Tired of feeling like your online life is as secure as a house made of straw? In today’s digital age, internet security is more important than ever. While there are many options available, fiber internet stands out as the most secure and reliable choice.
Let’s take a look at how fiber compares to its internet connectivity counterparts, and why it’s the closest thing to a “vault” for those who prioritize online safety.
Fiber vs. The Rest
You can’t just waltz into Fort Knox for a tour. It’s not a museum; it’s a fortress! Fiber internet uses pulses of light through thin glass strands to transmit data, making it inherently more secure than it’s connectivity counterparts:
Satellite Internet: The Space Cadet of Internet Connections
Sure, it sounds cool – “Ooh, my cat videos are coming from space!” But if aliens wanted to steal your data, they’d have a front-row seat. Plus, with all those space rocks floating around, your connection is about as stable as a Hollywood marriage.
Cellular Data: The Gossip of the Internet World
It’s like that friend who can’t keep a secret, broadcasting your data to every cell tower in sight, practically begging for eavesdroppers. It’s convenient, but it’s also the town crier of the internet world, shouting your personal information from the rooftops.
Cable Internet: The Nosy Neighbor of Connections
It’s like living in an apartment with paper-thin walls. Sure, you’re connected, but so is everyone else on your street. It’s a digital block party, and everyone’s invited – including that guy who still uses “password” as his Wi-Fi password.
Fiber Internet: The Fort Knox of Internet Connections
Only Trailblazer provides 100% fiber connections to the Estes region. With fiber, your data is encoded into pulses of light end to end, making it harder to intercept than a vault door sealed tighter than a drum. It’s so secure, even James Bond would be jealous.
Speed and Security: A Perfect Pair
One of fiber’s biggest advantages is its speed. This isn’t just about loading web pages faster – it also contributes to security. Faster speeds mean:
Quicker software and security updates
Faster threat detection and response
More efficient encryption processes
All of these factors combine to create a more secure online environment.
The Wi-Fi Factor
It’s important to note that you can still use Wi-Fi with fiber internet. Many people assume that fiber means a direct, wired connection to all devices, but that’s not the case. You can set up a wireless network just as you would with any other internet type.
However, it’s worth mentioning that a wired connection is always the most secure option, regardless of your internet type. When you connect directly to your router with an Ethernet cable, you eliminate the risk of someone intercepting your data over the airwaves.
The Bottom Line
While no internet connection is 100% secure, fiber internet provides the strongest foundation for online safety. Its physical properties make it resistant to many common forms of interference and hacking attempts.
Remember, though, that security isn’t just about your internet type. Always use strong passwords, keep your software updated, and consider using a VPN for an extra layer of protection. In the end, fiber internet is like a high-security vault for your data. It’s not impenetrable, but it’s certainly the toughest to crack.
So if you have the option, choosing fiber is a smart move for both speed and security. In the end, fiber internet is the way to go for protecting your internet “gold” from hackers and snoopers.
Is your Wifi wonky or wonderful? On the wonderful side, Wifi is the internet untethered, allowing you to move freely and use your devices anywhere in your home, outside, and throughout the world where there is a Wifi connection. The invisible connection flies through the air seamlessly, until something wonky happens, and it is disrupted or slowed by some sort of interference.
A wired connection will always be faster than a wireless (Wifi) connection as well as being free from interference. Unlike your wired connection wifi shares bandwidth among all your devices, and sometimes your neighbor’s devices as well, so you will not see full speed – in Trailblazer’s case that’s 1000 Mbps or 1 GIG – on any single device when the bandwidth is shared. Older devices and operating systems can also slow down your wifi speeds. Anything from building materials such as steel and concrete to aquariums and electronics can get in the way of wifi signals in a home, which may lead to signal coverage issues.
If you’re having issues with your Wifi connections, Trailblazer is here to help. Our Technical Support Team is available 24 x 7 x 365 to review your system’s performance remotely. The technicians can often optimize your Wifi speeds while you’re on the phone. If further investigation is needed, we will send someone out to investigate further.
