Blog • Page 9 of 9 • Dakota Central

Fall Sun Outage Information

September 13, 2022October 2, 2018 by Dakota Central

Twice a year, in the spring and fall, you may experience brief television interference known as “sun outages” or “satellite sun fade.” This happens when energy from the sun overpowers satellites’ signals, which in turn causes interference with TV quality picture and sound. Interruption to TV service due to sun outages can last several minutes a day. Satellite sun fades typically occur between February and March in the spring, and September-October in the fall.

On the bright side, sun outages DO NOT affect Internet or Voice service!

What is a connected device and how many do you have?

July 12, 2022September 25, 2018 by Dakota Central

What is a connected device, and how many do you have?
Speaking of multitasking, let’s talk more about devices and how they affect your Wi-Fi. First of all, let’s determine how many connected devices are in your home (Wired and wireless). The obvious examples are smartphones, laptops/desktop computers, tablets (iPad), streaming devices (Roku), and gaming consoles (Xbox/PlayStation). The not-so-obvious devices are wireless printers, security cameras, baby monitors, any Wi-Fi enabled appliances, smart TVs, thermostats, lightbulbs and speakers (Amazon Echo). These devices are always connected to the internet and running in the background, so they are easy to forget about!

Now that we’ve cleared up what is exactly considered a connected device, let’s talk about how it affects your internet signal and speed. How well your Wi-Fi performs depends largely on the number devices that are connected, but also what you are using the internet for. Streaming, gaming, homework, work from home, shopping, surfing, the list goes on; your internet is working overtime these days!

In order to ensure your connection is working up to par, here are three things you can check:

1- The location of your router
Chances are your devices are used all around the house, heck, maybe even on the patio! Make sure your router is centrally located to reach all of those nooks and crannys. If you find it’s having a hard time reaching, you may need an access point to extend the signal. Give us a call and we can help you determine the best solution!

2- The age of your router
While you’re at it, it would be a good idea to make sure your router is up-to-date. If you aren’t sure how old your router is, you should be able to look up the model number to find out.

3- The actual speed you are getting- do a speed test!
If your device is directly plugged in with an Ethernet cable, you should be close to your subscribed speed. If you are connected via Wi-Fi, you should be getting around 80% of your subscribed speed. So, if you subscribe to 100 Mbps, you should get around 80 Mbps when connected to Wi-Fi. If you have multiple devices streaming and gaming simultaneously, they will all have to share that speed.

If you feel like your internet service isn’t able to keep up with your devices and usage- it may be time to upgrade your speed! Start a chat or give us a call to speak with a team member!

Upgrade: SD to HD!

September 17, 2018 by Dakota Central

ATTENTION TV CUSTOMERS

Does this little silver box look familiar? If so, it’s time to upgrade! These little babies are nearing end of life and we would like to set you up with the most up-to-date technology. The new set-top boxes are HD/DVR compatible and allow you to pause/fast-forward/rewind/restart programs, search for programs with an interactive guide, view most watched shows, and more!

Interested in HD? Call or chat with us today to upgrade!

Dakota Central TV Channel Additions

September 11, 2018 by Dakota Central

We are excited to announce to addition of the highly requested Hallmark Drama channel! Featuring iconic dramas, original movies, series and timeless favorites!

HALLMARK DRAMA – 205 / 860 HD

SPORTS

We have a few new High-Definition channels on the line-up,
just in time for fall sports!

FIGHT NETWORK HD – 706
FANTASY SPORTS NETWORK HD – 707
BEK SPORTS PLUS HD – 720 & 721
MIDCO SPORTS NETWORK HD – 727

It’s a GO! (HBO GO)

July 12, 2022August 8, 2018 by Dakota Central

We are extremely excited to finally announce the launch of HBO GO and MAX GO! We’ll explain what this means to you: Dakota Central HBO and Cinemax subscribers can now watch their favorite shows and movies anytime, anywhere- at no extra cost. If you’re anything like us, this is a big deal! You want the freedom to be able to stream Game of Thrones (or whatever you’re into) when and where it’s convenient for you. We get it!

Not only does HBO offer original series like Game of Thrones and hit movies, you will also find a great variety for kids, sports, documentaries and more. It’s the perfect cure for your post-summer blues.

NEW & UPCOMING
Sharp Objects (Series)
Succession (Series)
Insecure (Series)
Ballers (Series)
Hard Knocks (Sports)
Esme and Roy (Kids)
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Movie)

Let’s work together!

July 12, 2022July 2, 2018 by BCom Admin

Business owners- are you lacking expertise for things like IT support, Hardware/Software and Network Management? Do you struggle to find advice for certain IT projects but can’t afford to hire an IT expert on-staff? We hear you, and we’re here for you.

Network Management
IT Support
Remote Helpdesk Support
Unattended Remote Support
Performance and Preventative Maintenance
Virus and Malware Removal
Managed Firewall Services

Let’s work together to get your IT network in order, or simply have the peace of mind to know we have your back if you’re ever in a pickle!

Jamestown Office Addition

July 25, 2022July 2, 2018 by BCom Admin

In case you haven’t heard yet, we have some exciting things happening in the Jamestown office! We are in the process of building an addition onto the existing office, which will allow for more workspace and storage, as well as a larger training area and conference room. Construction began in the beginning of May, and the project is expected to be completed by the end of the year. When construction is complete customer parking will remain the same, but there will be a new customer entrance to look for, on the South side of the new addition. We apologize for any inconvenience throughout the process, and we appreciate our customers’ patience! We are excited for the project to be complete!

3 Steps to Smooth Streaming

July 25, 2022April 25, 2018 by BCom Admin

This NEVER-ENDING winter has us all going a little bonkers staying indoors, are we right? What we’ll call “bonus” winter weather also has us streaming to the MAX. So we thought we would drop you a few tips to make sure you are streaming seamlessly!

3 STEPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR STREAMING EXPERIENCE:

1-Check your connection: are you wired or wireless? If you are connected via Wi-Fi, that leaves more room for interference. If you are able to connect directly with an Ethernet cable, we recommend going that way.

2-Do a speed test: If your device is directly plugged in with an Ethernet cable, you should be close to your subscribed speed. If you are connected via Wi-Fi, you should be at around 80% of your subscribed speed. If you are not reaching those speeds- give us a call!

3-Router placement: Make sure your router is located centrally within your home. This way, any devices that are trying to connect over Wi-Fi should get a decent signal. If you still seem to have a slow connection or buffering, check the age of your router. If it is more than three years old, we recommend replacing the router (or ask us about our Managed Wi-Fi!).

If you’ve done these three steps and still don’t feel like your streaming experience is up to par, you may need to increase your speed. Our helpdesk staff is here for you- give us a call at 652.3184 or 952.1000 and ask for the Helpdesk!

Spring Sun Outages

December 1, 2022March 5, 2018 by BCom Admin