Lynx Internet

Frequently Asked Questions

General

1. What is Mobi?

Mobi provides simple, fast, secure, wireless mobile and portable access to broadband services.

2. What is unique about the Mobi system?

The Mobi system combines the four characteristics of:

- High Speed
- True Mobility
- Low Cost
- Security

Previously there have been several technologies that provide one or two of these (e.g. DSL: high speed, low cost but low mobility; 3G: High speed, high mobility but high cost) but Mobi is the first technology to provide all three.

3. Does it truly work on the move?

Yes, the greatest benefit is that Mobi is able to deliver what mobile professionals and people on the move have been waiting for; an effective service that allows them to work/play anywhere and at anytime inside the coverage areas.

There are few other tools that are more flexible or convenient than a 'permanently on' wireless Notebook connection which lets you access email and the Internet from the backseat of your chauffeur driven car, an airport lounge, a park or the lobby of the building your next meeting is in. No longer is there the need to hold off activities until finding a location that provides connectivity, either wired or wireless.

4. How do I access the service?

All you have to do is to contact our Support Department at 01300020 or 03-139931, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

5. Which devices are supported by the Mobi system e.g. Notebooks, desktops, handhelds?

The Mobi service is currently available via:

- A Mobi PC or USB Card Modem for mobile use
- A desktop modem for fixed setups.

It is also anticipated that the Mobi service will soon be available to PDA devices via the Mobi Access Card. In future Mobi communication will be available via compact flash cards and also embedded in devices.

6. Which operating systems does the Mobi system support?

The Mobi system works with Windows 98 SE, 98 ME, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista and Mac version 10.1.5 to 10.4.9. The desktop modem also works with any other device (WiFi Access Point, Router) supporting the PPPoE protocol.

7. How fast is it?

Under ideal conditions Mobi users can:

- Download (data coming to you) at up to one 1Mbps
- Upload (data coming from you) at up to 256 Kbps.

The degree to which these maximum speeds are attained depends on the quality of the signal which is influenced by several factors:

- The distance you are from the nearest base station
- Whether there are obstructions between you and the base station
- How many other people are connected via your base station
- The speed at which you are traveling
- Additionally, the speed of access is greatly influenced by all the usual Internet factors such as the speed of the server you are communicating with and the speed and usage levels of the links that the communication is going over.

8. Does it matter where I put my device on my premises?

Yes. Mobi modems should be preferably placed in the outer rooms of houses/businesses, If possible beside a window to reduce the number of obstacles separating the modem from the base station thus avoiding any connection problems.

9. Can I share my Mobi PC Card connection with others?

The beauty of the Mobi service is its personalization. It is like your mobile phone, you may allow someone to make a phone call for few minutes but you don't usually give it for days or weeks.

10. How does the Mobi service improve productivity?

The Mobi service helps productivity in many ways:

The mobility of the system means that you can be fully productive no matter where you are whilst under coverage: whether in the office or out in the field. You need not waste time returning to the office to perform transactions or to update data - all facilities are at your finger tips no matter where you are at the time under coverage.

Similarly, the mobility of the Mobi service means that there is no downtime, except when you want it. If you commute for long periods, Mobi can keep you fully productive for this period, freeing up time in your day for other activities.

A high speed secure connection to your company network and the Internet dramatically broadens the amount of information and services you can call upon in the field. A Notebook used offline with only local data to work with cannot help in unforeseen circumstances. For example, if you are visiting a client and cannot find their office, you can look at the client's web site to check the address and go to an online mapping site to get a map to direct you to the location.

11. What are the good and bad locations for Mobi devices?

Good Locations: Any area that is not too built up or dense i.e. close to window with not too many trees in the way, not on the floor, rather a window sill.

Bad Locations: If you have any doubts, a Mobi representative will come to your office to demonstrate the new technology.

12. Which ports are restricted on Mobi network?

Due to excessive DoS attacks and worm traffic, the following ports will be restricted: tcp 445, 135, 139, 1433, 1434; udp 1433, 1434. Furthermore, peer to peer traffic is shaped on most Mobi packages. SMTP relaying on port TCP 25 is restricted to authorized SMTP relays only.