Here are some of the most likely Wifi disruptors to be aware of and mitigate if possible:
1. Your Neighbor’s Network
When many networks are located closely together, for example in apartment buildings, this will affect the wireless capacity. For equipment on the 2.4 GHz band, neighboring networks are the single largest source of interference on the wireless network.One important reason to choose newer equipment that supports the 5 GHz frequency band is that the signals on this band have a shorter range and are therefore less likely to create and pick up interference from networks than older equipment using the 2.4 GHz band. Keep in mind with Trailblazer service, you have both a 2.4 and a 5 GHz band to offer the best possible coverages close to your Nokia Gateway and in more remote areas of your home. Typically, your Wifi with Trailblazer will switch automatically between the two bands to achieve the best signal.
2. Separate Wireless Networks in Your Own Home
If you have multiple wireless networks in your home that are set up on different pieces of equipment – this can be even more disruptive than your neighbor’s network. If you need to have logins for the wireless network with different access levels, we recommend setting up a guest network with its own network name (SSID) on the same router or access point as the primary network.
3. Bluetooth
Wireless devices such as headsets, keyboards, and mice can interfere with the Wi-Fi signals. Bluetooth uses a technology called frequency hopping, which means it skips around the 2.4 GHz band, up to 1600 times per second(!)
When equipment that uses Bluetooth, jumps into the frequency range of equipment that uses Wi-Fi, it can therefore ruin some of the Wi-Fi traffic and create delays. As it jumps so often, actual impact on Wi-Fi will be highly variable, making such scenarios rather hard to troubleshoot.
Worst case, your Wi-Fi access point will automatically change the channel to avoid the interference – a misguided strategy, as Bluetooth will hop through all the channels that are used for Wi-Fi anyway, and this may cause you to lose more Wi-Fi traffic. Old devices and computers in particular will need several seconds to reconnect if the access point changes to a different channel.
4. Baby Monitors, Walkie-Talkies and Other Radios
Do you have baby monitors, walkie talkies, or maybe a radio locator to keep track of your pets or keys? Such equipment tends to use the same frequency as the older Wi-Fi standards 802.11 b/g/n and will therefore interfere with the 2.4 GHz band.
Traditionally, this type of equipment does not use Wi-Fi and uses the entire frequency band without any regard to other communication on the same frequency.
5. Microwave Oven
Microwave ovens use electromagnetic waves of 2.4 GHz to heat food. Unfortunately, the older Wi-Fi standards, 802.11 b/g/n also use electromagnetic waves at 2.4 GHz, but with far weaker transmit power.
Although all microwave ovens are well covered, there will always be some degree of “leakage” of waves – a slight leak is not dangerous to humans, but:
Most microwave ovens are at about 1000 W. Most Wi-Fi access points can transmit a maximum of 0.1 W. Therefore, it does not take much of a leak for the 2.4 GHz band in the area to become unusable.
Physical Obstacles to the Wi-Fi Signals3/3
With shorter range, equipment on the 5 GHz band is more dependent on the having a clear line of sight between the wireless accesspoint/router and the clients; devices and computers connecting to the network.
Some obstacles are simple to remove, and in some cases you may be able to move the access point away from the obstacles. Buildingmaterials in the home are harder to address, however. The solution we recommend to ensure coverage in such cases is a mesh network ofseveral wireless access points that can work their way around the obstacles.
6. Concrete and Masonry Walls
Different building materials block wireless signals to very different degrees. Wi-Fi signals are most weakened by having to go through thickwalls, especially reinforced concrete.
See also: Wi-Fi Signal Loss by Building Material.
7. Thick Timber Walls
Regular wooden walls cause some signal loss, but not a great deal, as you can see in Wi-Fi Signal Loss by Building Material. However, timberwalls have proved to be a significant obstacle to wireless signals.
8. Metal and Floor Heating
When signals have to reach multiple floors, floor heating can create problems for the wireless signals.
And is your router or other wireless access point placed inside a metal cabinet? Get it out of there if you can!
9. Water
Do you use hydronics for heating in your home? Or do you have a really big aquarium? Here the wireless signals will also struggle to get through.
10. The TV
Perhaps the most common cause of weakened Wi-Fi signals – don’t place your router or other wireless access point behind the TV!
Source: Danielsen, Jorunn. “10 Things in Your Home That Interfere with and Block Wi-Fi Signals.” Eye Networks, 11 Apr. 2024, eyenetworks.no/en/10-things-that-disturb-and-block-wi-fi-signals/.
