Frequently Asked Questions

An internet protocol (IP) address is an identifier used for every device on a computer network.

There are two types of IP addresses:

Private: An IP address that is only routable on a private network.
Public: An IP address that is routable on the public internet.

Network Address Translation (NAT) is a service used in routers that allows a single IP address to represent an entire group of computers on a network by translating a public IP address to a private IP address and vice versa. This was done to help prolong the use of IPv4 address space.

Port forwarding is a commonly used setting to allow services on a private network to be accessed remotely. I.e., hosting a multiplayer video game, website, or viewing home surveillance cameras.

Port forwarding settings are often configured on your home router. However, some internet service providers, such as AT&T, take care of the NAT function on their end. This is known as carrier-grade NAT (GCNAT). This may prevent you from using port forwarding. In this case, a static IP address might need to be purchased to allow port forwarding to work.

Sometimes the Beacon Service will lock up and you will not be able to get online.  We have created a cheat sheet to walk you through how to reset the equipment without calling technical support.  Much faster and easy to follow instruction.  CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD and VIEW 

 

No. While both types of service use radio frequencies to send and receive data, our sites are local, meaning there’s less latency and faster speeds than typical satellite service.

It all depends on the line-of-site (view) between your location and our mountain-top sites. We have customers located 10 to 15 miles away who have great service, while others only a few miles away may not be able to get service at all. If you can see the mountains west or northwest of Redding from your site, you can probably get service.

The only requirement is that your computer has a network card (NIC). Most computers built in the last several years already have one. (Look for something that looks like a big phone jack on the back of your computer). If your computer doesn’t have a network card, one can be easily added by us or someone else.

Yes. If you have a router, our unit can plug directly into it. Your desktop or laptop computer then accesses the Internet using the router.

All wireless services come with unlimited data usage. Some of our Beacon LTE areas come with data caps. 

Yes, our wireless service does support online gaming. During peak usage, bad weather, etc there can be moments of slower performance. However, we’re constantly upgrading the network to increase both capacity and performance.

ShastaBeam network does not actively filter any applications on our network. However, BitTorrent (and other peer-to-peer file sharing services) are “noisy” network applications that quickly deplete limited wireless resources, ultimately effecting the service of other customers. For that reason we do not support excessive BitTorrent usage, per our Acceptable Use Policy.

If using an Apple AirPort brand wireless router, and your AirPort is also directly connected to ShastaBeams’s equipment, be sure NOT to configure your AirPort in “Bridge Mode.” Running “Bridge Mode” is a serious security risk for your devices, and you will also experience issues in connecting your wireless devices to the internet.

We recommend that for each profile you navigate to “Your Account” and then choose “Playback Settings.” Under Playback Settings, choose “Auto.” This will allow the video quality to automatically adjust for continued viewing even during peak times.

For our Satellite customers, please choose “Medium.” This will considerably conserve your data and help prevent you from going over your data limit.