELLITE

Fixed Wireless – Fixed wireless is the operation of wireless devices or systems used to connect two fixed locations (e.g., building to building or tower to a building) with a radio or other wireless link.

Consumer Tip: Wireless Internet providers require line-of-sight to fulfill service. Some areas may require custom installations for clients with challenging terrain. Custom installs may cost buyers more upfront fees but can provide homeowners options when all else fails. Fixed wireless providers offer service in both metropolitan and rural areas as a “last mile” where other telcos are not available.

Satellite Internet – Satellite Internet access is Internet access provided through communications satellites. Modern consumer-grade satellite Internet providers serve individual consumers through geostationary satellites that can offer data speeds ranging from two to eighteen megabits per second.

Consumer Tip:  Often confused with Fixed Wireless, Satellite can provide service to nearly any area. However, at 22,000 miles above the earth and using the law of physics, ping on Satellite Internet will average around 625 milliseconds. This type of Internet service ends up being the last resort after finding Fixed Wireless, DSL, or Cable providers are unavailable.

What if my current provider is not available?

If you find yourself in this predicament, start looking for alternatives immediately. Research the area to see what providers offer service to your desired neighborhood. You can also ask neighbors to see who they use, check on Yelp, or see if your realtor can recommend anyone.

How to confirm service before you buy?

Remember: The seller wants you to buy their home.

If they are using a local provider that fails to impress, do your homework to look for other Internet providers that cover that area. Make sure you ask the seller if they can set up a free site survey with the desired Internet provider in that area to confirm serviceability. Once you have confirmation that Internet is available to that house, you still have work to do. See below for more tips.

Consumer Tip:  It is crucial that you do your due diligence to confirm if the house you want to buy has reliable Internet. Asking around is one method to get a feel for anecdotal issues. Nearby neighbors will give you the “skinny” of past tales with providers, speeds offered and performance they are getting using that service provider.

Another way to confirm services is to visit the prospective home you want to buy and explore Internet options just as you would other features of a potential new home. Some buyers focus more on the esthetics and worry about Internet later – don’t make that mistake!

Also, check for existing equipment located on the roof or property and ask the realtor for the name of the Internet Provider delivering service at that home.

Consumer Tip:  Asking the right questions will help you uncover what is real and what is not. Just because you see a telephone box does not mean you can get DSL Internet.

Once you’ve finished your preliminary investigation, call the local provider or providers to find out what speeds they provide, pricing, and learn if they serve other clients in that area as well.

Remember, it is not what you think you know; it is what you can prove.  

So there you have it, folks. Please use this as a good start to make your next home buying experience a lesson you do not have to learn the hard way. Be Internet ready! As always, thanks for listening! – Sonia

Question: Did you buy the house or did you walk away? Please share any past experiences.

Photo via Mr.TinDC