Frequently
Asked Questions
General Questions
What is EarthLink™ High Speed
Internet for cable modem access?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet is delivered to your computer over the
same upgraded cable systems that bring cable television into
your home. Using cable's hybrid fiber-coaxial (HFC) network,
EarthLink integrates multimedia programming with the latest
communication tools and personalized services such as email,
a Personal Start Page, personal web space, streaming audio,
and streaming video.
---back to top of page
Do
I need Time Warner Cable to get EarthLink High Speed Internet?
No, but
your home must be serviceable by Time Warner Cable to receive
the EarthLink High Speed Internet service. If you can get
Time Warner Cable in your neighborhood, then you can probably
get EarthLink High Speed Internet for cable modem access.
---back to top of page
How
does EarthLink High Speed Internet work?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet is delivered to your computer over the
same upgraded HFC cable systems that bring cable television
into your home. It uses the existing copper coaxial cable
plant in your neighborhood and high-capacity fiber networks
to reach the Internet.
---back to top of page
What's
the difference between EarthLink High Speed Internet and other
online services?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet uses the upgraded HFC network and dedicated
fiber networks to provide Internet access. Most other high
speed services use existing telephone lines to connect to
the telephone company’s central office; where it connects
to higher capacity networks and finally connects to the Internet.
---back to top of page
Does
EarthLink High Speed Internet require a phone line?
No, your
EarthLink High Speed Internet service does not require a telephone
line. There is no "dialing in" or "logging
on".
---back to top of page
Can
I access the Internet if I’m on the road?
Not with
your EarthLink High Speed Internet service. However, your
account comes with unlimited dial up Internet access, so you
can access the Internet when you are away from home.
---back to top of page
What
is analog or dial-up roaming service?
Analog-roaming
service is dial-up Internet service that allows all our EarthLink
High Speed Internet customers to connect to the Internet with
an analog modem and a regular phone line. Your EarthLink High
Speed Internet account includes unlimited hours of free dial-up
service every month. This service allows you to stay connected
to your Internet service while you are away from your home
computer in over 600 cities nationwide. So, you'll be able
to get your email or surf the Internet whenever you're on
the road.
---back to top of page
Cable
Terms and Conditions?
See Cable
Terms and Conditions
How can I get help?
See Contact Us
I already subscribe to EarthLink and
use an analog, dial-up modem. Can I switch to EarthLink High
Speed Internet and keep my email address?
Yes, when
you switch to EarthLink High Speed Internet service and your
email address will not change. This includes all @earthlink.net
and @mindspring.com domain names.
---back to top of page
If
I switch to EarthLink High Speed Internet, will my Personal
Start Page change?
Yes, your
Personal Start Page will change to reflect your new EarthLink
High Speed Internet service. The new page will provide you
with many online resources that will help you to take advantage
of your new high speed Internet access.
---back to top of page
I’m
concerned about security. What features does EarthLink High
Speed Internet have to protect me?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet includes firewall software to protect
you and your computer from unwanted users.
---back to top of page
Who
provides the service, EarthLink or Time Warner Cable?
Both.
Time Warner Cable provides a portion of the network that EarthLink
High Speed Internet uses to deliver high speed Internet access
to your home. EarthLink provides the other portion of the
network and all the services.
---back to top of page
Who
will I receive a bill from—EarthLink or Time Warner?
To simplify
billing, you will be billed by Time Warner. Your monthly Time
Warner cable bill will also show charges for your EarthLink
High Speed Internet service.
---back to top of page
Speed
How fast is EarthLink High Speed
Internet?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet is 50 times faster than a traditional
analog modem connection; with speeds up to 5 Mbps downstream
and up to 384 kbps upstream.
---back to top of page
Is
EarthLink High Speed Internet speed guaranteed?
Connection
speeds are not guaranteed. EarthLink High Speed Internet offers
a "best effort" service. That means we will always
do our best to provide you with the fastest connection possible.
