Your top priority is keeping your family and home protected and safe from harm. Thankfully, today’s technology can help.
Your neighbors at FPUAnet Communications understand your concerns and desire to keep your family safe. We are also a part of our community and are proud to help serve and keep people informed, connected, healthy and secure. That’s why we’ve put together this brief guide to smart home security that anyone connected to our high-speed fiber network can learn from and put to good use.
This concise overview highlights some of the most well-regarded smart home security measures and technology recommended by home safety experts.
Smart Doorbells
Smart doorbells help you see who is at your door before you answer. They also monitor any activity on your doorstep, front porch, driveway and even on the street in some cases. These devices can help prevent deliveries and packages from being stolen and deter suspicious activity at your home.
Smart Security Cameras
A smart security camera setup is a must for those looking for more robust security.
You can install a smart security camera system anywhere in or outside your home, from the driveway to the backyard. Many smart security cameras are designed with motion sensors, so any time a person—or even larger wildlife—is detected, you will know it.
You can also use smart security cameras with motion-sensing outdoor lighting, which will also help deter unwanted visitors. Best of all, smart security cameras connect to your home’s Wi-Fi and all your devices, keeping you notified of activity outside your home.
Smart Lighting and Glass-Break Detectors
Other state-of-the-art smart home tools can further improve safety and security. For example, glass-break detectors can alert you to intruders. Similarly, smart lights detect motion and can send notifications to your phone or tablet, alerting you to be on your guard.
When these devices connect to your home’s fiber network, your family can be notified of a break-in, even if you aren’t home.
Personal Medical Alert and Emergency Devices
Seniors and others with mobility limitations or chronic health problems need quick communication with first responders.
When there’s an acute health emergency or other safety concern, personal medical alert and emergency devices can connect people to first responders at the touch of a button. During an emergency, there’s no need for seniors to locate and use a phone. Modern wearable tech makes it easier than ever to contact emergency services in seconds.
Don’t Forget About Network and Online Security
At FPUAnet Communications, we take the security and stability of our network very seriously. Our engineers and technicians constantly work to keep the network safe from attacks. But there are also some steps you can take to protect your data and online privacy.
Keep your home network safe from hackers and phishing attacks by using strong anti-virus software and apps on all your devices, as well as password managers to safeguard your accounts.
And be sure to use a complex password that is difficult to guess—and not the same as all your other passwords! Ad blockers can also save both aggravation and the unseemly tendency of advertisers to track your online activity.
These are just some innovative devices and services available to put smart home technology to good use for home safety and security. But as always, practice common sense in and around your home and online.
Keep front and back doors locked (and car doors, too). And avoid clicking on suspicious emails or untrustworthy links, so you don’t become a victim of a security breach. A little caution, paired with modern technology, can keep your home, family, and community safe and secure.
Many internet users experience a sluggish connection even with “high-speed internet.” They’ve invested in a good Wi-Fi router, perhaps a range extender, and may have even upgraded to a faster internet plan.
So why do they find themselves frequently frustrated by slowdowns and freeze-ups? What about their devices—or internet plan—causes this underwhelming performance? And what, if anything, can people do to reduce or even eliminate these issues?
The most likely culprits behind poor internet performance are bandwidth hogs—devices and online activities that gobble up too much bandwidth and slow down everyone’s internet access.
The good news is FPUAnet Communications’ advanced fiber network provides exceptionally high download speeds and the much-overlooked bandwidth capacity that only fiber internet can offer. Combined, fiber’s high speeds and excellent bandwidth can end internet sluggishness.
We discuss bandwidth in greater detail below and explain why every internet customer needs to understand it.
Then, we turn to the most common bandwidth hogs in most people’s homes—devices and online activities—and then explain how FPUAnet Communications’ best speed tiers can help resolve any bandwidth issues.
What Is Bandwidth—and Why Is Higher Bandwidth So Important?
Bandwidth can be confusing. Put simply, bandwidth is the amount of information an internet connection can manage per second.
