I can say Ubnt survives a LOT better with shielded cable. The last two years went waaay better for customer gear.
Josh Luthman Office: 937-552-2340 Direct: 937-552-2343 1100 Wayne St Suite 1337 Troy, OH 45373 On Jan 6, 2015 8:41 PM, "Jeremy" <jeremysmi...@gmail.com> wrote: > If you say so. As I said...there is a lot of debate on this subject. If > you get an ESD it follows the path to ground through the POE and to earth > ground. > > On Jan 6, 2015 6:34 PM, <cstann...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Shielded cable is for protection against high-power RF interference, it >> does not correctly protect from ESD as it leads inside the house. The >> grounding on your tripod or mast is the protection from ESD and keeps >> surges outside the house. >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From: * Jeremy <jeremysmi...@gmail.com> >> *Sender: * "Af" <af-boun...@afmug.com> >> *Date: *Wed, 7 Jan 2015 01:29:25 +0000 >> *To: *<af@afmug.com> >> *ReplyTo: * af@afmug.com >> *Subject: *Re: [AFMUG] New WISP >> >> Shielded cable with shielded connectors on every install. I recommend >> Shireen on towers and installs. A lot of the guys use UBNT tough cable. >> Whatever, just shield and ground. If you cut in wallplates (you >> should...it is more professional), use shielded keystone jacks and shielded >> patch cables. I use unshielded patch cables from the POE to the router. >> This has saved a ton of routers and NICs from ESD because the path to >> ground does not extend to the router. You may spend a bit more on supplies >> but you will have less service calls. Opinions cary on this subject but I >> have worked for a very large company that we all know and this practice >> probably cut service calls after lightning storms by 20%. >> >> On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 6:24 PM, Jeremy <jeremysmi...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> I explain it like this: "Routers are made like light bulbs. They are >>> pretty much engineered to fail. If you get one that lasts three years you >>> are lucky. All routers lock up and need power cycled once in awhile. As >>> they get older they start to need it regularly. When it gets to the point >>> that you are power cycling your router all the time it is time to buy a new >>> router. Don't spend $250 on a router because it will likely fail just as >>> quickly as the $70 router." This has saved me so many issues. >>> >>> On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 6:21 PM, Jeremy <jeremysmi...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> pwer? "power cycle" their router! >>>> >>>> On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 6:20 PM, Jeremy <jeremysmi...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Yeah, seriously though. Cash flow statement is essential. MOST WISPs >>>>> fail within three years because they don't make it to cash flow positive >>>>> before they run out of operating capital. Do not underestimate your >>>>> expenses. Track everything. TRAIN YOUR CUSTOMERS. If you have overages, >>>>> bandwidth limitations, ect. let them know up front. Tell every customer >>>>> to >>>>> pwer their router if they don't have Internet (show them how), THEN call >>>>> you if that doesn't work. This will save close to 90% of your calls. >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 6:13 PM, Ken Hohhof <af...@kwisp.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Not totally joking. Undercapitalization is a major mistake of >>>>>> most startups including WISPs. You need money to make money. >>>>>> >>>>>> Make a month-by-month plan for your first 2 years and do a cashflow >>>>>> spreadsheet. Set targets for how many installs you plan to do each >>>>>> month, >>>>>> how much you revenue you will generate, how much you need to spend on >>>>>> equipment and recurring expenses. Set milestones for when you can fund >>>>>> growth from cashflow, when you have repaid your initial investment or >>>>>> loans, when you need to add staff and will the money be there, etc. >>>>>> Review >>>>>> progress each month and adjust as necessary. But this will help you >>>>>> avoid >>>>>> being underfunded to achieve your goals, or not reaching profitability >>>>>> in a >>>>>> reasonable timeframe. It’s too easy starting out to use a simple >>>>>> calculation like I’m paying $500/month for bandwidth and I charge $50 so >>>>>> once I get to 10 customers I’m profitable. Then a year later you’re at >>>>>> 100 >>>>>> customers which seems like success, but you have maxed out your credit >>>>>> cards and aren’t drawing a salary and can’t hire a full time installer, >>>>>> and >>>>>> you need major network upgrades and don’t have the cash. >>>>>> >>>>>> Also while you don’t need to budget every penny, you need realistic >>>>>> estimates of all your costs, not just the big, obvious ones. Like >>>>>> assuming >>>>>> you take credit cards, some of the revenue will go to processing fees and >>>>>> “discount”. You will have some bad debt from customers who don’t pay, >>>>>> and >>>>>> you will have some churn if only because people move, get divorced, and >>>>>> die. You will go through supplies like cable and hardware for >>>>>> installations, and you will spend a certain amount on maintenance. You >>>>>> will have costs like insurance and lawyers and accountants and postage >>>>>> and >>>>>> utilities. At least come up with a rough number for these, and refine >>>>>> based on experience. >>>>>> >>>>>> If you use your own vehicle, at least pay yourself the IRS standard >>>>>> amount for mileage. >>>>>> >>>>>> Find another WISP nearby and make an arrangement to cover for each >>>>>> other in case of sickness or just so you can get away for a few days. >>>>>> >>>>>> Decide what your business hours are and how to handle calls outside >>>>>> business hours. Also decide on a way to notify customers if you have a >>>>>> major outage so you aren’t answering the phone when you should be working >>>>>> on a problem. For example, a message on your voicemail. >>>>>> >>>>>> Train your customers from day one. For example, let calls go to >>>>>> voicemail after hours and call them back, or they will assume they can >>>>>> call >>>>>> any time of day or night. Or if you say you will suspend service when >>>>>> payment is X days late, do it. If they never get to expecting things, >>>>>> they >>>>>> won’t be pissed off when you take them away. Like Trevor used to answer >>>>>> his cellphone at all hours, now I have to call the office and leave a >>>>>> message. Or the service has really gone downhill, I used to get 20 meg >>>>>> speeds now I only get 10 (even though they are on a 5 meg plan). Or I >>>>>> used >>>>>> to wait 3 months and then pay up, now if I’m 5 days late, they cut me >>>>>> off. >>>>>> Better to set their expectations early. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> *From:* Jeremy <jeremysmi...@gmail.com> >>>>>> *Sent:* Tuesday, January 06, 2015 6:34 PM >>>>>> *To:* af@afmug.com >>>>>> *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] New WISP >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Have a million dollars. Cash. >>>>>> On Jan 6, 2015 5:23 PM, "Josh Luthman" <j...@imaginenetworksllc.com> >>>>>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Get a billing system. Powercode or whatever. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Don't finance customers that can't pay up front, wastes billing time >>>>>>> instead of installing more customers. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Don't use your cell phone for the office. Get a hosted PBX. Close >>>>>>> the shop so you don't get burnt out, have other people and or a call >>>>>>> center. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Josh Luthman >>>>>>> Office: 937-552-2340 >>>>>>> Direct: 937-552-2343 >>>>>>> 1100 Wayne St >>>>>>> Suite 1337 >>>>>>> Troy, OH 45373 >>>>>>> On Jan 6, 2015 7:21 PM, "Trevor Bough" <trevorbo...@gmail.com> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Hi guys, long time listener, first time caller. I'm looking at >>>>>>>> starting a new rural WISP and was wondering if you guys could share >>>>>>>> some of >>>>>>>> the things you wish you had known when you started out. Things to >>>>>>>> absolutely stay away from, things that you didn't think of first, but >>>>>>>> made >>>>>>>> your life 10x easier, etc. Any info would be greatly appreciated! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>> >>