---back to top of page
Will
multiple users impact the speed of EarthLink High Speed Internet?
Bandwidth
is shared from the neighborhood HFC node to your home, so
it is possible for performance to vary depending on how many
customers are actively using the system at any given time.
It is worth noting, however, that this is also true for the
Internet as a whole. The Internet is, in essence, one extremely
large, shared network.
---back to top of page
Connectivity
How does EarthLink High Speed
Internet connect to the Internet?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet service connects to the Internet through
large fiber networks. The Internet signal is brought to your
cable company’s HFC by a portion of this fiber network.
At a neighborhood HFC node, the fiberoptic signal is converted
into an electrical signal that is carried by the copper coaxial
plant to your cable modem in your home. The signal is then
converted to Ethernet and carried to your computer over a
category-5 patch cable and a network interface card (NIC);
or, depending on your particular situation, it may connect
to your computer through a USB connection.
---back to top of page
What
does an "always on" connection mean?
EarthLink
High Speed Internet gives you a dedicated connection between
your computer and your cable company’s HFC network. That
connection is "always on," so there's no need to
dial in. No waiting to get online. No more busy signals. Always
on means the Internet is always just a click away. The always
on connection does not mean that your computer is vulnerable
to hackers. Instead, it means that when your computer is on,
so is your connection to the Internet.
---back to top of page
Will
I get busy signals?
No. You
will never get busy signals with EarthLink High Speed Internet
because there is no phone line or dialing involved. Instead,
you are directly connected to the Internet.
---back to top of page
EarthLink High Speed
Internet and Your Cable
Can I still watch television when
using EarthLink High Speed Internet?
Yes. EarthLink
High Speed Internet sends data to and receives data from your
computer using a range of cable frequencies that aren't used
for television signals. Even multiple TV's and computers can
be served off of the same cable line. This means that you
can watch your favorite television shows and use EarthLink
High Speed Internet at the same time!
---back to top of page
Availability
How much does EarthLink High Speed
Internet cost and is it available in my area?
Please
see our pricing and availability pages.
Is
there a business solution for EarthLink High Speed Internet?
Not at
this time.
Configuration
What kind of computer do I
need to get EarthLink High Speed Internet?
Check
out our system requirements
page.
Am
I allowed to network my EarthLink High Speed Internet service?
Yes, but
EarthLink will not provide technical support for networked
computers. EarthLink will only provide technical support for
the EarthLink High Speed Internet line and the primary PC
on which it was installed.
---back to top of page
Can
I use my existing cable modem equipment?
Yes, if
it is DOCSIS- certified and accepted by your cable company.
What
type of browser is used for EarthLink High Speed Internet?
Can I use my own?
EarthLink
provides a browser and email client in the EarthLink High
Speed Internet software. EarthLink High Speed Internet will
work with most browsers, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer
and Netscape Navigator or Communicator.
---back to top of page
Installation
How does the installation process
work?
A professional
installer does installation of the EarthLink High Speed Internet
from your cable company.
---back to top of page
Do
you offer a self-installation option?
Not at
this time.
Enhanced
Mode
Do
I need to be an EarthLink customer to access the Enhanced
Mode?
Yes, the Enhanced Mode is an exclusive benefit for all EarthLink
High Speed customers.
---back to top of page
How
much does the Enhanced Mode cost?
As an EarthLink High Speed customer, there is no additional
monthly charge to enjoy the videos, email previews, weather
reports, stock feeds, and daily horoscopes that are delivered
to you in the Enhanced Mode.
---back to top of page
How
can I make the Enhanced Mode my home page?
To make the Enhanced Mode your home page, follow these simple
steps:
- For
Internet Explorer:
- Make
sure EarthLink Personal Start Page is open in your browser.
- On
the Tools menu (versions 5.x and 6) or View menu (version
4.x), click Internet Options.