This post is excerpted from https://www.ready.gov/power-outages, an official website of the United States Government. Launched in February 2003, Ready is a National public service campaign designed to educate and empower the American people to prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies and disasters. The goal of the campaign is to promote preparedness through public involvement.
Extended power outages may impact the whole community and the economy. A power outage is when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly.
A power outage may:
Disrupt communications, water and transportation.
Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks and other services.
Cause food spoilage and water contamination.
Prevent use of medical devices.
Power Outage Tips
Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.
Use a generator, but ONLY outdoors and away from windows.
Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
Have alternate plans for refrigerating medicines or using power-dependent medical devices.
Check with local officials about heating and cooling locations open near you.
How to Protect Yourself During A Power Outage
Go to a community location with power if heat or cold is extreme. Remember that Free #WapitiWifi is available in the Downtown area for communications.
Preparing for a Power Outage
Take an inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity. Plan for batteries and other alternative power sources to meet your needs when the power goes out, such as a portable charger or power bank. Have flashlights for every household member. Determine whether your home phone will work in a power outage and how long battery backup will last.
Using Appliances During Power Outages
Install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of your home. Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Generators, camp stoves or charcoal grills should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows. Never use a gas stovetop or oven to heat your home. Turn off or disconnect appliances, equipment, or electronics. Power may return with momentary surges or spikes that can cause damage.
Know Your Medical Needs
Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Find out how long medication can be stored at higher temperatures and get specific guidance for any medications that are critical for life.
Food Storage
Have enough nonperishable food and water. Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours. Use coolers with ice if necessary. Monitor temperatures with a thermometer. Throw out food if the temperature is 40 degrees or higher.
Generator Safety
Generators can be helpful when the power goes out. It is important to know how use them safely to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and other hazards.
Generators and fuel should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows, doors and attached garages.
Install working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill you, your family and pets.
Keep the generator dry and protected from rain or flooding. Touching a wet generator or devices connected to one can cause electrical shock.
Always connect the generator to appliances with heavy-duty extension cords.
Let the generator cool before refueling. Fuel spilled on hot engine parts can ignite.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Returning After A Power Outage
When in doubt, throw it out! Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color or texture.
If the power is out for more than a day, discard any medication that should be refrigerated, unless the drug’s label says otherwise. Consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately for a new supply.
Reprinted with permission from the Allenspark Wind, December 2023 Vol. 50, No. 11, June 2024 Vol. 51, No. 5, by Edward Yagi
As Allenspark’s snowbirds return to our area and the annual rituals of opening up cabins, repairing snow and wind damage, and checking up with friends and neighbors are in full swing, a new item should be on everyone’s checklist this year: keeping abreast of the Trailblazer internet rollout.
In order to be good consumers, it is incumbent on all of us to do our homework and understand the terminology. It is with this in mind that the Wind has compiled this handy list of high-speed internet terms.
Broadband: In the distant past this referred to music groups like the the Bangles, the Go-Go’s, and Bananarama. Now it refers to high-speed data access, and by “high” we mean really high:10 gigabits per second (10 Gbps), which is 100 times faster than DSL – and 178,571 times faster than the old dial-up you used when the internet first came out.
DSL: An increasingly obsolete form of internet connection that uses existing telephone lines. Dial-up simply hijacked voice bandwidth and replaced it with data (which was why you couldn’t walk and chew gum at the same time in 1994). DSL uses “black box” software and equipment that separates voice from data on the same line at different frequencies. We told you this before.
ONT: OK this is new one. An Optical Network Terminal is the device in your home that converts optical signals from the FOC into the electrical signals used by your computers, phones, WiFi routers, etc. You can think of it as a fancy, advanced modem but you won’t be very “with it” if you do.
FOC: Fiber optic cable. C’mon, you should all know this by now.
EPP&C: Estes Park Power & Communications. Trailblazer is an ISP (internet service provider) that operates within EPP&C. Abbreviated to just “P&C” by cool people. The only people up here who have and are bringing you FOC.
UPS: This could either be the folks who deliver pack-ages to your doorstop or Uninterruptable Power Supply. In the latter case, a UPS is a kind of fancy battery that you install between the electrical outlet and the device you want to power or protect. A UPS can provide voltage regulation, surge protection, and backup power from anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. This last part is important because you might suffer from a….