13. How much data is typically in 1 MB?

A MB of data is equivalent to approximately 250 emails (200 words each), 20 e-mail attachments, 20 pages of Excel spreadsheets, or 10 web pages

Coverage

1. Where does it work (what is the coverage)?

The Mobi service is available in Greater Beirut and up to Jounieh area with all mountains facing the waterfront, and Tripoli. For more coverage details visit our website under the "Where is it?" section.

Coverage is expanding all the time and will extend to other urban areas. When the network rollout is completed it is anticipated that the network will provide coverage for over 75% of the Lebanese population and to over 90% homes and businesses.

2. How do I find out if my area is covered?

Select the Coverage maps to find out under the "Where is it" section. To learn more, please contact Lynx customer care office 01-300020 or our Sales Support 03139931.

3. Can I use your modem in other countries?

Yes depending on the services that private operators have in a given country. Currently the Mobi technology is widely deployed in Australia, South Africa, Netherlands, Norway, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Canada, Ghana etc... Its deployment in other countries is going on.

4. Are there downtime periods in Mobi system due to technical problems?

Mobi provides the customers with 24 hours a day network access. There are no downtime gaps due to technical problems in the Mobi network, excluding force majeur situations. Due to coverage expanding and works on improvement of service quality short time breaks are possible. The customers will be informed about these works beforehand by web site news and e-mail messages. On the other hand, the problems with the quality of provided Internet, which are not directly related to the Mobi network, are possible. In such cases the company applies all attempts to solve the problem as soon as possible.

5. I have fluctuating signals. What do I do?

Check the coverage maps on the website and boost your signal with an antenna. Move your device to a location more conducive to better signal.

Connectivity

1. I am getting an error 'Phone line busy / Remote Computer Does Not Respond' what do I do?

- Phone line busy is a sign that your signal has deteriorated or you're in a low coverage zone.
- Remove and reinsert the UT device.
- Get an antenna.
- Reboot the PC.
- Check if Ethernet port is OK (UTD) or that the dialup interface is enabled (UTC/UTU)
- Call the support center to assist further if the above has not helped.

2. I am getting an error 'Phone line busy / Remote Computer Does Not Respond' what do I do?

- Phone line busy is a sign that your signal has deteriorated or you're in a low coverage zone.
- Remove and reinsert the UT device.
- Get an antenna.
- Reboot the PC.
- Check if Ethernet port is OK (UTD) or that the dialup interface is enabled (UTC/UTU)
- Call the support center to assist further if the above has not helped.

3. I'm unable to connect. What do I do?

- Check if there is signal or check your link status on the IB icon on your task bar if connected through USB or on a UTC device.
- Check if UT is connected correctly & all cables (e.g. Ethernet cable between UTD and PC)
- Check all ports, Ethernet/USB on your operating system to ensure that they are fully functional.
- Check that the virtual network has not been disabled or deleted. This can be checked under your network connections.
- Check if connecting through a router - if so check PPPoE settings i.e. username, password.
- Bring the UT device for testing at the Mobi office or your local supplier.

If all above fail contact the Support Center or your local supplier.

4. Why is there an icon on my taskbar indicating I have \"limited or no connectivity\"?

This is a virtual network connection required by the Mobi device for connectivity. Ensure you DON'T DISABLE this local area network connection.

Technology

1. Do I need to set up a VPN to access my company's network?

It is not strictly necessary, but many enterprise customers choose to do so as this allows users to employ a common access mechanism when working remotely from the office. The use of a VPN provides an additional level of data security and has the advantage that it is fully managed by the enterprise. Being an IP based system; Mobi will transparently support VPN operation.

2. How does the Mobi service compare with WiFi (Wireless LAN, 802.11)?

WiFi is an extremely useful technology for providing localized wireless connectivity for a group of related users. In the scenario of an office or a home environment it is ideal. However, it does not work well with wide area, public communications access. This is firstly due to its range of up to a maximum of 100 meters, limiting it generally to one premise such as a home, office or a cafe.