- On
the General tab under Home page, click Use Current.
- Click
OK.
- For
Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later:
- Make
sure EarthLink Personal Start Page is open in your browser.
- On
your browser's Edit menu, click Preferences.
- Under
Home Page, click Use Current Page.
- Click
OK.
---back to top of page
When
trying to navigate from a detail view back to the main view,
the Back Button on my browser did not work; instead it caused
a page refresh. How do I navigate back to the main view?
When in the detail views, there is an arrow in the bottom
right corner of the module that will take you back to the
main view. Click on that arrow to navigate back.
---back to top of page
Will
I be required to download anything view the Enhanced Mode?
The Enhanced Mode is built on Flash 5 technology. Every Flash
version is backwards compatible, so if you have Flash 5, 6,
or above installed, the Enhanced Mode will work. You will
only be prompted to download a Flash update if you do not
have Flash 5 or above installed on your computer.
---back to top of page
Will
an external video player be required to watch the videos in
the Enhanced Mode?
No, the Enhanced Mode is not dependent on any external media
player. It will work in any browser or Operating System that
supports Flash 5 or above.
---back to top of page
How
many video clips are downloaded to the enhanced module per
day?
There are five videos available to view in the Enhanced Mode
Module which will be updated throughout the day. Be sure to
check back often to see breaking news as it occurs.
---back to top of page
Can
I send emails from the email module?
The email module in the Enhanced Mode is for previewing only.
Through this module you can see the most recent unread emails
that have come into your Web Mail account. To reply to or
send emails, simply click on a message from the detail view
or on the link to Web Mail from the sign in prompt which will
open the Web Mail application in a new window.
---back to top of page
Can
I open emails from the email module?
To open and read a message from the detail view of the Enhanced
Mode Module, you should click on the message which will open
the EarthLink Web Mail application. From here you can read
the full message, reply, or send a new message.
---back to top of page
How
can I view weather data for a different city than the default
city?
To view weather data for a different city than the default
city, go to the Weather detail view and enter a different
zip code, city, or state. To change your default city for
weather data, click on the "Edit your weather preferences"
link in the detail view of Weather. You will be taken to an
edit page where you can add a city by name, zip code, or state.
---back to top of page
How
do I see the extended forecast?
To see the extended five day forecast, click on the "Five
Day Forecast" tab at the bottom of the Current Conditions
detail view in Weather. This will slide open the detail view
for the extended forecast.
---back to top of page
How
can I add stocks to my stock watch list?
To add stocks to your stock watch list, click on the "Edit
your stock preferences" link in the detail view of Stocks.
You will be taken to an edit page where you can add, delete,
or modify your stock symbols that you wish to track. There
is also a stock look-up option to search for stock symbols
by company name.
---back to top of page
How
can I view a stock that is not on my list?
To view a stock that is not on your stock watch list, enter
in the stock symbol or company name in the box on the detail
view of Stocks labeled "Get Quotes, News & Charts.
Enter a stock symbol."
---back to top of page
How
can I view horoscope information for a different sign than
the default sign?
To view horoscope information for a different sign than the
default sign, go to the Horoscope detail view and click the
new horoscope sign on the wheel. The wheel will automatically
rotate to show you the current horoscope for the new sign.
To change your horoscope sign, use the "Change your start
page horoscope setting" option on the Horoscope detail
view.
---back to top of page
How
do I change my default horoscope sign?
To change your preferred horoscope sign, click on the box
at the bottom of the Horoscope detail view. From here you
can select a new horoscope setting and this will be saved
as your default sign.
---back to top of page
How
can I change the layout, design, or colors of the Enhanced
Mode?
To change the layout, design, or colors of the Enhanced Mode,
click on the "Customize" button in the lower left
corner of the Enhanced Mode. First select from one of the
3 choices for layout and design. Choosing a new style loads
it into the main window. Then you can select from 3 designs for each of the 3.
---back to top of page
|