PSD: This is as bad as it sounds: Power Supply Disruption. Basically, a blackout, due to either equipment failure, an accident, or probably the most common in Allenspark, weather factors such as high winds or heavy snow. But if you were an Xcel customer a few weeks ago, you probably got it with a…..
PSPS: Public Safety Power Shutoff. This is where a utility intentionally shuts off electricity to prevent power lines from sparking fires in potentially dangerous conditions. According to Estes Park Director of Utilities Reuben “Bomb.com” Bergsten, EPP&C is reluctant to do a PSPS, since this tends to mess up your morning, afternoon, or evening. But since anything is better than a Maui or a Marshall (fire), it will always be a possibility.
BTW, Trailblazer has its own internal emergency pow-er sources. This means that even if the electrical grid goes down, assuming you have EPP&C Trailblazer FOC and a UPS hooked up to your ONT, even with a PSD or PSPS you should still have internet connectivity long enough to at least access EMER INFO.
Just FYI. M.O.N.E.Y.: In 21st century Colorado, a series of zeros and ones in electronic financial ledgers that greatly deter-mines in what month, probably this year, Trailblazer service will reach our homes in Allenspark.
Vault covers & non-service impacting lines: Forget it. You don’t need to know.
Shock: A powerful but not-unpleasant emotion of surprise such as that felt by “Sean E” when Trailblazer hiked 1/8 of a mile through three feet of snow to do an installation at their home on March 15. If that date rings a bell, it was the day after Snowmageddon 2024. A “great bunch of dudes,” according to Sean, spent most of the day shoveling in order to do the installation. The dudettes, presumably, had the day off.
So unless you really enjoy having your internet crash frequently or waiting five minutes for your cat videos to download, you should have Trailblazer’s phone number on speed-dial and start making tentative preparations now, especially if you’re not a year-rounder, to get hooked up as soon as the service is available at your location.
And one more btw, Estes Park just had a new Town Board and new Mayor sworn in recently. Maybe they can help Trailblazer complete its roll-out by finding some M.O.N.E.Y.
It’s time for a community update as Trailblazer, with your invaluable support, continues planning the final phase of its fiber broadband buildout.
The project has reached a pivotal milestone by completing the majority of the main construction in our designated service areas. These areas include most parts within the Estes Park Town limits, extending north to Glen Haven and progressing along Highway 7 towards Allenspark. While this is the backbone of the fiber network, we still have a long way to go to bring service to everyone, particularly those in more remote locations. The desire for service has been overwhelmingly positive. Our installation calendar is currently booked well into the fall.
Meanwhile, we are re-strategizing our fiber construction to the remaining unbuilt areas of our community. With the shift to internal staff completing all new construction and installations, the remaining buildout takes additional time and careful consideration. These areas are challenging because of their distance, lower density, and, in most cases, difficult terrain. As you might expect, these challenges also make this final portion of the buildout more expensive.
In short, all main construction has been placed on hold as the original funding for the project has been exhausted due to the rising costs of construction materials and supply issues. While Trailblazer is thriving as a business, we haven’t been open long enough to generate a large enough revenue pool yet to use for mainline construction, though we are covering costs and meeting bond obligations without raising rates or using tax dollars as we originally committed to. We do prioritize where to put our efforts and resources based on the rate of return possible compared to the cost to build and the interest we have in Trailblazer based on the number of registrations from residents and businesses in a location.
Inflation has exponentially increased the cost of doing business for Trailblazer, as it has for most other companies and families in recent years. As a result, Trailblazer is actively seeking broadband funding through various grants to assist with rising material and construction costs in rural buildout areas. Trailblazer received a small amount of grant funding; however, most grant efforts proved unsuccessful with intense competition for too few dollars. The good news is that more grant money is available in 2024; however, those dollars are only applicable to “rural” buildouts. Other funding sources are not an option at this time, so we are focusing on generating additional revenue by building the outlying locations that qualify for grant funding first.
Waiting for a good thing is never easy – whether it is grant money or better internet service – and we appreciate the patience of our neighbors who do not yet have access to Trailblazer Broadband service. While there is no timeline at present, Trailblazer is working diligently to deliver this vital service as quickly as possible.
What can you do to help? Please take a moment to email Congressman Joe Neguse, your 2nd District Representative, describing your internet experience and asking for his support for broadband grants in our community.
Generators can be helpful when the power goes out. It is important to know how use them safely to prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and other hazards.
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