Road
Runner FAQ - Technical Questions
1. What kind
of computer do I need to subscribe to the Road Runner service?
2. Who makes
the cable modem?
3. What web
browser is used?
4. Can a customer
use their own browser?
5. Will having
a Road Runner cable modem give the customer their own Internet Protocol
(IP) address?
6. Can I install
the cable modem and software myself?
7. How long
does the installation process take?
8. Who do
I call if I have questions or problems with the service?
9. If I have
my own network interface card (NIC), can I use it?
10. I already
have a modem (14.4/28.8/56K). Will this replace it?
11. Will
I have trouble having two modems in my Personal Computer?
12. What
about security on the system? How do I know that my credit card cannot be
stolen?
13. What
about viruses? Is Road Runner susceptible?
Road
Runner FAQ - Technical Questions
1. What
kind of computer do I need to subscribe to the Road Runner service?
When Road Runner is installed
on your personal computer, we include several pieces of Internet software
- including Microsoft Internet Explorer - which requires a reasonably fast
computer in order to work well.
Likewise, some of the exciting, broadband content you will see when
the Road Runner web site debuts won't work well with older computers.
Therefore, we have provided a list of minimum system requirements that
your computer should meet in order for us to install Road Runner.
If you are thinking about purchasing a new computer - or upgrading your
existing one - in order to use Road Runner, you should consult our recommended
system requirements.
Road Runner will support
Microsoft Windows 98, Windows Millineum, Windows 2000,
Windows XP and Macintosh (ver 9.x and higher) workstations.
| WINDOWS |
| |
MINIMUM
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS |
RECOMMENDED |
| Processor |
Pentium
400 MHz |
Pentium
800 MHz + |
| Memory
(RAM) |
64
MB |
128
MB + |
| Free
Hard Disk Space |
110
MB |
150
MB+ |
| Operating
System |
Windows
98 |
Win
98, ME, 2000 and XP |
| Browser |
Internet Explorer 5.x |
Internet Explorer
6.x |
| Other |
CD-ROM drive |
Sound card and speakers
and SVGA or XGA graphics card |
| Networking
Capability |
Ethernet
card with RJ45 connector, or Open slot and free compatible
IRQ, or Open USB port |
|
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| MACINTOSH |
| |
MINIMUM
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS |
RECOMMENDED |
| Operating
System |
MacOS
9.x |
OS
X |
| Processor |
Power
PC |
G3 |
| Memory
(RAM) |
32
MB
(with 40 MB Virtural) |
64
MB+ |
| Free
Hard Disk Space |
30
MB |
50
MB |
| Browser |
Internet
Explorer 5.x
Safari 1.0 (Best Effort)
|
Internet
Explorer 5.x |
| Other |
CD-ROM
drive, 16-bit color |
Sound
card and speakers, 32-bit color |
| Networking
Capability |
Ethernet
card with $J45 connector, Openslot, or USB Port (Best Effort) |
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2. Who makes
the cable modem?
Toshiba. We are curently using
the Toshiba PCX-1000, PCX-1000U and the 3com HomeConnect.
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3. What web
browser is used?
Microsoft is providing a customized
version of their Internet Explorer browser to navigate Road Runner.
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4. Can a customer
use their own browser?
If customers choose, they may
disable the Explorer browser and use other browsers such as Netscape's Navigator.
This is not, however, a recommended procedure and technical support may
not be made available if problems arise. Not all third-party plug-ins will
be supported by the Road Runner browser and, therefore, the responsibility
for service if they are installed becomes the user's.
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5. Will having
a Road Runner cable modem give the customer their own Internet Protocol
(IP) address?
If you are a residential customer,
you will automatically be assigned an IP address when you open, or start,
a Road Runner session. This temporary IP address allows your computer to
communicate with the Road Runner network and services and will remain reserved
for you until you close your Road Runner session.
Your E-mail and User ID will
remain the same regardless of what IP address is assigned to your computer
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6. Will I
be able to install the cable modem and software myself?
Self Installalation Kits are
no longer available.
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7. How long
does the installation process take?
The time required for installation
varies depending on the type of equipment and operating system that you
have. Generally we allow two hours for each installation. In addition
to installing all necessary hardware and software required for your particular
system, technicians will provide a brief tutorial on how to make the most
of your new Road Runner service.
It is important to note that
in instances where there is not a cable outlet close to the location of
your computer, a separate appointment to add a cable outlet may be necessary.
The cost to install additional cable outlets is included in the one-time
charge for Road Runner installation.
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8. Who do
I call if I have questions or problems with the service?
Time Warner will provide a
staff of certified technical support representatives that will be available
24 hours a day, seven days a week to answer questions or provide technical
support over the telephone. In addition, there will be numerous Road Runner
news groups with questions and answers from systems administration staff
at Time Warner Cable as well as more experienced users of the Road Runner
service.
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9. If I have
my own network interface card (NIC), can I use it?
Yes, any 10baseT Ethernet
NIC card with the latest drivers should be compatible with Road Runner
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10. I already
have a modem (14.4/28.8/56K). Will this replace it?
Yes, for most of our customers,
Road Runner's high-speed cable modem will replace your slow, conventional
telephone data modem by providing direct access to the internet and related
online services. Should you choose to access other services with your
modem, such as bulletin boards or direct faxing, Road Runner's cable modem
will not interfere.
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11. Will
I have trouble having two modems in my Personal Computer?
The Road Runner connection
will most likely not cause any internal conflicts with the modem in your
computer. The Road Runner cable modem is unique in that it is more similar
to a network connection than a modem connection. A network connection
utilizes a Network Interface Card (NIC) installed in your computer to
communicate with the network (in this case Road Runner). An ordinary dial-up
connection uses a conventional telephone-based modem, which is commonly
installed in your computer, to communicate over your phone lines. We will
install a network interface card (NIC) in your computer and it will connect
directly to the external Road Runner cable modem. Because of this, the
Road Runner cable modem does not physically reside in your computer.
However, if your computer
already resides on a network and already has a NIC installed, there may
be a conflict between your current network card and the network card that
supports the Road Runner software.
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12. What
about security on the system? How do I know that my credit card cannot
be stolen?
Security is a concern for
many current users on the Internet. All data passing through the Road
Runner modem is encrypted. Any transaction conducted over the Road Runner
service will be equally secure to those done over your existing service
provider, just a lot faster. We advise customers to use common sense precautions
when using their credit cards for electronic commerce -- just as they
would in any other form of credit card purchasing.**
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13. What
about viruses? Is Road Runner susceptible?
Unfortunately, viruses are
a fact of life in today's computing environment. The Road Runner service
is not more or less susceptible to viruses or their transmission than
any other service. To protect against the possibility of a virus there
are a number of free samples of anti-virus software available on the Internet.
Road Runner customers can access and download one of these programs at
high speeds and without incurring any time charges.
**Time Warner will not
assume liability or responsibility for transactions over the Road Runner
network with third party vendors.
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