Common Connection Questions
- I'm having internet connection problems. How do I reset my modem?
- What kind of security software does Wave Broadband use?
- Does Wave offer dial-up service for customers to use while traveling?
- I cannot connect to a service I want to use. Are you blocking any ports?
- I want to get my internet speed closer to the optimum speed for my service level. Is there anything I can do to improve my internet connection's performance?
I'm having internet connection problems. How do I reset my modem?
To reset your modem, unplug the power for at least 30 seconds. If the modem cannot establish the connection within a few minutes after resetting, call our technical support department at 1-866-928-3123 for help. If you are using a router in addition to the modem, please see our instructions for resetting both pieces of equipment.
What kind of security software does Wave Broadband use?
Wave Broadband uses network security software to ensure the stability of our network. We do not currently offer software for consumer home computers. In order to have a safe connection to the internet, you will want to make sure that you keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software up-to-date, and that any firewall software you use is configured properly. If you need assistance with your security software, you will want to contact the company that provided the software.
Does Wave offer dial-up service for customers to use when traveling?
No. As a cable company, we do not have any dial-up internet options to provide. However, you can access your WaveBroadband.com email away from home through Webmail.
I cannot connect to a service I want to use. Are you blocking any ports?
Wave Broadband blocks very few ports, but the blocks we do have in place are necessary for maintaining the security of our network. The blocked ports are:
- Ports 135-139, NetBIOS ports used by ping, traceroute and denial-of-service attacks
- Port 445, MS-SQL port used by Slammer worm
- Port 593, RPC port used by several worms
- Port 1900, Universal Plug'N'Play port used to access other UPNP devices on internet
- Port 4444, RPC port used by Blaster worm
If you encounter a problem connecting to any other port over our network, this can be caused by a firewall running on your computer, or in the hardware between your computer and our network. You will want to check the settings of any firewall software running on your computer, and if you are using a router to connect to your modem, the settings on the router's firewall.
Wave Home Networking customers: The Motorola SBG900 modem gateway you lease from Wave Broadband also has a firewall, which blocks many network ports by default. If you are encountering a blocked port using the SBG900, please contact our technical support department at 1-866-928-3123 to have our staff update the firewall to allow access to the ports you would like to use.
I want to get my internet speed closer to the optimum speed for my service level. Is there anything I can do to improve my internet connection's performance?
Yes, there are a number of ways to improve the performance of your internet connection, and to isolate the cause of any possible speed issues.
First, you will want to remove any home networking devices that may be slowing down your connection. Disconnect the power to your cable modem, and make sure the ethernet cable is running directly from the modem to your computer. If you are using USB to connect your computer, it is possible to receive the correct speed but have your computer unable to properly access that speed.
Once the modem has gone without power at least thirty seconds, restore power to your cable modem, and establish a new connection to the internet. Please note that if you are connecting to the internet using a third-party Voice over IP service, it may not be possible to receive the correct speed whether or not you are using the VoIP phone at the time.
Next, make sure all other software that uses the internet is disabled. You will need to shut down any file-sharing, email, messenger, and private networking software, as well as anything else which could be using your internet connection in the background. In all supported versions of Windows, a system tray located next to the time will show small icons of programs running in the background. Any internet programs running in the system tray should be disabled before running a speed test.
Most performance issues can be addressed simply by shutting down background internet programs and bypassing additional network equipment.
In order to test your speed, Wave Broadband provides a speed test designed to test your connection within our network. Since many factors can affect your access to individual websites, we cannot guarantee the same connection speed in every online interaction.
Typical variations in line speed can produce speed tests indicating that your connection is running at 80-90% your maximum speed. Speed variations are due to a variety of factors, including network traffic, the number of people conducting the test simultaneously, or any number of hardware and/or software capabilities or limitations at the end-user machine. However, if you consistently receive poor performance, we can have a technician examine the connection in your home.
Still have questions? Please contact us at 1-866-WAVE-123 (1-866-928-3123).
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