Bandwidth doesn’t measure a particular internet connection’s rate (or speed). Instead, it’s about the volume of online data a connection can “carry” and transfer at any given time.
High bandwidth levels let internet users accomplish activities like streaming TV shows, participating in video calls, playing online games, and posting to social media simultaneously without any slowdowns.
More bandwidth is indispensable for keeping an active online household productive—and happy!
What Exactly Is a Bandwidth Hog?
A bandwidth hog is a colloquial term for a device or online activity that eats up more than its fair share of bandwidth. It hogs too much bandwidth and greedily takes it from other devices or activities. Keep in mind that everyday web browsing typically has little impact on overall bandwidth use.
Some devices are famous bandwidth hogs. Just by turning on and connecting to a bandwidth hog, a huge amount of available bandwidth on your internet connection will be used.
And certain activities require excess bandwidth to carry out your needs. When even one (or more) bandwidth hogs are activated, the dreaded slowdowns and freeze-ups can occur, leading to frustration and anger in your home!
High definition, 4K, and 4K Ultra-HD TVs produce stunning imagery and hog lots of bandwidth in the process. Using your smart TV can devour an enormous slice of your home internet’s bandwidth. If you have limited bandwidth capacity, your smart TV could impact other devices and online activities or even slow down a show you want to watch.
By far the activity with the most excessive use of bandwidth is streaming video.
Netflix tends to be the top offender, in part due to its popularity and vast library of content. Many people stream shows and movies on other devices like their tablets rather than just their smart TVs. And if you have more than one person in your household—and multiple tablets and phones in use—your bandwidth can easily be hogged just by streaming shows and movies.
And Netflix isn’t the only problem. Streaming services like TikTok and YouTube also use lots of bandwidth. Posting videos also hogs the bandwidth dedicated to uploads, which can be limited unless you’re on a fiber plan with symmetrical speeds.
Video Calling
During the COVID-19 pandemic, video conference calling became a daily part of life for many people. Zoom, FaceTime, Skype and other services allowed people to stay connected face-to-face, even across long distances. But video calls are notorious bandwidth hogs.
Voice, text, and video all combine to devour bandwidth—and that’s why you’ve experienced those ridiculous freeze-frame faces during the call!
And remember, with video calling, you are not just receiving data—you are also continuously sending it back to the server (uploading). That accounts for video calling’s massive appetite for bandwidth and why so many video calls end up frustrating people… unless you have fiber internet’s fast uploads!
Online Gaming
Another big-time bandwidth hog is online gaming.
Online gaming is incredibly problematic from a bandwidth perspective because, like video calling, information is shared—from the player back to the server and the server back to the player. It often jams the internet connection for gamers and others in the house.
Higher bandwidth allows this excessive volume of data to transfer with far less latency or other delays. So gamers experiencing lag or freezes will benefit from internet plans and tiers that provide more bandwidth.
What’s the Best Way to Get More Bandwidth?
Well, apart from eliminating bandwidth hogs—the devices and activities you already have and love—your best solution is to upgrade to fiber internet.
DSL, cable, and satellite internet don’t have fiber’s high speeds or bandwidth capacity because fiber’s innovative design and cutting-edge materials allow for data to transfer faster and in much higher volumes.
If you already have fiber internet and would like to improve your internet service, you should increase your plan’s maximum speeds. With our fastest plans, offering speeds up to 1 Gbps, not even these typical “hogs” will be able to gobble up all your bandwidth!
Our top tier package provides plenty of bandwidth to allow a steady flow of online activity like streaming TV and movies, video calling, online gaming, and social media posting. Just by using fiber internet and upgrading your internet speed, you should easily get all the bandwidth your household needs.
To sum it all up, the more bandwidth an internet connection has, the more information it can send out and get back at any particular moment.