Authorizing users for access is another impediment. Due to the haphazard way WiFi public access points are being deployed, allowing for a user to identify themselves and pay for the service is proving to be a severe challenge for service providers and results in great inconvenience for the user. In contrast, Mobi has much greater range and thus blankets entire metropolitan areas so the customer can expect coverage where they are rather than have to seek out hotspot locations. Billing is centralized and standardized as the network is being run and coordinated by one company for the entire country.

3. How is Mobi different from other wide-area wireless broadband services?

Mobi service is the only mobile wireless broadband provider in Lebanon. Other wireless broadband providers in the market only offer fixed services, or wireless services, however, with limitations, meaning that their customers cannot be on the move while connected. Further, their base stations cannot hand-off users to balance load between them. In addition, due to the Mobi technology you can expect better coverage at greater distances, even indoors, than the other services at a higher data rate.

The Mobi service is unique in that it offers high speed, secure, mobile and portable wireless broadband access. These characteristics make Mobi one of the fastest, flexible and cost effective wireless broadband options currently available in Lebanon.

4. How does the Mobi service compare with 2.5G/GPRS/3G/EV-DO?

2.5G and GPRS are terms used for the data service delivered over standard mobile phone networks. These are significantly slower (20 to 30 Kbps) and more expensive than the Mobi service.

3G is the mobile data service for the next generation of mobile phone networks. Whereas 3G primarily builds on a voice platform, Mobi is an optimized data platform designed as an end to end IP network. Due to the extremely high spectral efficiency of Mobi, it can be offered in a cost effective fashion. As with 2.5G, the data is more expensive and slower than data over the Mobi service.

EV-DO refers to the data component of the CDMA mobile phone network. Because EV-DO sits on top of a voice network it is not ideally suited to carry data traffic. As a result as with 2.5G/GPRS and 3G the EV-DO network is more expensive and on average slower than the rate at which Mobi can transmit data.

5. How secure is the Mobi network for the external control?

The Mobi network uses the HC-SDMA technology - one of the safest systems of wireless connections. Each time your Internet connection starts, your terminal (modem) and the base station exchange the encrypting keys, that are unique for each session and are terminated after the disconnection. All the data exchange between your computer and the base station is encrypted by IPSec type protocol, so, it's quite impossible to control the data transmitting in the air.

6. How secure is my Internet connection via Mobi network?

Once a Mobi subscriber is connected to the Internet, he is exposed to the normal risks of any Internet connection - for example viruses, intrusion attempts and malware. It is advisable that normal Internet security measures were implemented by the subscribers such as firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus programs. It is equally important that such security measures be continuously maintained and updated.

7. Notebook

8. Do I need a wireless enabled Notebook?

No, the Mobi service is fully compatible with existing Notebooks which have a PCMCIA card slot - no upgrades are required. All you need is a Mobi PC Card Modem and the required installation software. Installation is quick and easy and typically no more than 5 minutes to complete. A QuickInstall CD is provided with every modem.

9. Can I connect to a corporate LAN?

Yes, it is possible to use both the Mobi Notebook and desktop modem to provide a broadband link to a corporate LAN. The qualification as to whether this is possible depends on how your existing IT system is organized and whether there are any arrangements for remote working already in place. For ex, if you already use a VPN for access from home then it is a simple measure to extend this to Mobi.

10. How much power will the Mobi modem use on my Notebook?

The Mobi modem power usage is comparable to that of a WiFi device. Power consumption is dependant on the following factors:

- Level of activity - there is less power consumed when the system is idle
- Direction of data - there is less power consumed receiving data than sending it
- Signal strength - there is less power consumed when within good coverage

11. What makes Mobi different to WiFi (Wireless LAN, 802.11)?

The main differences are range and speed. Signals from the Mobi modem can be picked up several km away by one of the Mobi network base stations. By contrast, a WiFi has a range of only a few tens of meters, but its transfer speeds are higher. This means that the Mobi service is able to provide ubiquitous coverage to users, not just near a WiFi 'hot-spot'.

