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1. Can I access my business network through this service?

Yes, however high volume usage is prohibited and could result in loss of access.

2. How does this service work?

The City of Westfield / Westfield Public Schools has installed wireless access points within public buildings which transmit a signal wirelessly to a user’s Wireless 802.11b/g/n wireless network adapter. With a properly installed wireless network adapter, a user launches their browser and receives the Wireless Internet disclaimer page. Once they OK the Disclaimer and Terms of Use, they are able to connect to Public Wireless Service.

3. How fast is the Internet connection?

The City of Westfield / Westfield Public Schools connects to the Internet via a single shared Internet connection. The actual throughput (speed) varies depending on the number of concurrent users. Download speeds will usually range from 1Mbps to 54Mbps, however the town does not guarantee this service or minimum throughput speeds.

4. How secure is this system?

We do not enable WEP (Wired Equivalency Protection), WPA, or any other encryption methods on any of the wireless equipment used in our network. Therefore, no special keys are required to use the service. WEP encryption is not yet practical for a public access network, due in part to the absence of a standardized method for relaying encryption keys between different manufacturers’ equipment. We also encourage our subscribers to observe good security practices.

5. What do I need to connect to this service?

You will need a Wireless compliant 802.11b/g/n wireless Ethernet device in your laptop or another device with WiFi capability. You must have DHCP enabled, that is, no static IP address. You must not have a static proxy server or static DNS server specified.

6. What if I have problems connecting to this service?

For liability and cost reasons city staff is strictly prohibited from handling or troubleshooting users’ personal computers. If city staff is contacted they will only verify the current operation state of the public wireless internet.

7. What is 802.11b/g/n?

IEEE 802.11 is an international standard for wireless networking. It permits different devices to communicate with one another using this standard. There are different versions of this standard and City of Westfield / Westfield Public Schools has chosen the most common one, 802.11b/g/n. Your laptop or PDA device must be enabled with an 802.11b/g/n network adapter or chip in order to communicate with this system.

8. What operating systems are compatible with this service?

The wireless Internet is not OS-specific, and will work with any operating systems as long as there is a compatible, properly configured network adapter.