And with fiber’s advanced technology and higher speeds, you’ll have additional bandwidth to disburse throughout your home and among your devices. With fiber’s higher bandwidth capacity, your household can avoid the freeze-ups and slowdowns that still plague so many internet users today.
If you have more questions about how fiber internet and its maximum speeds and higher bandwidth can make a difference in your internet connection, feel free to reach out to us.
Fort Pierce, FL – FPUAnet Communications, has announced a partnership with Blueline Telecom, one of the fastest growing Voice & Data service providers in the nation.
The partnership will enable FPUAnet Communications to offer Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solutions to its business customers, leveraging Blueline Telecom’s state-of-the-art cloud platform and network. UCaaS is a cloud-based service that integrates voice, video, messaging, collaboration, and mobility features into a single solution.
“We are excited to partner with Blueline Telecom and bring their innovative UCaaS solutions to our business customers,” said Jason Mittler, FPUAnet Manager. “This partnership will enhance our product portfolio and provide our customers with more options to communicate effectively and efficiently.”
“Blueline Telecom is proud to work with FPUAnet Communications and support their mission to provide high-speed fiber internet and smart city services to Fort Pierce,” said Scott Williams, President of Blueline Telecom. “We share their passion for customer care and look forward to delivering reliable, scalable, and cost-effective voice solutions to their market.”
The partnership will also benefit both companies by expanding their reach and customer base in Florida. FPUAnet Communications currently serves over 1,000 parcels in Fort Pierce with fiber internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Blueline Telecom serves over 10,000 customers nationwide with voice and data services.
About FPUAnet Communications
FPUAnet Communications is a division of Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA), a municipal utility that provides electric, water, wastewater treatment services as well as natural gas distribution services. FPUAnet Communications was established in 2008 to provide broadband communication services to the community. FPUAnet Communications offers fiber internet access delivered via fiber optic cable with symmetrical up and download speeds starting at 100 Mbps. For more information about FPUAnet Communications visit https://www.fpuanet.com/ or call (772) 468-1696.
About Blueline Telecom
Blueline Telecom is a leader in Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solutions for small and medium-sized businesses. Founded in 2011 by telecommunications industry veterans, Blueline Telecom offers voice and data services delivered via its geographically diverse and redundant network. Blueline Telecom’s software is a comprehensive cloud platform that integrates voice, video, messaging, collaboration, and mobility features into a single solution. For more information about Blueline Telecom visit https://www.bluelinetelecom.com/ or call (888) 551-0811.
FPUAnet Communications, a leading local provider of high-speed internet services, has announced the launch of a new fiber zone that promises to bring lightning-fast internet speeds to residents and businesses in the area.
The new fiber area, which covers several streets within the city, is part of FPUAnet’s ongoing efforts to expand its network and provide reliable and affordable internet services to its customers.
Fiber optic technology is widely recognized as the gold standard for internet connectivity, offering faster speeds, greater bandwidth, and more reliable connections than traditional copper cable or DSL lines. With fiber, data is transmitted via pulses of light that travel through thin strands of glass or plastic, making it faster and more reliable than traditional copper cable or DSL lines.
FPUAnet’s new fiber area is set to revolutionize the way residents and businesses in the region access the internet. With speeds of up to 1 Gbps, customers can enjoy lightning-fast downloads and uploads, seamless video streaming, and lag-free online gaming.
FPUAnet’s new fiber area is a game-changer for the region’s economy as well. With faster internet speeds, businesses can take advantage of cloud computing, remote working, and other digital tools to boost productivity and efficiency. And with more reliable internet connections, businesses can avoid costly downtime and lost revenue.
The launch of the new fiber area is just the latest step in FPUAnet’s commitment to delivering high-quality internet services to its customers. As a leading local provider of internet services, FPUAnet has a proven track record of innovation and excellence, with a network that spans the region and provides reliable and affordable internet access to thousands of customers.