12. Desktop

13. What are the benefits of the desktop modem?

The desktop modem allows for all the benefits of a fixed broadband connection with the addition of portability. This means the service can be disconnected by simply unplugging it from the mains, and moved to a new location to be reconnected by simply powering up the Mobi desktop modem again. This allows easier movement of the service than a fixed line connection whether the move is between rooms or between cities. Also the desktop modem provides a broadband link to a local network which may be a traditional wired LAN or a wireless LAN using an 802.11 access point

14. Can I use an external antenna with the Mobi modem?

To access the Mobi network in areas with very poor signal and to improve the quality of connection in areas with low one you can connect an external antenna to your Mobi modem. To learn more, please contact our customer care office.

15. What does the Mobi desktop modem weigh?

It's very light at only 200 grams.

External Antennas

1. How can I see if my speeds have improved?

A good simple way is to use the speed test from the Mobi website. Make sure to take a reading before you connect the antenna and again after you connect, to compare. Always remember your maximum speed achievable is based in the coverage of the area you are in and the overall quality of the signal.

2. What do I do if I'm receiving better signal on the opposite side of the premises to where connectivity is required?

- Move your computer to the preferred location.
- Additional antenna cable extensions can be added to the standard 5m supplied. These are in the lengths of 5m or 10m.

This is recommended as a last resort as additional cable results in a reduction in the signal quality received.

3. Where's the best place to install my antenna?

Your signal is best when there is a direct line of sight to a base station. So places high up, like roofs or high walls, are good because there is less chance of something obstructing the signal. Your signal is weakened by being bounced off walls or buildings before reaching the base station. The antenna should be mounted outside and on a solid surface, using the supplied plugs and screws, or onto a TV pole.

Account management

1. How do I find out the bandwidth I still have available for the month?

Logon to your account management page at the following link: http://mobi.lynx.net.lb

Go to "My Services", choose your service name then click, see session info.

2. I'm having problems sending mail. What do I do?

- Check your antivirus isn't stopping your outgoing mail.
- Check your SMTP setting in your mail client is correct : smtp.lynx.net.lb
- Remember: if you're on a network only 4 mails can be sent out concurrently.
- Server should be in "host forwarding mode" (NOT "DNS delivery mode").
- Server response setting set to 180 seconds.
- Maximum mail size must be less than 10 MB.
- Maximum number of recipients per message = 30.
- If all of the above are of no assistance please contact the Support Desk.

3. I'm unable to browse or mail once I've reached my Cap. What do I do?

Contact the call center to assist with troubleshooting or purchase 1 gig of bandwidth to get you onto an uncapped full speed connection.

4. My email isn't working. What do I do?

Login to Your Account to ensure that the account works.
Check SMTP and POP3 settings are:
smtp.myisp.net.lb,
pop3.lynx.net.lb.

If you are using Mobi on a network:
Only 4 mails can be sent out concurrently,
Server should be in "host forwarding mode" (NOT "DNS delivery mode"),
Server response setting set to 180 seconds,
If all of the above are not of assistance please call the Support Desk.

5. My PC had uploaded 800 MB's by itself. Why?

This is a sign of either a virus or some spyware uploading your data to some hacker out there on the web or a phishing site stealing your information.

To do:

- Update your spyware & your antivirus package
- Check your firewall is on

6. Why is my speed low?

Your UT might need to be moved around to improve your speed.
If you're using a UTD over USB with other USB devices this could result in slow speeds.
Are you doing Peer-to-Peer? This is not a prioritized function on our network and therefore does not get full 1/mbps download rates.
Uploading is slower (peak rate of 256 kbps as opposed to downlink speed of 1 Mbps)

LYNX Internet

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Coverage

Connectivity

Technology

External Antennas

Account management

General

Coverage

Connectivity

Technology

External Antennas

Account management

Your Lynx

Dial Up Numbers

Sales Support

LYNX INTERNET RESELLERS