In conclusion, FPUAnet Communications‘ new fiber area is a significant development for the region’s internet infrastructure. With faster speeds, greater reliability, and increased security, fiber optic technology is set to revolutionize the way residents and businesses access the internet. And with FPUAnet’s commitment to innovation and excellence, customers can expect to enjoy high-quality internet services for years to come.
To learn more about our fiber internet for your business, contact us at (772) 468-1697 or sales@fpuanet.com. We’re proud to keep Fort Pierce’s homes and businesses connected!
As beneficial as the internet can be to empowering individuals and enriching lives, there are negative aspects to being online.
Privacy concerns, disclosed personal information and data, hacking and security breaches, and computer viruses still plague this internet.
FPUAnet Communications does far more than provide fast, reliable fiber internet.
We work tirelessly to deliver your high-speed internet service as safely and securely as possible. However, you still need to take steps to ensure your privacy and online security, too.
One of the most frequently cited recommendations to protect your privacy online is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
But what exactly is a VPN, and how does it work? And do you really need a VPN?
Below we explain what a VPN is and discuss how it works, so you can make a more informed decision about whether to employ a VPN yourself.
What is a VPN?
A VPN is a private network that, once established and enabled, creates a secure “tunnel.” Through the tunnel, data sent and received by your devices online is transmitted to a private server, where the data is encrypted before moving throughout the internet.
In essence, then, through this process, your data is more protected and secure while you’re online.
How do VPNs work?
VPNs utilize applications to transmit and relay online data (emails, browser searches, messages, photos, videos, etc.), to secure servers via the encrypted data tunnels.
Once encrypted data arrives at these secure servers, it gets routed to its final destination, such as a website, email server, or social media app.
The VPN’s encryption process shields your I.P. address (your location online) and other sensitive personal data.
For example, instead of revealing your I.P. address, the VPN’s server’s I.P. address “becomes” your I.P. address, concealing who you are and providing extra protection.
Similarly, by using a VPN, the internet traffic you receive has gone through the same more protected process before reaching your devices.
This sounds helpful—but do I need a VPN?
A VPN is a solid online privacy and security measure.
While some cybersecurity experts still recommend them, technically, you do not need one.
Until recently, VPNs were more necessary than they are today. But technology and online security have improved markedly over the years, with many websites and apps employing strong data encryption, helping enhance online privacy.
People who regularly use public Wi-Fi, such as in coffee shops or airports, are more vulnerable to hacking and cyber-attacks.
VPNs can help protect your devices (and online privacy) in those situations. But you can employ other security and privacy protections that can safeguard your data and internet traffic without using a VPN.
Whether you use a VPN or not, please don’t forget other essential protections, like password managers, anti-virus software, and ad blockers. They can protect your identity and prevent your online activity from being tracked.
Of course, should you have more questions about online security and privacy, FPUAnet Communications can always help.
And to learn more about navigating the web more securely and staying safe online, follow Fort Pierce Utilities Authority‘s social pages.
When it comes to the dependability and speed of the internet service in your home, a lot depends on your WiFi router―specifically its location in the house.
At FPUAnet, we’ve already got you covered with the area’s fastest and most reliable internet service. Now here are a few tips on getting the most from that service throughout your home.
Make Sure You Have Enough Coverage: If your home is less than 1,500 square feet, one router should provide enough coverage for your whole house. However, if your house is larger, you may want to look into creating a mesh network. A mesh network is a series of access points that communicate with each other to blanket your home with the WiFi signal. They optimize the speed of your connection and reduce “dead zones.”
Consider Where You Spend the Most Time Connected: If you have key locations in your home where you spend the majority of your time online, such as a home office or family room, take that into consideration when placing your router.
Look for a High and Uncrowded Space: Placing your router on a high shelf will help distribute the signal more widely and evenly through the house. It’s also best to avoid placing the router behind any large objects or closed up in a cabinet.
Give the Signal a Clear Path: While the WiFi signal can do a pretty good job getting through the walls and ceilings in your house, the one thing that can stop it cold is metal, including shelving, metal desks, and large appliances.
